Gary Acosta is an entrepreneur, public policy advocate, investor, and thought leader passionate about advancing prosperity for Latinos and other underserved communities. As an industry leader, he protects and improves the business environment required to close the wealth gap, particularly via homeownership. Amongst other endeavors, he is Co-Founder & CEO of NAHREP, the country’s leading Hispanic business organization, and Co-Founder of L’ATTITUDE, the preeminent platform for Latino economic empowerment. Acosta is also a general partner of L’ATTITUDE Ventures, the nation’s largest venture capital fund exclusively focused on Latino-led start-ups. Join Gary as he dives into today’s issues through many creative formats.
Twenty-two years ago, when Ernie Reyes and I first launched NAHREP, I was told all the reasons why it wouldn’t work. “Latinos aren’t monolithic” … “Cubans are totally different from Mexicans” … “Jealousy, gossip, and infighting will bring you down” … “Not every Latino has the same political views” … However, fast forward to today,…
There has been a ton of research and debate about the subject of leadership. Thousands of books have been written and millions of dollars are spent each year on leadership training, and there is good reason for it. Leadership mastery is probably the most valuable skill set anyone in sports, business, or politics can possess.…
As business people, we are taught to find someone who is doing what we want to do and copy them. If our goal is to have a business that makes money, this is excellent advice. Why would you want to reinvent the wheel? However, if your goal is bigger than that, you have to think…
I write a lot about wealth. Over the years, I have acquired a deeper understanding of the topic and the implications it has not only for Latinos but for the country overall. I have come to believe that the ethnic wealth gap is the single biggest threat to American prosperity. I don’t think that is…
When we were kids, our daydreams were about grandiosity. I dreamed about being the world’s greatest athlete. Others dreamed about being famous singers, entrepreneurs, or movie stars. As we get older, our aspirations change, but for many of us, our desire to be special remains strong. That desire to be special is a positive in…
Latinos in film and television continue to face two problems: an astonishing lack of visibility and the negative and/or stereotypical manner that Latino characters are commonly portrayed. Both of these issues have implications that go beyond the industry itself. Studies have shown Americans spend 15.5 hours a week consuming traditional and digital media. The number…
You know the story…Guy lives in a mansion with five luxury cars and a wife who looks like a swimsuit model. He posts videos on Insta where he talks about the lavish lifestyle he enjoys while driving in a car with the Ferrari logo strategically in focus. He speaks about the time when he lived…
Many of us know that Latinos were hit harder than any other demographic during the great recession of 2008 to 2012, but not everyone knows why. Those of us in the real estate business were taught that we should invest in real estate, because it is what we know. That makes a lot of sense.…
I have been a fan of Dave Chappelle for years. His stand-up comedy is among the smartest and most provocative in a generation. Last year, I blogged about the brilliance of 8:46, the show he created during the pandemic about the George Floyd murder. One of the memorable parts of that routine was when he told…
Some CEOs say great companies only hire the best talent. I say “bullshit”. The Los Angeles Lakers opened the 2021-2022 basketball season with two surprising losses after going 0-6 in the preseason. While it is way too early to draw any conclusions, it does raise some questions about their personnel decisions and team chemistry. During…
Saying those words out loud is pretty surreal, but last week, my wife Kathy and I became grandparents for the first time. Amelia Claire Smeraski was born on October 15th to our daughter Jaimie and her husband A.J. I can already tell that Amelia is a beauty, like her mom and grandma, with a calm…
Two weeks ago, Gary Vaynerchuk was the main keynote at NAHREP at L’ATTITUDE event in San Diego. I thought his presentation was great. One of the things I appreciate about him is that he does not hedge his opinions. He is fully committed to them, and I consider him one of the best experts on…
When people ask me what do I love most about my work as the leader of NAHREP, I always say it is the people who I’ve met along the way. Over a twenty-year span, I’ve met thousands of people. Now, with L’ATTITUDE, it seems like that number is increasing exponentially. Most have been amazing. NAHREP…
What do World Champion boxer Canelo Álvarez, actress Adria Arjona, Senator Alex Padilla, wellness guru Deepak Chopra, internet sensation Gary Vaynerchuk, music superstar Gloria Estefan, actor Andy García, and the CEOs of Disney, Nike, The Home Depot, Bank of America, Cisco, Sony Pictures, Dow Jones, and AT&T have in common? They will all be at…
I would not call myself a social media expert, but like everyone, I have my preferences. The truth is most social media posts are boring as hell, and I think we all know why. For most people, social media isn’t about conversation anymore, it’s about vanity. Almost every post these days are about one of…
If you’re in business, you probably hear a lot about the importance of managing your relationships. Good sales professionals maintain a database of past customers and prospects, but I actually know only a handful of people who are truly exceptional at relationship management. Here are some tips on managing relationships that can help you business-wise and personally…
Last week, Mortgage Professional America Magazine published an interview with William Tessar, the CEO of Civic Financial Services, a little-known hard money lender in California. The article claims Tessar has been ranked as a top CEO by “women and employees of color”, although it does not cite the publications who supposedly recognized him in this…
If you’re the type of person who thinks the people who oppose your political viewpoints are evil and secretly hate America, this blog is probably not for you. But if you are someone who is distressed by the divisions in our country, remember: regardless of where you stand politically, the enemy isn’t conservatism or liberalism…
The coronavirus pandemic was the crisis of the 21st century. For those of us who were fortunate enough to emerge healthy should be asking: did we take advantage of the opportunity to pause, evaluate and reinvent ourselves? I have been working on it, and I have been asking my team to do the same. I’m…
Familia, We’re Back! Last week, NAHREP announced their headliners for the NAHREP at L’ATTITUDE convention in San Diego on September 29th – October 2nd. Chopra, Vaynerchuk, and Montañez headline this year’s event. Coming out of a once-in-a-century pandemic, we thought a focus on mindset and mental health should permeate throughout the event. Chopra is not…
