I am a financial lawyer turned brewer & restauranteur turned Catholic innovator

I have been having fun leaving behind my past life and trying to respond to Christ´s call to be a missionary online while I accompany others on a similar call. Quite a rollercoaster ride it has been. Not joking, my baggy eyes don´t come out of nowhere.

I founded and lead several initiatives to bring Christ´s love and mercy to the internet so people can be attracted by He who is the Way, the Truth. You can click on the logos below to check each venture out:

12

years married
to Cecy

3

children

Inés, Javier and Marcelo

Ideation, creation, distribution and promotion of +80 podcasts.

Diverse formats, segments, styles, durations and periodicities to connect with different Latino niches and attract them to Christ.

JD Comms provides intercultural communication and marketing for dioceses, non-profits, companies and schools.

JD Creative Studios does creation and production of videos, animations, podcasts and culturally adapted (not just translated) voice overs.

Virtual and hybrid summits with recognized Latino Catholics, interactive community building sessions, concerts, games and other attractive formats.

English and Spanish scripted and unscripted fiction and non-fiction podcasts targeting the Latino existencial peripheries.

Being appointed by the Holy Father as a voting delegate in the XVI General Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops has been a special, but weird confirmation of what God has been calling me to do.

The Mission in the Digital Environment

We have never been afraid as Catholics to go to cultures where Christ wasn´t known yet. We should now go to where people spend most of their waking hours and show them God´s love so they are attracted to Sacramental life!

Let´s inculturate the Gospel in today´s mission frontier: the Internet!

A short Vatican News clip when speaking in front of the Pope and bishops from all over the world about the importance of being a missionary Church online.

Click on the logos below to read some articles around what I am doing to be on Christ´s mission on the internet.

We are called to be one!

Want to partner? Want to explore potential collaborations?

Let´s set up a Zoom call or grab a beer and/or a mezcal so we can see if we are a fit.

Speaking

In English or Spanish, these are some of the things I love talking about:

Internet is a culture, the new missionary frontier
On Christ´s mission in digital times
Sinodality: My journey trying to understand why the Holy Father believes it´s important for the Church
Cultural literacy: Engaging US Latinos in the Church
Being a Juan Diego today (the lay on Christ´s mission)

I also speak at international secular events on Latinos and podcasting as well as regarding engaging with Catholics through new media and podcasts.

Strategic partnerships

Pre-launch strategy of a new digital project or ministry
Launch
Marketing
Content creation
Digital product development
Distribution
Promotion
Engagement strategies

Me and my team can only work with a few clients and partners every year, I appreciate your understanding!

Latino-proven tactics

Some of the things my team can create for and/or with you:

WhatsApp chatbots and newsletters
AI within WhatsApp
Content ideation, creation and production (audio, video or text)
Influencer marketing
Hispanic PR
Devotional content

Advisor

Being a part of boards as well as executive and advisory comittees of organizations that have Christ at the center is a way I fulfill my mission.

Past Public events

My latest speaking gigs

Catholic Media Conference in Atlanta

June 20, 2024 | 2:15pm EST

Hechos 29 (Spanish-speaking Catholic Influencer Summit) in Bogotá, Colombia

July 9, 2024 | 10:00 AM

National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis

July 18, 2024 | 2:00 PM

Live podcast recording at the Eucharistic Congress

July 19, 2024 | 3:00 PM

Still here? I´m guessing you want to get to know me a bit more...

Proceed under your own risk 🤪

I'm the founder of Juan Diego & Co. and other ventures dedicated to helping brands and organizations connect with Latinos.

🕴🏻💵 Before launching any Catholic venture, I was a financial lawyer, where I led the Mexico office of a Boston-based family office.

🍺 I founded a craft brewery whose products found their way into Walmarts, HEBs, and Sorianas across Mexico. Additionally, I co-founded and managed several restaurants and bars.

💡 Inspired by the success of a podcast I started, which quickly topped the charts, in 2019, I decided to leave my previous ventures to establish Juan Diego Network (JDN), focusing on creating high-quality audio productions for Latinos.

🔥 In 2020, after a nearly year-long endeavor, JDN was accepted into the University of Notre Dame's accelerator, the IDEA Center, and won in the 1st OSV Innovation Challenge, securing $100k, PR support for three months, among other perks.

🎙️ By 2022, I founded Primo Media, aiming to assist brands in crafting podcasts that deeply resonate with US Latinos by focusing on their top priorities: family, traditions, values, and aspirations.

🎧 To date, my team and I have produced over 90 podcasts in Spanish, English, or Spanglish, to engage Latino audiences.

