Tony Peralta > www.theperaltaproject.com

Tony Peralta, Owner & Designer, The Peralta Project

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?

You need an idea and the ability to take the risk to manifest your idea.

What did inspire you to start your business?

As an artist, I wanted to use another medium to showcase my work. A t- shirt is like a blank canvas and a lot more affordable, so I started my own t-shirt company as another way to showcase my artwork.

How did you finance it?

I financed my company with my own money. I worked full-time as a designer and used my money to produce shirts. Since I'm a graphic designer I don't have to pay anyone to design for me, my money just went towards production.

Being Hispanic… Does it have any influence on your business?

I think it does in a subconscious way. I live in a heavily populated Dominican community and there are a lot of Dominican-owned businesses here. My own parents are entrepreneurs: my father owned a bodega in NYC and my mom owns a small business in the Dominican Republic.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?

I decide to keep going with my business because I feel it gives me purpose. I really can’t see myself doing anything else.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?

My biggest problem with my business is growth. In order for me to grow, I need a partner; someone that can handle the logistics for me. Right now, I am the designer, marketing department and sales department of my business.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?

I wouldn't change anything, just improve and grow.

What was your childhood ambition?

When I was a kid, I would daydream about being a famous artist.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?

I admire Russell Simmons, Steve Jobs and my parents.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?

Lunch is the perfect time for me to have a business meeting. I have the perfect amount of energy at that time.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?

I have not made any sacrifices; I really try to live a balanced life.

What is your favorite quote?

"Don't race against others, race against yourself".

Is it difficult to be unconventional?

Being unconventional comes easy to me because that's how I've always been.

Biggest mistake made?

The first shirt I produced had a typo and I noticed it when I received my finished product. I couldn't use them. Having paid for production out of pocket, it really hurt me and was a lesson well learned.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?

As far as my t-shirt business, I don’t because there are a million other t-shirt companies. I just try to deliver quality work.

About the company:

The Peralta Project is an independently owned t-shirt company that is a direct extension of my artwork and designs.

Michelle Sanchez > www.modamodelos.com

Michelle Sanchez, Owner and Operator of Moda Modelos

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?  

First thing I would say is that you have to have the mentality to NOT think like an employee but is so hard because we go to school to be employees. To be an entrepreneur you must have a strong personality to stand out and be different.

What did inspire you to start your business?  

NOT going back to corporate America was the first thing that inspired me when I started my business. Also, what inspired me to start a talent agency in Dallas was the lack of Hispanic representation. I wanted to be the one of the first in Dallas to be an agency that only caters to the Hispanic market.

How did you finance it? 

Since I new that my business needed only a minor start up capitol I funded everything with my credit cards sense I had good credit. Then I did a lot of networking and did trades with many people that were willing to support my start up.

Being Hispanic… Does it have any influence on your business? 

Yes, for my business only caters to the Hispanic market. Also, being a Hispanic women is a major influence on other Latinas trying to start their own business as well.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going? 

There’s no other choice but to keep going on. We don’t live in a fantasy world where we have someone come and rescue us. When im not accomplishing anything then that’s when I know its time for a different strategy not a time to just give up.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced? 

Being a small business the biggest challenges we face is not having a budget for advertising and marketing. In order to grow to reinvent yourself is vital to stay at the top. So we try to be innovative and do our best with what we do have.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?

Since I am in the modeling industry one thing that I wish I could change would be the industry standards of what a model is. They’re still 5’10, 34B, 26, 36. Girls have to starve themselves to be this way. However, I’m lucky enough that I cater to the Hispanic market and I get to recruit models with real curves!

What was your childhood ambition? 

One childhood ambition was to be a performer. Since I was 15 I danced ballet and pop. I wanted to live in NYC and perform in some Broadway shows. Till this day I try to still keep up with it and I’m even now in the process of recording my first pop song that I even wrote!

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?

I only have 2, Oprah and my Mom

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?

Dinner! I Feel that most people are more productive at a dinner that is not so formal and in a relaxed environment.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success? 

I DON’T have much of a personal life. I don’t get to date much or try to be in a relationship. That’s has been the biggest challenge because I know I can’t be marry to my career forever and end up like Miranda from the Devil Wears Prada. After watching that movie I realized I do not want to end up like her!

