Gary Acosta’s Weekly Blog

Featuring Gary’s take on the economy, politics, sports and Latino culture

Gary Acosta is an entrepreneur, investor, and advocate for the Latino business community. He is the Co-Founder and CEO of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals (NAHREP), the largest Latino business organization in the nation with more than 58,000 members and 100 local chapters. He is also the Co-Founder of AVANCE Global, an event platform created with media entrepreneur and New York Times bestselling author, Nely Galán.

Gary also founded AVANCE Sports, a non-profit dedicated to expanding Latino leadership and influence in the sports industry. He is a founding partner of L’ATTITUDE Ventures, the largest venture capital fund that invests exclusively in Latino-led startups. He is the creator of the Hispanic Wealth Project, a non-profit with a mission to advance economic mobility and generational wealth in the Latino community. His video series, “The Latino Brand,” shares his take on business, leadership, and the image of Latinos in America.

Gary attended the University of California in San Diego and Pomona College, where he played varsity basketball for Hall of Fame coach, Gregg Popovich. He lives with his family in San Diego.

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What if the best two teams in the NFL are in LA?

SportsBy Gary Acosta November 11, 2018

Los Angeles went 20 years without an NFL football team. Last year, they didn’t get one but two teams, the Rams and the Chargers. In their second season in LA, the Rams and the Chargers have a combined win-loss record of 14-3 and are both in the top five of the power rankings. I think…

Modelo Beer Commercials Rock

MediaBy Gary Acosta November 11, 2018

If you haven’t seen the Modelo beer commercials that highlight the achievements of some notable Hispanic-Americans, you should. They smartly connect with Hispanic consumers without being patronizing, stereotypical, or condescending. My favorite one is about the first Latina fighter pilot, Olga Custodio. There are others including one with NFL great, Anthony Muñoz. Companies who have struggled…

Mid-terms went as expected

PoliticsBy Gary Acosta November 11, 2018

For all the talk that our political system is broken, I think it’s actually pretty solid. That is not to say it shouldn’t evolve. Along with a few other things, I think there is too much money in politics, gerrymandering should be illegal, and it should be a lot easier for eligible citizens to vote.…

The LBJ show sputters but will bounce back strong

SportsBy Gary Acosta November 3, 2018

The euphoria of LeBron James coming to Los Angeles is starting to wear off as the Lakers muster only three wins against five losses to open the season. As a longtime fan of the game, I can tell you that LeBron is everything he is made out to be on the court and even more…

Insta’s Top 10

MediaBy Gary Acosta November 3, 2018

Soccer superstar, Ronaldo and singer/actress, Selena Gomez top the list of Instagram followers with 144.6M and 144.4M followers respectively. Granted Insta followers is only one metric, but it further demonstrates how Latinos and stars from the Iberian Peninsula are continuing to exert their influence on the mainstream sports and entertainment world. Many music experts are…

Don’t forget to vote

PoliticsBy Gary Acosta November 3, 2018

I read a good article in the NY Times about how the Democrats keep underestimating Trump’s political gifts. I won’t comment further except to say that the Dems should be dominating the midterms and the fact that they are not says a lot about Trump and a lot about the lack of real leadership within…

Midterms and the Latino Factor

PoliticsBy Gary Acosta October 27, 2018

Many people are calling the upcoming midterm elections the most important in recent memory. For nearly two years, the Trump administration has pushed their agenda with the benefit of a Republican majority in both the House and the Senate. This advantage has helped the President get two of his nominees on the Supreme Court, pass…

Vanity Fair and the New Establishment

MediaBy Gary Acosta October 14, 2018

Vanity Fair Magazine once again published its list of the 100 leaders of the New Establishment, a list of the movers and shakers in tech, media, and culture. Robert Mueller oddly appears as number one on the list followed by stalwarts like Jeff Bezos, Reed Hastings, and Bob Iger. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez shared the 94th slot…

Season 2 of Marvel’s The Runaways drops on December 21st

Fun StuffBy Gary Acosta October 14, 2018

My favorite young actress Allegra Acosta returns for season two of the Runaways on Hulu. The show is about a group of teenagers from diverse backgrounds who unite to fight against their criminal parents. Allegra stars as Molly Hernandez, the youngest member of the crew who discovers in season one that she has superhuman strength.…

