Entrepreneurial Thinkers with Rob Ryan

In this 2022 in Review episode, Rob and Ileana live-streamed their conversation looking back across a year of growth, new stories and wonderful guests on Mentors Today. The two reminisce over the deeply human stories and terrifically smart people they got to visit with and learn from, but they also proudly discuss the very intentional diversity of the show across gender, race, identity and geographies as the show continues to grow week over week and year over year. 2022 was a year in which Mentors Today published more episodes than ever, from more different countries, amplifying the stories of more women, more people of color, across more different industries than ever before, and it's just getting started! The show wouldn't exist with you our loyal and growing audience and the incredible guests who come on and share so vulnerably, honestly and authentically. Muchas Gracias and Thank you!

Feel free to follow and engage with the HOSTS here:

Twitter, Instagram and Facebook as @iAmRobRyan

Twitter, Instagram and Facebook as @iLeanaJaf

We're so grateful to you, our growing audience of entrepreneurs, investors, builders, influencers and those interested in the entrepreneurial economies of Latin America and the under-represented entrepreneurial communities in the USA!

Plug in, relax and enjoy some Spanish, English and a fun dose of spanglish as always. We're here to help inspire, educate and empower you, so that you can build the future!

¡Salud y gracias!,

Mentors Today's Team

In this episode, Rob and Ileana are joined by Blaine Doyle, Co-Founder/CEO at ChektAhora and ImmunoCheck. Blaine has an incredibly unique life story to share. He is an Irishman in Mexico, building to solve the healthcare delivery problems and disease eradication problems across Latin America! He is a deeply experienced scientist and researcher, multiple time entrepreneur, capital raiser and true believer in the need/opportunities to innovate solutions to the Latin American markets. He shares his absolutely fascinating personal story of how a University research trip to Honduras, and himself getting the Dengue virus, led him to where he is today. 

He is a young health technology and wellness innovator, surrounded by a wide range of super talented life sciences leaders across the industries worldwide, who has been working on solutions in this space for more than 7 years. He believes we are in the age of genomics, and that the technologies at our disposal today are things from science fiction novels, yet they are here and ready for use by us. The last page of Blaine’s high-school biology book had a section on biotechnology. Years later he says he is excited and humbled to be a part of the innovation this generation is creating. He doesn’t only want to build a business in health tech and wellness, he aspires to eradicate more diseases, reduce mortality rates and impact poverty like no other generation before us.

Please free to follow and engage with BLAINE here and find links mentioned in the show:

 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blainedoyle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blaine_doyle/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/blaine_doyle?lang=en

Website: https://www.chektahora.com/es/

https://www.amazon.com/Hacking-Darwin-Genetic-Engineering-Humanity/dp/1728214130/ref=asc_df_1728214130/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=459526655425&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5707906483402423822&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9030987&hvtargid=pla-907069371538&psc=1 

We're so grateful to you, our growing audience of entrepreneurs, investors, builders, influencers and those interested in the entrepreneurial economies of Latin America and the under-represented entrepreneurial communities in the USA!

Plug in, relax and enjoy some Spanish, English and a fun dose of spanglish as always. We're here to help inspire, educate and empower you, so that you can build the future!

¡Salud y gracias!,

Mentors Today's Team

In this episode, Rob and Ileana are honored to be joined by a truly unique innovator and builder,  Adriana Tortajada, CEO and Managing Partner at 1200.vc. She is a deeply experienced pioneer in the design and launch of public and private programs promoting the entrepreneurial and venture capital ecosystem across the US and Latin American region. Recognized as one of the first female leaders, since the early 2000's, across Latin America, getting her start in Mexico from the earliest days of the regions entrepreneurial economy. 

Adriana provides our audience with an in-depth, real time history lesson on the entrepreneurial and venture capital industries in Mexico and the region. Very few people who sat at the tables of "innovation" in 2003, remain as actively involved as she does today. Imagine a world in which Mexico was building some of the first commercialized drones, first electric cars, artificial hearts, first hydro electric power innovations... well, Adriana lived in that world 20 years ago and is still here making things happen in 2022. She uses her uniquely high energy intelligence and storytelling gifts to chronicle the regions growth, which ran parallel to her own career growth from local/regional innovation researcher, to Head of the Federal Government's INADEM (institute for entrepreneurship) , to the Private sector in Spain/LatAm, at Santander X and now in the emerging VC space where next generation family offices meets venture capital.  Come on this ride through LatAm history with us. 

Feel free to find out more about her CV, and to follow and engage with ADRIANA here:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriana-tortajada-2784869b/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/atortajada?lang=en

Website: https://www.twelvehundred.vc

We're so grateful to you, our growing audience of entrepreneurs, investors, builders, influencers and those interested in the entrepreneurial economies of Latin America and the under-represented entrepreneurial communities in the USA!

