Today we’d like to introduce you to Julio Nieves
Hi Julio, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My name is Julio Nieves, and I’m from Puerto Rico, an island located in the Caribbean. My story began when I was young. I always had a positive mindset and a competitive spirit. I stood out in sports, music, and leadership. I knew early on that I would eventually move to the United States to grow both personally and professionally. Although moving was always part of my plans, I hadn’t taken the initiative to make it happen—until the iconic Hurricane Maria devastated the island.
During that difficult time for my home, the hurricane had destroyed Puerto Rico’s electricity infrastructure, and we lived in darkness for a while. Fuel and food were scarce. It was then that I decided to take action and move to Jacksonville, Florida, to find a way to move forward after losing my job; the hurricane had destroyed the restaurant where I was a manager.
With only $500 in my bank account, I decided to invest that money in a ticket to Jacksonville, Florida, and start my life from scratch.
A cousin offered me a place to stay because he needed a roommate and gave me a job at a restaurant as a food preparer. At that point, I had no experience in the kitchen; my entire background was in the “front of the house.”
I started at $10 an hour, working extra hours just to cover my expenses. I began looking into culinary arts, becoming obsessed with the idea of building a career in the industry.
I worked my way up to line cook, proving I had the skills to join the main kitchen team. Once I could handle every station in the restaurant, I asked for a raise. However, they didn’t grant it, and with bills piling up, I decided to leave and find a better opportunity.
Within days, I was working in another restaurant where I was paid a bit more. Over the course of a year, I earned a promotion to kitchen manager. Everything was going well until COVID-19 hit, and we lost many employees. I worked over 60 hours a week for months without overtime pay because the restaurant didn’t consider it viable.
During this time, I reflected on my situation: I was far from my family, sacrificing all my time for a company that didn’t appreciate its employees. I realized that all this sacrifice wasn’t worth it. I hadn’t come to the United States to work tirelessly for someone else—I was here to build my empire. Somehow, I had to prove to myself that I was capable of great things.
I decided to seek a new type of job, one where I could use my intelligence and leadership to make a name for myself. During my job search, I found a marketing company that offered a management training program based on performance. At that moment, I knew I was in the right place. Not only was I eager to learn everything I could, but I also had mentors willing to teach me everything I needed.
I started as a sales representative. In the beginning, it was tough; my accent made it a bit harder to communicate clearly, and I didn’t have the skills needed for sales. But once again, I became obsessed, studying every night, researching the industry, and diving into the art of communication and psychology.
After overcoming many obstacles and lessons, I finally began to understand the art of sales. As my mentor would say, “One day, it will click, and when it does, there’s no going back.” And yes, it clicked.
I became one of the top sellers in the company, breaking the commission record with over $2,300 in a week. When the owner saw my potential, he offered me the chance to build my own team. I started my small team, which I called “Empire,” with just one employee. We were an army of two.
Eventually, we continued to grow, consistently leading the company charts. Each of us was making over $1,000 a week in sales alone. I built strong relationships with my coworkers, clients, and higher-ups, traveling to different cities and learning from everyone I encountered.
After 11 months, I had a team of 11 solid leaders in the field, each one building their own team. New people joined, learning and growing alongside us. Then came a moment that changed my life—a conversation that would alter my path.
My boss, the company owner, met with me and offered the opportunity to become part of the organization by opening my own company in my name, allowing me to continue growing but this time with people working for me. I decided to embrace this path and take charge of my career.
My first territory was Daytona Beach. I opened my company in Daytona and began recruiting as many people as possible. As a rookie owner, this stage was challenging. I didn’t have an office for interviews, so we conducted them in public spaces, inviting applicants for coffee while discussing their goals and aspirations. I managed to recruit driven people, those who wanted to grow just as I had, who saw the vision and were willing to work for it.
After managing Daytona for a year, my promoting partner called and offered me the chance to return to Jacksonville to share an office and work together in the same territory. The opportunities in Daytona were narrowing, so I chose to return to Jax, the city that had first given me a start.
Once back in Jacksonville, we moved to a larger office, then an even bigger one after several months. Our employee headcount kept growing, and the opportunities continued to expand. We went all in.
Today, we have multiple divisions and over 18 people working toward their careers, goals, and dreams.
I feel that this is just the beginning of great things. And I’m not just talking about the company itself, but the opportunity to help more people—to give a chance to those who want to be part of something big and take control of their futures. Here, we are empire builders, entrepreneurs. Leaders with vision and incredible determination. And not only that—we are a family.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I’m a firm believer that obstacles and challenges are invaluable learning experiences. I don’t view them as negatives—in fact, I see them as essential to developing a strong mindset. Every obstacle I’ve faced has taught me a valuable lesson, each one building me into the person I am today.
One of the most important challenges I encountered was learning to manage my time more efficiently. I had to master the art of strategic scheduling and aligning the strengths of my employees so they could consistently perform at their best.
One of the greatest assets on this journey has been the power of networking. I’m passionate about reaching out to other companies and traveling to their markets to learn their approaches and integrate their insights into my own strategies.
In business, maintaining a student mentality is one of the top keys to success.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Empmark Inc?
At Empmark Inc, we’re a marketing agency specializing in driving sales and services for major corporations. For example, one of our largest clients is AT&T, whose products we actively promote while acquiring new customers on their behalf. We are known not only for our exceptional team that focuses on educating and enhancing the skills of our employees but also for our commitment to leading by example and demonstrating how to execute strategies efficiently as a cohesive unit.
The foundation of our business is providing our employees the opportunity to grow their careers—from sales representative to managing their own company—through a comprehensive management program. Our team members thrive with us because our organization’s primary focus isn’t on sales alone. Our philosophy is that money and sales should be attracted, not chased. We focus on equipping our team with the right tools to place them in a position where success and sales follow as a natural outcome. Each person carefully selected to join our team has the chance to grow within our organization and be part of something far greater than just a job. In our company, we build leaders, entrepreneurs, and business owners.
We take immense pride in providing our employees with growth opportunities, and we show our gratitude by offering unwavering support throughout their careers. We are not just building a business—we are building a family.
Our goal is to reach out to ambitious leaders seeking a unique opportunity and to show them that right here in Jacksonville, there is a home for leaders ready to welcome them as part of our team.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
To all our readers,
In the journey to success, you’ll find that some of the most profound moments come when you push yourself beyond what feels comfortable and certain. Success doesn’t wait in familiar places; it’s hidden in the unknown, the untested, and often, the uncomfortable. If you want something extraordinary, you must have the courage to step into the unknown and let discomfort be your teacher.
Following your gut can feel risky, but it’s often your most powerful guide. It’s the part of you that knows what you truly want before you can even put it into words. Trust it. Dedicate yourself fully to your vision, even when the path forward is unclear. True commitment is about giving yourself permission to be relentless and refusing to settle for anything less than what you believe in.
You don’t have to see every step ahead to know you’re on the right path. It’s the dedication, the long nights, and the ability to embrace discomfort that transform a goal into a reality. Success is built not only on skills and strategies but on the resilience to get back up, learn, and move forward even when the journey gets challenging.
So let this be your reminder: be brave enough to trust your instincts, dedicated enough to keep going, and courageous enough to embrace the unknown. Your success story is waiting on the other side of your comfort zone.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.empmark.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empmark_inc/
