00:00.810 --> 00:03.270 Sean Murray: Hello, everyone, and welcome back to deBanked TV. 00:03.300 --> 00:07.020 I'm Sean Murray. And today I have a very special guest. I'm 00:07.020 --> 00:10.890 here with Sonia Alvelo from Latin financial. Thank you for 00:10.890 --> 00:11.400 being here. 00:11.430 --> 00:14.070 Sonia Alvelo: No, thank you for the invitation, Sean, I can't 00:14.070 --> 00:15.330 believe that I'm here and thank you. 00:15.390 --> 00:17.400 Sean Murray: No problem. And you came all the way down from 00:17.430 --> 00:18.090 Connecticut. 00:18.120 --> 00:18.900 Sonia Alvelo: Yes, Connecticut. 00:18.900 --> 00:19.290 Sean Murray: Wow. 00:19.500 --> 00:22.320 Sonia Alvelo: Two and a half hours in traffic. Brutal. 00:22.350 --> 00:26.580 Brutal. Brutal. Well. No, no, no, I'm so glad that you know, 00:26.580 --> 00:31.320 the invitation. And your team is absolutely. Thank you for the 00:31.320 --> 00:31.860 invitation. 00:31.890 --> 00:33.660 Sean Murray: Yeah, no problem. Thank you for making the trip 00:33.660 --> 00:36.360 all the way down to New York and being here in Brooklyn. I know 00:36.360 --> 00:39.270 it's not Manhattan. So. Beautiful. For some people can 00:39.270 --> 00:42.360 be a little bit daunting coming to the outer boroughs. 00:42.360 --> 00:46.080 Especially Connecticut. Yeah. So I appreciate it. You know, but I 00:46.080 --> 00:48.930 want to talk to you about what you do, right? Yeah. Latin 00:48.930 --> 00:52.320 financial is a unique company in my in my opinion, and you've 00:52.320 --> 00:56.160 been around the space for a while. As a broker, right? Yes. 00:56.490 --> 00:59.460 So you know what it's like in the trenches? Yes. And so if you 00:59.460 --> 01:01.710 could, for those who might not know you, could you tell me a 01:01.710 --> 01:03.870 little bit about yourself and about Latin Financial. 01:03.930 --> 01:06.660 Sonia Alvelo: I would love to, what's not to love about talking 01:06.660 --> 01:11.430 about yourself? Yes, Latin Financial started about six 01:11.430 --> 01:16.560 years. I've been in the industry for 10 years. And I love what we 01:16.560 --> 01:21.900 do we actually help those businesses who speak Spanish, 01:22.410 --> 01:25.830 all over US and Puerto Rico especially it's something that 01:25.830 --> 01:28.800 is something very special for me, because I'm from Puerto 01:28.800 --> 01:32.940 Rico. So for me to go back and help those businesses over there 01:33.150 --> 01:37.470 is it's the best idea. It's the best decision that I ever made. 01:37.500 --> 01:43.380 So yes. And about me, I'm about to be 50 my birthdays coming, 01:43.410 --> 01:44.700 you are invited. 01:45.660 --> 01:46.590 Sean Murray: Really? I'm invited? 01:46.590 --> 01:46.950 Sonia Alvelo: Yes. 01:46.980 --> 01:47.310 Sean Murray: Okay. 01:47.310 --> 01:48.180 Sonia Alvelo: You gotta come to Connecticut. 01:48.210 --> 01:49.350 Sean Murray: I'm gonna take you up on that. 01:49.740 --> 01:54.540 Sonia Alvelo: Okay. And no, it's we got the company in new into 01:54.540 --> 01:58.350 Connecticut it's growing. I love my team. You know, hi to 01:58.350 --> 02:00.990 everybody. I know that you guys are watching. I'm paying you to 02:00.990 --> 02:05.670 watch you know, to watch today. But um yeah, we super proud of 02:05.700 --> 02:08.910 what we do. Sharp Capital is another side of the company as 02:08.910 --> 02:13.140 well. And Latin Financial, it just that's exactly what we do. 02:13.140 --> 02:16.440 You know, we are broker, we are proud to be a broker. We are 02:16.440 --> 02:21.210 small company. And we love what we do. You know, especially, you 02:21.210 --> 02:23.970 know, it's something that I'm doing in Spanish too. That's 02:23.970 --> 02:25.680 something incredible. So, yeah. 02:26.310 --> 02:28.200 Sean Murray: I want to ask you about that because you have 02:28.320 --> 02:31.470 Latin in the name of your company. Yes. Latin Financial. 02:31.560 --> 02:34.590 Yes. Born and raised in Puerto Rico. Yes. All right. You're 02:34.590 --> 02:38.040 speaking Spanish on the phone a lot. Like, like, talk to me 02:38.040 --> 02:42.630 about that? Like, how important is it to be part of the of the 02:42.630 --> 02:45.510 Latin American community, like in this country when it comes to 02:45.510 --> 02:46.890 funding their business? 02:47.130 --> 02:48.960 Sonia Alvelo: Well, it's, it was really interesting at the 02:48.960 --> 02:54.990 beginning, when I started doing the funding for Puerto Rico. And 02:54.990 --> 02:59.130 it's a lot different than funding in US in the US there 02:59.730 --> 03:02.070 there are a lot of lenders there are, there's a lot of 03:02.070 --> 03:05.880 opportunities, people, you know, call them a lot and they don't 03:05.880 --> 03:08.610 understand, you know, but in Puerto Rico, there were some 03:08.670 --> 03:12.750 lack of understanding what it was a cash advance. And when I 03:12.750 --> 03:17.250 started, it was a good opportunity to let them know, 03:17.280 --> 03:20.070 what is the process from the beginning to the end. For them, 03:20.070 --> 03:22.590 it was completely new, remember, and we're talking about six 03:22.590 --> 03:25.590 years ago, and then like, no, this is this is too good to be 03:25.590 --> 03:30.720 true. So I think that that's why we growing in the community so 03:31.080 --> 03:36.000 fast, and so good, because they we take our time to explain how 03:36.000 --> 03:40.440 is the process, or you know, to renew, or paperwork for some 03:40.440 --> 03:43.740 reason, lenders at the beginning, they they're not 03:43.740 --> 03:46.380 wanting to actually give the opportunity to funding in Puerto 03:46.380 --> 03:50.310 Rico, for different reasons. It could have been because they 03:50.310 --> 03:53.850 thought that that they don't, they don't run the business, 03:53.910 --> 03:59.130 like here in the US. And thank God that that has changed, you 03:59.130 --> 04:02.700 know, my relationship with the lenders are really close. I 04:02.700 --> 04:05.700 explain if it's a problem I explained, you know, obviously, 04:05.700 --> 04:11.190 Puerto Rico has been through a lot. But what I'm committed, you 04:11.190 --> 04:13.800 know, I'm going to continue not only for Puerto Rico but you 04:13.800 --> 04:17.730 know, for all the businesses Latinos as well, you know, in 04:17.730 --> 04:18.930 the US so. 04:19.410 --> 04:21.690 Sean Murray: You mentioned I think the term cash advances 04:21.690 --> 04:24.960 like what what type of products are you helping business owners 04:24.960 --> 04:28.290 get sois it merchant cash advances is it unsecured 04:28.290 --> 04:30.630 business loans like what what's your kind of your product 04:30.630 --> 04:31.230 wheelhouse? 