# ¡No fue suerte! | Pablo Torres | TEDxUEES Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Sinpw8Kde0 Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/3Sinpw8Kde0 Generated: 2025-11-11T07:09:33.635+00:00 --- ## Quick Overview The speaker argues that success, exemplified by his own journey in customs brokerage, is not based on luck but on the consistent application of core VALUES: Vision, Attitude, Leadership, Organization, Risk-taking, Teamwork, and Service, which he applied during personal and national crises like the divorce of his parents and the COVID-19 pandemic. **Key Points:** - Success is derived from adhering to core VALUES (Vision, Attitude, Leadership, Organization, Risk, Teamwork, Service), not luck. - The speaker started his customs brokerage business at 21 with his brother, eventually growing it to be the largest in Ecuador. - He cites a personal challenge where he faced corruption after realizing the customs agency had a fixed rate that covered all their expenses, which he refused to participate in. - The speaker credits his success to his values, which helped him navigate personal difficulties, like his parents' divorce when he was young. - He emphasizes that his company's success, even during the economic crisis following the COVID-19 pandemic, was due to their disciplined adherence to these values. - The speaker learned that true success is about what you are inside and what you give to others, not just material gains or status. - He contrasts his approach with that of competitors who were too traditional and unwilling to take risks or invest in new systems. ![Screenshot at 00:13: The speaker introduces the theme by questioning the role of luck in his success, displaying images from his past alongside the text "¿FUE SUERTE?" \(Was it luck?\).](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/3Sinpw8Kde0/00-00-13.png) **Context:** Pablo Torres delivers a TEDx talk titled "¡No fue suerte!" (It wasn't luck!) at TEDxUEES, sharing his entrepreneurial journey in the customs brokerage industry in Ecuador. He centers his narrative around the acronym VALORES (Values), which he claims is the true origin of all possibility and the foundation of his success, contrasting it with the notion of relying on luck or external circumstances. ## Detailed Analysis Pablo Torres argues against the idea of luck being the primary driver of success, insisting that his achievements in building the largest customs brokerage firm in Ecuador were due to living by a strict set of VALUES, which he defines through an acronym: V (Vision a largo plazo y con propósito), A (Actitud para ver los problemas como desafíos), L (Liderazgo basado en valores), O (Organizar y desarrollar personas), R (Riesgos con responsabilidad), E (Equipo capacitado y con tu misma visión), and S (Servicio con obsesión por excelencia). He recounts early life challenges, such as his parents' divorce when he was young and financially strained, which forced him to work hard from a young age. He details his professional start at 21, working alongside his brother in the brokerage, and later establishing his own firm. A pivotal moment involved confronting corruption within the customs agency, where he refused to pay bribes, stating he would not negotiate his values. Despite initial difficulties, including the pandemic and economic crises, his company thrived because they focused on internal values rather than external factors like luck. He concludes that success is ultimately about character, what you give to others, and disciplined pursuit of your vision, not just wealth or status. ### Introduction to the Core Concept - The speaker immediately challenges the audience about their belief in luck, setting the stage for his argument that success stems from internal principles, specifically his VALUES acronym. ### Early Life and Entrepreneurial Start - Torres shares growing up in a family of four siblings after his parents divorced, leading him to start working early; he co-founded his customs brokerage firm at age 21. ### Confronting Corruption and Maintaining Values - A critical anecdote involves refusing to engage in corruption at the customs agency, despite the director's pressure, by insisting on a fixed price that covered all legal costs, demonstrating the 'L' and 'R' in VALORES. ### The VALORES Framework - The speaker explicitly details the acronym VALORES, emphasizing Vision, Attitude towards challenges, Leadership based on values, developing People, responsible Risk-taking, Teamwork, and Service with obsessive excellence. ### Navigating Crises and Growth - Torres highlights how the company survived the COVID-19 crisis and economic downturns because they were accustomed to difficulty, their values providing resilience. ### Conclusion on Success - He concludes that success is not about money or status but about internal character, the vision you transmit, and the impact you have on others, reinforcing that luck is a manufactured outcome of preparation meeting opportunity. ![Screenshot at 00:04: Speaker Pablo Torres takes the stage at TEDxUEES with the event branding visible on the screen.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/3Sinpw8Kde0/00-00-04.png) ![Screenshot at 00:14: A graphic slide appears asking "¿FUE SUERTE?" \(Was it luck?\) juxtaposed with historical photos of the speaker.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/3Sinpw8Kde0/00-00-14.png) ![Screenshot at 00:30: Speaker gestures while discussing the financial difficulties that followed his parents' divorce.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/3Sinpw8Kde0/00-00-30.png) ![Screenshot at 01:12: Speaker emphasizes the importance of finding the right people, noting he found people who needed the opportunity he offered.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/3Sinpw8Kde0/00-01-12.png) ![Screenshot at 03:35: Speaker points upward while recounting a period where he felt he had immense luck but needed to project growth to his family.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/3Sinpw8Kde0/00-03-35.png) ![Screenshot at 05:55: Speaker emphasizes that luck is not a factor, focusing on the importance of discipline and persistence.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/3Sinpw8Kde0/00-05-55.png) ![Screenshot at 11:12: The speaker is shown looking serious while explaining that success requires a long-term vision and purpose.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/3Sinpw8Kde0/00-11-12.png) ![Screenshot at 12:29: A slide appears detailing the VALORES acronym: Visión, Actitud, Liderazgo, Organizar, Riesgos, Equipo, Servicio.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/3Sinpw8Kde0/00-12-29.png) ![Screenshot at 17:19: The speaker gestures widely while discussing the need to be an entrepreneur whose vision transcends.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/3Sinpw8Kde0/00-17-19.png) ![Screenshot at 18:38: The audience applauds as the speaker concludes his main points, transitioning to the sponsor slide.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/3Sinpw8Kde0/00-18-38.png)