Fernando Rodriguez > www.terra.com

Fernando Rodríguez joined Terra Networks in 2000 as Chief Financial Officer and as a founding member of the team that launched Terra.com. In 2004 he took on the position of Chief Executive Officer and he now oversees the operations of Terra Networks in the US, with headquarters based in Miami and offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco. He has played a key role in the growth of the organization and in consolidating Terra Networks USA’s position as the leading Internet portal for the US Hispanic market.

Under his leadership, Terra.com has grown its audience to reach over 13 million unique visitors per month, and has increased its advertising revenue to become one of the leading digital platforms targeting the Latino market. The primary sources of revenue are Spanish, English and Portuguese language online advertising campaigns throughout the United States and the Latin American region.

Terra Networks USA is a division of Terra Latin America, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Telefónica Group, and the largest Internet and ISP company in the Latin American region, reaching over 58 million unique visitors monthly .

Prior to joining Terra Networks, Rodríguez worked in the Telefónica Group, the leading global telecommunications company in the world. Rodríguez held various financial positions in Telefónica de España and in Telefonica S.A.. During those years he lead a team that worked with McKinsey and Company in analyzing the performance and valuation of several Telefónica global business units - from mobile and fixed telephony to Internet access and corporate business solutions.

Fernando Rodríguez began his career as a Foreign Trade Expert working for the Madrid Chamber of Commerce in Mexico City. He holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and several other executive programs including
an Executive Management Program by the IESE Business School and Harvard Business School. In 2007, he received the Latin Chamber of Commerce (CAMACOL) Executive of the Year award. He currently resides in Miami with his wife and son.

Alberto Cardenas > www.tewlaw.com

Alberto R. Cardenas, a partner in the law firm of Tew Cardenas LLP

Being Hispanic – does it have any influence on your business?
At this stage, my ethnicity is not much of a factor professionally. At the beginning of my career, it was tough for a young Hispanic attorney to be welcomed into South Florida’s top tier law firm.
Upon graduation I had been editor of our law review at a fine law school and watched peers with lesser credentials being offered better jobs.
Today – South Florida is far different and it’s probably an advantage for a young professional to be a minority or a female.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
Adversity is an exciting, incredible opportunity to learn life’s most lasting lessons, plus it’s hard to match the personal satisfaction one can achieve when overcoming adversity at either a personal or business level.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced?
Personally: Losing my father early in my life at a time our family had very limited financial resources and needed his love and guidance.

Business: Losing all of our investments at the end of the 80’s during a real estate and banking crisis. I am proud that, instead of filing bankruptcy as most advisers suggested, we opted to repay our debts and rebuild our future. It was definitely the most character building experience in my life to date.

Politically: Heading Florida’s Republican Party and George Bush’s presidential campaign in 2000 during the 37 days of “Florida’s Presidential Recount”.

If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?
I would have made better use of my late teens and early twenties. I don’t regret having had the great times of youth; but should have had less of it – that’s for sure.

What was your childhood ambition?
My childhood ambitions weren’t very serious: I watched every cowboy movie available…..wanted to have a “fast draw” and be a great horseback rider. Then in my early teens it switched to be a great athlete in many sports.

I didn’t begin thinking about a career passion until college.

Tell us about three people that you admire?
How about 3 types of people?

Privileged minds – those who come around every 200 years or so, like Leonardo DaVinci, Isaac Newton; Albert Einstein.

Unsung heroes - those who dedicate their hearts to healing and helping the less fortunate, the homeless; terminally ill with contagious deceases, orphans.

Those who have fought for our country and received Congressional Medals of Honor – our bravest fighting for our freedom.

For meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
I travel 3 or 4 days a week. So I actually have breakfast, lunch and dinner meetings almost every work day.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
Advice: Stay single or marry an exceptional partner. To be truly successful in any endeavor takes a 24/7 mind set. I was fortunate to marry a true partner. Thanks to her; we lead a balanced life. It is very difficult to do but it’s the way to a fulfilled life. After all, the only thing that really counts in your death-bed is your family or human legacy.

What is your favorite quote?
To thine own self be true.
You can’t be successful in your private or business life unless you follow the principles of that quote.

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
Being unconventional is not difficult if it represents who you truly are. If that is you – then that’s how you should be.

Biggest mistake made?
O boy……I’ve made many.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
If innovator means being the FIRST to do something – then yes!
* I started an ATO Chapter at FAU. First fraternity on campus.
* I was FIRST Hispanic to run a major congressional campaign in Florida, vs. Claude Pepper.
* I was FIRST Hispanic elected chair of Florida’s Republican Party.
* I was a founder of the Cuban American National Foundation.
* I was a founder of the Cuban American Bar Association.

