Good Things Are Happening with Raul DuQue

How can you make the most out of your time in retirement? Many people choose to volunteer with causes that they feel passionate about. In this episode we are joined by a man named Raul DuQue, who’s done exactly that. Raul joined the US Army in 1974. After his service with the 82^nd Airborne Division he attended Florida International University under the GI bill. While attending school, Raul entered the workforce as an advertising sales executive selling advertising for a direct mail shopper. After a year on the job, he was promoted to sales management, which became his life-long career. In retirement, Raul spends his time volunteering with Second Helpings of Atlanta and Golden Corner Food Pantry in Oconee, SC. Raul begins the episode speaking about his journey moving from Cuba to the United States at a young age and what that was like for him. Finally, Tom and Raul explain why volunteering is a great way to maintain your mental and physical health during retirement. 

 

In This Episode: 

• [02:55] Raul reveals what it was like moving from Cuba to the United States at a young age.  
• [10:40] In his youth, Raul joined the United States Army; he speaks about his service and the power of not worrying.  
• [21:40] In retirement, many people volunteer their time to great causes. Raul chats about how he loves to spend his time volunteering.   
• [26:30] When retiring, put yourself in a position to maintain your lifestyle and do the things that are most important to you. 

 

Key Takeaways: 

• Worrying does more harm than good; stop worrying about what will happen and start living in the present moment.  
• When thinking about retirement, you need to not only pay for your lifestyle but also make a vision for your future. 
• Volunteering can provide a boost to your self-confidence and also give you a sense of purpose during retirement.  
• Put together a plan for retirement; start at the end to get the result that you went.  

 

Bio:  

Raul DuQue born in Havana, Cuba arrived in the US under the last freedom flights in 1961. Grew up partly in Brooklyn, NY, and Miami, FL. Joined the US Army in 1974 after my service with the 82^nd Airborne Division, I attended Florida International University under the GI Bill offered at the time. While attending school I entered the workforce as an advertising sales executive selling advertising for a direct mail shopper. After a year on the job, I was promoted to sales management which became my long life career. In 1996 I was offered a position to manage the South East sales team for a Real Estate Magazine publisher. The job required a relocation to the Atlanta area from South Miami, FL. In 1998 I took a position with a tech start-up in the real estate space overseeing the sales operations. After a 7 year successful run, the company was sold to Realtor.com. In 2006 I joined as an operating partner with an existing real estate tech firm specializing in virtual tour technology overseeing sales. We grew the company to over 120 people garnering a top-notch reputation in the industry. I retired from the company in December of 2019 and divested my interest at the time. Since my retirement, I have been enjoying volunteer work at Second Helpings of Atlanta and Golden Corner Food Pantry in Oconee, SC where I spend 5 months of the year on Lake Keowee enjoying retirement.  

 

 

Links Mentioned: 

Raul on LinkedIn