Drift

“I don’t know if there was a specific figure or person, but it was just that concept of opportunity and not being tied down because you weren’t born in the right borders or to the right family.” That's the reason Diego Panama, Chief Revenue Officer of Olo - an online ordering platform for revenue brands - gives for why he dedicated the first 17 years of his life in the United States to pursuing an American passport. In this episode of The American Dream, Diego explains what exactly that pursuit of an American passport looked like. He explains why he thinks everyone should have the immigrant hustle, and he shares his next big goals for life in the United States. Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday. In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias on Twitter at @eliast and @DriftPodcasts.

Diego Panama

CRO, Olo

CRO of Olo, Diego Panama, shares stories from his 17-year journey to becoming an American Citizen.


The Roller Coaster Pursuit to Become an American Citizen (with Olo's Diego Panama)

How Diego Panama Achieved His American Dream: Be an American Citizen

“I don’t know if there was a specific figure or person, but it was just that concept of opportunity and not being tied down because you weren’t born in the right borders or to the right family.” 
That's the reason Diego Panama, Chief Revenue Officer of Olo - an online ordering platform for revenue brands - gives for why he dedicated the first 17 years of his life in the United States to pursuing an American passport.
In this episode of The American Dream, Diego explains what exactly that pursuit of an American passport looked like. He explains why he thinks everyone should have the immigrant hustle, and he shares his next big goals for life in the United States.


“I don’t know if there was a specific figure or person, but it was just that concept of opportunity and not being tied down because you weren’t born in the right borders or to the right family.” That's the reason Diego Panama, Chief Revenue Officer of Olo - an online ordering platform for revenue brands - gives for why he dedicated the first 17 years of his life in the United States to pursuing an American passport.In this episode of The American Dream, Diego explains what exactly that pursuit of an American passport looked like. He explains why he thinks everyone should have the immigrant hustle, and he shares his next big goals for life in the United States.Key Moments:<ul><li>(2:01) Diego’s childhood</li><li>(7:51) What inspired Diego to attain American citizenship</li><li>(14:03) Diego’s journey to obtaining an American passport</li><li>(18:04) The first place Diego traveled after he got his American passport</li><li>(19:04) The obstacles Diego overcame to achieve American citizenship</li><li>(25:32) The immigrant hustle</li><li>(27:13) Is it possible to be ambitious and happy at the same time?</li><li>(30:13) The United States is (and should be) an immigrant country</li><li>(31:43) The first-generation grit cuts through anything</li><li>(34:07) Diego’s next big goal</li></ul>Like this episode? Leave a <a href="https://www.drift.com/americandream/review" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">review</a>!

Get the American Dream Newsletter

Did you know that only 1% of startups that have achieved unicorn status are led by Latin American founders? Drift's co-founder and CTO, Elias Torres, is on a mission to change that. Every other Tuesday, he has honest, inspiring, and authentic conversations with underrepresented leaders in tech. Hear from people who have achieved their own version of the American Dream, as well as those who are creating a more equitable future for the next generation.

The American Dream with Elias Torres

"Pivots are very important because it shows that you're learning. It shows that you're validating, or invalidating, a hypothesis." This is just one of the many lessons Elias learned as he and his co-founder, David Cancel, built Drift from the ground up. Drift now has over 600 employees and has reached unicorn status, but that doesn't mean it's always been (or is) easy. On this episode of the American Dream podcast, we're bringing back a talk Elias did with Forum Ventures - an early-stage fund, program, and community for B2B SaaS startups - where he shared his journey with Drift. In the episode, you'll hear the original idea for Drift, why he and David decided to pivot, and what experiencing three economic downturns has taught Elias. Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday. In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias on Twitter at @eliast and @DriftPodcasts.

Co-Founder and CTO of Drift, Elias Torres, shares the 6 key lessons he learned about building a startup that will succeed when building Drift.


6 Lessons Elias Torres Learned (The Hard Way) When Building Drift

Drift now has over 600 employees and has reached unicorn status, but that doesn't mean it's always been (or is) easy. On this episode of the American Dream podcast, we're bringing back a talk Elias did with Forum Ventures - an early-stage fund, program, and community for B2B SaaS startups - where he shared his journey with Drift.


"In this world outside of the Latino community, to the white world, everything's negotiable." Adrian Mendoza is the Co-Founder and General Partner of Mendoza Ventures, an early and growth-stage fintech, AI, and cybersecurity venture fund that he founded after noticing no one in the startup world looked like him. In this episode of The American Dream podcast, Adrian and Elias discuss why there are fewer Latinx seen in the startup world, how more Latinx can get into tech (and why they should), and why being an accredited investor is the next milestone everyone should be aiming for in order to experience at least middle-class wealth. Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday. In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias and Adrian on Twitter at @eliast, @AdrianMendozaVC, and @DriftPodcasts. For more learnings from Elias, check out his quarterly newsletter, The American Dream. You can subscribe at https://www.drift.com/insider/learn/newsletters/american-dream/

Adrian Mendoza

Founder & General Partner, Mendoza Ventures

Adrian Mendoza explains how he leveraged the tech community to go from immigrant to white middle-class wealth in just one generation.