04:31.290 --> 04:33.120 Sonia Alvelo: Well, you know, what with the Latino is a little 04:33.120 --> 04:37.260 bit different? I you always see the regular cash advance, we got 04:37.260 --> 04:42.120 the weekly the daily, but lately in Puerto Rico it's been allowed 04:42.120 --> 04:48.570 with collateral. So we've seen a shift in deals coming in, say 04:48.570 --> 04:53.400 about the of of US as well, you know, obviously we, since COVID, 04:53.400 --> 04:57.840 we've been helping all the merchants apply for the SBA as 04:57.840 --> 05:02.220 well completely free. We just we I think that that's I know that 05:02.220 --> 05:04.680 that's one of the reasons that we are so good, you know, we 05:04.680 --> 05:07.590 take our time. And I know, you know, you know, I see all the 05:07.590 --> 05:11.460 companies that they charge, my goodness, a lot of money shows 05:11.460 --> 05:13.920 the help for the SBA, do it for free, you know. 05:13.920 --> 05:16.410 Sean Murray: When you say you're free, you're not charging to 05:16.620 --> 05:18.690 help them go through the process, or. 05:19.350 --> 05:20.070 Sonia Alvelo: The application. 05:20.070 --> 05:21.690 Sean Murray: You're just you're doing it out of the goodness of 05:21.690 --> 05:22.080 your heart. 05:22.110 --> 05:24.000 Sonia Alvelo: But you know let me tell you those merchants, 05:24.000 --> 05:27.390 they come back, no, they're waiting, you know, obviously, 05:27.390 --> 05:30.870 the process is not easy. It's not, it's not quick. So they 05:30.870 --> 05:33.270 have to wait for the process, and they come back and they, you 05:33.270 --> 05:33.480 know. 05:33.480 --> 05:34.680 Sean Murray: And now they know you already. 05:34.680 --> 05:35.070 Sonia Alvelo: Yes. 05:35.100 --> 05:35.820 Sean Murray: Okay, I see. 05:35.820 --> 05:37.920 Sonia Alvelo: So they feel comfortable. And they, you know, 05:38.250 --> 05:41.010 any, you know, obviously, it's a client, they, they are clients 05:41.040 --> 05:45.360 now, so it works for me, but that free information. And trust 05:45.360 --> 05:48.930 me, you know, I was doubting myself, you know, for, you know, 05:48.930 --> 05:51.630 for trying to contract my my goodness, how am I going to 05:51.630 --> 05:55.350 survive, but it was the right thing to do. So, I got them 05:55.350 --> 05:55.680 back. 05:56.310 --> 05:58.320 Sean Murray: I like it. That's a good strategy, because you're 05:58.320 --> 06:02.700 right, I have heard of a lot of people who are charging to help 06:02.700 --> 06:04.650 people. And they've said, they've said they've made a lot 06:04.650 --> 06:08.370 of money doing that. Yeah. But I guess it would, it would remain 06:08.370 --> 06:12.300 to be seen whether or not those those people come back, when 06:12.300 --> 06:15.240 they actually have a need outside of that, you know, maybe 06:15.240 --> 06:17.790 they kind of already made their money. And that's the end of end 06:17.790 --> 06:19.650 of the relationship, that's to be determined. 06:19.680 --> 06:22.290 Sonia Alvelo: I can't do that, you know what I listen to them. 06:22.740 --> 06:25.410 My conversations with the Latino regardless if it's in Puerto 06:25.410 --> 06:29.550 Rico, or in the US, the Latinos they tend to talk a lot. I'm 06:29.550 --> 06:33.570 gonna do that right now. But yeah, we express how we feel, 06:33.600 --> 06:36.660 you know, we let them know, whoever's on other side of the 06:36.660 --> 06:39.540 phone. Oh, my goodness, you know, this happened. And this 06:39.540 --> 06:43.080 happened. And we got a fantastic CRM, you know, in the company 06:43.080 --> 06:47.310 that we're so proud of it. And we put that much information in 06:47.310 --> 06:50.310 it. Because we, I want to remember, when is the birthday, 06:50.340 --> 06:53.490 I want to remember, you know, if it was something in the, in the 06:53.490 --> 06:57.240 family, I put little notes that not everybody will understand 06:57.240 --> 07:00.840 because I put I write everything in Spanish. But I make sure that 07:00.840 --> 07:04.020 you know, when I call them next, or they call the company, when I 07:04.020 --> 07:08.280 open I know who I'm talking to. So it's it we are different. 07:08.310 --> 07:10.080 Sean Murray: So you're remembering like their birthday, 07:10.110 --> 07:11.940 like little quirks about them. You're writing notes. The 07:13.740 --> 07:16.500 birthday, but who's wishing them the happy birthday? Not the CRM? 07:16.530 --> 07:19.140 Sonia Alvelo: No, no, no, absolutely not. I'm so proud. 07:19.140 --> 07:22.320 You know, since I started the company, we do we help a lot of 07:22.350 --> 07:25.860 you know, the community. First of all, Connecticut. I love 07:25.860 --> 07:29.580 Connecticut. You know, I moved from Puerto Rico when I 07:29.580 --> 07:33.270 graduated high school in Puerto Rico. And I moved to 07:33.270 --> 07:38.310 Connecticut, and I never left because I love it. And it just 07:38.310 --> 07:40.770 is. I don't know it's just the environment, I don't know, it 07:40.770 --> 07:44.400 just, it feels right what I'm what I'm been doing. So yes, 07:44.520 --> 07:46.530 sorry. I lost my thought right there. 