Gears of Comodule: Paco-Junior Sales Manager with a passion for sports & tasty food
We’re not saying that Paco is incapable of looking angry. We’re just saying that we at Comodule haven’t seen it. This happy chap has circled around the world a number of times, eventually finding his way to micro-mobility through Comodules’ door. Was it luck? Was it meant to be? Find out more below!
Who is Paco?
Francisco Horacio Valdés Juárez aka Paco joined Comodule’s team recently as a Junior Sales Manager, in our office in Nürnberg, Germany. But who is he, really?
“I was born in Mexico City, but my dad's job kept us on the move my entire childhood. I was only two years old when we moved to New Delhi, India where we spent around 3 years. We then spent about six years in Santiago de Chile, three in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and four in Schaumburg, IL, USA. Although it might sound pretty cool at first, adapting to new places and leaving friends behind can be pretty tough growing up.
Nevertheless, going on safaris in search of White Bengal Tigers, skiing in the Andes, getting lost in Caribbean jungles, and studying in an American high school are experiences that define me and I wouldn't trade for the world.”
Eventually he ended up back in Mexico City, where he began his bachelor's degree. “BUT...as if I hadn't had enough change in my life, I took the chance of studying abroad for one year in Paris, France, followed by a 6 month internship in Athens, Greece. I then finally returned to Mexico City where I worked for about 2 years, but that travel itch started to scratch again, so I decided to try my luck with a master's degree in Germany. Now here I am: a Mexican global citizen, living in Germany and working for an Estonian company.“
What does Paco do at Comodule?
Together with Sven Bernhardt, the guys run our sales team in Germany, Nürnberg. As previously mentioned, Paco is our new Junior Sales Manager.
How would you describe the experience of working at Comodule?
When Paco was little, he dreamt of saving the world in a different kind of way: “I used to watch ER (Emergency Room) on TV with my mom and I would tell her I'd become a doctor one day. As I got older I couldn't stand the idea of open wounds and for some reason I almost always faint whenever I get blood taken out...so that plan went out the window pretty fast... However, I always knew I wanted to work with people and help them in one way or another.”
Little Paco. Now, he is hoping to find similar slippers to recreate this photo and send to his mother as a Christmas card
So we asked if, for Paco, joining Comodule seemed like a natural step.
“Actually yes. My master thesis focused on "using IoT for good", so I was actively looking for an industry/company with the mission to provide a brighter future through technology. Aside from the billions of dollars that drive it, I believe micro-mobility is an industry that is largely growing thanks to an ideological change in newer generations towards sustainability. I myself have only owned one car (while living in the US suburbs where you really do need it), but I've managed to live a happy and healthy life biking and using public transport even in chaotic mega cities. I'm excited about contributing to our planet's health and making cities happier places to live in by promoting the use of electric two-wheelers.”
Any hobbies?
“You guessed it: traveling and backpacking… I would say I'm a foodie, so whenever I plan a city trip, my route is always revolved around the different restaurants I can visit and not really the landmarks. In order to counter all that food I've been playing volleyball and beach volleyball since high school and in general I like to stay fit by hitting the gym and biking. I enjoy cooking Mexican food (the best in the world) for my friends and sharing laughs and stories over a couple of German beers (also the best in the world).
Favourite form of transport?
“If the weather allows it I’ll take my electric blue fixed gear bike "Frida" (name inspired by Frida Kahlo's famous blue house in Mexico City). Otherwise the self-driving metro in Nuremberg is great for those cold and rainy days.”
Thoughts about the future of mobility?
“I already see how it's disrupting the way newer generations commute, shop, take their kids to school, etc. Realistically speaking, cars will never be displaced, but the urban transportation industry will significantly be cannibalized by new lighter vehicles. I predict more people will buy e-bikes, e-scooters, and e-cargo bikes instead of buying a second car...in some cases instead of a car at all. Encouraged even further by the current pandemic, city governments worldwide are already shifting their infrastructures to be more micro-mobility inclusive. However, like in many other topics, this change originated from the developed world. In order to have a significant impact on the global environment, we need to realize that there are still billions of people in developing economies that are only now moving out of poverty and into the middle class (millions still buying traditional cars as we speak). Furthermore, I fear that what is already happening in China will also happen in other developing regions. Micro-mobility operators and consumers will source "cheap" and "low quality" vehicles from Asia, ultimately creating unnecessary mountains of waste for an industry that should in theory aim to reduce it. As we say in Mexico: echarle dinero bueno al malo (throwing good money onto the bad one).”
