Mar 26 • Main Forum
Great meeting with San Diego Foundation!
Big Conversation Today. Big Opportunity Ahead.
Today I sat down with The San Diego Foundation—specifically with Hector Borjas, who leads the El Camino Fund.
And something important clicked.
We aligned on a core truth:
👉 Mindset is everything.
Not just skills.
Not just capital.
Not just access.
If we don’t shape how founders think, decide, and act—nothing else scales.
Where the Capital is Moving
The Foundation is actively looking to fund solutions in three areas:
- Childcare
- Trades
- Elder care
Why?
Because these are massive, underserved, and growing sectors—and Latino entrepreneurs are already deeply present in all three.
But presence ≠ scale.
That’s where the opportunity is.
The Insight That Hit Me
I shared something I’ve been thinking about:
There are thousands of Latino-owned trade businesses—construction, electrical, plumbing, landscaping…
They’re strong.
They generate real revenue.
They serve real customers.
But many are hitting the same wall:
- No clear path to scale
- No systems or operational structure
- No transition plan to the next generation
- No exit strategy
And in many cases…
👉 The business dies with the founder.
This is Not a Small Problem
This is about:
- Lost generational wealth
- Missed economic expansion
- Talent that never fully compounds
We don’t have a startup problem.
We have a scaling and transfer problem.
The Opportunity
What if we built something specifically for this?
A focused effort to help Latino-owned trade businesses:
- Systematize operations
- Build leadership beyond the founder
- Create scalable models
- Transition to the next generation (or new ownership)
- Unlock real enterprise value
This isn’t theory.
This is already happening informally—just without structure, tools, or support.
Call to Action: Let’s Build a Subteam
I don’t want this to stay as a conversation.
I want to explore this with you.
If this resonates, I’m looking to form a small working group to:
- Dig deeper into the problem
- Talk to real business owners
- Identify patterns and bottlenecks
- Test potential solutions (Lean style)
- Explore if this can become a funded initiative
If You’re Interested, Drop a Comment:
- What have you seen in trade businesses?
- Have you or your family experienced this firsthand?
- Where do you think the biggest breakdown is?
- What would actually help?
Let’s not just talk about opportunity.
Let’s build something that captures it.
🚀
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10 comments
Great meeting with San Diego Foundation!
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The Latino Startup is a community for Latino founders. We help turn ideas into businesses using LEAN Startup methods and peer support.
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