07:46.590 --> 07:48.750 Sean Murray: I mean, it seems like you're like, it seems like 07:48.750 --> 07:51.270 you're kind of like that you really have like a relationship 07:51.270 --> 07:54.390 with like, the merchants? Yes. That that you work with and so 07:54.390 --> 07:56.520 I'm wondering you, you remember their birthday? Or at least your 07:56.520 --> 07:59.040 CRM remembers, but you're the one wishing them the Happy 07:59.040 --> 08:00.480 birthday, right? Yes. And I. 08:00.510 --> 08:03.510 Sonia Alvelo: We do send we do send, like I was saying before, 08:03.510 --> 08:07.710 I'm sorry, I lost my thought and my thought we do send a lot of 08:07.740 --> 08:10.410 gifts, you know. You do? A lot of little things for like 08:10.410 --> 08:13.890 financial, for different merchants, it doesn't matter if 08:13.890 --> 08:16.980 it's a $1,000 deal, or, you know, half a million dollar 08:16.980 --> 08:20.760 deal. We you know, it just, you know, in Christmas, you know, we 08:20.760 --> 08:26.460 send out a bunch of postcards, so we try for them to remember 08:26.460 --> 08:26.820 us. 08:27.180 --> 08:28.800 Sean Murray: Do you think the lenders are doing that too? 08:29.370 --> 08:31.980 Sonia Alvelo: I don't think so. I hope hopefully, they can get 08:31.980 --> 08:36.180 that idea from here. It means a lot to them. So I'm going to 08:36.180 --> 08:38.970 continue doing it and my portfolio keeps on growing, I'm 08:38.970 --> 08:42.690 gonna start even, you know, doing it it's the right thing to 08:42.690 --> 08:43.320 do. So yeah. 08:43.590 --> 08:47.100 Sean Murray: Do you feel like that's part of the, the, of the 08:47.130 --> 08:50.280 broker relationship? Because I feel like, there's this old 08:50.280 --> 08:53.010 adage of, like, you know, cutting out the middleman. Is 08:53.010 --> 08:55.260 there this value to being a broker? You're, you're talking 08:55.260 --> 08:59.100 about gifts and happy birthday, and all that stuff like, do you 08:59.100 --> 09:01.950 feel like there's a value to the broker in the process of small 09:01.950 --> 09:02.610 business funding? 09:02.640 --> 09:06.030 Sonia Alvelo: I think so. I for so many years, when I started in 09:06.030 --> 09:09.570 the business, everybody was like, oh, your broker, you know, 09:09.570 --> 09:13.890 no, no, you know, I only do business with with the lender. I 09:13.890 --> 09:18.510 don't think that way. I think a lot of bad people put bad 09:18.510 --> 09:22.680 reputation on companies like ours, and they don't see us the 09:22.680 --> 09:27.300 same way. But, you know, if you are a good broker, you know, 09:27.300 --> 09:31.290 what to do you, you know what to do for your clients. I would 09:31.290 --> 09:34.590 love to stay broker forever, you know, that's, that's fine with 09:34.590 --> 09:37.320 me because I'm happy and my merchants are happy and they 09:37.320 --> 09:40.650 continue coming back. So you know, and other lenders are 09:40.650 --> 09:44.730 there, you know, hey, call me let's do something to help the 09:44.730 --> 09:49.200 Latino community you know, it is there. It is possible. And, you 09:49.200 --> 09:52.680 know, obviously, I'm going to make sure that they treat you 09:52.680 --> 09:55.830 right that they will pay that bet that they will come back as 09:55.830 --> 09:59.670 as a renewal. So it's a lot of misinformation. Obviously with 09:59.670 --> 10:02.220 the brokers, so. 10:02.520 --> 10:05.970 Sean Murray: Sure. So you said that you've, you've helped 10:05.970 --> 10:10.050 businesses get PPP EIDL. You didn't charge them. But what so 10:10.050 --> 10:14.220 what I'm curious about in all of that, right, is that you worked 10:14.370 --> 10:18.330 a lot with the, you know, the Latin community during COVID. 10:18.330 --> 10:21.720 And I'm curious, you know, and we've asked this question, I've 10:21.720 --> 10:23.670 asked this question a bunch of times, you know, what were 10:23.760 --> 10:26.280 merchants telling you? What were small businesses telling you, 10:26.340 --> 10:29.070 but I feel like I've never gotten that answer, specifically 10:29.070 --> 10:32.820 from the Latin demographic, likr, what was the Latin, what 10:32.820 --> 10:35.310 was the latin community telling you during COVID? 10:35.340 --> 10:38.040 Sonia Alvelo: They were devastated, you know, there's 10:38.040 --> 10:43.740 not a lot of information in the Latino community. In terms about 10:43.770 --> 10:48.450 well, nobody was expecting what happened. First of all, we as a 10:48.450 --> 10:52.260 company, we, you know, had a rough time as well as everybody. 10:53.640 --> 10:56.040 But we decided, okay, you know, what, there's something that we 10:56.040 --> 11:03.180 can do in that time, which was, help them with the SBA. And, you 11:03.180 --> 11:06.060 know, the stories, they break my heart, it wasn't easy, because 11:06.060 --> 11:09.270 you know, what, I was listening to those stories over and over. 11:09.270 --> 11:13.350 And, you know, what am we gonna do? We don't have the money. I 11:13.350 --> 11:16.950 didn't have the answers, Sean at all, you know, I was worried 11:16.950 --> 11:19.500 about my own company at the time, but, you know, listening 11:19.500 --> 11:22.650 to them, I understood that it you know, it wasn't, I wasn't 11:22.650 --> 11:25.830 the only one, you know, that it was going through that, I think 11:25.830 --> 11:30.090 it's it's not a lot of information for the Latino 11:30.090 --> 11:33.930 community through crisis. And that's, I think that I got 11:33.930 --> 11:36.210 overwhelmed. Because everybody was calling and getting trying 11:36.210 --> 11:41.310 to, you know, Latino community, they, if I do have a job with 11:41.310 --> 11:44.490 you, they gonna tell somebody else, and they're gonna tell 11:44.490 --> 11:48.510 somebody else. And you know, my phones, it was like ringing and 11:48.510 --> 11:52.080 ringing throughout the days. And trust me, I get calls from 11:52.080 --> 11:55.410 Puerto Rico, Latinos at seven o'clock in the morning, or at 10 11:55.410 --> 11:59.220 o'clock at night. And sometimes I have to stop and think, okay, 11:59.220 --> 12:05.250 you know, what, I'll call them tomorrow, but we just, I am who 12:05.250 --> 12:09.060 I am now, because of them. So, you know, anything that I can do 12:09.060 --> 12:13.500 for the community regardless, it's not easy. But I will do it. 12:13.860 --> 12:16.260 Sean Murray: Were there some who didn't even know about PPP or 12:16.260 --> 12:17.430 EIDL until you told them? 12:17.430 --> 12:20.430 Sonia Alvelo: It's it's crazy. How many people to this day, 12:20.460 --> 12:22.710 they don't know, they don't even know about the increase. 12:23.310 --> 12:24.780 Sean Murray: They don't know about the increase? We're 12:24.780 --> 12:27.510 talking about the EIDL increase? Correct. Okay, you're you're the 12:27.510 --> 12:28.950 first person to tell them basically. 