The American Dream with Elias Torres
Drift
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Did you know that only 1% of startups that have achieved unicorn status are led by Latin American founders? Drift's co-founder and CTO, Elias Torres, is on a mission to change that. Every other Tuesday, he has honest, inspiring, and authentic conversations with underrepresented leaders in tech. Hear from people who have achieved their own version of the American Dream, as well as those who are creating a more equitable future for the next generation.
Available episodes
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Mar 7, 2023
Here are the Stepping Stones to Successful Career Progression (with Isabel Gomez Vidal, Chief Revenue Officer of Moody’s Analytics)
“Practice and preparation breeds perfection over time”
That's the motto Isabel Gomez Vidal, Chief Revenue Officer of Fortune 500 company Moody’s Analytics, used to motivate her own career growth, and it's the motto she continues to use to help others grow their own careers.
Aside from her day job as CRO, Isabel sits on the advisory board of The Posse Foundation, where she helps to create more leadership opportunities for underrepresented high school students.
In this American Dream episode, Isabel shares her professional career journey from intern to CRO and gives advice on how others can do the same.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias on Twitter at @eliast and Isabel on LinkedIn.
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Feb 21, 2023
Give Each Other Grace, and Work to Make the Process Unfold (Zamawa Arenas, Flowetik)
"Fair, balanced, and kind."
Those are the three adjectives people most commonly use to describe Zamawa Arenas, Founder & CEO of Flowetik. They're also the adjectives that help Zamawa communicate effectively in the board room.
In this episode of The American Dream, Zamawa explains why she chose to stay in the United States only if she could drive change. She explains how the entrepreneurial journey chose her instead of her choosing it, and the work she does outside of her 9-5 to create more social equity in the United States.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias and Zamawa on Twitter at @eliast and @ZamawaArenas.
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Jan 31, 2023
How A Passion for Technology is Bringing an Impact to Healthcare (With Sami Shalabi, Outcomes4Me)
“If you have an idea, you see the friction point in the world, and if you have the time and drive, you can change it.”
This motivation drives Sami Shalabi in his work at Outcomes4Me - an AI-driven patient empowerment platform that helps cancer patients take a proactive approach to their care, gaining access to personalized, evidence-based treatment options and information.
Sami, an immigrant from Jordan, came to America and attended MIT to pursue a career in computer programming. After college, his deep-rooted entrepreneurial spirit took over, and he ventured out to start his own company.
In this episode of American Dream, Sami and Elias discuss their time together at IBM, share the key characteristics that define entrepreneurs, and Sami shares his big goals for Outcomes4Me.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias on Twitter at @eliast and @DriftPodcasts and Sami on LinkedIn.
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Jan 17, 2023
What It's Really Like to Be a Colored Person in a White Man's Space (With Y Combinator's Edrizio De La Cruz)
“Just by the virtue of surrounding yourself with success, you become success. Just by the virtue of osmosis.”
That's the logic Edrizio De La Cruz has lived with since he forced himself into the Wall Street world some 17 years ago.
After trying out a few different jobs to support his family, Edrizio made a pivot into the foreign world of finance. Thanks to communities like SEO and UBS, Edrizio made a name for himself, but not before being ridiculed for his accent, people assuming he was the wait staff in country clubs, and getting his confidence knocked multiple times.
In this episode of the American Dream podcast, Edrizio shares why he didn't let any of those obstacles stop him from achieving his own version of the American Dream and why now, he's so determined to help others achieve their own, too.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias and Edrizio on Twitter at @eliast, @EdrizioCruz, and @DriftPodcasts.
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Jan 3, 2023
How Do We Give Everyone a Chance to Find a Career in Tech? (With Microsoft's Beatris Gandica)
“Have resilience, keep doing it, keep trying, no te rindas, and don’t give up”
That's the motto Beatris Gandica, Senior Program Manager at Microsoft, takes with her students at Nuevo Foundation - an organization founded to help get more underrepresented individuals introduced to tech earlier. With activities like coding workshops, virtual sessions, and speaker series, Beatris and the Nuevo Foundation show children that careers in tech can take many forms and are more accessible than they may think.
In this episode of the American Dream, Beatris shares how she herself got interested in the field of technology, why her experience led her to found the Nuevo Foundation, and why the foundation believes so strongly in hands-on learning.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias and Beatris on Twitter at @eliast, @beagandica, and @DriftPodcasts.