Plug in, relax and enjoy some Spanish, English and a fun dose of spanglish as always. We're here to help inspire, educate and empower you, so that you can build the future!

¡Salud y gracias!,

Mentors Today's Team

In this episode, Rob and Ileana, are joined by Bruce Hamilton, General Partner at Mech Ventures. Bruce and his partner, Mario Mitchell, are building the "Roc Nation" of Venture capital, following in the footsteps of music and entertainment/sports industry icon, Jay-Z. In their vision they'll not only reinvent and expand the venture capital industry, but they'll revolutionize how venture firms serve and support their portfolio companies and founders, in much the same way Roc Nation has reinvented the talent agency business! Bruce discusses his upbringing and inspirations, their relationship and he ties together how all of his life experiences have led to this moment in his business. We dive into their origin story as partners, Mario being a US Air Force veteran, and Bruce's background in both Music A&R talent management and the tech/software development business. These guys are young, smart, fresh, humble but wildly confident in themselves, their vision and the market they're investing in. Ileana explores Bruce's definition of "Pop culture" and he helps our audience understand why he believes there is no greater city on the world, better suited, or more relevant than Los Angeles, which is his home now!  

Feel free to follow and engage with BRUCE here:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ibrucehamilton/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ibrucehamilton

Website: https://www.mech.ventures/

We're so grateful to you, our growing audience of entrepreneurs, investors, builders, influencers and those interested in the entrepreneurial economies of Latin America and the under-represented entrepreneurial communities in the USA!

Plug in, relax and enjoy some Spanish, English and a fun dose of spanglish as always. We're here to help inspire, educate and empower you, so that you can build the future!

¡Salud y gracias!,

Mentors Today's Team

In this episode, Rob and Ileana are joined by an incredible Argentine entrepreneur in the retail/healthy living products industry, Melanie Wolman. She's the co-founder of The Food Market: an online and physical store retailer for organic and sustainable products in Argentina, promoting fair trade. She shares incredibly simple, yet important advice as our "Mentor For the Day", while also sharing her stories of her passionate motivation for building the Food Market to the point its at today. In typical Argentine fashion, Mel is swinging for the fences, going big or going home- changing the world, helping others and living and working to make an impact on this world we live in, no matter what politics or economic tornadoes swarm around her in Argentina. She's an inspiration and a fiercely determined founder who is committed to her vision while being flexible in how to get there.  

Feel free to follow and engage with MELANIE here:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melanie-wolman-29b4a8a0/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meluwolman/?hl=en

Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/meluwolman

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wolmanmelu

Website: https://www.thefoodmarket.com.ar/

We're so grateful to you, our growing audience of entrepreneurs, investors, builders, influencers and those interested in the entrepreneurial economies of Latin America and the under-represented entrepreneurial communities in the USA!

Plug in, relax and enjoy some Spanish, English and a fun dose of spanglish as always. We're here to help inspire, educate and empower you, so that you can build the future!

¡Salud y gracias!,

Mentors Today's Team

In this episode, Rob and Ileana are joined by an inspiring entrepreneur from the northern border region of Mexico y United States, José Ochoa. He is an award-winning Mexican-American entrepreneur, engineer and business innovation evangelist who started successful companies in the US and Mexico, among them Global Containers & Custom Packaging Inc., a logistics and packaging company to the Fortune 500, and Reikoku LLC a business consulting company. He joins the show to share his incredible working class mexican immigrant to successful Mexican American entrepreneur story, and how he's parlayed that into a life as an inspiring author and business coach globally! He shares his own triumphs over adversity early in his life and career and hopes to inspire others to believe in themselves and their dreams. Jose is everyman in many ways-- didn't come from privilege, or access or wealth and yet in spite of the lack of obvious opportunity his story is deeply rooted in resilience, a fighters mentality and a relentless desire to improve his life and more importantly, the lives of others! 

We encourage you to go order a copy of his book here; https://www.amazon.com/GET-RING-ENTREPRENEUR%C2%B4S-GUIDE-WORLD/dp/B0BBJ7K9Y1 

and to feel free to follow and engage with JOSÉ here:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/relentlessjoseochoa/

Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/joseoch99261764

Website: https://globalcontainers.net/

We're so grateful to you, our growing audience of entrepreneurs, investors, builders, influencers and those interested in the entrepreneurial economies of Latin America and the under-represented entrepreneurial communities in the USA!

Plug in, relax and enjoy some Spanish, English and a fun dose of spanglish as always. We're here to help inspire, educate and empower you, so that you can build the future!