About the Firm
Tew Cardenas LLP is a full service law firm with offices in Miami, Tallahassee and Washington, D.C. Our Firm represents, advises, and advocates for a wide array of clients, including domestic and international companies, federal, state and local governments as well as foreign governments and individuals. Our team possesses vast experience across industries including aviation, communications, construction, energy, financial services, food & beverage, hospitality, real estate development, retail and pharmaceutical.

Tom Maney > www.foxsportsla.msn.com

Tom Maney Senior Vice President, Fox Sports en Español

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
I’m not Hispanic, I’m ½ Italian and ½ Irish…. But I love the culture and the warmth of the marketplace. I have embraced the Hispanic culture as one of my own. It has because it has become one of our principal cultures here in the U.S., so I am constantly surrounded by great, caring people, and one cannot help but share in its joy. In general, it makes business more fun and exciting. Being able to connect with such a rich culture is a genuine gift.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
See my favorite quote….. I love challenges and the challenge given to me 10 years ago to build and develop a Spanish language cable sports network has been the most fun and rewarding experience in my 20+ years in media. It’s fun being the underdog…..

What is the biggest challenge you have faced?
I think the biggest challenge I ever faced was training to run the NYC Marathon. I always wanted to do one, but having never run more than 3 miles the 26.2 mile marathon was a huge challenge. In every way it was symbolic to how you need to approach life’s challenges. Setting a goal, developing a plan for success, sticking to the plan despite small set backs, until eventually achieving the goal. I ran it in 4 hours and 30 minutes, and finished with a smile on my face.

If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?
I would have loved to have lived/worked in Latin America or Europe for a period of time. I love different cultures….

What was your childhood ambition?
To be an Oceanographer, to study ocean and sea life. I love the water, I could swim before I could walk, and am fascinated by the under water world.

Tell us about three people that you admire?

My father- An early pioneer in television and my best friend in life.

Rupert Murdoch- His vision to build and launch new media outlets and his determination to succeed despite many challenges.
Larry Bird- A consummate professional who had an incredible work ethic to be #1 and to lead a team in winning.

For meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Breakfasts are great, I am an early riser. Lunch doesn’t work, too much time taken from the busy day. Dinners are great especially at great restaurants with fabulous wine.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
Being away from my family with the amount of travel I have to do for my job. I have two beautiful daughters ages 7 & 10 who I love to be with every day.

What is your favorite quote?
Obstacles are what you see if you take your eyes off your goal!

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
Not at all. Being unconventional leads to new thinking and being innovative.

Biggest mistake made?
Not taking a 40% pay cut with a huge options package for an internet company back in 1996. The company was Yahoo and the options would have been worth a few million today…. LOL!!!

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
Absolutely. From my start in Independent television in the ‘80’s to cable in the 90’s to developing and building Fox Sports en Español as the leader in Spanish language cable television marketplace, I have always sought out the opportunity to be innovative and to develop new business segments.

About the Company
Fox Sports en Español features more than 1,500 hours of live, exclusive sports programming in Spanish and, with few exceptions, English SAP each year, including InterLigaTM, the Copa Santander Libertadores, Copa Nissan Sudamericana, and the FIFA Club World Cup soccer tournaments; the Major League Baseball regular season, divisional playoffs, All-Star Game and World Series; and premier combat sports including championship boxing from Mexico and the U.S, Ultimate Fighting Championship® and kickboxing. The channel reaches more than 13 million cable and satellite households in the country, of which 4.5 million are U.S. Hispanic households.

Fox Sports en Español is distributed by Fox Cable Networks Group and operated by Fox Pan American Sports LLC, an international sports programming and production entity jointly owned by HM Capital Partners, LLC and News Corporation's (NYSE: NWS) Fox Sports International. For more information, visit Fox Sports en Español online at foxsportsla.msn.com.

Marina Mendez > www.zeddigital.com

Marina Mendez CEO Latin America and General Manager of Argentina. The company is a subsidiary of the Publicis Group

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
In accepting what I can and can't change about the situation and look for ways to embrace the challenge and learn from it. My faith, hard work and endless energy help a lot.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced?
I`m facing my biggest challenge at this moment. It's fantastic!!!

If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?
I wouldn`t change my life. It's full of blessings.

What was your childhood ambition?
My childhood ambition was to become a teacher.

Tell us about three people that you admire?
The three people that I admire the most are Steve Jobs, Lance Armstrong and Mother Theresa.

For meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
For meetings I enjoy the early lunches that combines people, healthy food and business.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
The biggest sacrifice was to leave my children couple of weeks for business development or training opportunities. But technology allows us stay toghether, no matter where I am.

What is your favorite quote?
Imagination is more important than knowledge.

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
Being unconventional is a unique state of mind for communication professionals. I think it`s absolutely neccesary to be unconventional.

Biggest mistake made?
My biggest mistake in the corporate world was to stay too much time at the same company. I needed to learn more!

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
Yes. I've learned to simplified things. My leit motive: "happiness is about feeling well everyday". I transform the difficult into interesting with happiness, passion, intelligence and my characteristic drive. Once, a headhunter asked me how I managed to make things look beautiful.(and as my favorite book reads) "…And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."

