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Brandon Burton 0:00
This is the Chamber Chat Podcast, the show dedicated to chamber professionals to spark ideas and to get actionable tips and strategies to better serve your members and community.
Hello, Chamber Champions. Welcome to Chamber Chat Podcast. I’m your hosts Brandon Burton. And it’s my goal here on the podcast to introduce you to people and ideas to better help you serve your Chamber members and your community.
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Our guest for this episode is Peter Guzman. Peter currently serves as the president of the Latin Chamber of Commerce in Nevada. The Latin Chamber of Commerce is the most powerful Hispanic Chamber in Nevada, with over 45 years of community work and business representation. The Latin Chamber of Commerce has provided services to the community for over 45 years and continues to grow. The Latin Chamber of Commerce has been a beacon of light for the community and is a shining star of hope for those in need of assistance throughout the community. Peter is also an accomplished realtor, small business owner and real estate investor, and he came to Nevada 50 years ago at the age of two, but Peter, we’re excited to have you with us today here on Chamber Chat Podcast. I’d love to give you an opportunity to say hello to all the Chamber Champions who are out there listening, and to share something interesting about yourself so we can all get to know you a little better well. Thank
Peter Guzman 2:05
you for that incredible entrance. I appreciate it very much. It’s amazing to hear that number of the length of years this chamber has been involved. We’re approaching 50 years now. It’s unbelievable. And my founder, Otto Merida, did an incredible job a long, long time ago, and I took over as president after him, but so thank you for that. That intro something interesting about me. I don’t find myself that interesting, I guess. But something that people don’t know is that I love turtles. I mean, I really love turtles. And I’ve, I’ve had a desert tortoise now with me 24 years, and I just love that turtle to death. And, yeah, that’s, I guess that’s interesting.
Brandon Burton 2:52
That’s, yeah, that’s cool. I actually, I had a pet turtle growing up, and it was just a box turtle, but whenever my brother would get upset with me. He’d go in my room and put the box turtle on top of its jar that had its water So stand up there and couldn’t move it, just sit on top of the jar. He’s like, thanks. Thanks for that. Yeah. No, I’ve been a big fan of reptiles my whole life, so that’s cool. Well, tell us a little bit more about the Latin Chamber of Commerce, give us an idea of the size staff, scope of work, budget, just to kind of set the stage before we get dive into our discussion today.
Peter Guzman 3:31
Yeah. So you know, like I said, our chamber is approaching 50 years, 48 to be exact, but we’re approaching 50 and, you know, predominantly we represent the Hispanic community, but because of the strength and growth of our chamber, we’re representing a lot more than just that, right? And so that was something that was intentional. I wanted non Hispanic businesses to be doing business with Hispanics and vice versa. And so we’ve really accomplished that, especially over the last three years, 30, 32% of my growth over the last three years has been non Hispanic business owners. That’s a really great number, and very intentional. Because again, I want business to be conducted and I want business to grow, and the only way you can grow is sometimes you got to go outside your comfort zone. And so, you know, we have, we have over 2000 members. We are a statewide chamber and and like I said, we represent the incredible small business community, which, in my opinion, is the most important segment of our economy representing the most job creations and and just just the whole plight of a small business owner, and we know how difficult that can be, and so we predominantly focus on that. We’re very, very focused. So that’s first and foremost, of course. Dollars because we’ve been around so long, and my founder ultimately did such a great job building a trust with the community. You know, we have to get involved in a lot of other things, you know. So we’re we have people that show up at our lobby that need help with immigration, or, you know, what hospital they should be going to, and all kinds of things that you wouldn’t believe. So our responsibility at the Latin chamber is much bigger than than a lot of chambers who just focus on on the small business community. We have to focus on even more than just that, because the demand is so big and the trust is so so high with the Latin chamber that inevitably, my day is filled with all kinds of things, so I’m grateful for that and and look forward to our future.