What is your favorite quote? 

Don’t really have one but a tag line I have for my business is “Its Not about modeling… Its about Representing”.

Is it difficult to be unconventional? 

No, not for me because I’m secure in me and my work to be unconventional. Its Vital to be unconventional to remain in business.

Biggest mistake made? 

Was to not qualify a business partner I brought in several years ago. He was in it for the wrong reasons. So now I’m a lot wiser as to whom I bring on my team.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why? 

Yes I do, with a marketing background I push myself to always think outside the box. People do appreciate it because they know they wouldn’t be able to pull off what I do.

About the company:

MODA Modelos was established back in May of 2005 and now is a full service Texas License talent agency representing and talent & models catering to fashion/commercial print, promotions, and themed fashion show production.

Ricardo de la Blanca > www.dlbgroup.com

Ricardo de la Blanca, CEO, DLB Group

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?

The first step is to identify a need and attack it; you must have confidence, courage, energy, perseverance and dedication above all.

What did inspire you to start your business?

My inspiration has always been the desire and enthusiasm to build something incredible that can stand the test of time, because in a way, my company, in some degree, is my footprint on earth.

How did you finance it?

The main thing is to understand the type of business you're getting into. Once I understood this business model, I sought spontaneous financing, which is nothing more than the support of providers.

Being Hispanic… Does it have any influence on your business?

The biggest Hispanic influence I've applied to my business has been the ability to adjust to changes. Due to high market volatility in Latin American countries, we have learned to be patient and confront any unusual situations.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?

One of the things that every entrepreneur should keep in mind when building a business is that there will always be good times and bad times. Something very important that any business should have - whether big, average or small - is a capacity to react and adapt to changes. I’ve been through a few difficult times in my life, and it’s these moments that help me realize the importance of the team that surrounds me. I could say that my team is my business, and it will depend on my recruiting abilities if we are ready to navigate through the adversities that every employer will indeed have to face.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?

Make DLB Group the most important agency in Venezuela was no easy task. It took passion, dedication and hard work. But undoubtedly the biggest challenge we’ve faced was to make this business go international. The fact of developing the same business in three regions and five countries at the same time is one of my greatest achievements as an entrepreneur.

- If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?

Every business in any industry must be changing constantly to fit the needs of the market and stay current with technology. Fortunately, our company has been able to adapt to new trends and evolve over time. There’s nothing in particular that we would change radically, as we have designed and structured a company the way we believe it should be.

What was your childhood ambition?

My childhood ambition was to manage my family’s business, Tropicana.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?

My father; Mark Zuckerberg, creator of Facebook; Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple Inc.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?

In my opinion, all three meals work and each has its magic. A positive aspect about breakfast is that people are fresh, with no problems to think about and less business calls or interventions that usually happen during the day; this way you can put all your attention on the issue of discussion. Lunch is another business opportunity as it becomes the perfect break that can be used to make a certain connection and close good deals. On the other hand, dinner is definitely a less-business-type of meal, it’s an opportunity to bond with a client and get to know him on a personal level, this is incredibly important in the business world to create strong bilateral relations.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?

Behind every successful business there’s always going to be a few sacrifices suffered. The most important sacrifices I’ve had to make in order to lift this business up is to spend less time with family and friends and have very few opportunities to practice different hobbies.

What is your favorite quote?

“Always Learning/Always Improving” and “Always One Step Ahead” which are the premises of DLB Group Worldwide.

Is it difficult to be unconventional?

The easy way is to copy and replicate what’s already been done. Being unconventional means more effort, creativity and doing things differently. It is certainly more challenging, but also more fun.

Biggest mistake made?

Not to have started my business earlier.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?

I do consider myself an innovator. I’m a person who always seeks to do things differently and I always like to distinguish myself from my competitors. Being innovative makes me offer my clients a unique service, which in turn differentiates them from their competition.

About the company:

DLB Group is a global marketing services integrator and the first independent non-conventional ad network with presence in the U.S., Spain and Latin America. The staff includes experts in the areas of commercial architecture, SMS, Web design, PR, trade marketing, broadcast and print production among others. DLB Group creates impactful plans that support the message between different media bringing memorable experience and brand contact to the consumer. The company has offices in the U.S., Spain, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela and Panama.

