My name is Val Cortez also known in my social media as Val around the world. I was born in Lima Peru but I grew up in Buenos Aires Argentina, I studied occupational health and safety and but I always wanted to be independent and have my own business, when I was 25 I finally started my own business, a eyelash extensions salon, first I started working from my living room and with time hard work and dedication I could have my own little lash room, I had lots of clients I became really popular in the lash business within Buenos Aires, One year after running my business I participated and I won a first place price in first Latin-American lash convention In Buenos Aires, my business was going great.
Traveling has always been one of my passions, learning about new cultures, language, people is something I enjoy, after 2 years of saving for my first trip to Europe, in 2017 my national football selection, after 30 years of being out of the World Cup this year they were qualified and that was a trip I could not miss.
I changed all my plans and I got my ticket to Russia immediately 2 days after their qualification, that was the best trip of my life and probably what changed everything for me, when I came back I was sad and depressed by the routine I missed traveling, I missed seeing new places new people and culture so I found this live-viewing worldwide platform where you could connect with people, meet friends, and talk about things that I was passionate like traveling with people who also like that, so I started going live and talking to people from all over the world on daily basis, for me it was fun and really enjoyed talking to my audience, I always have been a social person.
With time I became extremely popular in the platform, I got to be the #1 in popularity and earnings for many weeks, that’s when I discovered that I had the potential to create an income that could have allowed me to live my dream life while traveling and doing what I love.
After a few months I decide to take a risk and close my shop to started traveling the world and grew up my social media presence I left home with 12k followers in 2019 now I have 960k I keep working on growing my audience.
Why did you decide to create your own business?
I always wanted to own my time, being independent and work for myself is always been my dream…I started in social media because I enjoyed it, I didn’t see it as a career or a business when I started but with time I discovered that I could make a living out of it,and actually more money than I could have ever dream of.
What keeps you motivated?
When you love what you do is easy, I love connecting with my audience I love going live and taking to them about my project, trips and my life in general sharing with them and seeing the support of my audience motivated me to keep growing.
Who has been a role model to you and why?
This might sound as a cliché, but my mother, she’s the one who taught me to be independent and an entrepreneur… She’s also an entrepreneur who despite all the challenges as difficulties in life never stopped, until this day she keeps studying and always looking to be more successful and better in her career.
How do you maintain a solid work life balance?
When you work for yourself to find balance can de difficult, you need more discipline if you want to be productive… I think that keeping routines at least small and setting goals that help me a lot in keeping the balance.
What traits do you possess that makes a successful leader?
I wouldn’t consider myself a leader, although I enjoy inspiring my audience to work in their dream life, so many people want to work digitally and become a independent but they are scared to leave the security of an office job. I think showing them my lifestyle help them to understand it’s possible if you work on it.
What has been the hardest obstacle you’ve overcome?
Judgement of people in general, when you are a public figure and expose yourself to social media you will always get hate at some point, from criticizing my looks to calling me names but this is something I had learnt to deal with.
What is one piece of advice that you have never forgotten?
You create your own opportunities.
Outside of work, what defines you as a person?
I am very happy and cherish person, I’m always singing and dancing around. I’m super social, I love meeting new people and I am very attached to my family, we talk literally everyday even when I’m living so far away from them we don’t lose contact, family means a lot for Latinos and I’m not the exception.
Where do you see yourself and your company in 5 years?
I see myself with all my long term goals fulfilled living somewhere in Europe with my family
How can you be reached?