Spanish Version
Hello everyone!
My name is Mario Garcia. I was born and raised in Colombia 🇨🇴. A little over 19 years ago, while I was finishing my degree in Systems Engineering, an opportunity arose that would define my future: working at a manufacturing company that used a system completely unknown to me, JDE Edward’s (version 7.3.3, one of the first to run on Windows).
I was lucky to have a boss who was also a mentor. Together, we learned the ins and outs of this great ERP. In that role, I had to handle everything: from reviewing client needs to post-implementation support. This gave me a 360-degree view of JDE, although my focus was always on development. Eventually, I even participated in the migration to version 8.12.
From there, I moved to a consulting firm as a technical consultant. My experience grew exponentially, working with different types of clients and collaborating closely with functional and CNC consultants. My previous "do-it-all" experience allowed me to help with functional definitions and, at times, even assist the CNC team.
The biggest challenge (and the best reward) ❤️
Finally, I started working directly for an end client, a chemical company. This role presented me with the biggest professional challenges to date. I took on a dual role: functional consultant for distribution and Head of Development. I was responsible for finishing the implementation of the company's complex pricing system and advising all areas on how to improve or implement developments to make their work more effective.
It was there that I had the good fortune to meet the woman who is now my wife and the mother of my two daughters. She was hired as part of the technical team, and we worked side-by-side for a couple of years.
The leap: From Colombia to Spain ✈️
After our first daughter was born, my wife got a new job at a cosmetics company. A year later, due to contractual reasons, the consulting firm that provided services to her company had to be changed. It was supposed to be a two-week process, but two months went by, and the situation wasn't resolved.
In that uncertainty, she started browsing opportunities on LinkedIn. Just a month later, the original contractual issue was finally fixed, and she stayed with the cosmetics company. But her time on LinkedIn did not go unnoticed.
She received several offers, but one just "clicked": a job in Barcelona, which also included an opportunity for me. We had to think it over a lot, but we finally decided to emigrate to Spain 🇪🇸 with our young daughter, who was 3 years old at the time.
As you can imagine, the decision changed our lives completely. We landed in a country with a very different culture and traditions. Not having family nearby to help with childcare makes the challenge even greater. And, of course, the tax situation: seeing how almost 30% of the gross salary we expected went to the state 💸. It was a difficult life situation.
New challenges and a new tool 💡
This new job in Spain immersed us in a much larger JDE community, with colleagues from different countries and highly advanced knowledge. The work pace was faster, and the level of demand was higher.
Working there, about 6 years ago, I had the opportunity to get to know Orchestrator. I loved it from the first moment. Orchestrator allowed me to do all those things I dreamed of in my early development years, like calling an API to automatically load currency exchange rates.
It hasn't been an easy path. In the first project where we used it, the integrations didn't end up working well, and most were replaced by EDI solutions. However, the knowledge and experience remained. Orchestrator was here to stay. The more updates it received, the more clients and needs required its use, and for me, it has been the best tool they have included in this great ERP.
The present and the future 🚀
Our family grew as well. A couple of days before our eldest daughter turned 5, her little sister arrived.
Professionally, I'm about to complete one year at a new company that welcomed me when I was looking for other challenges. This company is now in the midst of a transformation to become an international leader in the Oracle ecosystem. We are changing from Quistor to Broadpin, and I'm happy to be part of this because I am also changing a lot professionally.
Now, all my work is focused on Orchestrator, AI, and all the new Oracle technologies. I've had the opportunity to dedicate more and more time to what I love most.
About me and this newsletter ✍️
On a personal note, I must confess that I'm quite disorganized, and I find it very difficult to complete activity reports. But, on the other hand, I am passionate about sharing knowledge and helping others when they need it.
As you've already noticed (which is why you're reading this), I launched this newsletter to share all these experiences, knowledge, and the new functionalities I encounter along the way.
We are already almost 100 people here, and I hope we can continue to grow. I would like to get to know you all a bit better.
Tell me about your challenges, experiences, or whatever you want, simply by replying to this message.
I will be delighted to read them!
Best,
Mario Garcia