¡Salud y gracias!,

Mentors Today's Team

In this episode, Rob and Ileana are joined by David Alvo, Founding & Managing Partner at Impacta VC, based in Santiago, Chile. David is as purpose driven and intentional a venture investor, and maybe, a person, as you'll ever meet. The letters "DA", the first two in his name, mean "gives", in Spanish and his life is testament that David is the ultimate "giver" and helper of others. In this conversation he shares his strongly held beliefs that locals in Latin American countries will soon begin to see themselves first at "Latin Americans" and secondarily so, as natives of their home countries (Chile, in David's case). He also shares his deep seated belief in investing and nurturing companies that truly create sustained impact and good for the world. He outlines the investment thesis of Impacta VC, and proves, by the 700+ founder companies his team has reviewed, that finding great companies, that also "do good" is not as hard to find as some think. He shares inspiring personal stories about a few catalytic moments in his life, which shaped his path forward, and invites us as listeners to examine our own priorities. 

David is a multiple time founder/operator, Endeavor Entrepreneur and Impact Investor. 

Feel free to learn more about and engage with DAVID here:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidalvo/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidalvo/?hl=en

Twitter: https://twitter.com/davidalvo

Website: https://www.impacta.vc/

Website: https://www.endeavor.cl/emprendedores/david-alvo-verdugo/

We're so grateful to you, our growing audience of entrepreneurs, investors, builders, influencers and those interested in the entrepreneurial economies of Latin America and the under-represented entrepreneurial communities in the USA!

Plug in, relax and enjoy some Spanish, English and a fun dose of spanglish as always. We're here to help inspire, educate and empower you, so that you can build the future!

¡Salud y gracias!,

Mentors Today's Team

In this episode, Rob and Ileana are joined by the one and only Josué Delgado, the longtime CEO of INCmty, which is an annual Tec de Monterrey platform event, that connects and encourages entrepreneurs by activating the entrepreneurial ecosystem. He and Ileana discuss stories of witnessing the growth of entrepreneurship across Latin America from the beginning days of the ecosystem in Mexico and companies that have grown up through INCMty. He shares his wonderful personal journey from Aguascalientes, across such diverse industries as Cheese, Furniture, CRM software and now nearly 20 years working within the University. 

He invites our guests to learn much more about (and buy tickets) INCMty, the annual event (Nov 15-17 2022, Monterrey, Mexico) and opportunities for Global Investors, Corporate leaders, Family Offices and young entrepreneurs to gather, learn and build relationships. We learn the SXSW inspired birth of the INCMty event in 2013, which has included such notable world leading speakers such as Guy Kawasaki, Richard Branson, Gary Vaynerchuk (including our own Rob Ryan) over 10 years, serving more than 100,000 attendees and 2,500 entrepreneurs from across Latin America and the world. 

Feel free to follow, learn more about and engage with JOSUÉ  and INCMty here:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josueomardelgado/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/delgadojosue

Website: https://www.incmty.com/

We're so grateful to you, our growing audience of entrepreneurs, investors, builders, influencers and those interested in the entrepreneurial economies of Latin America and the under-represented entrepreneurial communities in the USA!

Plug in, relax and enjoy some Spanish, English and a fun dose of spanglish as always. We're here to help inspire, educate and empower you, so that you can build the future!

¡Salud y gracias!,

Mentors Today's Team

In this episode, Rob and Ileana welcome the unstoppable whirlwind talent from South Florida, Jeanine Suah, Founding Partner at Rezilyent Capital and XIR at Brex. The group discusses the community, capital, racism, opportunity and the future of work. Jeanine brings her entirely unique energy to the conversation, sharing her inspired Jamaican family story, her early entrepreneurial successes and her present and future work in Venture Capital and Startup Finance. 

Jeanine is a go-giving entrepreneur, and sociolinguist turned techie. Born to Jamaican parents, she prides herself on being a global citizen who speaks three languages, dances salsa and samba, and has shared meals with strangers in nearly 20 countries.

Known as a super-connector, Jeanine lives by the credo, “Always give more in value than you receive in payment,” and trusts that genuine relationship-building and resilience are the keys to success.

On a personal mission to increase access to capital for underestimated founders by demystifying VC, Jeanine has impacted over 4,000 entrepreneurs in the last two years, and has been featured in Nasdaq, Business Insider, Cheddar TV, NBC, the Miami Herald, and on the cover of Entrepreneur Magazine.

Jeanine is an avid ecosystem-builder and Miami tech advocate and has assumed that role through her work as an XIR at Brex, one of the world’s top fintech start-ups, a VC Scout at Florida Funders, and a Venture Partner at Wefunder.

Feel free to follow and engage with JEANINE here:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeaninesuah

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeanineSuah

Website: https://www.rezilyent.capital

Website: https://www.brex.com

We're so grateful to you, our growing audience of entrepreneurs, investors, builders, influencers and those interested in the entrepreneurial economies of Latin America and the under-represented entrepreneurial communities in the USA!

Plug in, relax and enjoy some Spanish, English and a fun dose of spanglish as always. We're here to help inspire, educate and empower you, so that you can build the future!

¡Salud y gracias!,

Mentors Today's Team