12:28.980 --> 12:32.520 Sonia Alvelo: Yes. And it's scary. You know, you know, you 12:32.520 --> 12:36.630 know, first of all, I am surprised when they ask me, what 12:36.630 --> 12:40.140 is that? And you know, at first with the PPP what is that? You 12:40.140 --> 12:43.410 know they had no idea. I was like, Okay, I got to translate 12:43.410 --> 12:46.350 this in Spanish, you know, this is not what I what I had in 12:46.350 --> 12:51.990 mind. Yeah. So but, um, the SBA.gov they have, you know, you 12:51.990 --> 12:55.590 know, the information in all the languages. So, that's what I 12:55.590 --> 12:58.530 realized, you know, I was like, Okay, you got to read it first. 12:58.590 --> 13:01.050 You know, I have to send that over, and you gotta read it, and 13:01.050 --> 13:04.590 then call me back, I wanted to make sure that they understand 13:04.680 --> 13:07.080 and the guidance they we're changing, so it was it was 13:07.080 --> 13:11.310 horrific, you know, the process but it's not like I said, again, 13:11.340 --> 13:15.090 not a lot of information for them. So I learned as like, you 13:15.090 --> 13:19.500 know, watching the news, you know, and through my my, my 13:19.500 --> 13:23.190 actual lender for my business account. They were amazing with 13:23.190 --> 13:24.360 us. So yeah. 13:25.290 --> 13:28.020 Sean Murray: That's wild. Yeah, I think that that gets lost in a 13:28.020 --> 13:30.840 lot of people that here you are trying to help small businesses, 13:30.840 --> 13:32.850 right. But you're like, hey, I also got to worry about my own 13:32.850 --> 13:38.730 company. Right. But so what's what are you hearing now what 13:38.730 --> 13:43.890 had what has your what has your merchant base kind of told you 13:43.920 --> 13:46.740 now? Are they recovering? Are they recovered are they still in 13:46.740 --> 13:48.000 bad shape? Like what's going on? 13:48.180 --> 13:51.060 Sonia Alvelo: A little bit of everything, I think, the market 13:51.060 --> 13:56.370 for the pharmaceuticals, they're doing amazing. So that's fine. A 13:56.370 --> 14:00.150 lot of other industries it's fantastic. Great when they call 14:00.150 --> 14:03.750 me Sonia, I got the money. I got the deposit from the SBA. Don't 14:03.750 --> 14:07.290 get me wrong, I cry every single time because, you know, I was 14:07.290 --> 14:10.500 like, you know, you realize, oh, my goodness, I did it, you know, 14:10.500 --> 14:14.010 I helped them. I rather for them not to have the cash advance. I 14:14.010 --> 14:18.750 know. But it's worth it. You know, the business is going 14:18.750 --> 14:23.640 through hell sorry, fellows, you know, but um, yes this makes 14:23.640 --> 14:26.010 right now. You can say hell. I can say okay, good. That's, 14:26.040 --> 14:28.380 that's okay. I can say it in Spanish, next time, but it's 14:28.380 --> 14:31.890 okay. Um, but no, it's a little bit of everything it's still 14:31.890 --> 14:38.550 nowadays in Connecticut, I still have that. When they called me 14:38.550 --> 14:41.880 oh, you know, you can apply for this, you know, in this deal. 14:41.880 --> 14:45.720 The the information is not quite there yet. So I don't know what 14:45.930 --> 14:49.320 to be honest with you. We're a small company. How can we fix 14:49.320 --> 14:54.360 that? So yeah, so a lot of plans that I have for the future so we 14:54.360 --> 14:59.820 can actually get better and give more information and and the. 15:01.320 --> 15:03.510 Sean Murray: You've mentioned Puerto Rico a few times. But 15:03.510 --> 15:05.490 you're funding businesses nationwide. Am I right? 15:05.520 --> 15:05.880 Sonia Alvelo: Yes. 15:05.910 --> 15:06.210 Sean Murray: Okay. 15:06.210 --> 15:09.090 Sonia Alvelo: All over the US actually, before I started 15:09.090 --> 15:14.340 funding in Puerto Rico in 2015, I was doing business prior for 15:14.340 --> 15:20.010 four years. And it was all US and it wasn't Latinos. You know, 15:20.010 --> 15:24.540 it was, you know, a little bit of everything. But I knew that 15:24.540 --> 15:27.870 the market needed somebody in Spanish, the, you know, the same 15:27.870 --> 15:32.460 language. And now I have a little bit of everything I'm so 15:32.460 --> 15:35.580 proud of my portfolio it's it's incredible. So I'm going to 15:35.580 --> 15:38.670 continue doing this and hopefully I can learn another 15:38.670 --> 15:42.390 language and. Another one? No I'm just kidding. Okay. You 15:42.390 --> 15:45.360 never know. But then again, you know, I would love to. Yeah. 15:45.390 --> 15:46.680 Sean Murray: Sounds like it's pretty beneficial. And I 15:46.680 --> 15:49.380 actually want to ask you, I want to ask you about the Puerto 15:49.380 --> 15:51.240 Rican market, because you mentioned it a few times. Right. 15:51.300 --> 15:55.380 And you I actually, this is not, this is, this is not a 15:55.380 --> 15:56.880 coincidence. This is not a coincidence. 15:56.880 --> 15:57.600 Sonia Alvelo: Yes, I love that. 15:58.050 --> 16:01.950 Sean Murray: Underneath my notes here. It's an article that you 16:01.950 --> 16:05.010 were you were cited in you put in the story. This is the 16:05.040 --> 16:08.490 deBanked magazine issue from what is this, 2018 says It's 16:08.490 --> 16:11.700 Back to Business for Alternative Funding in Puerto Rico. Yes. So 16:11.700 --> 16:15.420 2018. Sonia was mentioned in this particular story. Yes. And 16:15.420 --> 16:17.910 we've talked to you about the Puerto Rican market over the 16:17.910 --> 16:18.990 years, a few times. 16:18.990 --> 16:21.510 Sonia Alvelo: Yes, three times you've been, you know, I and 16:21.510 --> 16:27.000 thank you. That helped so many businesses, and they follow you, 16:27.000 --> 16:27.570 by the way. 16:28.080 --> 16:28.770 Sean Murray: in Puerto Rico? 16:28.800 --> 16:29.280 Sonia Alvelo: In Peurto Rico. 16:29.280 --> 16:29.880 Sean Murray: I have a following? 16:29.910 --> 16:31.950 Sonia Alvelo: Yes. You got followers in Peurto Rico. You 16:31.950 --> 16:35.220 know, what they like, it's interesting, you know, 16:35.220 --> 16:37.500 everything that is not only about Puerto Rico is about 16:37.500 --> 16:41.580 everything else about you know, the industry. But this one, I do 16:41.580 --> 16:42.720 have it on my wall. 16:42.780 --> 16:43.590 Sean Murray: You have it on the wall? Okay. 16:43.590 --> 16:46.140 Sonia Alvelo: I got it on my wall inside, yeah I got a lot of 16:46.140 --> 16:48.960 things on my wall. But yes, you are in my wall twice. 