Interview with Jose Pepe Estrada, Director of Public Affairs at Walmart

In case you didn’t know: Walmart is big. It’s so big, it is the largest private employer in the United States, with over 1.5 million employees. Now imagine driving change from the top, having the support of the CEO to lead Walmart’s efforts in community outreach.

Meet Jose (Pepe) Estrada, the Director of Public Affairs at Walmart. Over the past 15 years, he’s worked with LatinX, LGBTQ, American Indian, People with Disabilities, and Emerging Generations communities. He’s even led Walmart’s first influencer-based reputation management initiative. 

The interesting thing about Pepe is that he didn’t start out in public affairs at all. He began as an economist in Peru before moving to the United States to get his PhD in agricultural economics at NC State. Along the way, he learned three vital rules for success, which could be why he’s been so successful across roles and industries: 1. Be adaptable and flexible, 2. Network, and 3. Never judge a book by its cover. 

Be adaptable and flexible

“I do not shy away from learning,” Pepe says in the podcast. “That should be a key element of anyone’s journey. We should never let our degree, our position, our perceived status get in the way of learning new things.”

Pepe moved back to Peru with his family for four years after getting his PhD, but when it came time for his son to go to school, he and his wife Denise, who is American, decided to move back to the United States. 

Network

This is when Pepe learned his second rule for success—network.

“When I left grad school I didn’t keep in touch with my professors and colleagues, so when I came back to the United States, I was an unknown entity and it was difficult to find a job,” he says. 

Pepe did odd jobs until he landed an hourly position at State Farm Insurance.

“A Latina hired me and said I was overqualified based on my education, but at the time it was the only job they could offer me, so I accepted [it],” he says. “I made a decision early on that a degree doesn’t define who I am. To me a degree is only proof that I can learn anything.”

Pepe did claims work with gusto and caught the attention of management. 

“They invited me to interview for a position in public affairs,” he remembers. “I didn’t know much about public affairs but I did know that I could learn. I prepared for the interview, I applied, they gave me the job, and they entrusted me with state farm’s outreach to the Latino community.”

Pepe’s work at State Farm put him on Walmart’s radar.

“Out of the blue, I received a call from a Walmart recruiter asking me to consider working for them. I turned them down three or four times,” Pepe says. “I had my preconceived ideas. My knowledge of the company was what the media was telling me.”

So what made Pepe decide to proceed with interviews at Walmart? His mentor convinced him to at least go through the interview process to expand his network.

Never judge a book by its cover. 

This is when Pepe learned his third rule for success: never judge a book by its cover.

“I did my research, read Sam Walton’s book [the founder of Walmart], and in it he challenges anyone to ask his people how they feel about the company. I thought, ‘Fine, I have nothing to lose.’ I started asking people in the store how they felt about [Walmart]. Eight out of 10 people that I talked with gave me a glowing review of the company, which really confused me. Then I came to the final round of interviews and it was a fascinating and candid conversation. By the end of the day I was so impressed that I called my wife and said I would really like to work here.”

It’s been over 15 years since Pepe began working for Walmart and his enthusiasm for the company only seems to grow.

“It’s been an amazing opportunity. It’s a company that culturally fits me. The corporate culture of Walmart fits really well with my Peruvian culture and my Hispanic culture. It’s a company where the opportunity for growth is there if you want it. The opportunity to learn is there if you want to learn.”

If you thought this lengthy teaser was fascinating, there’s even more to discover in the podcast. Pepe is a treasure trove of knowledge and discusses Walmart’s extensive list of community initiatives, the importance of developing a pipeline of Latinx talent, and why every country gets the leader it deserves. 

Have you listened to the podcast? How has your perception of Walmart changed as a result? Do you agree with Pepe’s rules for success? Share your thoughts in the comments below or tweet @theomarproject on Twitter. 

Show Notes:

Book - Extreme ownership by Jocco Willink and Leif Babin