Please tell us about your role at LEDC.
At LEDC I aid in the mission of the economic development of small business owners and entrepreneurs. I became a Lending Associate to partner with other institutions that find creative ways to provide financial housing opportunities for underserved classes.
How long have you been with the organization?
In May of 2022 I joined LEDC’s lending team!
Tell us a little about your professional background?
I relocated to Minnesota from Ecuador in 2009. I have experience as a real estate agent, working in retail banking as a Service and Sales Manager, and most recently working as a Corporate Banking Sales Consultant for St. Paul and Minneapolis focusing on Risk Management and Banking Operations. I have dedicated my academic and professional life to advocating for banking programs and systems that improve the economic situation of the community around me.
Why did you choose to work at LEDC?
I feel like in this life we can learn something new every day and what better way to learn than from entrepreneurs.
My main reason for working at LEDC comes from personal convictions and experiences. In the bible it says; “If your brother becomes poor and cannot maintain himself with you, you shall support him as though he were a stranger and a foreigner, and he shall live with you”, I feel this tie to the Latino community. I have not only seen what it is like to not have financial options, but I also know how it feels to search for opportunities and be excluded from support for reasons that are no fault of your own. My goal is to be a source of guidance and options. I seek to support clients not only financially, but in unique interpersonal ways that cater to the individual’s needs.
What has been the most exciting thing you have accomplished with LEDC in your first year?
In these 8 months I have helped many clients, but two special ones are Saul [The Compadres] and Ramona [Don Papichulo]. I was able to advocate for their business’ financial needs and provide my real estate guidance to help them become first time homeowners–it felt so freaking good! I am happy to know they are happy with their whole picture: their businesses and their homes.
Share something about yourself, maybe about your family or a passion you enjoy outside of work.
In my free time, I enjoy being with family and friends, engaging in church activities, and experimenting with interior decorating.
