In a world where technology evolves at breakneck speed and artificial intelligence reshapes entire industries, leadership is no longer about keeping up but staying ahead. Few embody this forward-thinking leadership better than Fernando Higuera, CTO of HDR Industrial Surplus, a company innovating in an unexpected space: buying and selling surplus equipment.
But don’t let the industrial niche fool you—Fernando’s leadership philosophy is as cutting-edge as it gets. Drawing inspiration from military strategy, psychological frameworks, and his hard-earned grit, he’s reimagining how tech teams align to a vision, how innovation is embedded in every layer of an organization, and how emerging technologies like AI should augment, not replace, human potential.
In a robust conversation with Josef Martens, founder of the Tech Executive Club and host of the Top Innovator Series, Fernando shared his leadership journey—from navigating volatile landscapes with the mental clarity of a soldier to fostering extreme ownership in his teams to his mission of building human-centered innovation from the inside out.
Whether shaping AI strategy or empowering engineers to take command of their growth, Fernando is not just building technology—he’s building people, purpose, and a new blueprint for leadership in the digital age.
Vision and Grit: Navigating Uncertainty with Purpose
Leadership, at its core, is a journey into the unknown—and for Fernando, that journey begins with a clear vision and unshakable grit. He likens it to crossing the Atlantic Ocean: the waters are rough, the winds unforgiving, but believing in what lies on the other side keeps a leader moving forward.
“Hope is an incredible power tool,” he says. “It helps you push forward even when the waves hit hardest.”
That metaphor isn’t just poetic—it’s practical. In the ever-volatile world of tech, leaders are often asked to navigate complex systems, shifting priorities, and resistance to change. Fernando believes that without a clearly defined destination, teams drift. Vision serves as the compass, and grit is the sail.
But grit, as he defines it, isn’t stubbornness. It’s resilient perseverance—the ability to hit a wall, learn from it, and keep moving. This ability has carried him across industries and complex leadership roles. He instills this sense of purpose in every team he leads, transcending the task at hand.
To Fernando, hope is not wishful thinking—a leadership strategy. It’s the emotional fuel behind every breakthrough, pivot, and leap forward.
Empowering Teams through Hands-On Leadership and Extreme Ownership
While some leaders operate from a distance, Fernando leads from the trenches. His approach to building high-performing tech teams is simple but powerful: be present, be hands-on, and give your people ownership.
Rather than dictating change, he invites his teams to explore new technologies and approaches through guided experimentation. Whether introducing Infrastructure as Code through tools like Terraform or implementing DevOps practices, he doesn’t simply assign tasks—he builds alongside them, creating a collaborative space where failure is not feared but embraced.
“You have to be willing to fail—and fail fast,” he says. “That’s how we learn. That’s how we grow.”
This approach cultivates a culture of extreme ownership, a concept Fernando champions throughout his leadership philosophy. Once engineers experience the process firsthand and understand its why, they begin to own the outcome—not just execute tasks. They become decision-makers, problem-solvers, and leaders in their own right.
By empowering his team to take the helm, Fernando is achieving better project outcomes—he’s developing leaders at every level and embedding responsibility, initiative, and confidence into his organization’s DNA.
Military-Inspired Leadership: Clarity, Discipline, and Purpose
Much of Fernando’s leadership discipline stems from a powerful source: taking lessons from training that happens at U.S. Military Academies, where he observed how special forces are trained to operate under pressure, uncertainty, and risk. This experience wasn’t about military service — rather, it helped Fernando connect the dots between elite performance and leadership in high-pressure environments. It became a sharpening moment for a leadership framework he’s been building throughout his career — one that’s always evolving, now layered with stoic principles and psychological insights. While he acknowledges that military frameworks can’t be copied wholesale into corporate environments, their lessons in clarity, purpose, and structure are invaluable.
“Clarity is everything,” he says. “It’s not just about what needs to be done—it’s about why it matters.”
That clarity isn’t limited to project goals or deliverables. Fernando challenges his teams to connect their work to broader organizational outcomes. He regularly pushes beyond surface-level metrics, urging people to articulate the deeper purpose behind the work: What’s the end state? Why is this mission critical to the business?
This mindset fosters alignment and unlocks intrinsic motivation. When people understand the ‘why,’ they become more committed, creative, and resilient; it’s no longer just about increasing EBITDA—improving lives, systems, and teams.
By merging military strategy with emotional intelligence, Fernando creates a discipline of purpose-driven execution, where teams aren’t just delivering but engaging, leading, and building with meaning.
The Future of AI in Leadership: Partner, Not Replacement
As AI technologies race ahead, leaders everywhere grapple with one critical question: Is AI a threat or an ally? Fernando clearly states that AI should augment human leadership, not replace it.