From Immigrant To Middle Class Wealth In Just One Generation (With Mendoza Venture's Adrian Mendoza)

How to Go from Immigrant to Middle Class Wealth in Just One Generation

"In this world outside of the Latino community, to the white world, everything's negotiable." Adrian Mendoza is the Co-Founder and General Partner of Mendoza Ventures, an early and growth-stage fintech, AI, and cybersecurity venture fund that he founded after noticing no one in the startup world looked like him. In this episode of The American Dream podcast, Adrian and Elias discuss why there are fewer Latinx seen in the startup world, how more Latinx can get into tech (and why they should), and why being an accredited investor is the next milestone everyone should be aiming for in order to experience at least middle-class wealth.


"70% of the US is women and people of color, and yet they only receive 10% of venture capital funding, but that's not just a problem that's also an opportunity. So, we see an enormous missed market opportunity, and we wanted to be a part of catalyzing that change." Yasmin Cruz Ferrine is the co-founder and general partner of Visible Hands - a 14-week, virtual-first accelerator on a mission to highlight and invest in the limitless potential of overlooked founders. She and her co-founders, Daniel Acheampong and Justin Kang, started the project two years ago when they decided they wanted to stop relying on invisible forces slowly changing the face of Silicon Valley and take matters into their own hands. 410 meetings later, Yasmin and her team successfully closed their fund. But, why did it take so many meetings to close the fund? And what are the biggest obstacles preventing more women and people of color from leading companies in Silicon Valley? Yasmin and Elias get into all of that and more in this episode of the American Dream. Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday. In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias and Yasmin on Twitter at @eliast, @YasCruzFerrine, and @DriftPodcasts. For more learnings from Elias, check out his quarterly newsletter, The American Dream. You can subscribe at https://www.drift.com/insider/learn/newsletters/american-dream/

Yasmine Cruz Ferrine

Co-Founder & General Partner, Visible Hands

Yasmin Cruz Ferrine, Co-Founder and General Partner of Visible Hands, explains the work we all need to do in order to change the face of Silicon Valley.


What's It Really Going to Take to Change the Face of Silicon Valley? (With Visible Hands' Yasmin Cruz Ferrine)

What's It Going to Take to Change the Face of Silicon Valley?

Yasmin Cruz Ferrine is the co-founder and general partner of Visible Hands - a 14-week, virtual-first accelerator on a mission to highlight and invest in the limitless potential of overlooked founders. She and her co-founders, Daniel Acheampong and Justin Kang, started the project two years ago when they decided they wanted to stop relying on invisible forces slowly changing the face of Silicon Valley and take matters into their own hands. 410 meetings later, Yasmin and her team successfully closed their fund. But, why did it take so many meetings to close the fund? And what are the biggest obstacles preventing more women and people of color from leading companies in Silicon Valley? Yasmin and Elias get into all of that and more in this episode of the American Dream.


"I met my cofounder on the first day. A year later we started working together. We graduated and worked together. That alone was the price of admission." Nestor Solari, Co-Founder and CEO of Sigo Seguros, an insurance technology company providing affordable access to auto insurance through its bilingual, mobile-first platform, is no stranger to schooling. With a bachelor's degree, MA in International Studies, and MBA in his back pocket, Nestor felt well-equipped to start his own company -- or so he thought. In this episode of the American Dream podcast, Nestor reflects on what a Master's degree really taught him, how living abroad altered his United States experience, and he shares the resources that help him succeed as an entrepreneur today. Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday. In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias and Nestor on Twitter at @eliast, @nestorsolari, and @DriftPodcasts. For more learnings from Elias, check out his quarterly newsletter, The American Dream. You can subscribe at https://www.drift.com/insider/learn/newsletters/american-dream/

Nestor Solari

Co-Founder & CEO, Sigo Seguros

CEO and co-founder of Sigo Seguros, Nestor Solari, answers the age-old question: do you need a master's degree to start a company?


What a Masters Degree Really Teaches You (With Sigo Seguros' Nestor Solari)

Do You Need a Master's Degree to Start a Company? with Nestor Solari

"I met my cofounder on the first day. A year later we started working together. We graduated and worked together. That alone was the price of admission."
Nestor Solari, Co-Founder and CEO of Sigo Seguros, an insurance technology company providing affordable access to auto insurance through its bilingual, mobile-first platform, is no stranger to schooling. With a bachelor's degree, MA in International Studies, and MBA in his back pocket, Nestor felt well-equipped to start his own company -- or so he thought. 


