I used to think I knew a lot about small businesses. I launched too many to count, and I have mentored a few as well. But the world of unicorn start-ups is not something I’ve understood very well until recently. Last Fall, Sol Trujillo and I launched L’ATTITUDE Ventures with a goal to raise $75 Million to invest in Latino-led start-ups. L’ATTITUDE, the event, opened our eyes on how undercapitalized the Latino business community has been, and the serious opportunities there are right now for investors and entrepreneurs. I am also an advisory board member to Pacaso, a $1B start-up that facilitates fractional ownership for vacation homes – so I’ve received a crash course about the world of start-ups, venture capital, and billion-dollar deals. I’ve learned a couple of things in the past year: a strong stock market and record low interest rates has made capital cheaper than any time in decades, and the universe of angel investors and venture capitalists is small and very cliquish. There haven’t been many Latinos in those businesses, but that is changing.
Here’s why:
A few weeks ago, I wrote about Cano Health, a medical start-up started by two Latino doctors. Four years ago, Cano was a tiny company with a big vision when they approached Sol for some business mentorship. Today, Cano Health is a public company with a $5B market cap. They are one of a growing number of Latino start-ups that are raising institutional capital and using the money and connections to build big companies that employ a lot of people and generate wealth for founders and investors. They wanted those early investors to be Latinos, and they’re going to make a large handful of Latinos a lot of money – billions, and they are not alone. The education, entertainment and media company, Encantos is another promising start-up. Founded by two veteran Latino marketing executives, the company’s list of investors and advisors is a who’s who of Latinos in finance including Nely Galán, Beatriz Acevedo, Ángel Morales, Tom Chavez, and Sol Trujillo. Sol thinks they have the stuff to be the next Disney. Speaking of Tom Chavez…Tom, whose brother is the former CFO at Goldman Sachs, is a serial entrepreneur who has sold companies to Microsoft and Salesforce.com, and just raised $23M for Ketch, his third start-up.
Capital is king, and closing the wealth gaps in America will require a lot of it, but there are a few things happening right now that are very exciting. Twenty years ago, my friend and colleague John Beneventi launched an internet portal for Latino homebuyers; we sold it within a year to a public company. Money was chasing anything that had a dot com in its name and more than a few people made a fortune. The market feels similar today, but with better fundamentals. In my opinion, there has never been a better time for a smart start-up than now. Only this time, I am confident there will be more Latinos joining the party.
In this episode, I share my perspective on the tragic killing of Renée Nicole Good and why moments like this demand clarity, restraint, and leadership rather than instant conclusions. We’re living in a time when emotion travels faster than facts, and division often fills the space where understanding should live. My goal here isn’t to inflame, but to add context, acknowledge pain, and encourage thoughtful reflection while the facts are still coming into focus. I hope you’ll watch with an open mind and consider what responsible leadership looks like in moments that test all of us.
In this episode, I talk about why progress rarely comes from perfect ideas or moral certainty—and why waiting for purity often keeps us stuck. Idealism can feel virtuous, but history shows that real change happens when people are willing to act, accept imperfection, and move forward anyway. For our community, that means choosing momentum over stagnation, results over symbolism, and responsibility over comfort. If we’re serious about building power, dignity, and lasting progress, this is a conversation we need to have—honestly and without illusions.
In this episode, I talk about something we’re almost never encouraged to say out loud: wealth is power—literally. Not likes, not outrage, not visibility. I break down why real influence comes from ownership and leverage, not consumption; why income feeds families but equity builds dynasties; and why a wealthy Latino with a clear purpose shouldn’t be seen as a problem, but as proof of what’s possible. If you’ve ever felt uneasy talking about money or ambition, I’d love for you to watch this one and think about what “owning more” could look like for you and our community.