About Me

I’m an avid learner whose curiosity and drive has led me to an unorthodox journey. Born in Venezuela, I’ve lived in many different cities and countries of the American continent, both by choice and by chance. From the oil rich city of Maracaibo, the valleys of Caracas, Cali and Tuluá, the mountains of Quito and Bogotá, to the snowy city of Toronto. Every new city became an adventure, a fresh start and a life lesson.

Maybe as a result of this nomadic life, my professional career has seen a few detours. I’ve been a telecom engineer, a software developer, an entrepreneur and a manager. This professional path has been extended with my interest in music, history, language, psychology and recently, economics. I guess this is what happens when you are the child of a mathematician and a sociologist, you get to keep a foot in both science and humanity.

Looking back at my life journey I can’t help but think of one of Steve Jobs’s speeches that he delivered for newly grads in 2005:

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backward. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”

Steve Jobs

If you want to get in touch with me, send me an email at barretollano@gmail.com or find me on Twitter, YouTube or LinkedIn.