About

Hi, I’m Gustavo. Most people call me Tavo.

I grew up in the northwest suburbs of Chicago (Palatine, Streamwood, Elgin, Hanover Park) and spent a few years bouncing around Chicago neighborhoods after that. Summers were road trips down to Valparaíso, Zacatecas.

In 2020 I moved to Mexico. I’ve lived in Zacatecas, Tijuana, and San Cristóbal de las Casas, and right now I’m in a small mountain town in Jalisco with my dog, Lucas.

Work

I’ve done a little bit of everything. Retail at Target. Print marketing at Madden. Logistics planning. Account management at Wheels and client work at CDW, which is where I first had to read contracts closely. Then a few years helping small businesses get found online, and now I onboard business owners for a tech startup in San Francisco.

If there’s a common thread, it’s that I usually end up being the person who sits down with someone, figures out what’s actually going on, and explains it in plain language. That’s my favorite part of any job.

Law

I’m studying law in Mexico, in Spanish, which is humbling for someone who grew up thinking in English. I started because I wanted to understand the country I live in. What keeps me going is how many people I know have one foot in each country (a house here, family there, paperwork in both) and nobody to explain how it all fits together. I’d like to be useful there.

I’m also curious about digital rights, who actually owns the things we build online, drug policy, and what freedom of the mind means in legal terms.

Outside of work

I read a lot, on paper, because I can’t do long books on a screen. I write, and I love interviewing people. Sitting down with someone and hearing how they got to where they are is one of my favorite things to do. I’m also really into transpersonal psychology and the healing traditions here in Mexico, and I’ve backpacked a good chunk of the country, which is still the best way I know to learn about it.

If any of that overlaps with what you’re into, say hi.

Quick note: I’m a law student, not a licensed attorney, so nothing here is legal advice.