Yet he’s also honest about the unease it brings. “It’s casting a shadow,” he says. “People are worried—Will AI take my job? But that’s the wrong question. The right question is: How can AI make us better?”
Fernando envisions a future where AI agents work alongside us, functioning as personal extensions of our capabilities, helping manage data, automate tasks, and even communicate across departments. But he’s not satisfied with surface-level automation. He’s exploring how AI can integrate human values—empathy, clarity, purpose—to become true leadership partners.
And with that vision comes caution. “The more AI understands human emotion and psychology, the more power it holds,” he warns. “It can be used to uplift—or manipulate. It’s a double-edged sword.”
That’s why Fernando is focused on building AI systems that support productivity and align with ethical frameworks and emotional intelligence. The goal isn’t to build smarter machines—it’s to build machines that amplify the best in humans.
Crafting Your Blueprint: Redefining Leadership on Your Terms
Perhaps the most profound insight from Fernando’s leadership philosophy is that you don’t have to follow someone else’s path—you can create your own.
“I didn’t wait for anyone to tell me what to do,” he says. “I designed my blueprint. I’m the master of my fate.”
This belief in self-authorship defines his approach to leadership and career growth. While others climb ladders built by companies and systems, Fernando believes in creating your staircase—one step at a time, aligned with your purpose, values, and legacy.
He encourages others to ask deep questions: What would your eight-year-old self be proud of? What will your 80-year-old self admire about your journey?
These reflective anchors help leaders set a course that’s both authentic and ambitious. For Fernando, the goal of leadership isn’t just to build better businesses—it’s to help people become the next, better version of themselves.
By empowering others to discover and walk their own paths, he’s shaping not just technology but lives as well.
Fernando’s insights are more than philosophy—they are actionable strategies for any leader looking to elevate their impact, empower their teams, and navigate the future of technology. Here’s your detailed, itemized call to action based on his leadership practices:
1. Lead with Vision—Communicate It Relentlessly: Define a clear end-state for your organization or team. Be bold and ambitious. Don’t assume everyone sees the big picture—show them. Use analogies, stories, and emotional language to make your vision resonate deeply with others. Reinforce that vision regularly to keep teams focused through turbulence.
2. Build Grit and Resilience into Your Culture: Embrace failure as a path to progress. Normalize it as a learning step, not a setback. Model perseverance. Show your team that setbacks are temporary, but the mission is constant. Foster a culture that values persistence and iteration over perfection.
3. Empower Extreme Ownership in Your Teams: Let your people lead the “how.” Provide the goal and context, but allow autonomy in execution. Create a safe space for experimentation. Be involved, but not controlling. Celebrate initiative and accountability—not just outcomes.
4. Be a Hands-On Leader: Don’t manage from a distance. Work side-by-side with your team when launching new initiatives or adopting new technologies. Offer guidance through action—not just instruction. Be approachable and visible during transformation efforts.
5. Apply Military Clarity in Business Strategy: Clearly define what needs to be done and why it matters. Tie every business objective back to its human and organizational impact. Encourage your team to connect emotionally with the mission—not just the task list.
6. Embrace AI as a Partner, Not a Threat: Reframe AI adoption from a cost-cutting initiative to a capacity-building opportunity. Explore how AI tools can help your team focus on higher-value, creative, or human-centric work. Stay informed about ethical implications. Push for emotionally intelligent and purpose-aligned AI applications.
7. Craft Your Blueprint for Leadership: Don’t wait for someone else’s roadmap—create your own. Reflect on your journey: Are you building a career your younger self would admire and your older self would be proud of? Encourage your team to take ownership of their career path. Be a guide, not a gatekeeper.
Fernando Higuera is not just a CTO but a visionary leadership architect in the age of rapid transformation. With a unique blend of grit, emotional intelligence, and forward-looking technological acumen, he represents a new breed of tech executive who leads with clarity, empowers through ownership, and inspires through action.
Whether integrating military-level precision into business strategy or exploring the psychological frontiers of AI, Fernando consistently redefines what it means to lead in a digital-first world. His commitment to building teams, not just technologies, and empowering individuals to craft their blueprints has positioned him as a transformative force in engineering and leadership circles.
In an era where uncertainty is the norm, Fernando Higuera offers a rare kind of clarity. This clarity aligns vision with action and empowers people to become the best versions of themselves. His leadership legacy isn’t just about systems and strategies—it’s about shaping people, purpose, and the future of work.
Want to hear Fernando Higuera’s insights firsthand? Watch the full, live podcast interview [click here]