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Dec 20, 2022
How to Champion Diversity in Venture Capital Firms (With Ashley Aydin, VamosVentures)
“You need individuals on the other side who are open to telling their story to have little Ashley who didn't expect to be in the venture capital space to be like, “Wow, I want to be this Latina one day, to become a successful investor and who does a lot for the community.”
Ashley Aydin didn’t know the world of venture capital existed until she attended Brown University as a first-generation college student. Then, after entering the workforce, she realized why: People who looked like her and her family were often overlooked within the VC/startup space. Now, Ashley’s on a mission to bring more diversity to the world of venture capital and entrepreneurship through her work at VamosVentures.
In this American Dream episode, Ashley, who is now an investor at VamosVentures – a venture capital fund that invests in diverse groups and founders – explains why she believes so strongly in the VamosVentures’ mission to foster a more diverse community that leads to bigger social impact through wealth creation, social mobility, and unique tech solutions.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias and Ashley on Twitter at @eliast, @ashaydin, and @DriftPodcasts.
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Dec 6, 2022
Discover Your Passion and Dig for the Grit to Experience It (With Google's Lilian Rincon)
"When you've just hit that rock bottom or whatever, you just figure it out. And you find something that you love, and you find something that you enjoy, and you know you gotta get it done. And you just get it done."
That's how Lilian Rincon, Senior Director of Product Management at Google, defines "perseverance with a passion." It's how she came to hold senior positions at tech companies like Microsoft, Skype, and Google.
In this American Dream episode, Lilian tells Elias what she learned by growing up independent, how she bounced back from failure, and the two bond over shared childhood and career experiences.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias and Lilian on Twitter at @eliast, @lilianr, and @DriftPodcasts.
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Nov 22, 2022
How Can We Feel at Home No Matter Where We're From or Where We Live? (With Hyde Square Task Force's Celina Miranda)
Celina Miranda, the Executive Director of Hyde Square Task Force, is no stranger to being the only Latina in a room of white people. Feeling the sense of "otherness" firsthand, and witnessing the Latin heritage get lost as Latinos attempt to assimilate into white culture, Celina and her team at Hyde Square Task Force are on a mission to help all Latinos feel like they can bring their whole selves to every room.
In her conversation with Elias, Celina shares the three key components constituting Hyde Square Task Force, why she believes wholeheartedly in the power of collective action, and what Thanksgiving looks like in her Afro-Latin household.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias on Twitter at @eliast and @DriftPodcasts and Celina on LinkedIn.
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Nov 8, 2022
Cook with Intention, and Both the Planet & Your Body Will Thank You (With Agtool's Martha Montoya)
"Ask. Keep going. Don't stop. Be your mama, be your grandmother. Elegant, but still be that, and you will get through."
Martha Montoya, CEO of Agtools - a dashboard platform for agribusiness operators - follows this mindset every day, as she aims to transform the agriculture industry and create more food security for all.
In this episode of The American Dream, Martha breaks down what the agriculture industry looks like both in the United States and globally. She and Elias discuss how technology can help lessen food waste and why it's so important to cook with intention.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias on Twitter at @eliast and @DriftPodcasts and Martha on LinkedIn.
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Oct 25, 2022
How a Post Grad Missions Trip Turned Into a Life Dedicated to Service (With Fabretto Foundation's Kevin Marinacci)
“You know there’s ups and downs, two steps forward, one step back. In the last 30 years, we’ve created great change, great opportunity. So that keeps me going.”
Kevin Marinacci visited Nicaragua for the first time in 1996. Little did he know then that he would be getting involved with an organization that now defines his over 25-year career in service.
On this episode of The American Dream, Kevin explains why he's stayed committed to the Fabretto Children's Foundation for so many years, the impact the foundation has had on thousands of children and their families, and he shares what's next for the foundation as it continues to pivot and innovate.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias on Twitter at @eliast and @DriftPodcasts and Kevin on LinkedIn.
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Oct 12, 2022
Why Immigrants' Resiliency Will be One of the Key Drivers for Change (With Pfizer's Lidia Fonseca)
"I always say do not be afraid to take risks, especially early in your career. Even if everything doesn't work out perfectly. I believe it's important to reframe failure as learning and experience."