Mariela Sporn > www.realref.com.ar

Mariela Sporn, Founder, RealRef

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?

I think it’s important to have energy, creativity, passion and proactivity. It is vital to trust in what you do and plan, get organized, listen, be flexible and persevering.

What did inspire you to start your business?

I was looking for a job and I finally had to decide between two job proposals, and I wondered. How do I know which is the best place to work? How can we reduce the gap between employees’ expectations and the companies’ reality? How do I know what it is like the working environment, management team, the opportunities given for professional growth, beyond from what one friend can tell me? On the other hand, organizations need to know how they are perceived and I ask myself, how can they improve without waiting 6 or 12 months for the Employee Satisfaction Survey results? And how can they know what their former employees think about them? The answers to all this questions are in RealRef.

How did you finance it?

Personal savings.

Being Hispanic… Does it have any influence on your business?

Yes. We are a society that relies heavily on the suggestions of others to make our own decisions; we take into account other references, whether these come through social networks or face to face.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?

It is important to remember that obstacles can get to come and one must be ready to face them. With passion, effort, a good team, strategy and creativity one can learn from adversity and move on, emerging stronger from them, which is called resilience.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?

Introducing a new model in Latinamerica, by which employees are those who rate their workplace and access to firsthand information. In turn, it was a great challenge to have been one of the 6 selected Startups and present it to a group of business leaders and entrepreneurs from Silicon Valley, at the Universidad de San Andrés with Palermo Valley, and also to present RealRef for 800 people at the Online Marketing Day after being selected between more than 150 projects.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?

We are working on important improvements to the site in terms of usability, among others, simplifying steps, creating a more user-friendly platform.

What was your childhood ambition?

To make a contribution to society, create positive change. I also wanted to be a writer, which still stands.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?

Reid Hoffman (LinkedIn's creator), Marcos Galperin (Founder and CEO of MercadoLibre) and Hillary Rodham Clinton (co-founder of the NGO Vital Voices, which promote women's leadership).

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?

Breakfast.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?

I had to take time given to my family and friends, to whom I am grateful, they are accompanying me from the beginning of this process and drive me to turn RealRef bigger every day.

What is your favorite quote?

Impossible is nothing.

Is it difficult to be unconventional?

It is challenging to incorporate a new concept, create something new, be held by one the possibility of improving the job quality for example and help others to find the right job.

Biggest mistake made?

Be very detailed. We waited to have a perfect product before launching it, when we could have communicate it a previous stage and improve it later.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?

Yes. We develop a community that is pioneering in the use of rating system for the labor category. Employees find in RealRef a place where they can express their opinions, anonymously, and decide the best place to work, in turn allowing businesses to identify areas for improvement in real time.

About the company:

RealRef is a free career community where anyone can find and anonymously share an inside look at companies. What sets us apart is that all our information comes from current and former employees. Users rate companies based on several variables, allowing others and themselves to identify the best places to work, regardless the size or field of the enterprise, and companies are provided with real-time information to be in the continuous process of improvement, based on their performance.

Valeria Pasmanter > www.spareroomsba.com

Valeria Pasmanter, Founder, Spare Rooms Buenos Aires

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?

Believe in an idea with so much passion and strength, and be able to spread that to people around you.

What did inspire you to start your business?

I was tired of hearing the same complaints from demoralized foreigners in Buenos Aires: they lost time and money in a worthless search and they didn’t get what they’ve paid. I wanted to help them to find the room that they really like!

How did you finance it?

Personal savings.

Being Hispanic… Does it have any influence on your business?

Of course. We are very friendly, so that help me to build good links with people.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?

I always had in mind to build long term relationships, if there is some adversity I try to think of something that (eventually) build lasting relationships.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?

That Argentines incorporate this new form of rent rooms in their homes to foreigners coming to live in Buenos Aires.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?

Convincing the owner of the room that the rent money is not the only thing that he/she will get renting the room, the cultural experience to live with people from abroad is priceless.Receive foreigners is like traveling backwards.

What was your childhood ambition?

