When Martin Cabrera’s high school teacher asked Martin what the difference between a stock and a bond was, Martin proudly raised his hand and explained that a bond something between a man and a woman. He would later learn the definition his high school economics teacher was looking for and use it to launch Cabrera Capital Markets, one of the biggest Hispanic-owned financial firms in the country. The Chicago native joins Bísness School today to explain how an unexpected fax convinced him to start a business, how losing a parent shaped his career path and how he went from growing up in what one education secretary called the worst school system in the United States to trading $2 billion a day in securities and being named the business of the year in Chicago by Negocios Now.

Learn more about Cabrera Capital here.

Follow host Fernando Hurtado at @byfernandoh.

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RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODE: Siete Foods: The company PepsiCo acquired for $1.2 billion

One of Mexico's most versatile sauces may not be salsa verde or roja, but rather, chamoy. It's a blend of dehydrated fruit with chili powder, salt, sugar and citrus. It's an ingredient that can go on everything from a mango to a margarita. But one of the ingredients in chamoy is exactly what made it impossible for Annie Leal's dad to eat it after he was diagnosed with diabetes. That's why Annie decided to make I Love Chamoy, a sugar-free version of the popular Mexican candy sauce that her dad could eat. What started as a passion project is now a full-fledged business that generated $4 million in sales in 2023. Annie joins Bísness School to explain why her family had to flee Mexico, what she did after she lost weeks' worth of bottle production and why she said no to being on Shark Tank Mexico.

Follow I Love Chamoy at @shopilovechamoy.

Follow host Fernando Hurtado at @byfernandoh.

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RECOMMENDED NEXT EPISODE: Casalú: The perfect recipe for a Latino hard seltzer

BIG NEWS: We are nominated for a Signal Award! Bísness School is a finalist in the Business People and Entrepreneurs Shaping Culture category, and now we just need your help to win. You can vote for us here: https://vote.signalaward.com/PublicVoting#/2024/shows/general/business-people-entrepreneurs-shaping-culture

On today's episode, we're bringing you the story of PepsiCo's latest $1.2 billion acquisition: Siete Foods. They’re been called the fastest-growing Hispanic food brand in the United States, but it wasn’t always that way. Siete Foods is a Mexican American gluten-free food brand that was started by a family in Laredo, Texas. They have products like Fresas con Crema Grain-Free Cookies, Chicken Fajita Seasoning and Lime Grain-Free Tortilla Chips, but it all started with an almond flour tortilla Veronica Garza sold at her family's CrossFit gym after she was diagnosed with several autoimmune disorders. Siblings Veronica Garza and Miguel Garza, or Mike, join Bísness School to explain how they got their product into Whole Foods, what they did to get actor and entrepreneur Eva Longoria as an investor and why they call themselves a Mexican American food brand, and not Mexican.

Note: This interview was recorded before the acquisition by PepsiCo was announced in October 2024.

Follow Siete Foods at @sietefoods.
Follow host Fernando Hurtado at @byfernandoh.