Sales are important, but so is a brand’s purpose and legacy. Washington J. Calvache Durand, a distinguished business media creator, producer, and strategist, stands at the nexus of entrepreneurship and purpose-driven storytelling, guiding companies and communities toward a more profound impact.
With over 15 years of extensive experience spanning business development, strategic communication, and digital media production, Calvache Durand has dedicated his career to empowering organizations to unlock their true potential. He is not merely a consultant; he is an architect of transformation, working at the very intersection of business and media to help entrepreneurs, startups, and sales teams forge genuine connections and create lasting value.
His unique approach, encapsulated by his mantra, “It’s not about growth, it’s about legacy,” reshapes how businesses view success in the digital age.
A Holistic Approach to Business and Media
Calvache Durand’s expertise is multi-faceted, reflecting a deep understanding of both commercial imperatives and social responsibility. With his past work, he embodies his commitment to inclusion and equity. This dedication isn’t just a separate endeavor; it’s a testament to his belief that business success and societal contribution are inextricably linked.
His influence extends significantly into the media landscape. As a business media specialist and executive producer, he crafts compelling narratives that showcase business leadership and social impact. His portfolio includes socially conscious documentaries like Un Propósito Mayor, Las Voces de Rett, and El Peso del Bullying, which serve to educate, elevate, and connect audiences by giving voice to underrepresented communities and untold stories.
Beyond content creation, Calvache Durand is a prolific trainer and mentor. He has coached over 200 professionals through sessions and training on business structure and sales, sharing insights honed during his tenure as Chief Marketing Officer for Carl Zeiss Vision, where he oversaw marketing across five Latin American countries, and as a corporate trainer in Venezuela and Colombia. Holding advanced degrees in business management and marketing, and fluent in both Spanish and English, he brings a truly bilingual and multicultural perspective to his global clientele.
The Philosophy of “Sales with Consciousness”
Central to Calvache Durand’s philosophy is the concept of “conscious selling,” an approach that diverges sharply from traditional transactional sales models. When asked about this innovative method, Calvache Durand explains, “Conscious selling is the practice of selling with intention, empathy, and purpose. It goes beyond closing deals—it’s about creating meaningful exchanges that truly serve the person in front of you. Instead of focusing on numbers, conscious selling focuses on needs, values, and long-term impact. You’re not just offering a product; you’re offering clarity, guidance, and often, a solution to a deeper challenge.”
He attributes the limited awareness of conscious selling to deeply ingrained traditional sales cultures. “Many people don’t know about this approach because traditional sales culture has trained us to prioritize pressure, volume, and short-term wins. Selling has become transactional, not transformational,” he observes. “But conscious selling asks us to pause, to connect, and to understand before we pitch. It’s about leading with service, not persuasion.”
Through his firm, Built by Washington, he trains teams to “sell from a place of truth—turning sellers into trusted advisors and agents of change. When done right, conscious selling not only builds trust but leaves both sides better than before. And that, to me, is the highest form of success.”
Defining True Brand Value in the Digital Era
In a landscape saturated with digital noise, discerning genuine brand value can be challenging. Calvache Durand provides an objective framework for this assessment. “Objectively assessing a brand’s value goes beyond aesthetics or social media presence. A valuable brand has clarity, consistency, and impact,” he asserts. “You can tell a brand has real value when its identity is clearly defined, its message aligns with its actions, and it creates tangible results—whether that’s client transformation, community impact, or sustainable growth.”
At Built by Washington, his team evaluates brands based on four key indicators:
- Purpose clarity: Does the brand know why it exists beyond making money?
- Audience connection: Are people engaging not just with the product, but with the mission?
- Internal alignment: Is the team inspired and unified around the brand’s vision?
- Sustainable outcomes: Is the brand creating lasting, positive change for its clients or community?
“A brand with value inspires trust, builds loyalty, and leaves a mark,” he concludes. “If it disappears tomorrow, people will notice. That’s the difference between noise and meaning. A valuable brand doesn’t just sell—it serves, connects, and transcends.”
Empathy as a Strategic Imperative in Digital Sales
The rise of direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands and the increasing reliance on digital sales channels present unique challenges for fostering genuine human connection. Calvache Durand champions empathy as a crucial element for success in this domain. “Empathy in digital sales starts with understanding the person behind the screen,” he states. “DTC brands often rely on automation and performance metrics, but what truly builds trust is showing that you see and understand your customer’s real needs, fears, and desires.”
To cultivate empathy in the digital realm, he advises, “a brand must first listen—through data, feedback, and human insight. Then, it must communicate in a way that feels human, not transactional. This means clear messaging, respectful timing, offering genuine value, and creating content that educates or inspires before it sells.”
His work often involves helping brands transition “from pushing products to inviting connection,” perhaps through “using storytelling to show shared values, or designing customer journeys that feel personal and intuitive.” He stresses that “empathy is not soft—it’s strategic. When a customer feels seen, they engage more deeply and stay longer. In today’s saturated digital space, empathy is the key to standing out—not by being louder, but by being real, responsive, and human.”
The Diamond Method: Forging Identity, Strategy, and Purpose
A cornerstone of Calvache Durand’s transformational work is the Diamond Method, a seven-stage business development framework that has empowered hundreds of professionals to align their identity, strategy, and purpose. He shares the genesis of this powerful tool: “The Diamond Method was born from over a decade of building businesses, facing challenges, and discovering that success without clarity or purpose feels empty. As I worked with entrepreneurs and leaders, I noticed a pattern: many had great ideas, but lacked alignment—between who they are, what they offer, and why it matters.”
The method is a structured process “designed to help brands uncover their authentic identity, align it with strategy, and communicate it with impact. It’s not just about branding—it’s about building a clear, purpose-driven foundation that can grow sustainably.”
The efficacy of the Diamond Method is evident in its widespread application, having assisted “startups, nonprofits, corporate teams, and creative entrepreneurs across the U.S. and Latin America. From coaches and consultants to construction firms and wellness brands, it’s guided people in transforming their message, their mindset, and their results.”
What truly differentiates the Diamond Method, according to its architect, is its intrinsic humanity. “What makes it powerful is that it’s human. It helps people see themselves, their work, and their audience differently. And when that clarity happens, everything shifts—from how they sell, to how they lead, to how they leave a legacy.”
In a world increasingly shaped by digital interactions, Washington J. Calvache Durand stands as a beacon for businesses seeking not just growth, but enduring legacy. His insights on conscious selling, objective brand value, empathetic digital sales, and the transformative power of the Diamond Method offer a compelling roadmap for a future where business success is measured not only by profit, but by purpose and profound human connection.