Lidia Fonseca (Chief Digital & Technology Officer at Pfizer) immigrated from Mexico when she was 10 years old. She taught herself English by watching television shows, and she paved her own way to the University of Berkeley. Then, she traveled abroad again, moving to the Netherlands to earn her Master's degree.
All of these situations made Lidia uncomfortable, but she kept going. Now, Lidia credits her immigrant resiliency for getting her to the position of leadership she holds today.
In this episode of the American Dream, Lidia and Elias discuss the importance of mentors at every age, the importance of taking risks and not fearing failure, and how Lidia got into the "room where it happened" at Pfizer.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tu…
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Sep 26, 2022
How Do We Fix The Latinas in Tech Pipeline Problem? (With Latinas in Tech's Rocio Medina van Nierop)
"A lot of people are afraid to dream big because they think they will fail, but if you don't ask for it, you won't get it."
Rocío Medina van Nierop co-founded Latinas in Tech to empower Latinas across the globe to grow in their tech careers. Frustrated that the majority of Latinas in tech get stuck in entry-level positions, Rocío is on a mission to empower Latinas to ask for the raise, to encourage more well-represented individuals to be allies to Latinas in their companies, and to ultimately close the Latinas in tech pipeline gap.
On this week's episode of The American Dream, Rocío challenges Elias with the statement, "The American Dream is broken."
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias and Rocio on Twitter at @eliast , @rociomedina, and @DriftPodcasts.
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Sep 13, 2022
How This Ex-Google Exec & CEO Paved Her Way Into Opportunity (with Ulu Ventures' Miriam Rivera)
“Part of the reason I think diverse teams outperform is because a lot of the times you have people that are hungry to succeed and you have people who are not just doing it for themselves.”
Miriam Rivera paved her own way into tech. Growing up a Puerto Rican in New York, Miriam found her way to a private high school in New Hampshire, went onto Stanford, which introduced her to tech, and from there, onto Google.
Miriam learned a lot of things on this journey, like what "old money" vs "new money" looks like, the value of ownership, and the importance of diversity from the top down.
She and Elias get into all of these learnings on this week's episode of The American Dream.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias on Twitter at @eliast and @DriftPodcasts.
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Aug 30, 2022
Why You'll Get the Biggest Rewards When You Don't Focus on the Reward (Featuring Host Elias Torres)
"Don't overcomplicate decisions because nothing is final."
This week's American Dream episode highlights the lessons Elias has learned from being a student at the University of South Florida to CEO and co-founder of a billion-dollar valued company today.
We're throwing it back to a discussion Elias had with the Harvard Business School Class of 2020. In the virtual discussion, Elias shares the lessons he's learned from navigating multiple economic crises, how to pick the right co-founder, and the importance of always being curious.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias on Twitter at @eliast and @DriftPodcasts.
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Aug 16, 2022
What a Career in Media Taught This Emmy-Winner About Financial Wealth (with SUMA Wealth's Beatriz Acevedo)
"Until we have economic power, we'll never have true power in this country."
While it sounds harsh, Beatriz Acevedo, the co-founder and CEO of SUMA Wealth - a financial technology company devoted to increasing prosperity, opportunity, and financial inclusion for young, U.S. Latinos - believes it's the reality for Latinx in the United States today.
In this episode of The American Dream, Beatriz and Elias discuss why there's still such a financial knowledge gap for Latinx in the United States, how the power of community will help bridge the inequality gap among underrepresented groups, and why you should always order the tacos.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias and Beatriz on Twitter at @eliast, @Bea_latina, and @DriftPodcasts.
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Aug 2, 2022
The Roller Coaster Pursuit to Become an American Citizen (with Olo's Diego Panama)
“I don’t know if there was a specific figure or person, but it was just that concept of opportunity and not being tied down because you weren’t born in the right borders or to the right family.”
That's the reason Diego Panama, Chief Revenue Officer of Olo - an online ordering platform for revenue brands - gives for why he dedicated the first 17 years of his life in the United States to pursuing an American passport.
In this episode of The American Dream, Diego explains what exactly that pursuit of an American passport looked like. He explains why he thinks everyone should have the immigrant hustle, and he shares his next big goals for life in the United States.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias on Twitter at @eliast and @DriftPodcasts and Diego on LinkedIn.
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Jul 19, 2022
6 Lessons Elias Torres Learned (The Hard Way) When Building Drift
"Pivots are very important because it shows that you're learning. It shows that you're validating, or invalidating, a hypothesis."