Brandon Burton 5:49
Yeah. So being a statewide chamber, how many staff do you guys have? And are you Where are you physically located? Are there multiple offices, or how does that work? Yeah.
Peter Guzman 6:00
So we’re physically located in Las Vegas, and we have, we have about eight people on staff and about four volunteers, and you know, there’s definitely room for more employees, but we got to be the right employees, and we’re going to look at that in 2025 because we’re just bursting at the seams. As far as other offices, we’re in Reno a lot Carson City is our you know, is where it all happens. As far as politically. So we always have an office there during this legislative session every two years. But stay tuned. The next time you and I have an interview, there’s going to be a lot more news regarding that. Okay,
Brandon Burton 6:44
build some anticipation there. I like that. Yes. Well, for our topic of conversation today, we’re going to focus on the small business passion that Peter has. It really drives the work there at the Latin chamber, and we’ll dive in deeper on that as soon as we get back from this quick break.
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All right, Peter, we’re back, as I mentioned before the break, we’re focusing our conversation today around small business passion, and I hope everybody listening has a passion for small business. But when somebody says that that’s that’s always your focus, that’s always your topic, that that is your passion, I’m always curious to dive in deeper, to hear what drives you, what motivates you? And I think you’re you may have alluded to it a little bit just with the the novelties of the the Latin chamber, that it’s more than just the small business community, but it’s the community in general you guys are focused on. But what is your approach? What gets you so excited when it comes to small business and serving that community.
Peter Guzman 11:03
Well, listen when you think about, first of all, I’m very, very grateful for, you know, having been born in America, the greatest country in the world. I say that because my father escaped communism of Cuba and came here and, you know, simply because he knew that his children will have a chance here. And so that’s kind of where this beginning passion starts, right like this is a country where a person can dream about owning their own business and can really pull it off. It’s not an easy road, but certainly that’s why I’m passionate about it, because Nothing excites me more than knowing about folks that take their pension or their savings and starts their business and, you know, one day, starts it off, and you know, three years later, they’re on their second or third location, or they’re on, you know, they went from one employee to five, then to 15. We have those stories. They’re very common in the Latin chamber. And I just, I don’t, you know, it’s hard to pinpoint why that, why that drives me and turns me on so much, but it just does. It’s just, it just does. And I also, because I’m a business owner and struggled in the beginning, I know what that struggle feels like. So I know the struggle, and I know the success of it, and I want everybody to that, wants that, to feel that. And so that’s why I’m so passionate in this position at the chamber where I can actually pick up the phone, make some calls and make things happen for folks, maybe a little quicker, maybe get them through an obstacle a little easier. That’s what really drives me again. My founder and mentor told me who ran, who opened this chamber and ran it. He said, What good is the power if you’re not using it to help others? And so that’s really the power of the chamber. Is the ability, if you do things right, to be able to pick up the phone and make things happen a little quicker, maybe a little easier. That drives me every morning.
Brandon Burton 13:19
Yeah, I love that. I love just the idea of the American dream and being able to create a business and have it grow and be successful, and with you being a business owner yourself, to be able to relate to the members that you’re talking to, to the potential Chamber members, and being able to resonate with them, I think that’s super valuable. Yeah,
Peter Guzman 13:38
and listen, you know, I like what you said in the opening there. Even if you’re not a small business owner, your life’s affected by a small business owner. I mean, every time you get in the car, you need that car to run. So chances are you’re going to, you know a mechanic, or you know a small business owner that that works on cars. We can start with that. Then when you need, when you need milk, you you may not run into the big grocery store. You may just stop at a little place and grab a gallon of milk. So small businesses is is intricate in our day to day life.