"It feels really lonely to be a business owner, and everyone feels like they're starting from scratch and going through these things by themselves. Jackie and I thought that there are so many people out there that have come before the current slate of entrepreneurs and business owners, and they've all learned incredible things and are full of wisdom and insight...we thought it'd be great if we could package just some of those wisdoms and insights up and share them with other business owners." That is how Self-Made Boss, a book covering nearly every aspect of the life of a small-business owner, was born. In this American Dream episode, Jackie Reses and Lauren Weinberg, co-authors of Self-Made Boss, join Elias to talk about what they learned by talking with small business owners across the country. Plus, Lauren, who is also the chief marketing officer at Square, shares marketing pro tips to help navigate today's dense social media scene. Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday. In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias, Jackie, and Lauren on Twitter at @eliast, @jackiereses, @WeinbergLauren and @DriftPodcasts. For more learnings from Elias, check out his quarterly newsletter, The American Dream. You can subscribe at https://www.drift.com/insider/learn/newsletters/american-dream/

Jackie Reses is the Chief Executive Officer of Luna Financial Group, a fintech building banking-related financial infrastructure for tech and crypto companies and the Chair of the Economic Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.  Previously, she was the Executive Chairperson of Square Financial Services and Capital Lead and Head of the People Team at Square.  She has been named one of Forbes “Self Made Women,” Fast Company’s “Most Creative People in Business” and American Banker’s  “Most Powerful Woman in Finance.”  She has held leadership positions at Yahoo! and was a Partner at Apax Partners Worldwide, one of the largest private equity firms in the world.  Reses serves on the board of directors of Endeavor, Affirm, and Nubank.   

Jacqueline Reses

Co-Author, Self-Made Boss

Lauren Weinberg is the Chief Marketing Officer of Square, where she leads global Marketing and Communications for the $100B company that provides business solutions for millions of small business owners all over the world.  She has been named on Forbes “CMO Next,” Brand Innovators “Top Women in Marketing,” and Fintech Hub’s “30 Most Influential Fintech Marketers.” Weinberg has held leadership roles at Yahoo!, MTV, and AOL.  She is an Adweek Executive Mentor and advises early stage startups.

Lauren Weinberg

Co-authors of Self-Made Boss, Jackie Reses and Lauren Weinberg, wrote the ultimate small-business survival guide.


The Ultimate Small-Business Survival Guide (With Self-Made Boss Authors Jackie Reses and Lauren Weinberg)

The Ultimate Small-Business Survival Guide

In this American Dream episode, Jackie Reses and Lauren Weinberg, co-authors of Self-Made Boss, join Elias to talk about what they learned by talking with small business owners across the country. Plus, Lauren, who is also the chief marketing officer at Square, shares marketing pro tips to help navigate today's dense social media scene.


"I was so dependent on that program in high school that I didn't realize that there's not really something for that in college, and there's definitely not that type of support for post-grad and being in the working world...It would be nice through this ERG or on a larger scale for first-generation professionals to have some other network of support of other mentors who are in higher positions who have navigated corporate America and all that that entails." For so many us, we feel supported through high school, have some mentorship through college, and then get to the "real world," where we're left floundering with, at first, no mentors at all. This statement is felt 10x for first-generation employees, who not only have to navigate corporate America for the first time, but who also have to overcome the feeling of being the other while learning financial literacy. That's why Drifters John Cole and Ezinne Ogbonna founded the First Gen at Drift employee resource group -- a dedicated space for first-generation Drifters to come together, find mentors, and to learn from each other. In this episode of The American Dream, John and Ezinne tell Elias more about the mission behind the First Gen at Drift ERG, why they think mentors matter, and they share the stories that shaped them into who they are today. Be sure to hit the subscribe button to get new episodes when they drop every other Tuesday. In the meantime, be sure to leave a ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ review and share the pod with your friends. You can connect with Elias on Twitter at @eliast and @DriftPodcasts, and Ezinne and John on LinkedIn. For more learnings from Elias, check out his quarterly newsletter, The American Dream. You can subscribe at https://www.drift.com/insider/learn/newsletters/american-dream/

Two Drifters explain why mentors matter and why they founded Drift's newest employee resource group: First Gen at Drift.


Mentors Matter: A Conversation with Drift's First Gen at Drift Employee Resource Group

Mentors Matter

"I was so dependent on that program in high school that I didn't realize that there's not really something for that in college, and there's definitely not that type of support for post-grad and being in the working world...It would be nice through this ERG or on a larger scale for first-generation professionals to have some other network of support of other mentors who are in higher positions who have navigated corporate America and all that that entails." Acknowledging a gap in corporate America, Drifters John Cole and Ezinne Ogbonna founded the Firs-Gen-at-Drift employee resource group to be a dedicated space for first-generation Drifters to come together, find mentors, and learn from each other. In this episode of The American Dream, John and Ezinne tell Elias more about the mission behind the First Gen at Drift ERG, why they think mentors matter, and they share the stories that shaped them into who they are today.


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