16:48.990 --> 16:49.620 Sean Murray: Twice, okay. 16:49.620 --> 16:51.120 Sonia Alvelo: So you gotta come to the office and see about 16:51.120 --> 16:51.510 yourself. 16:51.540 --> 16:53.370 Sean Murray: Okay, we're gonna have to get this live stream on 16:53.370 --> 16:53.760 your wall too. 16:53.760 --> 16:54.930 Sonia Alvelo: Oh my goodness, yes. 16:56.160 --> 16:59.580 Sean Murray: All right, so so talk to me about Puerto Rico. So 16:59.580 --> 17:03.360 you, you were born and raised there, and you're doing business 17:03.360 --> 17:06.900 there, I imagine that requires you to go there to do business. 17:06.900 --> 17:07.500 Is that right? 17:07.530 --> 17:13.620 Sonia Alvelo: Yes. I came to Connecticut, when I was 17, I 17:13.620 --> 17:17.370 believe. never moved out of Connecticut loved it, you know, 17:17.370 --> 17:20.370 I fell in love with the city with I fell in love with 17:20.370 --> 17:25.950 everybody. Um, and when I started doing funding in Puerto 17:25.950 --> 17:30.960 Rico, I started doing business with associations in Puerto 17:30.960 --> 17:33.930 Rico, let's say if it's a pharmacy, they have an 17:34.230 --> 17:38.220 associations for everything, every single industry. So my job 17:38.280 --> 17:41.940 at that time I was like, okay, so instead of calling everybody, 17:42.570 --> 17:45.150 you know, it's impossible, you know, so I was like, you know 17:45.150 --> 17:47.880 what, let me call the associations. So I call those 17:47.880 --> 17:51.510 associations I, now I'm members with all of them. And believe it 17:51.510 --> 17:57.930 or not two of them, I'm the only the first one Latina business, 17:58.470 --> 18:02.130 but located outside of Puerto Rico, and they invite me to see 18:02.130 --> 18:04.620 the governor, they invite me to different events. Oh, my 18:04.620 --> 18:05.730 goodness, twice already. 18:05.760 --> 18:07.170 Sean Murray: You've taken advantage of this? 18:07.200 --> 18:09.600 Sonia Alvelo: Absolutely. I mean, they send me business and, 18:09.630 --> 18:12.690 you know, at special occasions, they always send an invite. So 18:12.870 --> 18:17.040 in the summer pre COVID. I used to travel probably four or five 18:17.040 --> 18:21.870 times, you know, between July and September. That's the 18:21.870 --> 18:25.740 convention time. And now, unfortunately, you know, it's 18:25.770 --> 18:29.220 online. But I can't wait for next year because that's, that's 18:29.220 --> 18:32.730 where my money is, so yeah. So they still send me a lot of 18:32.730 --> 18:34.590 referrals. So yes, I travel a lot. 18:34.860 --> 18:37.410 Sean Murray: Okay, so who's funding the actual businesses 18:37.410 --> 18:41.310 there? Is it lenders and funders based in Puerto Rico? Or is it 18:41.310 --> 18:42.450 ones that are on the mainland? 18:43.440 --> 18:44.130 Sonia Alvelo: From here. 18:44.400 --> 18:44.880 Sean Murray: From here? 18:44.910 --> 18:45.330 Sonia Alvelo: Yes. 18:45.360 --> 18:47.550 Sean Murray: Okay. Are there no lenders and funders in Puerto 18:47.550 --> 18:47.820 Rico? 18:49.680 --> 18:52.200 Sonia Alvelo: I'm gonna answer that to you in the next 18:52.230 --> 18:57.240 interview, because I do, I did receive an email really 18:57.240 --> 19:01.650 interesting, and I was in a conversation last night, and he 19:01.650 --> 19:05.760 may be a lender in Puerto Rico that wants to do business with 19:05.760 --> 19:08.670 Latin Financial, so that I cannot tell right now, that's 19:08.670 --> 19:10.590 news, news. So yes. 19:10.680 --> 19:11.670 Sean Murray: I look forward to that one. 19:11.670 --> 19:12.960 Sonia Alvelo: I know you're gonna be the first one. 19:14.430 --> 19:15.840 Sean Murray: You have to sit through two hours of traffic 19:15.840 --> 19:17.550 again to get back here to tell everybody. 19:17.580 --> 19:19.410 Sonia Alvelo: No, no, no, we ain't gonna assume that day. 19:19.440 --> 19:19.710 Sean Murray: Okay. 19:19.710 --> 19:20.160 Sonia Alvelo: I'm just kidding. 19:21.570 --> 19:23.970 Sean Murray: All right, so we're talking about lenders and 19:23.970 --> 19:27.600 funders based in the mainland who are funding the businesses 19:27.780 --> 19:30.780 in Puerto Rico. Now, the question I get all the time is 19:30.810 --> 19:34.500 whose funding there so I get the sense that there's, there's a 19:34.500 --> 19:37.680 hesitance or resistance to funding businesses in Puerto 19:37.680 --> 19:40.800 Rico. And I wonder why that is? What's the aversion you've 19:40.800 --> 19:43.110 encountered to funding businesses in Puerto Rico? If 19:43.110 --> 19:43.860 they're not from here? 19:43.890 --> 19:46.950 Sonia Alvelo: No, for some reason, you know, when I started 19:46.950 --> 19:50.970 in 2015, there was one lender who gave me the opportunity for 19:50.970 --> 19:56.160 some reason they have this this wrong information in their 19:56.160 --> 20:00.750 heads. The Latino businesses in Puerto Rico they don't they 20:00.750 --> 20:04.980 don't run the business the same as here in US. They pay taxes, 20:04.980 --> 20:08.040 they do the same things. So. 20:08.100 --> 20:09.420 Sean Murray: They're part of the United States. 20:09.420 --> 20:12.000 Sonia Alvelo: They're part of the United States. 20:12.000 --> 20:12.930 Sean Murray: They're not a different country. 20:12.930 --> 20:15.450 Sonia Alvelo: Not Not at all. Okay. Oh, my goodness, I get 20:15.450 --> 20:16.350 that question a lot. 20:16.410 --> 20:17.460 Sean Murray: Do you, do you really? 20:17.490 --> 20:18.030 Sonia Alvelo: Yes. 20:18.060 --> 20:18.450 Sean Murray: Okay. 20:18.450 --> 20:21.540 Sonia Alvelo: It's incredible. Do you you know, you do need a 20:21.540 --> 20:23.700 green card? No, I'm part of the US. 20:23.730 --> 20:24.780 Sean Murray: Wow, okay. 20:24.810 --> 20:26.850 Sonia Alvelo: But that's for another segment. Okay. Yeah, 20:26.850 --> 20:32.580 that's a long. But um, yeah, for some reason they have this wrong 20:32.580 --> 20:35.070 information that, you know, they don't run the business as you 20:35.070 --> 20:39.360 know, any other business. So I started in 2015. And I'm gonna 20:39.360 --> 20:44.370 say, Jordan, I love you. He did amazing. Jordan. From 20:44.370 --> 20:44.820 Greenbacks. 20:44.850 --> 20:46.470 Sean Murray: Okay, I was like who's Jordan? 