Brandon Burton 14:16
Yeah, I would say small businesses that it’s kind of the, backbone to our, our ecosystem, to our, our ability to be able to function as a society and and we saw it through the pandemic where small businesses got shook pretty hard, and those businesses you might have counted on, you know, reliably that that mechanic, or, you know, the the convenience store, whether They change their hours because of, you know, staffing issues through the pandemic, or whatever it may be, that disrupted their normal day to day operations. We felt it as citizens that are trying to carry on with our life, and it throws you for throws a wrench in your schedule. When, when that stuff happens? Yeah,
Peter Guzman 14:58
and, I mean, we haven’t even two. That’s the pandemic. I mean, the you know what I knew, what I already had, had experience and known. You can multiply it by 1000 during the pandemic. I mean, the the fact that business, small business people, have to pivot every day in normal society, because life changes. Consumers, needs and wants change every day. So you good business people know they have to pivot and and meet those needs, right? Uh, imagine during COVID. I mean, we were thrown such a curveball, and yet, especially in the Hispanic community, I saw these entrepreneurs pivot and figure it out. And, you know, I’m almost embarrassed to say that even during COVID, our our we are actually our chamber grew, first of all, which is unbelievable, because we delivered things that they needed. We pivoted. That’s what my mentality is. I’m a small business owner in the chamber is a business and and we pivoted. And that’s why we had success, even through COVID. But that’s, that’s, that’s how it is, that how that’s how it works. That’s right.
Brandon Burton 16:09
And being able to be nimble is so important, because these small businesses, they’re constantly pivoting. They’re constantly doing what they can to figure it out, just to make it work. You mentioned earlier, a lot of them put their entire life savings on the line to start a business, to be able to put their neck out there and provide a product or service, and constantly adjusting and honing in those skills to be able to make it work. I’m curious, in the the intros, you’re talking about the the Latin Chamber of Commerce. You had mentioned that with your the recent growth, 32% of that growth is non Hispanic business owners. And I’m curious the approach that you have to them, and especially as it comes to small business and and being able to resonate to them, to have them participate with the Latin Chamber of Commerce. What, what’s that approach been like? Because 32% that’s a good percentage, to see that growth in that segment, yeah.
Peter Guzman 17:07
And so I think that what was important was the fact that, you know, we intentionally went out and started going out to the community more, not just the Hispanic community. And you know, we have a very vibrant events programming, which is a fancy way of saying network opportunities. And so I, you know, some people use networking improperly. I think, I think networking is a science. I owe my entire very successful real estate career to networking and relationship building. And so there’s network, networking, where you walk in a room and have a cocktail and say hi to a couple folks you already know. And then there’s networking science, which is walking into a room of people you do not know, and getting to know people that you didn’t know. And so we, we have that down to a science, and that just made us grow and grow and grow.
Brandon Burton 18:23
So as you were talking, I turned around and grabbed a book off my shelf. I’ve plugged it before on the podcast, but it’s it’s titled, you’re invited by John Levy, great book. Yeah. So at the art and science of cultivating influence, and I think that should be on the mandatory reading list for any chamber to really curate a really effective networking situation. And
Peter Guzman 18:50
you know, when you combine that and I talk to young people, that’s really another passion of mine, is really talking to these young people who are still full of this innocence and inspiration and motivation. I love talking to kids like that, because if you mold that right, they’re going to be successful. And so I tell these folks how obsessed I was and am with networking and relationship building. I mean literally I came up with, and it’s not scientific, but it’s something that I drilled into my brain, because I believe in thinking to grow power, thinking to grow rich, which is another book, yeah, I convinced myself in year two of my real estate career, that every new person I met was going to turn into three transactions, three real estate deals, one way or another, either directly or indirectly. I’m telling you that it absolutely worked and continues to work and so I. What does that mean? It means I’m going to go up to people. When I go into a room, I’ll say hi to the people I already know, but it’s going to be brief. I’m going right at the people I don’t have no idea who they are, and I’m introducing myself. And that turns into transactions, that turns into deals. And so that’s that, that’s key to everything, yeah,
Brandon Burton 20:19
