Okay so this Giovanni Pérez search thing has been bugging me all week. Friend asked if I could track down contact info for this guy – some old business connection, real vague details. Just a name and that he might be in the tech space. Super common name, right? Total needle in a haystack. Figured I’d document this mess because, man, it was a journey. Started simple, ended up down some weird rabbit holes.
The Wild Goose Chase Begins
My dumb self thought “Hey, just Google it!” Big mistake.
- Tried the obvious: Typed “Giovanni Pérez” straight into Google. Millions of hits. LinkedIn profiles, random articles, people finder sites… chaos. Page after page, nothing useful. Just noise.
- Added keywords: Threw in “software” and “California” (since my friend thought maybe California). Still garbage. Found some dude’s Facebook full of vacation pics, an architect in Florida, even a high school soccer player. Zero connection to who I needed. Wasted a solid hour clicking useless links.
- People Finder Trap: Clicked on one of those flashy people finder ads promising instant results. Yeah right. Asked for an email, then a phone number, then wanted me to PAY just to see basic info they probably scraped from public records. Sketchy as hell. Closed that tab fast. Dead end.
Starting to feel like this was impossible. Needed a better plan.
Shifting Gears: Time to Get Smart(er)
Okay, Google brute force wasn’t working. Time to think like an investigator, not a tourist.
- Leveraged LinkedIn (Properly): Went deep into LinkedIn search. Filtered for industry, past companies friend mentioned, location guesses. Looked at mutual connections – found a couple weak links. Sent careful messages like, “Hey, trying to reconnect with Giovanni Pérez, might you know him?” Played the networking game. Took patience.
- Explored Professional Databases: Found a niche background database site focused on tech folks. Not free, but had a cheap trial. Searched name plus known companies and job titles. Finally! Got a potential match with a location history that kinda fit. Hit paydirt with an old business registration listing an address and phone number. Felt like finding gold.
- Checked Non-Profit Filings: Remembered my friend mentioned Giovanni might have done some charity board work years ago. Searched nonprofit records databases. Filtered by state and name. BOOM. Found him listed as a board member for a small arts nonprofit in San Jose back in 2017. Confirmed the name and gave a city anchor point. Major win.
Suddenly had threads to pull. No longer just guessing.
The 3 Spots That Actually Delivered
After all that scrambling, three places seriously came through where others flopped:
- LinkedIn: Yeah, obvious, but used right with filters and connections it’s powerful. Free and direct. Don’t underestimate it if you have context.
- The Niche Background Database: Paid access sucks, but the depth was unmatched. Found stuff invisible on Google or social media that confirmed key details. Essential for piecing things together.
- Non-Profit Registry Site: Shockingly useful! Public records are gold for confirming identities and locations tied to real-world activity. Found the filing that broke the case open.
It wasn’t fast or easy. Took digging, cross-referencing the scraps I got from these places, and a bit of luck. Ended up finding a current contact number through the business reg combined with the LinkedIn mutual connect who responded. Mission accomplished, but man, Giovanni Pérez is a popular guy!