20:46.800 --> 20:50.820 Sonia Alvelo: He owes me one right now. But no, he, he took 20:50.820 --> 20:54.960 the chance with me. He, he it wasn't easy. He said no, like, 20:54.960 --> 20:58.680 15 times. But I was like, give me give me give me the 20:58.680 --> 21:01.620 opportunity. Let me try it. And let me tell you, you know, it's 21:01.620 --> 21:04.230 still five years. Six years later, we still together. 21:04.470 --> 21:05.790 Sean Murray: You're still funding deals out in Peurto? 21:05.790 --> 21:07.260 Sonia Alvelo: I'm still funding them them, yeah, absolutely. 21:07.710 --> 21:08.550 Sean Murray: So it's worked out? 21:08.580 --> 21:11.250 Sonia Alvelo: Yes. Okay. Oh, my goodness. Yes. He never stopped. 21:12.150 --> 21:15.030 There's been situations in Puerto Rico, obviously, Maria, 21:15.060 --> 21:22.320 the hurricane Maria earthquakes, COVID, obviously. And we always 21:22.320 --> 21:25.380 have a good communication, you know, send an email, hey, 21:25.380 --> 21:27.450 listen, we're going to have to do something, there's a 21:27.450 --> 21:30.810 hurricane coming. We're going to have a problem with the 21:30.810 --> 21:34.230 payments. So it's the communication I think that 21:34.230 --> 21:38.790 works. So and obviously other ones, but you know I gotta say 21:38.790 --> 21:42.390 Greenbacks. And I can say McKenzie, I love your brand. So 21:42.390 --> 21:45.750 those are the two, I love you. But other ones I'm not going to 21:45.750 --> 21:48.420 mention, because you know, I'm still waiting for offers. Not 21:48.450 --> 21:49.170 not too happy. 21:50.070 --> 21:50.970 Sean Murray: Putting you on the spot. 21:50.970 --> 21:54.000 Sonia Alvelo: No, no, not right now. But yeah, for some reason 21:54.000 --> 21:58.080 that was back in the day now. And thank you for your 21:58.140 --> 22:03.690 opportunities, because you're, everything that you wrote about 22:03.690 --> 22:08.280 Latin Financial in Puerto Rico, it did hit a few nerves, because 22:08.400 --> 22:09.720 they can't call and good because. 22:11.010 --> 22:12.660 Sean Murray: I don't want to disrupt my following in Peurto 22:13.170 --> 22:13.290 Rico. 22:13.290 --> 22:15.120 Sonia Alvelo: No, no, you're okay and you're better now 22:15.120 --> 22:19.650 because you're with me. But don't the, the lenders, they 22:19.650 --> 22:23.190 actually called me after that, hey, listen, you know, what can 22:23.190 --> 22:26.820 we do? So it's a matter of opportunities, opportunities, 22:26.820 --> 22:29.700 like this, opportunities, you know, for the Brokers Fair. I 22:29.700 --> 22:31.500 can't wait, it's gonna be amazing. 22:31.920 --> 22:33.900 Sean Murray: I'm gonna I'm gonna ask you a little bit more about 22:33.900 --> 22:34.680 that at the end. 22:34.710 --> 22:38.340 Sonia Alvelo: Oh, god, I did got drunk. I'm so sorry. No. 22:38.460 --> 22:39.090 Sean Murray: That's okay. 22:39.120 --> 22:39.720 Sonia Alvelo: Yeah. 22:39.750 --> 22:41.070 Sean Murray: That's that's what it's all about having a good 22:41.070 --> 22:41.550 time. Right? 22:41.550 --> 22:43.560 Sonia Alvelo: Yeah. Oh, my God. Yes, I can't wait. 22:45.750 --> 22:48.810 Sean Murray: So you know, Puerto Rico, given that it has a lot 22:48.810 --> 22:53.190 of, you know, weather related events, there are the lenders 22:53.220 --> 22:55.740 and funders that you've worked with? Have they been 22:55.740 --> 22:59.520 understanding, when say a hurricane happens? Like, I think 22:59.520 --> 23:02.910 you mentioned like something about like, hey, you know, a 23:02.910 --> 23:05.100 hurricanes coming, we got to do something about the payments, 23:05.100 --> 23:07.500 like, what what is your experience been with, because 23:07.500 --> 23:09.660 they're they're if they're typically on the mainland, 23:09.660 --> 23:13.380 right? Are they understanding of the issues that happen there? 23:13.380 --> 23:15.420 Like a hurricane or earthquake? or what have you experienced? 23:15.420 --> 23:18.510 Sonia Alvelo: You know what, I was really, really nervous. When 23:18.510 --> 23:25.650 that happened at the beginning, 2016, 2017 was really hard. I 23:25.650 --> 23:28.350 was really, really nervous. I was like, how am I going to do 23:28.350 --> 23:31.350 this? I mean, we talking about a lot of merchants, that they 23:31.350 --> 23:36.330 calling me and they are calling me. The it's, this is the crazy 23:36.330 --> 23:40.230 thing it's happening out here again, in Puerto Rico, and both 23:40.230 --> 23:44.640 merchants are worrying how am I gonna pay this loan? You know, 23:44.820 --> 23:47.790 that's incredible, you know, and, you know, I'm there 23:47.790 --> 23:51.180 listening and saying, okay, let me, let me handle this. Let me 23:51.210 --> 23:54.450 contact the lender. So at the beginning, yes, I was super 23:54.450 --> 23:58.110 worried. Now. I'm not, you know, things happen and you can't 23:58.110 --> 24:01.320 control it, I want to make sure that they are safe, that they 24:01.320 --> 24:05.190 okay, first. And my lenders, they're super understanding, I 24:05.190 --> 24:07.770 think we go back to the communication, if you have a 24:07.770 --> 24:11.220 good communication with them, Sean is not even a problem. 24:11.520 --> 24:13.740 Because they understand don't get me wrong, you know, when 24:13.740 --> 24:16.830 it's, you know, two weeks pass or a week later, I'm going to 24:16.830 --> 24:19.440 make sure I'm going to be on top of it. Right. And contact them 24:19.440 --> 24:22.470 and make sure that they have the power. You know, okay, so you 24:22.470 --> 24:26.280 back in business, let's let's, let's get your paid. So it's 24:26.310 --> 24:29.760 communication, I think that, you know, if we, if the lenders 24:29.820 --> 24:31.980 there should have more communications with all the 24:31.980 --> 24:36.330 brokers, it should be a better way to do business, you know, so 24:36.360 --> 24:41.160 I do have it and I'm welcome new lenders, as long as we have a 24:41.160 --> 24:43.350 good communication, some of the brokers or lenders, they don't 24:43.350 --> 24:48.330 get along, for whatever reasons, but you know, hello. But you 24:48.330 --> 24:52.110 know, I am happy with the ones that I have. So as long as they 24:52.140 --> 24:53.400 give me their problems, I'm fine. 