Who or what is your inspiration in business?

My inspiration is Daniel Lubetzky and Marc Cuban. Lubetzky proved mission and margin coexist. Cuban moves without waiting for permission. I grew up on the U.S.-Mexico border and did the same. At the McAllen Chamber I build founder pipelines because the infrastructure wasn’t coming on its own. Kaiza brings cross-border, culture-rooted products to market. Same conviction driving both.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

How do you stay motivated?

Honestly, I don’t rely on motivation in the traditional sense. I fix my eyes on the finish line and work backward from there. As a business student running entrepreneurship programs at the McAllen Chamber while building Kaiza and supporting other ventures, there’s always something competing for my attention. But when I can see myself at the end goal clearly enough, the distractions fall away. I lock in and execute until it’s done. The vision pulls me forward more than anything

What would you do with the $25,000?

Scale Kaiza. We currently source cross-border plastic products, but this funds our expansion into barro, traditional Mexican pottery, and launching our own manufactured product line. Capital goes toward product development, IP protection, and marketing (mainly website). This is the moment to move Kaiza from a sourcing business to a brand with its own identity.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​