To have my own business and be recognized in what I do.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?

Andy Freire (officenet.com) and my father.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?

Breakfast, I’m more fresh during the morning.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?

Many weekends at home working without seeing my family and friends.

What is your favorite quote?

When you pray, move your feet. (African Proverb).

Receive foreigners is like traveling backwards. (by Spare Rooms Buenos Aires)

Is it difficult to be unconventional?

No, it's fun. I like to think differently and believe that things can be different.

Biggest mistake made?

Not trusting my instincts sometimes. I have to learn to follow my intuition more often.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?

Yes, because we formalized the concept of renting rooms in family houses and shared apartments in Buenos Aires. Helping many people to receive foreigners in their homes, while generating many happy foreigners in their new rooms.

About the company:

Spare Room Buenos Aires is an Argentine company that rents rooms in shared apartments and homestays for people interested in spending a period of their life in Buenos Aires, whether to study, work or enjoy a holiday.

Roxana Lissa > www.rlpublicrelations.com

Roxana Lissa, Founder of RL Public Relations

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?

You need to be fearless, passionate, a strong leader and giving.

What did inspire you to start your business?

I realized that there weren’t many people doing what I wanted to do and the desire to do the best work possible.

How did you finance it?

Luckily in PR, you don’t need a lot to get started. I used my bank savings.

Being Hispanic… Does it have any influence on your business?

Absolutely. Knowing the culture, language and nuances are my key competitive advantages. Being Hispanic has benefited me a great deal as most of the work that we do is Hispanic PR and marketing.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?

I don’t have a choice but to keep going. My father always taught me to never give up, and to face the obstacles as they come as things always work for the best in the end.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?

A horrible fire. One night, our offices in Beverly Hills burned to the ground and the cause was undetermined. It was really shocking and very scary. But this incident made me realize that I had the power to trust my wonderful team. They made sure that in spite of such a terrible incident, everything went smoothly moving forward. And it did.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?

I would hope that Fortune 500 companies and PR executives everywhere value the role of the Hispanic consumer and Hispanic PR as a powerful marketing tool.

What was your childhood ambition?

To live in the U.S.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?

I am fascinated by the rapid growth of internet companies like Groupon, Andrew Mason is a genius. Vera Wang is somebody amazing as well, who has been able to expand her business worldwide, beyond traditional fashion. Maria Contreras-Sweet is another great role model. Currently she is the CEO of Promerica Bank in Los Angeles. She has an amazing story as an immigrant, as a Latina and as a mom.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?

Lunch or dinner. I enjoy breakfast at home with my family.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?

When I opened my business at 25, I had to work really hard for the first few years… so my twenties were more about work than fun. Another big sacrifice has been not to see my parents in Argentina as often as I wanted to. Now I have more flexibility and am able to see my mom more often.

What is your favorite quote?

What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.

Is it difficult to be unconventional?

I guess either you are or you are not unconventional. It’s a characteristic that defines you – not something made up. I like to think that you can do whatever you want in life…nothing is impossible.

Biggest mistake made?

In two occasions I delegated too much to senior staff before they earned their trust in certain areas. This caused discontent among employees and clients who felt these people were not the best person to either run the company or manage their business. I learned that people need to earn trust before I can fully delegate key aspects of the business.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?

I believe I was able to raise the bar in Hispanic consumer PR. When I launched my company 15 years ago, little was known about how a good Hispanic consumer PR plan can help companies reach Hispanics better. Given the type of clients we have had over the years (with the focus solely being on Consumer PR), I can say we have contributed to the Hispanic industry overall to help deliver innovative approaches.

About the company:

RL Public Relations (RLPR) is the premiere, independent bicoastal Hispanic PR agency in the U.S. Founded in 1996, RLPR has been providing stellar client service and delivering breakthrough PR campaigns for leading companies in the U.S for over a decade.

With offices in Los Angeles and New York, RLPR has carved out a niche in the industry for creativity, service, strategy and results. We specialize in helping brands relevantly connect with the diverse Hispanic population in the U.S and beyond through media relations and community outreach that is rooted in strategy and insight.

http://www.rlpublicrelations.com

Evelyn M. Brooks > www.ebrooksdesigns.com

Evelyn M. Brooks, Jewelry Designer & Owner, Evelyn Brooks Designs

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?