24:53.760 --> 24:55.830 Sean Murray: What about the banks down there? Because we 24:55.830 --> 24:58.440 talked about how in the US, you know, banks aren't lending 24:58.440 --> 24:59.850 they're not lending in small business but what's the 24:59.850 --> 25:01.560 relationship? Traditional Funding. Yeah, what's the what's 25:01.560 --> 25:03.660 the relationship? You know, the traditional lending relationship 25:03.660 --> 25:04.140 down in Peurto Rico? 25:04.140 --> 25:05.250 Sonia Alvelo: They don't they don't want to they don't want to 25:05.250 --> 25:07.890 lend and they don't have the money. Peurto Rico is not in a 25:07.890 --> 25:11.070 good situations they know about companies like us. And don't get 25:11.070 --> 25:16.410 me wrong, they try to mimic the programs, but it's not gonna 25:16.410 --> 25:20.160 it's not gonna work. I got lenders like a banks from over 25:20.160 --> 25:23.370 there, Sonia, God, you know, oh, my goodness, this lesson, oh, my 25:23.370 --> 25:26.430 merchants they coming, you know, and they declining, they don't 25:26.430 --> 25:27.360 have the money. 25:28.260 --> 25:29.280 Sean Murray: The banks don't have the money. 25:29.280 --> 25:30.930 Sonia Alvelo: They just either don't have the money or they 25:30.930 --> 25:35.130 don't wanna lend the money, you know, and people that they've 25:35.130 --> 25:37.950 been 20, 40 years and they don't want to. 25:38.010 --> 25:39.630 Sean Murray: They won't lend to it. They won't lend. They've 25:39.630 --> 25:41.760 had, they've had a relationship that long, they still won't do 25:41.760 --> 25:41.820 it. 25:41.820 --> 25:43.560 Sonia Alvelo: I don't know what, you know, it's a shift right 25:43.560 --> 25:46.470 now. Yeah, I wish I would know, and the things that I know, I 25:46.470 --> 25:50.070 cannot say right now. I got invitations, you know, pending. 25:50.070 --> 25:53.910 So you know, so I, unfortunately, they're going 25:53.910 --> 25:58.200 through, they need us they need companies like ours, like 25:58.200 --> 26:00.510 Planning Financial they need Latin Financial and that's it, 26:01.500 --> 26:03.000 to help them. Yeah. 26:04.860 --> 26:08.130 Sean Murray: Your customers, are they, because this is like the 26:08.130 --> 26:11.640 topic of conversation today, are your are your customers being 26:11.850 --> 26:16.560 hit with offers from companies like Square Capital and Shopify 26:16.560 --> 26:20.430 Capital? Or you know, whatever it is PayPal, Working Capital? 26:20.610 --> 26:24.030 Are they being offered money from like, whatever tech, 26:24.030 --> 26:26.460 they're using QuickBooks, I think even has their own, like, 26:26.580 --> 26:29.610 you know, their own QuickBooks capital now, are your are the 26:29.610 --> 26:32.550 people you're talking to you, are they being offered money 26:32.550 --> 26:35.130 through these sources? And are they taking it? And like, what's 26:35.130 --> 26:35.760 what are you seeing? 26:35.820 --> 26:39.780 Sonia Alvelo: Um, I seen a lot of that in the US, the Latino 26:39.780 --> 26:45.480 community from the US. I have not seen a lot in Puerto Rico, 26:45.870 --> 26:48.420 which is beneficial for me. But I do worry. 26:49.050 --> 26:50.640 Sean Murray: So you are worried about this type of thing? 26:50.640 --> 26:53.310 Sonia Alvelo: You know, any, anybody, any broker should worry 26:53.310 --> 26:57.570 about those companies. But I don't I haven't seen a lot of 26:57.600 --> 27:02.730 offers from those companies. In Puerto Rico. But yes, in the US 27:02.730 --> 27:03.360 in the mainland, yeah. 27:03.360 --> 27:05.100 Sean Murray: So you find yourself competing against that 27:05.130 --> 27:06.270 occasionally? Say hey. 27:06.270 --> 27:07.980 Sonia Alvelo: Yes, yeah, obviously, yes. 27:08.040 --> 27:08.400 Sean Murray: Okay. 27:08.430 --> 27:08.790 Sonia Alvelo: Yeah. 27:09.060 --> 27:11.190 Sean Murray: Well, you know, like long term though, you do 27:11.190 --> 27:14.580 think that there's always going to be a value for a broker 27:14.580 --> 27:17.760 versus that, you know, that one to one tech relationship? 27:18.360 --> 27:20.550 Sonia Alvelo: I, I'm really confident in the way that I 27:20.550 --> 27:26.490 treat my clients. So if, if I have to do some shifting and 27:26.490 --> 27:29.160 look for new opportunities, that is going to bring me to that 27:29.160 --> 27:35.820 level, how, however it is, I think it's possible. But we all 27:35.820 --> 27:38.700 have to work together. This is this is this year's companies 27:38.700 --> 27:42.090 are taking over, you know, and I want my company, my company is 27:42.090 --> 27:44.760 going to be unique, it is unique right now, because of the 27:44.760 --> 27:47.880 conversations that we have with the clients. It is new and 27:47.880 --> 27:51.660 unique right now, because of the it's not only about funding, the 27:51.660 --> 27:56.070 person right now it's about seeing the business in about a 27:56.070 --> 27:59.550 year from now. And knowing that that business is being 27:59.550 --> 28:03.090 progressing, it's been surviving, I'm super proud of 28:03.090 --> 28:05.460 what we do. So you know, in the meantime, I try not to think 28:05.460 --> 28:09.930 about it. But yes, I do have to make other plans and see what I 28:09.930 --> 28:10.860 can do to adjust. 28:10.980 --> 28:12.540 Sean Murray: I will say, though, that one of the complaints I 28:12.540 --> 28:15.570 hear about those companies is that you can't call anyone, if 28:15.570 --> 28:18.690 anything goes wrong. You can do like an online, you can do an 28:18.690 --> 28:24.750 online chat maybe. Right? Yeah. And I imagine it if anyone has a 28:24.750 --> 28:29.610 problem with say your company they can get can they get to 28:29.610 --> 28:31.530 someone if they call you like if someone has a problem? 28:31.770 --> 28:33.960 Sonia Alvelo: Yes, I mean, it's incredible. You know, my, my 28:33.960 --> 28:37.500 clients, yeah, I'm gonna tell you this. It's funny. I mean, I 28:37.500 --> 28:41.700 learned what the application was sub ones because my merchants, 28:41.730 --> 28:45.660 my merchants, they use that all the time, Sonia, please answer 28:45.660 --> 28:48.660 me and they used to me calling them. So yes, they're always 28:48.660 --> 28:51.990 gonna have that customer service. I have a amazing team. 28:52.620 --> 28:53.460 Sean Murray: How many people work there? 