Crypto Lucha and all about NFTs

MEET CRYPTO LUCHA,

THE NEWEST ADDITION TO THE NFT’S WORLD

Curious about learning more about NFT’s and everything that’s behind this world? We asked Luis Arellano, cofounder of Crypto Lucha, some questions about his latest project and what this new trend is all about.

How was Crypto Lucha born and how does it work?

Crypto Lucha was born out of opportunity; the opportunity to create a more inclusive economy, especially with Latinos. Crypto, NFTs, and Web3 are here to stay and will help shape our future in many ways. All you have to do is look and see the renaming of major sporting arenas to companies innovating in these areas for some validation. However, there are still many people that are skeptical of these new technologies, but the reason for this skepticism is simply just time. We are still very early in these technologies where only spots of clarity exist, but that's where great opportunities live.

Crypto Lucha's mission is to educate, especially Latinos, on what these technologies are and how they work through first-hand experience. Our goal is to educate on what is an NFT and why it is just more than an image, it's value, how to begin to invest in crypto and NFTs, but most importantly, to learn about DeFi or Decentralized Finance through Crypto Lucha's introduction of it's powerful token, $TACOS.

Crypto Lucha is one of the most successful, Latino-created NFT collections in the world. The collection art was inspired by 90's video game nostalgia and the power of culture, in this case, the iconic Mexican lucha libre.

Why NFT's? Where do you see them in the future?

NFTs are a technology that offers endless possibilities. It is a technology that is transparent as everything is registered on the blockchain for anyone to see. It is a technology that allows everyday people to participate in industries that were normally closed to them. As an example, NFTs are already revolutionizing the music industry

To learn more visit getcryptolucha.com

by letting artists and fans build much closer, mutually-beneficial relationships. NFTs will change the way projects are funded, how people connect, etc. NFTs and smart contracts will play an important part in our future which is why we built Neefter. In fact, Crypto Lucha is a project of Neefter.

What has been Crypto Lucha's impact today?

Crypto Lucha's impact has been tremendous. As we mentioned before, we are one of the most successful, Latino-created collections in the world, and we are just getting started. We're educating A-list Latino celebrities, influencers, gamers, legendary luchadores, and many others on Crypto Lucha and everyone is super excited. We have built an amazingly strong community that is very active daily on our Discord and Twitter that is eager to "fight" for $TACOS via our Playto-Earn game that is coming soon. And just recently, our community benefitted from a super exclusive event celebrating the 69th anniversary of the legend that is Huracán Ramírez, an icon of lucha libre. Crypto Lucha is a project that aims to build a cultural movement and unparalleled value for our community.

What's your take on diversity in the blockchain world? Is there an opportunity gap for Latinos?

Yes! There is a clear opportunity gap for Latinos, which is why Crypto Lucha was born. Our mission is to educate and get as many Latinos into the blockchain world, crypto, NFTs, metaverse, Web3, everything, as fast as possible because now is the time. This world moves fast and there's already a diversity problem developing just like venture capital or any other current industry. Unfortunately, we're battling long-standing issues like cultural adoption (as Latinos we're not taught to risk or invest but rather save), disposable income, access to information in our language, lack of knowledge, etc. all of which contribute to a potential widening in a diversity gap, but we're still early to educate ourselves on the opportunity, on how things work, etc. and be proactive about the opportunity instead of reactive. The beauty of Web3 is that it allows for more inclusivity. It allows for the user to benefit from platforms much more than just socially. As an example of the opportunity, Latinos are one of the top users of social media, if not the top market, so if Latinos educate themselves on Web3 and the opportunities that are being built, Latinos stand to take advantage of these opportunities simply by knowing how things work.

To learn more visit getcryptolucha.com

ABSTRACTA,

TECH WITH PURPOSE FROM LATIN AMERICA

Federico Toledo, co-founder of Abstracta grew up in the countryside in a humble family near Atlántida in Uruguay, 50 kilometers from the capital, Montevideo. He attended a rural school of only 50 children where he never lacked the basics, but it was a very strained situation, where they got by day to day. He completed his degree in Computer Engineering as College in Uruguay is free. He was able to develop professionally and continue studying. He now holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the UCLM, in Spain. He published the first testing book entirely in Spanish called "Introduction to Information Systems Testing”. We talked to him about his venture, Abstracta.

