Daniel Holguin Sr. is a cancer survivor, former police officer, father of five, and grandfather of five. He has held C-suite positions three times across his career, working his way up from the bottom of the IT industry. He currently serves as Technology Officer for the Santa Rosa Rancheria Tachi-Yokut Tribe. His father, a pastor, taught him one guiding principle: “Don’t quit.”
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-holguin-sr-9ba77337/
Website: tachi-yokut-nsn.gov
Website: tachipalace.com
Host: Richard Lowe | Guest: Daniel Holguin Sr.
Summary of Transcript
Richard Lowe: Welcome to Leaders and Their Stories! I’m Richard Lowe, The Writing King. Today’s guest is Daniel Holguin Sr., a man with a powerful story. He’s been through it all: law enforcement, cancer survival, the C-suite in tech, and now he’s writing a book about leadership and life. Welcome, Daniel.
Daniel Holguin Sr.: Thanks, Richard. I’m excited to be here. I try not to define myself by my experiences, but yeah, cancer survivor, former cop, father of five, and lifelong student of leadership. Being a police officer taught me a lot about people, mostly seeing them at their worst. It shaped how I lead and live today. My father, who passed away in January, was a pastor and one of my biggest influences.
Richard Lowe: Sorry to hear about your father. He sounds like he made a big impact.
Daniel Holguin Sr.: He preached his final sermon in a wheelchair. His last words were, “Don’t quit. I didn’t, and neither should you.” That stuck with me. It’s why I push through everything, even when life hits hard.
From Law Enforcement to Leadership
Richard Lowe: I can relate. I’ve had some encounters with law enforcement, thankfully all respectful, but I can only imagine what it’s like on your end.
Daniel Holguin Sr.: Homicide, suicide, car accidents, you name it. I’ve been shot at, pulled my weapon more times than I can count. But the key thing I learned? Compassion. Sometimes people just need to be treated like human beings.
Richard Lowe: I try to treat everyone with respect, even if they don’t expect it, especially police officers. One time I chatted with a cop at a pizza place, and even someone with prison tattoos joined in. It became a great conversation between three very different people.
Daniel Holguin Sr.: That’s rare, but powerful. Those moments stick with you.
Climbing the IT Ladder
Richard Lowe: So after policing, you jumped into IT?
Daniel Holguin Sr.: Yeah, I joined Cricket Wireless as a trainer, then worked for Dell, and climbed the ladder from help desk to sysadmin to CIO roles. Today I’m the Technology Officer for the Santa Rosa Rancheria Tachi-Yokut Tribe.
Richard Lowe: Impressive path. I was VP of Computer Ops at Trader Joe’s. When they told me I couldn’t be CIO because I didn’t have a degree, even though my boss had a music degree, I decided to leave and become a ghostwriter.
Daniel Holguin Sr.: I’ve seen that. Sometimes it’s not about what you know, it’s what’s on paper. I’ve had good and bad leaders, but one that stood out was Dale Amico at IDEX. He actually listened. Treated me like I mattered. That changed everything.
The Book: My Pastor, My Father, My Dad
Richard Lowe: Those people make the difference. Now tell me about your book.
Daniel Holguin Sr.: It’s called My Pastor, My Father, My Dad. It’s part memoir, part leadership guide. I’m pulling from my experiences growing up with a strict pastor father, surviving cancer, divorce, and building a career. I talk about leadership from every angle, how to lead Gen Z vs. Gen X, how to lead from the front, back, or middle. It’s honest, raw, and hard to write. Vulnerability has been my biggest challenge.
Richard Lowe: That’s powerful. I’ve written over 100 books, and I always say the toughest part is the truth. Getting people to tell their real story, even the parts they’re scared to relive.
Daniel Holguin Sr.: I talk about my divorces, one during chemo, the other due to betrayal. I know someone out there needs to hear this.
Richard Lowe: You’re right. Everyone’s got their scars. Your book could help people feel seen and supported.
Publishing Plans
Richard Lowe: So how will you publish it?
Daniel Holguin Sr.: Most likely self-publishing, maybe on Amazon. I’m still writing but getting close.
Richard Lowe: I’ve got one coming out April 15, The Ghostwriting Advantage. It’s for people like you who want to write but might need help. Might be worth checking out.
Daniel Holguin Sr.: I’d love to. Thanks, Richard.
Final Words
Richard Lowe: Any last words for our listeners?
Daniel Holguin Sr.: Take micro-vacations every day. Put yourself first. That’s not selfish, it’s survival.
Richard Lowe: Thanks for being on the show, Daniel. Where can people find you?
Daniel Holguin Sr.: Just look me up on LinkedIn.
Richard Lowe: Thank you all for tuning in to Leaders and Their Stories. See you tomorrow!