This is just one of the many lessons Elias learned as he and his co-founder, David Cancel, built Drift from the ground up.
Drift now has over 600 employees and has reached unicorn status, but that doesn't mean it's always been (or is) easy. On this episode of the American Dream podcast, we're bringing back a talk Elias did with Forum Ventures - an early-stage fund, program, and community for B2B SaaS startups - where he shared his journey with Drift.
In the episode, you'll hear the original idea for Drift, why he and David decided to pivot, and what experiencing three economic downturns has taught Elias.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias on Twitter…
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Jul 5, 2022
From Immigrant To Middle Class Wealth In Just One Generation (With Mendoza Venture's Adrian Mendoza)
"In this world outside of the Latino community, to the white world, everything's negotiable."
Adrian Mendoza is the Co-Founder and General Partner of Mendoza Ventures, an early and growth-stage fintech, AI, and cybersecurity venture fund that he founded after noticing no one in the startup world looked like him.
In this episode of The American Dream podcast, Adrian and Elias discuss why there are fewer Latinx seen in the startup world, how more Latinx can get into tech (and why they should), and why being an accredited investor is the next milestone everyone should be aiming for in order to experience at least middle-class wealth.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias and Adrian on Twitter at @eliast, @AdrianMendozaVC, and @DriftPodcasts.
For more learnings from Elias, check out hi…
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Jun 21, 2022
What's It Really Going to Take to Change the Face of Silicon Valley? (With Visible Hands' Yasmin Cruz Ferrine)
"70% of the US is women and people of color, and yet they only receive 10% of venture capital funding, but that's not just a problem that's also an opportunity. So, we see an enormous missed market opportunity, and we wanted to be a part of catalyzing that change."
Yasmin Cruz Ferrine is the co-founder and general partner of Visible Hands - a 14-week, virtual-first accelerator on a mission to highlight and invest in the limitless potential of overlooked founders. She and her co-founders, Daniel Acheampong and Justin Kang, started the project two years ago when they decided they wanted to stop relying on invisible forces slowly changing the face of Silicon Valley and take matters into their own hands. 410 meetings later, Yasmin and her team successfully closed their fund.
But, why did it take so many meetings to close the fund? And what are the biggest obstacles preventing more women and people of color from leading companies in Silicon Valley?
Yasmin and Elias get into all of that a…
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Jun 7, 2022
What a Masters Degree Really Teaches You (With Sigo Seguros' Nestor Solari)
"I met my cofounder on the first day. A year later we started working together. We graduated and worked together. That alone was the price of admission."
Nestor Solari, Co-Founder and CEO of Sigo Seguros, an insurance technology company providing affordable access to auto insurance through its bilingual, mobile-first platform, is no stranger to schooling. With a bachelor's degree, MA in International Studies, and MBA in his back pocket, Nestor felt well-equipped to start his own company -- or so he thought.
In this episode of the American Dream podcast, Nestor reflects on what a Master's degree really taught him, how living abroad altered his United States experience, and he shares the resources that help him succeed as an entrepreneur today.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias an…
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May 24, 2022
The Ultimate Small-Business Survival Guide (With Self-Made Boss Authors Jackie Reses and Lauren Weinberg)
"It feels really lonely to be a business owner, and everyone feels like they're starting from scratch and going through these things by themselves. Jackie and I thought that there are so many people out there that have come before the current slate of entrepreneurs and business owners, and they've all learned incredible things and are full of wisdom and insight...we thought it'd be great if we could package just some of those wisdoms and insights up and share them with other business owners."
That is how Self-Made Boss, a book covering nearly every aspect of the life of a small-business owner, was born.
In this American Dream episode, Jackie Reses and Lauren Weinberg, co-authors of Self-Made Boss, join Elias to talk about what they learned by talking with small business owners across the country. Plus, Lauren, who is also the chief marketing officer at Square, shares marketing pro tips to help navigate today's dense social media scene.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new…
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May 10, 2022
Mentors Matter: A Conversation with Drift's First Gen at Drift Employee Resource Group
"I was so dependent on that program in high school that I didn't realize that there's not really something for that in college, and there's definitely not that type of support for post-grad and being in the working world...It would be nice through this ERG or on a larger scale for first-generation professionals to have some other network of support of other mentors who are in higher positions who have navigated corporate America and all that that entails."
For so many us, we feel supported through high school, have some mentorship through college, and then get to the "real world," where we're left floundering with, at first, no mentors at all.
