Issue link: http://endeavor.uberflip.com/i/1222203
#51 TM 8.2 "Establish a network of partners in different areas that can support your growth goals." Manuel is the Regional Vice President of Business Development & Smart Cities at Mastercard. Before Mastercard he was the COO of L1BRE and was ten years with Apple leading the Latin American operations. He has vast experience in the Latin American market working for large corporations like HP, Carvajal and Bayer. Manuel holds a Bachelor in Economics from Universidad de los Andes, an MBA from the University of Miami and completed an Executive Training for Family Enterprises from Northwestern University. Besides being an Endeavor Mentor, Manuel also volunteers at Joshua's Heart Foundation. Why did you decide to become a mentor with Endeavor Miami? "As a resident of Miami, I have seen first hand how the city has significantly picked up its relevance as a hub for entrepreneurship in the Americas. Endeavor has definitely been an integral part of this process, and the fact that you see and touch the success of the companies that have gone through the program made me want to know more about how the process worked. The reason why I decided to become a mentor at Endeavor is because I am convinced that if we want to live in a better world, we all need to give back to our community. One way of doing so is by sharing our knowledge, experiences and opening our business network to those entrepreneurs, hopefully shortening their road to success." What is the best advice you would give to a company looking to scale? "Let me share three short rules for scaling. The first and foremost rule to achieve scale is to build a high performance team, define a shared vision and empower your people to achieve it. Second, establish a network of partners in different areas that can support your growth goals. Third, define processes in a standardized and repeatable way. Flexibility or customization are most of the time enemies of scale. " What do you think is the direction the Miami entrepreneurial ecosystem will be following in the next year? And how do you see Endeavor as a player in this trajectory? "Miami is in a pretty good spot as its getting an influx of capital and talent from people in the U.S. that after the tax reform are choosing South Florida as their new home; there is also the constant arrival of people from South America that settle in Miami as their center to manage their existing business or start a business. This combination puts Miami in a very good and unique position to keep on building as an entrepreneurial hub for the Americas. Endeavor has a privileged spot in this game and has the ability to act as a "bridge" between these two forces, fueling growth to an unprecedented rate." Regional Vice President - Market Development at Mastercard Manuel Steremberg Mastercard Information Technology & Services