MEET THE TEAM
KIRK MONTEZ, ESQ.
What are your hobbies, and how did you get into them? I really like DIY home renovation projects — like building a bathroom vanity cabinet from basic plywood and replacing the outdated one. Starting at around 4 years old, I used to help my dad around the house, and he taught me how to safely use tools. I could instantly memorize assembly instructions, so I knew where every bolt and nut went. As I got older, I did more of the physical work, and as my dad reached his senior years, he did more supervising. Either way, it always felt like teamwork. When my dad passed away in 2016, projects were my therapy. I’d see him in my dreams every night, and I would explain what my elaborate project of the week was — we’d discuss challenges and how I would address them. So, working with my hands and fixing things is my way of communing with my dad. Are you able to work from home, and if so, do you enjoy it? YES! I love it. I have a quiet work environment, and I love using remote technologies — and not having to commute one and a half hours each day lets me put more energy into working, so I can get more enjoyment out of my non-working hours. Also, I have an adorable Chihuahua pug, named Holden, who likes to watch me while I work. How has your opinion of family changed over the years? I had a great relationship with my dad — he was my best friend. When he passed away, I only regretted not spending more time with him while he was alive. For almost 20 years, I kept focusing on my career, my business, telling myself we’ll have more time. Now, I won’t let time get away from me like that with my mom, especially after the pandemic. We only have so much time, and I want to make sure I spend it wisely with the people who mean the most to me. How has your perspective on the world changed over time? I grew up thinking the world is a meritocracy, that hard work and talent guarantee success. But there’s a whole lot of luck
and unfairness involved in all of life that is beyond our control. If you never went to bed hungry as a child it was a lot easier for you to focus on homework than a child who ate one meal a day. The single biggest predictor of a child’s success and mental well-being is their parents. The one thing I’m most thankful for in my life has been my parents — and I didn’t get them through hard work — I just got really lucky to be born to them. When I meet someone particularly difficult or read about a politician’s questionable behavior, I can’t help but wonder what uncontrollable luck factors shaped who they became. If you had the opportunity to be immortal, would you take it? If we’re talking physical immortality (as opposed to something spiritual like heaven or some kind of perpetual reincarnation), there’s no way I would take it. Experiencing the death of a loved one leaves scars. Over 200 years, one would accumulate more than double the emotional scars of a normal lifetime. Over thousands, millions, billions of years, that either gets unbearably painful, or one would have to become numb to it. I don’t like the idea of either outcome happening to me. Also, Earth will be swallowed by the Sun in about 7.5 billion years — if we don’t figure out how to leave the planet by then, it would be quite uncomfortable to be standing around on Earth while everything is burning. And if one survives that, there’s the eventual Heat Death of the Universe, where all of the stars die out trillions of years from now (which is a really long time, but if you’re immortal, it’s no time at all). I’d hate to be staring out into complete darkness all alone for the rest of eternity. I like peace and quiet, but that’s just overkill for me.
What was your all-time favorite Halloween costume? 2015 Halloween. Ironman Mark 43 from Avengers 2: Age of Ultron. Made it from fiberglass and EVA foam (during the time that 3D printers weren’t very good).
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