This statement is felt 10x for first-generation employees, who not only have to navigate corporate America for the first time, but who also have to overcome the feeling of being the other while learning financial literacy.
That's why Drifters John Cole and Ezinne Ogbonna founded the First Gen at Drift employee resource group -- a dedicated spa…
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Apr 26, 2022
Unlocking the Power of Community (With Snowball Wealth's Pamela Martinez)
"People are dealing with imposter syndrome, we're dealing with kind of a lot of these struggles, so having that extra encouragement and reminding them that they can do it, and they will do it if they put their minds to it, and if they're doing well, making sure you remind them of that and recognize them, that can really help propel those people."
For Pamela Martinez, the co-founder and CTO of Snowball Wealth, community is the fuel that drove her to her CTO role today, and it's why she's hyperfocused on the power of community at Snowball Wealth.
Moving from Mexico to Texas in elementary school, Pamela experienced a community shift early in life. Being one of the only girls in an engineering program at high school brought a whole new community experience, and then attending Stanford University for undergraduate school brought yet another new community. After spending some time at Microsoft, Pamela decided it was time to enter the startup world, join a new community, and empower the com…
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Apr 12, 2022
Making the Jump from Big Tech to Startup (With Bexi.io's Cuco Vega)
"I always wanted to start my own business. I think that's just because growing up, that's how I saw my parents. And the reason I love the name of your podcast is because I feel like every time I talk about my experience, it's like this experience is really the continuation of my parents' American Dream."
What's it like to go from working your way into big tech, just to pivot and start your own company?
Cuco Vega, and host Elias Torres, know first-hand.
Cuco immigrated to the United States from Mexico as a young adult, and he worked in a variety of engineering agencies. When he decided to switch his career to product design, he also made the jump into big tech. But after a few years, Cuco realized it was time to fulfill his ultimate dream -- to start his own company, and Bexi.io was born.
Bexi.io is a tool that helps small businesses create and launch landing page social campaigns in minutes -- something Elias has experience in as well. In this episode of the American Dream, Cuco an…
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Mar 29, 2022
How Do We Create Generational Wealth in Community? With Ganas Venture's Lolita Taub
"And the fact that we are Latino gives us an opportunity to understand the opportunities that are on the table, that's being left on the table; and that we have a unique perspective and that our lived experiences actually help us in being successful as founders, as investors in startups, or as investors in funds."
Lolita Taub is the general partner of Ganas Ventures -- a fund that invests in pre-seed and seed Web 2 and Web 3 community-driven startups. Lolita's on a mission to create generational wealth in community, and her year-long tour of Latin America fuels this goal.
Calling in from Santiago, Chile, Lolita and Elias discuss what Lolita's learned by living in Latin America, how she got involved with investing, and what it means to build generational wealth in community.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friend…
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Mar 15, 2022
How Do We Democratize Wealth? (with Infinity Venture's Mario Ruiz)
Mario Ruiz grew up on food stamps in the Bronx. He credits this experience to being instrumental in how he's able to manage wealth and run his investing firm, Infinity Ventures, today.
But, it's also an experience he hopes very few other Latinx people need to have. That's why, as co-founder and partner of Infinity Ventures, Mario is focused on investing in infrastructure and new companies with the mission to democratize wealth.
In this episode of The American Dream podcast, Mario explains how reselling sneakers in high school taught him the basics of investing, why having the confidence to take risks is crucial to entrepreneurship, and what we all need to do to democratize wealth.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias on Twitter at @eliast and @DriftPodcasts, and Lisa on LinkedIn.…
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Mar 1, 2022
Helping More Students Walk Through Computer Science Doors (With SVEF's Lisa Andrew)
The secret to helping students succeed in computer science isn't a secret at all. They just need access to a high-quality, robust, curriculum.
But opening those doors to an adequate computer science curriculum is easier said than done.
Lisa Andrew, president of Silicon Valley Education Foundation (SVEF), has dedicated her adult life to working with students and teachers. Through her experience, Lisa has seen how a bureaucratic education system can create obstacles for certain community sectors. She and SVEF are on a mission to break down those obstacles by advocating for more doors to be opened for all students in California, and providing both students and teachers with the services they need to help them walk through those doors.
