Off the Record
Off the Record is a podcast exploring the lives and stories of Twin Cities executives. Join the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal, in partnership with Platinum Bank, for robust conversations with local leaders as they share pivotal moments in their lives, some of their career highlights, and their goals for the coming years. You know their names and faces, now get to know their stories.
Off the Record
Dario Otero, founder and CEO of Youth Lens 360, on inspiring others to create
As a student, Dario Otero didn’t love school. “I had all these other skills, (but) school didn’t necessarily rank,” says the founder and CEO of video production service Youth Lens 360 on this episode of the Off the Record podcast. But when he took a job in a St. Paul high school during a career transition, he knew he had to reframe his thinking.
“How do I do this so I don’t drive somebody away from education?” Otero says of his mindset at the time. “How do I inspire, motivate and create different programs students would love to do?”
In this episode, Otero shares his career journey from teaching students about video production to the creation of his company, Youth Lens 360, with MSPBJ President and Publisher Kathy Robideau and Platinum Bank President and CEO Dave Faust. Listen to hear more about:
- The inspiration for Youth Lens 360 — and the wild experience of the first contract.
- How Otero balances his life as an entrepreneur and single parent.
- The value of building a roundtable of mentors and fellow business leaders to learn from.
- Video production as a 21st-century trade skill.
- What Otero sees as his superpower.
Leaders like Otero understand the value of moving quickly and acting creatively, just like Platinum Bank. Learn more about business banking with a different kind of bank.