Meet Jose Consuegra | Certified Teacher and Tutor

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jose Consuegra and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jose, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
I like to think that tutoring should be something that is accessible, timely, relevant, and useful. However; that shouldn’t be something reserved for the ultrawealthy or the billionaires.

That’s why I try to use free webinars, workshops, and consultations for foundational skills that students may be missing due to outside obligations. Especially in places like Miami, FL where many high school and college students need to work to help support their families.

Another aspect I am trying to address is working with public libraries, local cafes and shops to put on “The Chemistry of…” to entice patrons to visit these local businesses and learn something cool about chemistry. For example, I really want to do a “The Chemistry of Coffee” in a local coffee shop or cafe and have patrons purchase coffee and learn about the chemical underpinnings of what they are drinking. There is a lot of really cool stuff going on in the brain!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I think, if past-me were to meet present-me; I think past-me would be very surprised, disappointed, and a little impressed.

When I was in undergrad, I really wanted to be a physician. As I was earning my degree I wanted to work to gain some kind of professional experience before I matriculated into medical school. This decision changed my entire life. I became a tutor for Organic chemistry and general chemistry. While there, I was able to become a specialized tutor for students who were facing economic, personal, and professional hardships. This was so rewarding because I was providing tools and techniques for students to use on their own, there was no gimmick, no pay-to-win model or anything like that; just good ol’ fashioned tutoring to help someone move on in their classes and build their confidence. Like that saying: teach a man to fish and what not.

I try to take this experience with me to my personal tutoring. I really want to build a brand, model, and business that provides skills, tools, and techniques that students can use on their own. My old supervisor gave us some interesting one-liners but the one that stuck with me the most was this one: You want to make yourself obsolete, give them the tools to do it on their own.

I think that one-line is really important; especially now, in these times. No one is going to do the work for the students or for me. I have to learn these business, marketing, and finance skills on my own because I do not have access to hire people to do it for me.

My approach to students is the same: make myself obsolete so they can be better than they were when they entered the zoom call, the cafe, or library where I conduct tutoring.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Miami is an amazing cultural hub!

Monday: Breakfast at my house (eating out is VERY expensive), go to to Vizcaya for the day, then grab some food at Versailles off of 8th street. Dinner will be at La Carreta for that authentic Cuban cuisine.

Tuesday: Breakfast at my house, go to Fairchild Tropical Gardens, have lunch in their Tea Room and watch the butterflies through the large floor to ceiling glass windows. After, we will go to Wynwood for drinks, Coyo Taco, and look at some wall art.

Wednesday: Breakfast at my house, hit up a locally organized social event like a bar crawl, wine night, open mic, or hit up Books and Books and see what author they are featuring.

Thursday: Breakfast at my house, go to the most famous shopping centers in Miami like Dolphin Mall, Dadeland Mall, Aventura Mall, and then go out to Downtown Doral or Lincoln Road and see what the night shops have for sale.

Friday: Breakfast at my house, Check for live music performances at The Globe in Coral Gables, and while we wait, can hit up Tropical Park, walk around the Ronald Reagan Equestrian Center and hit up Horse Country and look at all the beautiful flowers and nurseries in the area. For lunch, we can grab a bite from Luna Verde Fresh Market.

Saturday: Early Breakfast, Key Biscayne Beach, and then hit up Coral Gables night life.

Sunday: Brunch at R House, rest, and help pack.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Oh wow…this is hard.

I would say…there isn’t any one person that I am most grateful for or to. So I will list them and mention that these folks have helped me in different capacities at different times that allow me to work from home, drive to tutoring appointments, learn about SEO methods and how that even helps me in the long run (Free business lessons are your best friend).

My partner, my father, my coworker Keisha Lou-Hewell, my network of high school and middle public school teachers, my Muay Thai Coach and of course, Small Business for Dummies series.

Website: https://understandabletutor.com

Instagram: @uunderstandabletutor

Image Credits
Andy Pinero De Armas