About the Company
Zed Digital is a leading digital media agency with a team of 600 specialists spanning 25 countries around the world. We deal with bluechip international clients such as HP, L'Oreal, and Toyota. We specialise in all digital platforms, from search engine marketing to mobile and user generated content. We are fully integrated within ZenithOptimedia, our parent company, and offer solutions which work seamlessly with our offline plans.

Contact Marina here

Marlene M Gonzalez > www.lifecoachinggroup.org

Marlene M Gonzalez Life Coaching Group LLC President

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
Absolutely, I am very proud of my culture and heritage. My business is to help Latino become whole leaders by creating and sustaining a long-lasting vision for personal and professional success. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2004; The Latino population is roughly 44.3 million people or 14.8% of the US population, US’s largest minority group. Even though there has been a steady growth in the past few decades, we need to advocate for increasing representation in higher-level and better-paying jobs for Latinos in Corporate America.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
In accepting what I can and can’t change about the situation and look for ways to embrace the challenge and learn from it.

What is the biggest challenge you have faced?
There is a dicho in Spanish: “El que no habla, Dios no lo oye”, if “You would not say anything, people won’t hear you”; so my biggest challenge as a manager was to “Speak Up” and make my presence known throughout the organization.

If you could change one thing about your life, what would it be?
I would have pursued my Coaching and Consulting business sooner in to help shape the future Latinos Leaders and facilitate opportunities for them.

What was your childhood ambition?
My childhood ambition was to become an astronaut and fly to the moon.

Tell us about three people that you admire?
The three people that I admire the most are Jesus Christ for his humbleness and greatness; my dad for his endless teachings when I was growing up and my husband for his unconditional love, admiration and support.

For meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
For meetings I enjoy the early lunches that combines people, healthy food and business.

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

The biggest sacrifice was to leave my country Venezuela, my extended family and friends in search for better opportunities.

What is your favorite quote?
“You are the master of your own destiny” “ Tu eres el arquitecto de tu propio destino”.

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
Being unconventional is a unique state of mind for our professional coaching services by helping clients develop into successful leaders achieving more in their lives, careers or organizations.

Biggest mistake made?
My biggest mistake in the corporate world was to learn the hard way how to play the “Game of Politics” and choose my battles carefully.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
Yes. I’ve learned to simplified things and look at them in different angles, dimensions and levels of complexities to offer the best possible solutions to my clients.

About the Company
Life Coaching Group LLC, business model is to group highly experienced coaches; that specialize in partnering with Latina and Latino professionals to help them become whole leaders by creating and sustaining a long-lasting vision for personal and professional success.

Life Coaching Group LLC, Our services include professional coaching, Coaching for entrepreneurs and business leaders, Career Transition, Professional Assessment, network and mentoring groups, seminars, retreats, Books, Audio seminars, workshops, teleseminar, webinars, consulting and key note speaking arrangements. We help our clients develop into successful leaders who achieve more in their lives, both personally and professionally; by creating and sustaining a long-lasting vision for personal and professional success.

Contact Marlene at http://www.lifecoachinggroup.org/

Miguel Zabludovsky > www.slatenyc.com

CEO of Slate NYC

Slatenyc is an ec0-luxury laundry and dry cleaning company in New York City.

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
Money, or the ability to raise or attract it.

What inspired you to start your business?
A dissatisfaction with the product I was buying, combined with a profound change in my life (breaking up with a long-time girl friend), supported by the appearance in my life of someone who pushed me to accomplish my dreams.

How did you finance it?
Sold my car, invested my bar mitzvah savings, asked family and friends for the rest.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business?
Yes. In everything from contact with employees, with customers, with suppliers, with the community to how long you take to pay your bills.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going?
It’s 90% inertia, 10% that the idea that the worst day as an entrepreneur is still better than the best day doing anything else.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Finding the right product/market fit.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be?
The learning curve rate. We should be constantly learning faster.

What was your childhood ambition?
To be the owner of my own company that had its headquarters in a glass building along Reforma (the main avenue in Mexico City)

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?
Steve Jobs, Ferdinand de Lesseps (builder of the Suez and Panama canals), and my dad.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Coffee actually. I’d rather not do business when I eat.

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success?
Less time with family. Less time for myself. Less time with my girlfriend. On the other hand, having little spare time makes you more efficient in the way you spend it.

What is your favorite quote?
It doesn’t matter what color is the cat as long as it catches the mouse.

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
Only if you care about the status quo.

Biggest mistake made?
I’ll give you three. Thinking small. Not being thorough enough with my own ideas and projections. Not minding the details. I can keep going for two more pages…

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
Absolutely. Because we transformed an insight into the relationship between people and their clothes and turned it into a business within an industry that had been doing the same thing for 50 years.

Contact Miguel at http://www.slatenyc.com/