Bad news & some great news!

Alejandro recently completed a 4-month Business Accelerator program and is now participating in the U.S. Bank Pitch Competition. If you support heritage craftsmanship and want to help Ruelas Leather Goods. get noticed, lets give him our votes for the Audience Choice Award. It takes 5 seconds: VOTE HERE (Closes Wednesday, December 3rd at 5 p.m. PST) Click the YouTube Link: https://lnkd.in/g8DAMaaF Give the Video a "Like" 👍 That’s all it takes! Your "like" counts as a vote, and you don't even need to watch the video for it to register.

One skill I’ve learned as a founder (and as someone with ADHD) is setting boundaries that prevent me from being reactive. As founders, we tend to be doers. We jump in, fix problems, & handle fires. But that same instinct can backfire. Especially when something interrupts our flow (a client email, a Slack ping, a random idea), and before you know it we’re 45 minutes deep in something that wasn’t even on the task list. Have you been there? What’s helped me is building boundaries around my attention, not just my time. Here are a few that help me stay focused and follow through: 1.Pomodoro method – I do 25 minutes of focused work with a visible timer, then take a 5-minute break. It’s amazing how much you can get done when you know a break is coming. 2.Do Not Disturb mode on my phone during deep work blocks. Emergencies can wait 25 minutes(unles s its your kids school calling, pick those up! lol). 3.A reactions list or brain dump– If something pops into my head during a task, I write it down instead of acting on it. That way, I don’t lose the idea, but I don’t lose focus either. These small boundaries have made a major difference and not just in productivity, but in feeling in control of my day. Anyone else struggle with this before?

Mindset is everything! It's the engine behind every goal, every risk you take, every obstacle you overcome. Skills matter. Tools matter. But without the right mindset, none of it sticks. A strong mindset isn’t something you’re born with — it’s something you build. Every day. Through discipline, self-belief, reflection, and the willingness to grow even when life gets heavy. And here’s the truth: the moment you start protecting and strengthening your mindset, your entire life shifts. Opportunities feel closer. Challenges feel smaller. Your confidence grows. Your purpose sharpens. Mindset is the foundation. Nurture it, invest in it, and your future will rise to meet you. I think of all of you and the future that exists in your minds, that needs to be nurtured and grown. What are you doing today to keep that mindset focused and productive?

Over the past several months, all of you have helped us learn something important: teaching Lean Startup and guiding idea refinement is valuable, but it’s only one part of the journey. To build sustainable businesses, founders also need support in securing funding and navigating the challenges that come right after capital is raised. With that in mind, The Latino Startup is expanding our services to include a clearer framework focused on Build → Fund → Scale. This updated approach integrates Lean Startup principles with Geoffrey Moore’s Crossing the Chasm to help founders move from early customer validation into broader market adoption. Our support now includes: - Capital readiness and fundraising strategy - Pitch development and investor engagement - Post-funding advisory on hiring, runway management, and early go-to-market execution - The goal is simple: help founders make thoughtful decisions that support sustainable growth. Thank you to everyone who has been part of the learning process so far. Your input directly shaped this direction, and I’m looking forward to continuing the work together. Ive attached the summary slide deck for your review and input! VAMOS!