and that thinking gives you the confidence to make those approaches where a lot of people get in these networking situations and say, I don’t really know anybody, or you come in and get your drink, and then you have, you know, all the different sales people that are there coming and selling you insurance or whatever it is. So
Peter Guzman 20:37
that that reputation really grew for the Latin Chamber of Commerce. People now openly all around the state, talk about, yeah, it’s a must place to be. Is one of a Latin chamber events, because they know they’re going to be people of influence in that room. They know that there’s going to be people they don’t know in that room, and they’re going to come from all walks, not just Hispanic. And so that grew from, you know, 70 people to 150 people to 300 people to 500 people at a luncheon that we throw every month. You know what I mean? I mean, it just grew. And so we decided to even add a breakfast that we do monthly, where we intentionally keep that a little smaller and intimate. So that’s 50 to 80 people called desos Amigos, breakfast with friends. And it’s just wonderful opportunities. It starts there. You know, I always tell folks that want to join our chamber, because I’m brutally honest, don’t join this our chamber just to check a box because that we’re not interested in that. Yeah, we need to see value, and it’s value both ways, not just one way. And so I tell them, I’m not a magician. If you join this chamber and you apply yourself, inject yourself, you will have success. If you don’t, then don’t blame me for telling me you didn’t get a return of investment on your membership. Yeah,
Brandon Burton 22:07
I’ve, I’ve got several friends that have approached me because they know I do the podcast and I’ve worked with chambers a long time, and they’ll small business owners will approach me and say, Hey, I know you work with chambers. Do you think I should join my local chamber. Like, what do they do? I don’t know. What are you going to do? Where are you going to are you going to get involved, or do you just want to join and have some magic happen? Because you got to figure out what the mission of your chamber is. Get behind it. Get involved. Volunteer. Be a be a part of something to help build the community. And that’s where you’re going to see the magic happen.
Peter Guzman 22:41
It’s like, it’s like opening a business, right? You, you can’t just decide that you’re going to open this business, open the doors, and people are just going to come right? No, that. It takes marketing. It takes effort, right? Same thing with the chamber, but the fruits, the the return on investment can be huge, yeah.
Brandon Burton 23:01
So we’ve touched quite a bit on the networking aspect when it comes to having a passion towards small business. What are some of these other needs that you see rise to the top quite often with small businesses, to help them really get up and going and see success as they get involved with the chamber? Yeah,
Peter Guzman 23:22
a lot of a lot, if not most small business owners don’t realize that, you know that they hate politics, but they don’t realize how much politics is a part of every, everybody’s day to day life and in business as well. So what we another thing we do, really, really well is we help some small businesses entrepreneurs navigate politics, navigate the political side of you know, of getting your license of, of getting your project through Planning and Zoning, you know, finding, finding the right construction company, union, non union, all that kind of stuff. We navigate that really, really well. And so that’s a big advantage for a small business owner, because you can imagine, you know, walking into City Hall with nobody that can help hold your hand and navigate all of that can be overwhelming and can be destructive,
Brandon Burton 24:23
absolutely. And having that support, that guidance of what to do next and how to navigate those confusing, intimidating situations for a new business owner, small business owner is so crucial, and being prepared as a chamber to be able to help them navigate that is very important, exactly well. Peter, as we start to wrap things up, I wanted to ask you, for listeners who are interested in taking their chamber up to the next level, what kind of tip or action item might you suggest for them to try to implement that goal?
Peter Guzman 25:02
So you know, every every community is different, so every chamber can operate a little differently, but there’s some fundamentals that are, I think, key to every chamber success, and that is, you know, deliver on what you promise. So be careful what you promise, because you must deliver the folks are folks. You know this this how seriously I take this. My mentality of being President of the Latin Chamber of Commerce is I run a publicly traded company. The members are my shareholders. They literally write a check to this chamber, but in a lot of ways, they’re writing that check because they believe in me. I have to take it that serious. So yeah, that’s putting a lot of extra pressure on me, and I love it, and I take it very, very serious. So I want my shareholders to have value. They have a share in the Latin Chamber of Commerce. You’re going to have value. And I wake up every day thinking that way. So that sets the tone of what I’m going to do. And so I’m very focused, very laser focused on bringing value to my shareholders. That’s my members.
