My parents are from El Salvador. They came to the United States in the 1970s with nothing and quietly worked multiple jobs so they could raise a family. Our family of five lived very modestly in a one-bedroom apartment.
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Those sacrifices allowed me to go to college, earn a degree in computer science and launch my career at Boeing. While working, I attended the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business and earned my master’s in business administration with a focus on entrepreneurship.
After a successful Software Engineering career with Boeing, I transitioned into real estate in 2008.
I joined the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals here in Los Angeles to be able to tap into the advocacy and education programs NAHREP offers and eventually served as the chapter president from 2018 to 2019. In 2020, I got involved with NAHREP’s National Advisory Committee, a grassroots operation where members sign up and complete calls-to-action.
In 2022, I was tapped to be a NAHREP National Board member and in 2025, I became the national president-elect for 2026. Next year, I will serve as the National President of NAHREP and will focus further on entrepreneurship, education and advocacy.
Here are some of the other ways that I work to promote change within the Hispanic community:
Sowing the seeds of success
I decided early on that I would leverage what I learned to create personal net worth — something my parents didn’t have early on.
I consider myself a serial entrepreneur and am very driven by the money that comes from being a successful business owner. Apparently, I was always this way: My mother tells me that I always loved money.
My fifth-grade teacher had a rewards system based on a bank account, and that really resonated with me. I’m also super competitive: When a classmate bet me that I couldn’t make all As in my classes, I was determined to win that bet.
It may sound like I’m all about the money, but money is simply the vehicle that moves people forward on a path of personal wealth and net worth. This is especially critical for first and second-generation Hispanics, as many have come to this country to start from scratch.
I learned that firsthand, so, of course, there is my personal experience, but the part of me that loves embracing the thrill of launching and building a successful business is innate.
Education is important to me. I am a lifelong learner, committed to self-development. I’m an avid reader, I pay for multiple life and business coaches, I consume a ton of video content, and I make it a point to connect with others more experienced and knowledgeable than me so I can learn from them.
As you build your knowledge base, your confidence increases, which helps you succeed in whatever your chosen field is.
Success through homeownership
When it comes to building net worth, owning a home is the No. 1 way to do that. That’s why I got into real estate. But so many people in the Hispanic community don’t see homeownership as a viable path.
They think they need a 20 percent down payment, they don’t have a social security number, so they think they can’t get a loan, and they have their own business, which makes verifying income challenging.
That’s where education comes in. I have made it my mission to spread the word about the many avenues and programs that exist to help people buy their first home, from ITIN loans to SBA guaranteed loans to loans for co-borrowers or co-signers.
Growing to scale
I built my brokerage from three agents to nearly 100 agents working across three different counties, so now we have the scale to reach more people. I also started a mortgage company to enhance the services we can offer to our clients.
I also own a property management company and an investment company, where we buy, renovate and sell homes. Every one of these businesses is a vehicle for helping people in my community become homeowners.
Success through small business
I also actively share my experience and knowledge to uplift my community by encouraging others to start their own businesses, which is another powerful way to build personal net worth. In this way, I lead by example to motivate and then activate.
Essentially, my message is, “I’m doing it, and you can, too!” Then, I bring it to the next level and teach people how to invest their money. When we can be successful as a community, we flip the script: We are no longer victims of financial and economic insecurity. We own our financial futures.
To me, the best form of protest is to be successful. When you create value for yourself, you stop having to chase opportunities and start attracting them.
Edwin Acevedo is CEO at Century 21 Lotus. Connect with him on Facebook and LinkedIn.