28:53.490 --> 28:54.300 Sonia Alvelo: It's only eight. 28:54.360 --> 28:54.900 Sean Murray: Eight people? 28:54.930 --> 28:57.450 Sonia Alvelo: People, they think that we are a bigger company and 28:57.450 --> 29:02.400 it's because we always there, you know, we always we, I'm I'm 29:02.400 --> 29:07.740 so proud of all of you. So it's incredible. That's what we do we 29:07.740 --> 29:11.220 go in and don't get me wrong. My office is super loud, I put the 29:11.220 --> 29:15.630 music. Yes, Latino music and it's loud. And we have food and 29:15.630 --> 29:18.060 we got, you know, the gatherings and everything else. But we 29:18.060 --> 29:22.830 work. We're hard working team. So as long as we continue this 29:22.830 --> 29:24.810 those companies they got nothing on us. 29:24.870 --> 29:27.660 Sean Murray: How do you compare your office environment to ours? 29:27.690 --> 29:27.960 Cause. 29:28.260 --> 29:30.810 Sonia Alvelo: When I walked in, oh my goodness, can I say it? 29:30.840 --> 29:31.440 Sean Murray: Yeah. 29:31.470 --> 29:35.220 Sonia Alvelo: I'm sorry. You were so quiet. My office is 29:35.220 --> 29:35.730 loud. 29:35.760 --> 29:37.860 Sean Murray: I can hear you. I can hear your footsteps when you 29:37.860 --> 29:38.700 came in. I was like. 29:40.050 --> 29:43.500 Sonia Alvelo: I would love for your team to go to Connecticut 29:43.500 --> 29:44.160 in the office. 29:45.270 --> 29:47.160 Sean Murray: No, we're gonna do the 50th birthday party. 29:47.310 --> 29:47.970 Sonia Alvelo: That right, okay. 29:48.000 --> 29:49.440 Sean Murray: We don't want to see the office. We want to we 29:49.440 --> 29:52.800 just want to do the birthday party. Valentine's Day, that's 29:52.800 --> 29:53.160 your birthday? 29:53.160 --> 29:53.760 Sonia Alvelo: That's my birthday. 29:53.790 --> 29:54.570 Sean Murray: Oh, that's big. 29:54.660 --> 29:55.470 Sonia Alvelo: That's huge. 29:55.530 --> 29:55.860 Sean Murray: Yeah. 29:57.250 --> 29:58.300 Sonia Alvelo: Tis mio, yes. 30:00.160 --> 30:02.680 Sean Murray: And I feel like that feeds into Broker Fair. 30:03.130 --> 30:04.840 You've been you've been to our shows before right? 30:04.840 --> 30:08.320 Sonia Alvelo: I love that I seriously you've done an amazing 30:08.320 --> 30:13.810 job. This is through your Broker Fair, I met some of the lenders 30:13.810 --> 30:16.720 that I got right now. I met incredible people that I still 30:16.720 --> 30:20.230 talk to this day. So it's it's a huge opportunity and love it. 30:20.530 --> 30:23.200 Love it. I can't wait for this year and the following years, 30:23.230 --> 30:23.950 and I'm going to be there. 30:24.400 --> 30:24.940 Sean Murray: Awesome. 30:24.970 --> 30:25.750 Sonia Alvelo: Oh, yes. 30:25.930 --> 30:27.790 Sean Murray: How would you feel about speaking at our event? 30:27.790 --> 30:30.640 Sonia Alvelo: Oh, no, I knew it was coming. Well, I don't know. 30:30.670 --> 30:35.950 I don't know how I did today. I'm sorry. If I mumble. Let's 30:35.950 --> 30:37.330 talk about it in the future. 30:37.390 --> 30:38.950 Sean Murray: Okay. All right. Yeah, hopefully. 30:38.950 --> 30:39.730 Sonia Alvelo: I knew you were gonna ask me. 30:39.730 --> 30:41.880 Sean Murray: Yeah, hopefully that you know, you will join us. 30:42.060 --> 30:44.970 We've we've been trying to get her for quite some time. But, 30:44.970 --> 30:49.020 uh, yeah, you know, that would require the two hours of traffic 30:49.020 --> 30:51.570 to even get to the show. But you're coming to this upcoming 30:51.570 --> 30:51.960 one, right? 30:51.990 --> 30:54.240 Sonia Alvelo: Yeah, no, I'm coming. And I'm gonna stay for a 30:54.240 --> 30:57.000 couple of days, and I'm goinna party and I'm gonna meet people 30:57.000 --> 31:00.450 and I'm going to hang out with you and and what I do best, you 31:00.450 --> 31:04.860 know, mingle with people and try to get those lenders to put 31:04.860 --> 31:07.560 money into finance and with Latin Financial to do business. 31:07.590 --> 31:09.450 Sean Murray: Is it really worth it for a broker? Cause I know if 31:09.450 --> 31:11.670 you're a lender and you want to be brokers, sure, obviously, 31:11.670 --> 31:14.070 because you want to meet brokers but some brokers will say, you 31:14.070 --> 31:16.530 know, what's the value for me as a broker to go to a conference, 31:16.530 --> 31:18.000 like you said, you met lenders like. 31:18.000 --> 31:20.580 Sonia Alvelo: Connections, it's incredible. You're the only the 31:20.580 --> 31:25.470 only company that does this type events that I like that is there 31:25.470 --> 31:29.580 that everybody's talking about it. Don't change, do bigger and 31:29.580 --> 31:32.040 better things. You know, everybody's gonna follow you. 31:32.040 --> 31:37.200 Because, you know, what it's the perfect event, to connect, you 31:37.200 --> 31:40.290 know, so yeah, I'm they're not on the stage but I'm there. 31:40.320 --> 31:45.090 Sean Murray: We'll see. We'll see. But on that note, Sonia, 31:45.120 --> 31:47.460 thank you very much for being here. I really appreciate it. Is 31:47.460 --> 31:49.530 there anything else that you wanted to share about Latin 31:49.530 --> 31:51.420 financial or what's going on? 31:51.450 --> 31:54.700 Sonia Alvelo: No, you know what, I'm going to meet us. Right now, 31:54.764 --> 31:58.652 I wanted to say thank you, you know, obviously, thank you for 31:58.716 --> 32:02.286 giving me the opportunity. I felt that I wasn't. But no, 32:02.349 --> 32:06.238 thank you for the opportunity and your team, your friendship, 32:06.301 --> 32:09.871 you know, for all these years and talking to me and, and 32:09.935 --> 32:13.695 wanting to know more about Puerto Rico, that really, really 32:13.759 --> 32:17.393 I appreciate that. And for everybody out there, I'm Sonia 32:17.456 --> 32:21.600 from Latin Financial and my group, I love you, I'll see you soon. 32:21.990 --> 32:25.138 Sean Murray: And we will share her information on our site and 32:25.202 --> 32:29.186 we'll have a recording too of this of this live stream and her 32:29.250 --> 32:33.041 contact information and website. So thank you very much for 32:33.105 --> 32:37.410 joining deBanked TV. I'm Sean Murray and we will see you next time.