In this episode of the American Dream podcast, Lisa explains how and why there's unequal funding for students in Silicon Valley, the importance of not only advocating for students, but delivering services to them, and how her own childhood experience, fol…
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Feb 15, 2022
Understanding the Racial Wealth Gap (With BECMA's Nicole Obi)
In 2015, the Federal Reserve Bank of Massachusetts found that the average net worth of Black households in Boston was $8.00. The average net worth of white households was $247,500.
$8 for Black households, $247,500 for white households.
This disparity was enough to make Nicole Obi spring into action in a new way and commit to a career in nonprofit. Nicole is the president of BECMA, which stands for Black Economic Council of Massachusetts, and it's focused on policy and advocacy around elements and efforts that need to be made to advance the wellbeing of Blacks in Massachusetts.
In this episode, Nicole helps Elias understand why these disparities exist, what needs to be done to close the racial wealth gap, and how a background in urban planning helps her to lead BECMA today.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your frien…
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Feb 1, 2022
A Look into the Guadalajara Tech Scene (With Wizeline's, Aníbal Arbaca Gil)
CTO of Wizeline, Aníbal Arbaca Gil, defines his tech company as "an American company with a Mexican heart." That's because Wizeline - a global technology services provider - is headquartered in San Francisco but has its biggest office is in Guadalajara, Mexico.
In the episode of the American Dream, Aníbal explains why Wizeline invested in Guadalajara, what the tech scene looks like across Mexico today, and he gives advice to other American companies, including Drift, who are thinking about establishing a base in Guadalajara.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias and Aníbal on Twitter at @eliast, @anibalabarca, and @DriftPodcasts.
For more learnings from Elias, check out his quarterly newsletter, The American Dream. You can subscribe at https://www.drift.com/insider/learn/…
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Jan 18, 2022
Finding Your Life's Purpose (With Eastern Bank's Bob Rivers)
As a straight, white, male, Bob Rivers is far from an underrepresented individual. But that doesn't mean he's not aware of his privilege. Taking on the role of CEO at Eastern Bank 15 years ago, Bob has made it his life's purpose to ensure that the next generation of corporate America looks nothing like him.
In this episode of The American Dream, Elias highlights a represented individual making a difference. He and Bob talk through how Eastern Bank's board reached a 50% diversity metric, why that matters, and where Bob thinks the city of Boston still needs to improve in the race towards equality.
If there's one thing to take away from this episode, it's that having diverse companies is not only the right thing to do but the smart thing to do.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias…
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Jan 4, 2022
Use These Three T's to Make a Difference (With IBA's Vanessa Calderón Rosado)
You can find Vanessa Calderón Rosado's name on Boston Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in Boston list, but that's just one accolade of her many.
For the past 18 years, Vanessa has served as CEO of Inquilianos Boricuas en Acción, a Boston-based nonprofit focused on empowering underrepresented individuals through high-quality affordable housing, education, and arts programs. As she built out programs with IBA, she's also become the first Latina to serve on the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in Massachusetts, served on Boston’s housing task force, and founded the first dual-language innovation high school in Massachusetts.
There's so much more to Vanessa's story, and Elias gets into it all on this episode.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias and Vanes…
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Dec 21, 2021
Empowering Youth to Overcome Imposter Syndrome (With Hack.Diversity’s Jody Rose)
Jody Rose is the president of the New England Venture Capital Association, but her first day as executive director 6 years ago was one of the scariest days of her life.
Jody’s bullish attitude led her to be able to overcome imposter syndrome and rise through the high ranks. Now, by co-founding Hack.Diversity, she’s determined to empower the next generation of underrepresented individuals and provide them access to opportunities in tech.
In this episode you’ll hear how Jody and Elias conquer their own imposter syndrome and how organizations like Hack.Diversity are critical to giving underrepresented individuals a foot into the corporate door.
To learn more about Hack.Diversity and how to get involved, click the link in the show notes.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias…
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Dec 7, 2021
Exploring the Root Cause of Social Inequity (With Nielsen's Stacie de Armas)
Stacie de Armas knows what it feels like to be the other.
Growing up a Cubana in California, Stacie embraced her Latinx community wherever she could find it, and she quickly noticed the inequalities between them and her white counterparts. Now working in media research at Nielsen, Stacie feels responsible to represent her community and raise awareness of social inequity, which is what she and Elias talk about in this episode.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias and Stacie on Twitter at @eliast, @StaciedeArmas, and @DriftPodcasts.