About Abstracta

Abstracta is a leading agile software testing company. It applies highly sophisticated engineering and automation processes to testing practices and the software development lifecycle. To achieve this, they focus on increasing product quality and reducing software build times.

Identity

Abstracta is a bootstrapped company that was born from the idea of 3 college friends: Fabián Baptista, Federico Toledo, and Matías Reina. Years later, Sofía Palamarchuk was invited to join as a partner.

Founded in Uruguay in 2008 currently, it has offices in Silicon Valley, Latin America, and the UK. Fernando and the team believe in the method, warmth, and in dedication. And, above all, they know that extraordinary software increases performance simplifies lives, and transforms communities. Promoting a culture of mutual care and being a positive influence in the lives of their people and clients is above all else. That is the core of their identity. It is an ethical and immutable imperative.

Inspiration and Purpose

“I know how having good growth opportunities at work can improve people's quality of life. My dream is to help people to improve their quality of life through employment, as I did. That is what truly motivates me and guides my path. Much of my growth is thanks to the opportunities my home country has given me. There are incredible opportunities to grow in Uruguay and be the change we want to see. That's why I founded Abstracta with my partners,” Federico Toledo.

Revenue and Investment Structure

In order to turn their dream company into a reality, the team received support from the National Agency for Research and Innovation (ANII) and other organizations. They stand out for offering services that are charged to clients on a "time and materials" basis, or with a fixed monthly cost. The value depends on the monthly dedication and the size of the team needed to cover the objectives. On the other hand, they currently have some testing products that have taken a life of their own in a spin-off form, as is the case of Apptim. And some products that are still within Abstracta, such as GXtest.

Once Abstracta became a household name in software testing and it was established as a profitable, sustainable and scalable company, they decided to start franchising worldwide. The first franchise we opened was in Chile in 2019, and they expect to continue expanding much further.

Markets and Industries of Impact

Their main markets/industries to impact are e-commerce, financial services, healthcare, and the tech industry

• E-commerce:

The main focus is on software testing to achieve the delivery of high-quality online shopping experiences on both desktop and mobile devices.

• Financial services:

Internet banking is the fastest-growing channel in the Financial Services sector. This growth, combined with the increased importance of providing access via mobile devices, makes it imperative to find the right strategic partner for software testing. Abstracta helps to ensure that systems are reliable and secure leaving companies free to focus on running their business.

• Healthcare:

Abstracta ensures that the healthcare systems keep patient data safe, reliable, comply with regulations and adhere to industry standards while reducing risk and costs.

• Tech Industry:

Creating reliable and robust software to bring to market and minimize risk is one of their main objectives. Abstracta has over a decade’s worth of experience working with eminent technology companies and solution providers across the globe. They understand the challenges that companies face in today’s competitive market and can provide the extra capacity they need to move forward faster.

Current Funding and Capitalization As a financing strategy they have leveraged loans from IDB Labs for new spinoffs focused on solving social problems, and loans from ANII, for expansion into other markets.

To expand to other countries, they follow the strategy of finding partners to open a franchise, who should invest in opening the business in other countries and develop the testing community locally.

For Abstracta, it’s very important to share common ground with their partners to co-build better software while contributing to community development and people's quality of life.

JAVIER LOYA

CHAIRMAN, AND CEO OF OTC GLOBAL HOLDINGS LP AND MINORITY OWNER OF THE NLF’S HOUSTON TEXANS.

RISING INTO SUCCESS THROUGH AUTHENTICITY

Daniel Sanchez Torres

Javier Loya is part of a familial lineage of hard work and ambition. The Chairman and CEO of OTC Global Holdings LP, Loya is a native of El Paso, Texas, and a first-generation Mexican-American. He is also the child of parents who came to the United States in pursuit of the American Dream.

Javier came from a large family of seven kids. In thinking about his roots, he recalls that his grandfather of Spanish roots moved his family to Chihuahua, Mexico where his father was born, and met his German/Italian mother. His family was a family of farmers, so while they didn’t have a formal education they did have the tenacity to work hard and the quest to provide a better life for their children.

