Q&A with Manny Cortez, web developer

DG+ is excited to welcome web developer Manny Cortez to our team. As a gallery artist, musician, and home chef, Manny brings a wide range of creative experience to DG+. For the better part of the last decade, Manny has worked as a freelance web developer. Learn more about Manny — how he learned to cook Cajun food, why he pursued web development after his art career, and his interest in crypto trading — below.

Tell us a bit about yourself.

I'm a freelance web developer and designer. I've been using Webflow for seven or eight years, and I'm completely self-taught. Over the years, I've worked with dozens of clients, and I'm slowly building more and more relationships. 

In my free time, I like to play piano. Before I did web development, I was a gallery-represented artist and I did that full-time for a few years. I still paint and draw now, but not as much as before. I went to Valdosta State University, where I studied fine art and graphic design. That's where I learned how to paint — mostly portraits of people and animals. Eventually, I started doing abstract expressionism and I really honed in on that. A year after graduating, I started applying to different galleries, and I got my first one the same year. I've shown in five other galleries since then, mostly in Tennessee and Georgia.

Where does your interest in the environment come from? 

It started in my late 20s. I came to the realization that I have such a huge footprint when it comes to the environment. Every time I go get something to eat or buy anything, I'm accumulating trash from the packaging material. I know it’s the way of the modern world, but it still bothers me. I think about the trash being thrown in the ocean and there's just no way that's sustainable. I don't think anyone's really thinking about it through and through. We just keep tossing it, and it's out of sight, out of mind. That really got me interested in the environment and seeing how I can contribute in a positive way. I started looking into companies I could possibly collaborate with, and DG+ was one of those companies. It was a very easy company to apply to because a lot of the values align with mine.

Why did you choose to work at DG+? 

Man, that's a loaded question. I guess it's a combination of chasing my dreams and accomplishing new goals. I always get a good feeling from that and also to take care of the people around me. That's something that I've been trying to focus on in the past decade. In my 20s, I was an artist and slowly realized how selfishly I was living. Sure, I can take care of myself, but what about those around me? I saw that my parents were getting older and thought, if I want to take care of them in the future, I'm going to need something else to help stabilize my income but still allow me to have the free time to be there for them. 

So, that's where web development came in. I was trying to think of ways to earn a living while working at home and still utilizing what I’ve learned about color theory and visual composition. All signs pointed to web development and design, so it was a pretty smooth transition.

What initially attracted me to DG+ was their website design and illustrations. I saw that their clients have the same environment-conscious mission that I would like to support. After a few interviews with the team, it was an easy choice for me and I’m thankful they gave me a chance.

What do you hope to accomplish while working at DG+?

I’m hoping to accomplish a few things, including creating systems and efficient workflows for the design and development team. In the past, I’ve worked with companies that only needed development support or some that only needed design. I feel like here, I would be able to show that I can do both and I want to position myself as someone who can assist with any project at any phase. This role also allows me to utilize my love for writing and organizing data while still honing my skills in web design and development.

What’s your favorite way to spend a day off? 

After I wake up, for the first hour or so, I usually clean and organize everything — from my apartment to my desktop files. It just puts me in a good mood and helps clear my mind. On my day off, I'm usually in the kitchen cooking something, practicing keys, jamming with some friends, or trading crypto. 

About four or five years ago, I traveled all over the country in my Jeep. In Louisiana, I found an artist community and they let me live there for three months — in exchange, I had to cook for their team. They taught me all of the Cajun recipes and Creole techniques, most of them passed down from generation to generation. That's where my love for cooking started.

For me, no matter how much money you have, home-cooked meals are a sign of success. If you have home-cooked meals, to me, you're doing well. Some people might call it a love language, but I feel good when I'm able to serve someone. Doesn't matter who it is. It could be a stranger, a family member, or a friend. It just feels good to prepare something for someone and put thought and effort into it.

Who is someone that you look up to? 

The first people that come to mind are my parents. They are first-generation immigrants and they came here with not much money. We went through some struggles living in a two-bedroom apartment and I remember sharing a bunk bed with my brother. I remember my dad selling computers at the flea market to make ends meet. But even in my late 30s, they still ask me if I'm doing okay. That's why I find them inspiring. They’ve overcome a lot and are living their dream. Whether they’re struggling or thriving, they still find ways to show love and support to those around them and I try to do the same. 

What’s a fun fact about you that people may not expect to be true? 

When I was a teen, I competed in tennis tournaments almost every weekend and was ranked in the top 30 in the state of Georgia at one point. I was also certified by the USPTR to be a tennis instructor when I was 17.

I’m also the leader of a think tank and crypto trading group. Our discord group grew from 12 to 200 members in less than two months. We help each other to research coins and build blockchain-related projects.