For more learnings from Elias, check out his quarterly newsletter, The American Dream. You can subscribe at https://www.drift.com/insider/learn/newsletters/american-dream/
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Nov 23, 2021
BIPOC Business Spotlight: BlackBoston.com
"To me, it makes humanity better and safer to help people as much as you can."
William Murrell, publisher of BlackBoston.com, found a void in Black cultural resources when visiting Boston with his family. To solve the problem, he built a website where residents and tourists could find all the information they need in one place.
12 years later, BlackBoston.com has expanded to provide affordable housing resources and advertising opportunities for underrepresented communities.
In this episode, William explains how his upbringing impacts his work today, and why community is essential to helping BIPOC businesses grow.
Like this episode? Please leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias on Twitter @eliast and @DriftPodcasts, and William on LinkedIn or at www.blackboston.com
For more learnings from Elias, check out his quarterly newsletter, The American Dream. You can subscribe at https://www.drift.com/insider/…
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Nov 9, 2021
Playing the Long Game (With Finix's Richie Serna)
Richie Serna doesn't take no for an answer.
After hearing that he shouldn't study computer science because he hadn't been studying it since he was 10, that he shouldn't go to a better high school because he wouldn't stand out, and that he didn't have the skill set to succeed in the tech world, Richie graduated from Harvard University, taught himself how to code, and started his own financial tech company in San Francisco.
Now 6 years into his work with Finix, Richie reflects on the early days and shares his experiences playing the long game as an underrepresented individual in the tech world.
Like this episode? Please leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias and Richie on Twitter @eliast, @RSerna2010, and @DriftPodcasts
For more learnings from Elias, check out his quarterly newsletter, The American Dream. You can subscribe at https://www.drift.com/insider/learn/newsletters/american-dream/
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Oct 26, 2021
Transparency in the Workplace (With Cisco's Maria Martinez)
Holding leadership positions at companies like Motorola, Microsoft, Salesforce, and now Cisco, Maria Martinez made a name for herself in the tech space. But as she says, "the hard part was not the technology but was the people. But it was also the most important part." -That's how she learned the importance of transparency in the workplace.
In this episode, you'll hear all about Maria's career journey from high school math class, to working with Bill Gates, to being COO at Cisco. Make sure to listen to the end for her opinions on how we can fix the lack of diversity seen in corporate America today.
Like this episode? Please leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias on Twitter @eliast @DriftPodcasts and Maria on LinkedIn.
For more learnings from Elias, check out his quarterly newsletter, The American Dream. You can subscribe at https://www.drift.com/insider/learn/newsletters/american-dream/
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Oct 12, 2021
Fostering a Latinx Community in Tech (With Stripe's Alexandra Paredes & Booz Allen Hamilton's Tatiana Carett)
Alexandra Paredes (Engineering Manager at Stripe), and Tatiana Carett (Lead Associate at Booz Allen Hamilton) may have grown up 10 minutes down the road from each other in Caracas, Venezuela; but they didn't know each other until they both joined the Latinas in Tech community in New York City. Both Ale and Tatiana believe community is crucial to the success of Latinx in tech, so in this episode, Elias goes deep on what it actually means to be a community, and how to create a sense of community in the workplace.
Like this episode? Please leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias and Ale on Twitter @eliast, @ale7714, and @DriftPodcasts, and Tatiana on LinkedIn
For more learnings from Elias, check out his quarterly newsletter, The American Dream. You can subscribe at https://www.drift.com/insider/learn/newsletters/american-dream/
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Sep 30, 2021
Happy International Podcast Day
Thanks for listening to American Dream. We’re always looking for ways to level up our podcasts, so today we’re asking for your feedback. Head to https://now.drift.com/podcast, and fill out our 1-minute survey. As a thank you, you’ll be entered to win an Elgato microphone and Logitech webcam ($200 value).
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Sep 15, 2021
Sharing Their Stories: A Conversation with Drift’s Latinx ERG
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, we’re lifting up voices from Drift’s own Latinx community.
In this episode, Elias sits down with four members of Drift’s Latinx employee resource group (ERG). Spanning across the marketing, recruiting, sales, and customer success teams, Lorraine Chon-Qui Rodriguez, Luisiana Cruz, Orlando Gomez, and Francisco Oller Garcia share their stories of what brought them to Drift.
