A young man with the heart of an entrepreneur; a natural way to start describing Derwin Ruiz, who, at just 19 years old, is changing the business world in Aruba. From a young age, Derwin was restless, always eager to work and to achieve any goal in front of him. "I started my first business selling protein shakes for just 4 florins. To make a profit, we needed to sell more than 20 cups a day. Well, we always sold 100 or more," he said. The desire to make an impact goes beyond just wanting a good life.
From a young age, Derwin was fascinated by technology. "I started coding when I was in primary school at PIUS X SCHOOL," he said. During his school years, he was already an expert in creating apps and finding innovative solutions to all kinds of problems. Now, as the Director of SmartCards, he dedicates himself entirely to impressing his clients and delivering the best possible results. "I challenge myself every day to impress our clients, with dedication and delivering the best results with the most impact possible," Derwin said. He grows day by day in his role and continues to work hard to build a bright future for himself and his community.
For Derwin, the most outstanding leaders share certain qualities. "The best quality of a leader is vision and creativity," he said. A leader must come up with new ideas and solve the problems they face. But above all, a leader must have passion and dedication. "If you’re doing something just for money, chances are your dedication will never reach its maximum potential... Do something you love, and do something that can solve a problem in the community, not just 'for money,'" Derwin passionately stated.
Throughout his journey as an entrepreneur, Derwin has faced various obstacles. One of the biggest challenges was envy and deceit. "When you start achieving success, people will start approaching you, some with good intentions, and many with bad intentions," Derwin said. In the business world, he learned that it’s crucial to separate business from friendship. "In business, there are no friends," he said, emphasizing that one must be prepared to defend oneself against everyone.
SmartCards is an idea that Derwin developed to make a positive impact on the educational system in Aruba. "I want to improve education," Derwin said. Through his work with SmartCards, he aims to enhance the security of schools and thereby improve the quality of education for all students. With his focus on innovation and his desire to serve his community, he hopes that SmartCards will become a go-to company for all software inquiries in Aruba.
Looking ahead, Derwin sees himself as a pioneer in software development in Aruba, with SmartCards impacting both local and international schools. "In 10 years, I expect that my name, Derwin Ruiz, will be recognized in Aruba for software development," he confidently stated. His goal is to continue serving his community and making a positive impact on the lives of everyone he reaches.
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