🔥 In 2023, I became one of the 20 non-bishop nominees of the Latin American Episcopal Conference. The Holy Father then appointed me as one of the non-bishop voting delegate for the month-long sessions in October 2023 and October 2024 at the Vatican.

Innovation and experimentation have been at the heart of my journey with every one of my initiatives. 💪 I've been intentionally exploring new avenues and learning from each experience since the beginning.

💡 This hands-on approach has enabled me to understand what resonates with different target audiences in terms of format, style, segments, and much more.
🙌 Now, I'm using this knowledge to help organizations build deep connections online that have an impact in the in-person world.

SOME APPEARANCES ON TRADITIONAL AND NEW MEDIA

On HIS mission

Warning: It´s messy, a bit like my daily conversion process

Aleteia

Encuentros Magazine cover

Desde la Fe

Exaudi News English

ACIprensa

CatholicNet

Aleteia

ACIprensa

Aleteia

National Catholic Register

CatholicNet

Exaudi

Aciprensa

National Catholic Register

Catholic News Agency

Zenit

Aleteia

Vida Nueva

ACIprensa

Exaudi

Religión en Libertad

Vida Nueva

Conexión Migrante

COPE

ACIprensa

Vatican News

Aleteia

National Catholic Register

America Magazine

Infobae

ACIprensa

Desde la Fe

ACIprensa

Vida Nueva

El Heraldo de México

MEDIA APPEARANCES OF MY PAST LIFE that are still online

A glimpse to the "old" Urquidi

San Diego Red

In TV Nuevo León with Luis Donaldo Colosio

Expansión Magazine

Milenio

Reforma

Aeroméxico´s magazine

Reporte Indigo

Players of Life

Milenio

PRO Magazine

Sopitas

Players of Life

Residente

El Financiero

Look Magazine

Manufactura Magazine

Can´t buy it anymore, but it´s still in their website

Things I write and do here and there...

Digital Missionaries: Proclaiming the Gospel to the Church’s New Frontier

COMMENTARY: The Synod on Synodality recognizes that the internet is not just a tool but a culture which we are called to enculturate with the Gospel. https://t.co/AGizwzPxIN
— National Catholic Register (@NCRegister) March 18, 2024

With more certainty than a year ago (screenshot), I can say that "La Biblia en un Año con Fr. Sergio Serrano y el P. Dempsey" has been a hit: It has been on the charts in 61 countries since it launched! 📈 1/12 pic.twitter.com/m640JvyZNm
— José Manuel De Urquidi (@Urquidi) January 5, 2023

Missio Achen´s forum at the Teutonic Cementery in the Vatican had @Urquidi as a panelist with
Arch. Nappa, President of PMS
Sr. Tremarelli, Sec.Gral of POSI
Fr. Nowak, Sec.Gral of POPF
Prof. Schwartz, President @Renovabis
Sr. Fadoul, Mar Musa al-Habashi

👀https://t.co/HsIFkxiwQa pic.twitter.com/NhAHPe2G6G
— Juan Diego & Co (@JDNpodcasts) November 3, 2023

Let´s wrap it up with a recap of what I am focused on and can help you with:

Christ´s mission in the internet

People, especially the young, are not going to Church. Where are they? Let´s be on mission to the internet so they are attracted to the Sacraments!

Latinos in the US

Almost 1/2 of Catholics in the US are Latinos. What are you doing to engage with them and letting them know it´s their Church as well?

Strategic Communication and Marketing Planning and its execution

Let´s first find out what we need to do, depending on your objectives and the desired target audience. Just then can we decide the tactics and how to execute them.

Content creation and distribution

Millions of dollars where spent to build beautiful cathedrals that would evangelize and catechize people. What are we doing now to reach people?

Hi, I am José. My friends call me Urquidi (because of my "weird" Basque last name).

Content Creation / Digital Marketing / PR Strategy & tactics are my thing, but above all is being on Christ´s mission.

I am a financial lawyer turned brewer & restauranteur turned Catholic innovator

12

3

The Mission in the Digital Environment

Want to partner? Want to explore potential collaborations?

My latest speaking gigs

Catholic Media Conference in Atlanta

Hechos 29 (Spanish-speaking Catholic Influencer Summit) in Bogotá, Colombia

National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis

Live podcast recording at the Eucharistic Congress

Still here? I´m guessing you want to get to know me a bit more...

On HIS mission

A glimpse to the "old" Urquidi

Things I write and do here and there...

Let´s wrap it up with a recap of what I am focused on and can help you with:

Christ´s mission in the internet

Latinos in the US

Strategic Communication and Marketing Planning and its execution

Content creation and distribution

I´d love to keep in touch!