Tune in to hear why Lorraine’s tennis coach is the reason she made it into the tech world, how Orlando found a community on Twitter, how Francisco learned to honor his roots, and what Luisiana was asking for for Christmas when she was 12 (hint: it wasn’t Barbies).
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every month.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias, Luisiana, Orlando and Francisco on Twitter at @eliast, @LuisianaC,…
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Aug 31, 2021
How to Bring Your Full Self to Work as a Latinx in Tech (With ALPFA's Damian Rivera)
Be confident, and do whatever you need to do to let that confidence shine. That’s the CEO of ALPFA, Damian Rivera’s, motto – and why you’ll always see him wearing suits with fun patterns on the inside.
In this episode, Elias and Damian talk about what it means to bring your full self to work, especially as a LatinX employee. They cover important topics like how to confront microaggressions, how psychology influences relationships, and the importance of employee resource groups (ERGs).
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every month.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias and Damian on Twitter at @eliast, @DamianfRivera, and @DriftPodcasts.
For more learnings from Elias, check out his quarterly newsletter, The American Dream. You can subscribe at https://www.drift.com/insider/learn/newsletters/american-dream/
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Jul 27, 2021
Building from the Ground Up (With Chingona Ventures' Samara Hernandez)
Easier said than done. That’s how Samara Hernandez describes building her VC firm, Chingona Ventures. Like Elias, Samara ditched her stable engineering career to start her own company, and she hasn’t looked back since.
In this episode of The American Dream, Samara and Elias share stories of what it was like growing up as immigrants in the U.S., how that shapes the way they work, and the imposter syndrome they still feel today.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every month.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias on Twitter @eliast @DriftPodcasts.
For more learnings from Elias, check out his quarterly newsletter, The American Dream. You can subscribe at https://www.drift.com/insider/learn/newsletters/american-dream/
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Jun 29, 2021
Founder Lessons (With Outreach's Manny Medina)
Getting more at-bats. Making connections. Pitching investors. Building capital. Playing the long game. This episode of The American Dream is all about the lessons that Elias and his guest Manny Medina (CEO of Outreach) have learned as Latinx founders.
Like this episode? Please leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias on Twitter @eliast @DriftPodcasts.
For more learnings from Elias, check out his quarterly newsletter, The American Dream. You can subscribe at https://www.drift.com/insider/learn/newsletters/american-dream/
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May 27, 2021
No Flowers Without the Mud
We're only two episodes in, and we already blew up our own schedule. Why? Because recently, Elias led a conversation with our partners at Inner City Weightlifting that was too important not to share. In this special episode of The American Dream, you'll meet four members of the ICW team who are sharing their experiences with systemic racism and mass incarceration – and the work ICW is doing to drive change by turning suffering into solutions (and mud into flowers).
Thomas Washington - ICW Coach and Advocate: Thomas, M.P.H., joined ICW in 2018 as a Coach & Advocate who specializes in helping students achieve their ICW certification. He has been designing and leading workouts for students and clients there.
Jermaine Taylor - ICW Trainer and Gym Assistant: Jermaine was introduced to ICW in September 2012. Prior to ICW, Jermaine was a reputed leader of one of the most historically violent street gangs in Boston’s recent memory. Prior to that, he spent time with the Department of Y…
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Apr 27, 2021
We Gotta Break the System
On the first episode of The American Dream, your host Elias Torres is joined by David Cancel (Drift co-founder and CEO), and Dena Upton (Drift’s Chief People Officer). Elias and DC talk about their backgrounds and upbringing (Elias in Nicaragua and DC in Queens, NY), what it means to be Latin American in tech, how Drift is addressing systemic racism in the industry, and more.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every month.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias on Twitter @eliast @DriftPodcasts.
For more learnings from Elias, check out his quarterly newsletter, The American Dream. You can subscribe at https://www.drift.com/insider/learn/newsletters/american-dream/
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Apr 6, 2021
Introducing The American Dream
Did you know that Drift is part of the just 2% of VC-backed startups led by Latin American founders? Drift's co-founder and CTO, Elias Torres, is aiming to change that. On his brand new podcast, The American Dream, he's highlighting stories of underrepresented leaders so we can learn how to change the face of corporate America together.
Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every month.
In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias on Twitter @eliast @DriftPodcasts.
For more learnings from Elias, check out his quarterly newsletter, The American Dream. You can subscribe at https://www.drift.com/insider/learn/newsletters/american-dream/
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