Brandon Burton 26:27
I love that approach and that it really just tones it down to, what do you need to do to provide value? And I mean, listen, what? I promise that’s huge.
Peter Guzman 26:38
Yeah, I’d like to provide you, you know, some fancier, long, strung out answer, but that’s the fundamental what I do. That’s the fundamental of how I think and wake up every morning. Yeah, but the the
Brandon Burton 26:51
first thing you said with that response is deliver on what you promised. And I think there’s a lot of times where chambers are really good at thinking of programs or accepting new programs that are presented to them, and things can become very overwhelming with all these things that need to be done, and just deliver on what you promise. And if you can’t deliver, don’t promise it. Don’t do it, you know, cut it out and and really focus on those things and move the needle. So I like that.
Peter Guzman 27:19
That’s That’s my approach. And I think if we start there, chambers will have success. Yeah, you have to be very careful to not turn into a social club. And you know, the the same old, same old, think outside the box. Get bold, because remember, you represent your shareholders, and they’re looking at to you for value, right?
Brandon Burton 27:43
So, Peter, as we look to the future of chambers of commerce, how do you see the future of chambers and their purpose going forward?
Peter Guzman 27:54
Well, listen, you know, there’s, there’s, I know, there’s nervousness out there in the chamber world because of artificial intelligence and and, you know, automation, computer modernization, I we look at that at the Latin chamber as all opportunities. It all it goes back to the very fundamental that I already said, but all of these tools now are going to help me deliver that with much more speed, much more accuracy. So don’t fear that. Don’t embrace you got to embrace it. If you want to exist in the chamber world, you have to embrace these things.
Brandon Burton 28:31
Yeah, I love that. So important to be able to embrace the the technologies and the changes that are coming and and, you know, I’ll say that with a caveat, because there’s some ideas that come out that they get a lot of traction and and they fizzle out, but those things that you can you get that feeling, that sense, this is going to stick, this is going to be around for a while and make an impact on business. You got to be all in. You got to learn it. You got to teach it. You got to be all in. With
Peter Guzman 28:58
the caveat for me, and you know, I’m old school, but I’m never going to change what I’m about to tell you, and that is, you can automate, modernize, embrace all those tools I do and I will, but walking up to an individual, the one On one, person to person contact, making them feel a way that AI and automation won’t be able to still makes us important,
Brandon Burton 29:29
yeah, that the human contact that person can’t replace that. Yeah, yeah. Amen, well, Peter, I wanted to give you a chance to share any contact information for listeners who may want to reach out and connect with you and learn more about your approach or things you guys are doing there at the Latin chamber. What would be the best way for them to reach out and connect? Yeah, man,
Peter Guzman 29:52
feel free to say hello. Feel free to, first of all, go to our website. LVLCC.com, LV, as in. Las Vegas, LV, LCC, as in Latin Chamber Commerce.com, uh, our phone number is 702-385-7367. My name is Peter Guzman, and I promise you, and if you call, you will speak to me.
Brandon Burton 30:16
Awesome. We’ll get that in our show notes to make it easy. If someone’s driving, they don’t need to try to jot it down that phone number. We’ll get it in the show notes. So Peter, I appreciate you spending time with us today, sharing your approach, your passion towards small business this. This should be one of those episodes that reinvigorate somebody listening and says, Yes, let’s go basics, let’s drive. What’s important, right? I
Peter Guzman 30:41
hope so, and I hope we can do this again. Let’s, let’s make this an ongoing thing.
Brandon Burton 30:46
That sounds great. I look forward to seeing what the future is for the Latin chamber and what some of these upcoming changes might be. Sounds like a plan.
Peter Guzman 30:57
Excellent. Thank you.
Brandon Burton 31:00
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