Our exceptional team members are the driving force behind all that we do at Distillery, and they truly deserve recognition!
In our “Meet Distillery” series, we introduce you to some of the talented experts who help us (and our partners) bring ideas to life.
Today, we’d like to introduce Jonathan, our Operations Lead in South LatAm!
Introduce yourself, your background/expertise, and your position at Distillery
Hi! I’m Jonathan (but you can call me Joni), South Latam Operations Lead. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, I have a degree in business administration and I am currently a Master’s candidate in digital businesses. My career had me bounced between different industries, companies, and areas, with my last deep experience being in Product Management, which was how I entered Distillery in the first place.
As part of the operations team, my responsibility is to ensure that our internal operations run smoothly and our teams succeed at what they do best, while keeping ourselves focused on the company’s strategies and objectives.
One of the key factors for being able to provide excellent services is to have a well-oiled operation, decentralized decision-making, and empowered teams. In order for this to happen, our role in Operations works as the bridge between departments, facilitating and project-managing the many initiatives that are simultaneously undergoing.
Given your work experience, what are your biggest strengths that you bring to your role at Distillery?
I describe myself as a generalist, highly driven, energetic, proactive, and committed professional. While these characteristics may sound cliché, they are fundamental to who I am, especially at work.
These qualities are the ones I bring to work every single day, and help me move through the uncertainty and ambiguity that an operations role often has.
It’s key to stay focused, maintain a broader perspective, and be able to push through obstacles, even if it looks like you might be hitting a brick wall.
Emotional intelligence and empathy are also important traits that allow me to be good at what I do. Bringing energy and commitment to the table is not enough; it is equally important to listen, provide support, challenge the status quo, and explain things in a way that makes sense to others. This approach fosters self-awareness in those around me and encourages them to consider their own impact on their environment.
What attracted you to Distillery?
I didn’t know about Distillery before I joined, but what I found once inside the company is what made me fall in love with it. THE CULTURE! THE PEOPLE! I know it may sound unbelievable, but I found so many talented people with warm hearts and a willingness to help, no questions asked.
I even had the opportunity to work from the Mexico offices for four months, and the experience was extremely welcoming. The environment was incredibly good, and everyone was just kind.
One last thing, and it often comes as a shock to people when they hear it: there are multiple growth opportunities at Distillery. Many of the talented people who work here were given the chance to shine, to be proactive, and to do things outside their scope that could really add value… and so they did. As a result, they were granted the opportunity to gain exposure, learn, and grow.
Distillery is a place where you can come to be your best self, period.
What has been your favorite part about being on the Distillery team?
Working side-by-side with them. We have people of different backgrounds and expertise, but at the same time, everyone is able to understand each other, and reach agreements that ultimately become big decisions.
We don’t hold back our ideas: we justify them, and we all have Distillery’s best interests at heart.
What I mean by that is that we are aware that our big decisions impact something that is bigger than ourselves. This usually includes our employees and their families, our clients (and subsequently, their clients) and the overall community in which we are involved
What’s your secret work-related “pet peeve” related to your role/industry that doesn’t really matter but drives you crazy?
People not turning on their cameras (haha!). In our industry, especially with remote work, this tends to happen a lot. But how are we supposed to connect or bond with people if we can’t see their faces during meetings? It’s easy to forget that in this new working dynamic, we’ve lost some of the usual social interactions, and something as small as seeing someone’s face can make a big impact.
Sometimes, I even worry that people wouldn’t be able to understand me if I didn’t turn on my camera, since I use a lot of gestures and talk with my hands a lot.
Coffee or tea? How many cups in a typical workday?
Coffee and Mate are my go-to drinks. For those who don’t know, mate is a kind-of-herbal drink that is super popular in Argentina.
I can easily down two cups of coffee and a full thermos (1 L) of mate in a day. Some people might choose one over the other, but I just can’t pick between them. They’re both so good and different!
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I love hitting the gym and playing football. The energy just doesn’t end with work, and I take those opportunities to also share moments with my friends.
I’m also a full outdoor person, so after a long work week I try to step as far away from my home as possible, and enjoy some sun and fresh air.
What are three to five hashtags that describe you (both personally and professionally)?
#Kind #Forthcoming #Generalist #Driven #Energetic
What is your most-used/favorite emoji?
🫠 (I have my own customized emojis in Slack, which are far better!)
What’s your favorite book (or what are you currently reading)?
The entire (unfinished though!) Game of Thrones saga.
What is your ideal vacation (or what vacation did you last take)?
I love the idea of a vacation that combines city walking and mountain trekking, with a nice relaxing beach at the end to recharge my batteries before coming back. It’s the perfect mix of adventure and relaxation!
What languages can you speak?
Spanish and English
If you could live in any city, where would it be?
New York City!