Be a risk taker, manage and organize your time, being a multitasker, being confident, remaining positive in your attitude with everything you do.

What did inspire you to start your business?

My father, whom with little education built a successful jewelry manufacturing company that has been in business for over 50 years.

How did you finance it?

Personal savings.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?

Yes, my jewelry designs are inspired in my Peruvian heritage mixed with contemporary art and following the latest fashion trends. 

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?

By being creative, offering new designs and other services. My family and my belief in God give me purpose and drive.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?

Get paid on time from our wholesale buyers and being able to stay in business through tough times.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?

The time I spend in social media.

What was your childhood ambition?

Travel the world, learn about other cultures and keep those memories forever.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?

Richard Branson, CoCo Channel, Gene Simmons.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?

Breakfast.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?

The time I spend with my family and friends as well as my hours of sleep.

What is your favorite quote?

Endless possibilities.

Is it difficult to be unconventional?

No. I love being unconventional and cutting edge. This is why I have established such a following.

Biggest mistake made?

I made 100 charms that were going to raise funds for a non-profit but never made a contract. The president of the organization, mysteriously disappeared and never paid me for my work that I had done.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?

Yes. I took traditional Peruvian red & black seeds known as huayruros to another level by mixing them with silver & gold. My clients feel proud to wear something that is ecofriendly, culturally exotic and elegant.

About the company:

Evelyn’s Jewelry Designs are exotic, sophisticated and elegant. All of them are crafted with fine care and exceptional workmanship, offering innovative, contemporary & sustainable jewelry designs for men and women. The company also specializes in personal custom jewelry designs, private label manufacturing, corporate designs and exclusive designs to help charitable non-profits to raise much needed funds.

http://www.ebrooksdesigns.com

Carlos E Tenorio > www.greenrallytour.com

Carlos E Tenorio, CEO of Green Rally South America.

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?

You need to have an open mind and also transform the fear into courage to be open to live the unknown

What did inspire you to start your business?

My passion for adventure and the challenge to demonstrate that my dream was possible; with a balance of fun and natural resources. And also the belief that those solutions can be made just with human creativity.

How did you finance it?

After realizing the idea in 2007, it was financed in four years with my own resources, and now that is in the massive diffusion phase we have met companies who are committed to create a better relationship with the environment, announcing their companies with our team.

Being Hispanic… Does it have any influence on your business?

Of course, by being born in a country full of natural resources, I have developed a big capacity for creativity, almost with no boundaries.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?

Coldly planning, making decisions on time and also have present that if something doesn’t work, is important to have the flexibility to use a different approach, and very important to never stay inactive.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?

To promote the initiative of creativity in all of us, that way we will find solutions that we can apply in our actual world.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?

Time, I would have liked to have started about 7 years ago

What was your childhood ambition?

My ambition was to be a family man, a businessman, socially active and to be able to make a difference in the world, especially to helping children.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?

My Father, he has been the most sagacious, entrepreneur, practical and authentic man I’ve ever met. Steven Spielberg; because he revolutionized the industry. And Steve Jobs; because he was always ahead of technology and trends, managing the marketing like no other.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?

Breakfast, without a doubt, the mind is always on its best level of assimilation and development of ideas. Breakfast is also lighter.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?

I make an effort; in my opinion “to sacrifice” implies pain. My biggest effort was to be absent and away from my family because of business.

What is your favorite quote?

Be the solution!

Is it difficult to be unconventional?

For me it’s totally natural

Biggest mistake made?

Not learning more languages

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?

I consider myself an innovator for this reality I’m sharing with you. I consider myself an innovator in the personal and business life.

Add here a brief description of your company

Green Rally South America is an organization that is focused on raising awareness and creating solutions to preserve the planet’s resources by hosting an eco-friendly modified motorcycle rally and innovation contest across nine South American countries.

Imagine sportsmanship, artistry and innovation converging for a common purpose, all in the name of saving our planet. This is Green Rally South America. For more information, visit www.greenrallytour.com, or contact Lucia Tovar-Matthews, DIÁLOGO at lucia@dialogo.us.