Jose Silvera

Jose Silvera is an entrepreneur, public speaker, and 4X internationally awarded self-taught web programmer born on December 8, 1994.

His parents are Soraya Ruh, a successful administrator with 35+ years of experience and former GM at National Starch & Chemical in Venezuela, and Eduardo Silvera, the very first Mayor of a small town in Guarico, Venezuela called “Santa Maria de Ipire” and former Principal of “Santa Maria High School” (now called Baltazar Padrón). He was also an entrepreneur, landowner, and professional rooster trainer for cockfighting.

When Jose was born, his father, a very successful two-time election-winning Mayor and entrepreneur, was being unfairly prosecuted by the Venezuelan government for opposition to the corruption and fund misappropriation happening in Santa Maria, particularly in relation to public contracts designated for the development of the town.

Reluctant to give favors as a Mayor to some unscrupulous yet powerful individuals, Jose’s dad found himself targeted by these political criminals. They devised a way to trick him into signing a set of project documents that exceeded the allocated budget for the project and then called the authorities to “expose” him.

As a result, Eduardo Silvera was unjustly imprisoned and taken to court, a case that would take years to resolve and consume significant funds in legal fees to clear Eduardo’s name. However, even after his release, the challenges persisted as these individuals had now ascended to political power.

Following this, Jose and his family faced numerous life-threatening situations. Their private properties were stolen, burned, and their cattle slaughtered by the now-corrupt government and its accomplices.

Yet, people in Santa Maria still recognize Eduardo Silvera as the best Mayor in the town’s history and one of the most effective Principals of his time.

Moving to Jose’s childhood, he always had an innate belief in himself and his potential. But school was not for him; he found it uninspiring and nearly failed high school. Due to his mom’s career, Jose had to move frequently, attending 17 different schools in 7 cities. While this nomadic childhood was challenging, it endowed Jose with invaluable skills in communication and relationship-building.

However, his health was a recurring issue; he often fell sick and even battled a severe form of Dengue. Alongside these challenges, he had to cope with the passing of both his grandparents, Mercedes Morales and Jose Ruh, who played integral roles in his upbringing.

These hardships pushed Jose into a deep depression during his teenage years, leading him to associate with the wrong crowd. This phase lasted until he moved to San Diego, California to study English at EF’s Campus. In San Diego, his proficiency in English surged from a B2 to a C2 level within a year.

While Jose had the chance to study law in San Diego, the economic situation back in Venezuela, particularly the plummeting value of the Venezuelan currency, made it financially impractical. Instead, he returned to support his father’s cattle business.

Back in Venezuela, Jose enrolled in “Alejandro de Humboldt University” to study International Business, aiming not to disappoint his parents. Concurrently, he became deeply involved in the Catholic Church and took on missionary work, connecting with communities across Venezuela. During this period, he met Maria Chirinos, whom he married after a year of friendship.

It was also during this time that Jose’s entrepreneurial spirit began to surface. He started a modest online venture that entailed clicking on ads for profits. Recognizing the potential in content creation and blogging, he founded a website to discuss his online venture, encouraging others to join.

His first foray into web development was with Joomla, guided by a friend. But after a challenging experience developing a more professional site for another friend, Jose resolved to truly learn the intricacies of web design and coding, setting him on a transformative journey.

At 19, Jose decided to target the San Diego market, where the pay was substantially better than in Venezuela. His career path seemed clear: website design and development, combined with sales and marketing.

However, life threw another curveball at Jose. His father, Eduardo, was wrongfully incarcerated again over the same case that had been closed nearly two decades ago. With the Venezuelan economy spiraling, facing hyperinflation rates exceeding 1,000,000%, Jose, deeply concerned about the escalating threats to his family, decided to leave Venezuela.

In 2016, after selling almost everything they owned at a significant loss due to Venezuela’s rampant inflation, Jose, Maria, and his mother resettled in Phoenix, Arizona, seeking political asylum. However, their savings depleted rapidly, as they couldn’t legally work until they received their documentation. At 21, the responsibility to support his family weighed heavily on Jose.

His first job in the U.S. was selling cars, where he quickly excelled. However, disheartened by the dealership’s unethical practices, he left and faced a series of unsuccessful employment stints before moving to Las Vegas in search of better opportunities. But misfortune continued to shadow him. His mother fell seriously ill, and his wife took up a low-paying job she detested.

Despite working three jobs, Jose struggled to make ends meet. Then, a promising opportunity at a web design agency ended abruptly due to the company’s bankruptcy, plunging Jose into despair. Seeking guidance, he turned to literature and was deeply influenced by the works of Grant Cardone, Robert Kiyosaki, and Napoleon Hill.

Inspired by their teachings, Jose launched his own web design agency. He simultaneously secured a job at a local business overseeing their website and marketing, introducing him to Google Ads and Facebook Ads. This job became a pivotal learning experience, and Jose’s web design and marketing agency began to flourish. With sheer determination and continuous skill development, he expanded his clientele and soon established his agency as a reputed name in the Las Vegas market.

His life transformed dramatically over the next five years. He now runs a successful agency with over 20 employees, catering to a broad clientele. A renowned speaker, he regularly gets invited to speak at industry events, sharing his expertise in web design, sales, marketing, and entrepreneurship.

At 27, Jose was honored with four international awards for his exceptional work in web design and development. His story is one of resilience, perseverance, and an unwavering belief in one’s potential amidst challenging circumstances. Jose’s journey from a troubled teenager in Venezuela to an award-winning web designer in the U.S. serves as an inspiration to many.