The economy is showing signs of calamity on the horizon

BusinessBy Gary Acosta October 14, 2018

This past week, interest rates on mortgages broke past the 5% barrier, the highest in almost ten years. The stock market had its biggest two-day drop since the collapse in 2008, and the projected deficit for 2018 was adjusted upward to nearly $1 trillion. Additionally, gas prices are spiking and Ford announced major job cuts.…

Justice Kavanaugh and the silent majority in the middle

PoliticsBy Gary Acosta October 7, 2018

Last week I was flying back from NY to San Diego. It was the day of the Ford/Kavanaugh hearings and you could watch live television from the Direct TV feed on the plane. An older gentleman sitting across the aisle from me was watching the hearings and literally screaming at the television as senators questioned…

Always be learning

BusinessBy Gary Acosta September 30, 2018

For whatever reason, I have never felt like I have learned all that I need to know. Learning is a constant in my life, and I think it has made me a happier person. I can’t think of anything more depressing than the thought of there being nothing left to achieve and nothing more to…

Walking out on the bill in Soho

Current AffairsBy Gary Acosta September 30, 2018

Last week I was in New York. I was in town for a meeting with CNBC, and Armando Tam was in town to meet with our local NAHREP chapters in the area. On Tuesday, we were having breakfast at the Soho Grand Hotel and were seated next to a young white couple who seemed annoyed.…

NAHREP 10 and living the life you were destined to live

Personal DevelopmentBy Gary Acosta September 30, 2018

This past week, NAHREP launched the NAHREP 10 Certified Trainer Program. The goal is to certify 50 to 100 trainers who will deliver workshops to real estate agents, students, churches, and small business associations. For those of you who are not familiar with the NAHREP 10, you can read about them here. They are the principles…

Behind the Scenes at L’ATTITUDE

BusinessBy Gary Acosta September 23, 2018

For those of you who follow NAHREP or myself on social media, you probably know that the L’ATTITUDE event took place two weeks ago in San Diego. I have been contemplating an event like L’ATTITUDE for about three years. It’s my passion project and my “moon shot”, so when the event finally came and went it was…

GGG versus Álvarez — The fight of the year

SportsBy Gary Acosta September 23, 2018

Last weekend, boxing fans were treated to another great fight between Gennady Golovkin II and Canelo Álvarez. The two middleweights fought to a controversial draw last year and fight fans from around the globe were eagerly awaiting the rematch. The fighters are interesting in that Álvarez is from Mexico, who some say fights less like…

Puebla, MX

Latino IssuesBy Gary Acosta September 2, 2018

Last week I was in Mexico for the first time in almost two decades. The reason I haven’t been in Mexico is a long story. My parents are both U.S.-born so my only experience with Mexico was visiting resort cities like Cancún and Mazatlán. I didn’t love those places and always felt that the party…

John McCain, A leader we can least afford to lose

PoliticsBy Gary Acosta September 2, 2018

As I am writing this blog, I am watching the memorial service in Washington, DC for Senator John McCain. McCain’s daughter Meghan gave one of the most heartfelt eulogies you’ll ever see punctuating the principles that guided her father’s life. Listening to the speeches, both today and earlier in the week, made me appreciate the…

Labor Day Op-ed in the Wall Street Journal

BusinessBy Gary Acosta September 2, 2018

Sol Trujillo wrote a Labor Day op-ed titled, “The ‘Latino Factor’ Will Save America’s Economy”. The article was published in the Wall Street Journal on August 29th and was peppered with data points about the real state of our workforce and why the country should be grateful that we have a Latino population who is…

Headliners for L’ATTITUDE have no rival

MediaBy Gary Acosta September 2, 2018

Speaking of Sol Trujillo, as many of you know, NAHREP has spawned a new event in partnership with Sol called L’ATTITUDE and is deemed the ultimate celebration of the New Mainstream Economy. Next week L’ATTITUDE will be introduced to the world and rather than try to describe what L’ATTITUDE is all about, I thought I…