Alex Vargas, “a Man Who Cleans” and Lives his Dreams
Alex Vargas (Hidalgo, Mexico) has been living “a success story” in Juneau for over ten years. He encourages all Latinos to fight for their dreams. “Don’t settle for what you have: grow.”When Alex first arrived in Alaska (January 2014), he did so as a tourist. “I saw how wonderful this land is and knew right away that it was here, in this privileged state, where I wanted to fight for a better life, alongside Marisol, who was my girlfriend at the time and is now my wife,” he tells SOL DE MEDIANOCHE.
Alex listened to the renowned international speaker and Colombian entrepreneur, specializing in leadership and the psychology of success, Margarita Pasos—one of the most influential mentors in the Hispanic world—who said, “You must choose between living with your dreams or with your fears. But you can’t live with both at the same time.” And he learned to focus on his goals, work hard for them, and not let the fear of failure and what others might say paralyze him. And boy did he succeed: today he is “a man who cleans,” defying the sexist prejudices that still exist and that consider cleaning homes and offices a job reserved exclusively for women. He runs “Un hombre que limpia” (“a man who cleans”), a company he started with his wife that has now grown to a medium size business, with four permanent employees and one seasonal worker, and an excellent reputation. “I returned to Mexico, where I had studied Education Sciences. But I came back to Alaska in November 2014 to work with Marisol in the cleaning industry. She was working at the Governor’s residence,” Alex recalls. “I adapted well to Alaska, despite the language barrier and the different customs and culture. Within a year, I was speaking English fluently, and the people are welcoming,” he explains. “To Latinos arriving in Alaska and to those who are already residents, I say: Alaska is the state where you can achieve your goals. Don’t settle for what you have—grow. If you have an idea, fight for it. Marisol and I did, and today we’re a success story.” |