Daily Inspiration: Meet Juan Cortez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Juan Cortez.

Hi Juan, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I was born and raised in the border town of El Paso, Texas. I grew up within a close-knit Mexican family with my two older sisters and parents. When I began speaking at the age of two, my mom realized I was having difficulty with my speech. By the time I started school, I was diagnosed with having a stutter. Little did I know that it would change the course of my life. I had always enjoyed music and discovered turntables through my uncle. He showed me a different way to connect to music and I fell in love. My parents saw my passion and at the age of 16, bought me a set of my own. I relentlessly practiced day and night and made the garage my own little studio. By the time I graduated high school, I decided I wanted to further pursue my passion at the Sound Engineering school in Austin, Texas. It was a difficult decision to leave my family and venture out into a world unknown.

Soon enough, I made many connections into the music world and started playing at various events. As I grew my name in the scene, I was able to host different types of large events which led me to host private gigs and even joined a musical group that went on tour. I have been honored to play at affairs like SXSW, local and regional events and festivals, and Sirius XM radio.

My continued passion for music has allowed me to evolve in different aspects within this field. I realized I needed to run my talents like a business and acquire clientele. It was important to make the right connections and create a network. I did have some setbacks and obstacles both personally and professionally along the way but over time, I have been able to make a name for myself through all my hard work.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Within my performances, I am required to be the master of ceremonies (MC) and host events. In the beginning, I would try to avoid speaking as much as possible while still meeting my commitments. Other times, I would take along another DJ so they could assist me in hosting and take over the speaking parts. This would interfere with me having to split my commission and not be assigned to as many events. It also impacted me in social situations and trying to network with others to push my business. This field requires a person to be an effective communicator and I felt my stutter was going to be a challenge in my success. Things like ordering from a menu, introducing myself, or going to a job interview were difficult at times. I could feel people’s perception of me change and was treated differently. This led to dealing with bouts of anxiety and depression from time to time. I questioned my abilities and worthiness.

Around 2015, I began attending classes with the Arthur Blank Institute (formally known as the Lang Institute) which instills confidence in embracing our stutter instead of trying to conceal it. I realized how self-conscious I was about letting others know I have a stutter and how it was becoming an obstacle in my life that affected every aspect, not only work. By attending this institute, I gained having a community of people who understood me and made me feel like I am not alone. It was helpful in boosting my confidence and I learned that I could still be an effective communicator with my stutter. I had the same message but it just took me a little longer to say it. I learned that I should not allow others opinion to have such a big effect on me. By fully accepting my stutter and having a network of others to relate to, it gave me the confidence I needed to keep pursuing my passions.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am best known for my versatility and ability to set the tone with a unique mixing style. I play so many different genres, & I am integrated in so many different scenes throughout the city. The art of scratching is not very prominent in the DJ world anymore, but it is one of my best skill sets. This is why I have added this to my DJ name and am known as “DJ Zetroc: Cutter with the stutter”. My name combines parts of me that I am proud of, my skills and my stutter. I have learned to fully embrace my stutter and it has now become such an integral, positive part of my identity.

I am really proud to be part of the Gabriela’s group & Bombon Texas. These two things have really elevated my career & have put me on the map in a different light.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
While trying to network or find a mentor, it is important to find people you look up to and admire. I believe making genuine connections and having a network of people to support you are crucial to being successful. We all start out from the bottom and learning from other’s experiences and mistakes can help us in our journey. Making those in person connections provides room for growth and learning.

Contact Info:

• Email: booking@djzetroc.com
• Website: djzetroc.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/djzetroc
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/djzetroc/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/djzetroc
• SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/djzetroc

Image Credits
Jay Ibarra Carlos Reyes Stephanie Tacie Doogie Roux