“My father was my hero growing up,” Loya says. With nothing but his ambition, his father emigrated to the United States with the intention to join the army and fight during World War II. His father was too young, though, so he instead joined the Red Cross.

Javier recalls hearing stories of the war and when he was growing up he thought that they were memories of his father. What they actually were, were stories that his father had read. Though his parents did not have a formal education and lived a humble life, both of his parents were well-read and would pass on this thirst for education to their children.

After the war ended, Javier’s father’s dedication to the Red Cross granted him American citizenship and he made a home in El Paso, Texas. In Texas, his father would join an American manufacturing company. He started at the company loading trucks but over the course of his 34 years with the company, he rose to the position of supervisor.

Javier was the sixth of seven children and when he was born his family would make a permanent move to El Paso. While his older brothers and sisters spent much of their childhood in Juarez, Mexico Javier has vivid memories of crossing the border often. “It was an intertwined community,” he says of life between the two countries.

His family was close, Javier remembers fondly of 6 o’clock dinners with his whole family talking about what they learned in school that day. These dinners not only instilled the importance of education but also helped nurture a healthy competition as he grew up listening to the ambition and success of his brothers and sisters.

Javier jokes that he is the 4th most successful person in his family, but the anecdote proves that his home environment was a place where he was challenged to find his passion and encouraged to be exceptional at it.

When it came time to think about college, Javier understood that going to a top university would open up a lot of doors for him. He had his sights set on playing football for a top Texas university, but it soon became clear that while he was good at football, his skills were not necessarily on par as other players competing for the same spots.

His grades, however, were exceptional and when coupled with his strong talent for football, Columbia University in New York became his ultimate choice. In reflecting on the decision, Javier admitted that with time he understood that there is a “difference between a college that wants you, and a college that will take care of you.”

Columbia University did allow him to play football, but more than that it provided him the professional support that was instrumental in helping him land Summer jobs and find employment after graduation. And, after a young life growing up between Juarez and El Paso - New York City seemed like an exciting adventure.

University was a defining time for Javier because it saw him grow out of an ambition to play professional football and focus his energy on a Political Science degree and train his focus and ambition to a career in law.

However, through a connection from his older brother Javier got the opportunity to intern at Amerada Hess, a commodity brokerage firm focused on crude oil.

Loya, with a smile, describes his first impression of the firm as “a bunch of young people screaming and yelling [into phones]. When the market closed, they all jumped into their Ferraris and Porches.” He was so overwhelmed and unfamiliar with the language of commodities that he didn’t think that this would be something he would be interested in.

His intern days were full of picking up dry cleaning and delivering lunch, but in a strange twist of fate, during his time there, Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait and overnight oil prices shot up and the brokerage firm experienced a boom in business.

His boss at the time offered a full-time position to Javier. He was hesitant at first because he was a semester away from graduating and felt a familial obligation to fulfill the dreams of his parents, to receive a college education. But a lucrative offer swayed him and he took the job with the caveat that he would talk to his professors to figure out how to finish his last semester. Fortunately, he was able to work with his professors to graduate and he has been a commodities broker ever since.

The efforts of hard work that his family instilled in him allowed him to gain experience and develop a network of clients and supporters for Javier to decide to start his own company, Choice Energy Group, in 1993.

While the company experienced early success, the early 2000s saw Enron as a strong competitor. The competition of Enron discouraged his parents and allowed Javier to buy out the equity of his partners and push forward on an aggressive growth strategy that saw the company rebrand as OTC Global Holdings, and expand the portfolio beyond just energy, to include agricultural products and metals. This shift allowed for the company to transform from an organization of one office and 7-8 employees to what it is now: a company with 350+ employees, 200+ brokers, and headquarters in Houston, New York, Chicago, London, Singapore, and soon Shanghai.

His love for football never went away, though. And in a serendipitous moment of a morning spent reading the newspaper, Javier learned that Bob McNair, an American businessman, and philanthropist, was the principal owner of the newly formed Houston Texans. McNair had worked diligently to put together an ownership group that was reflective of the Houston community but had run into severe criticism for not having a Hispanic member. McNair was clear, thought that he was eager to find one.

Javier reached out and shared his story with McNair and how football gave him - and his brothers - the opportunity to pursue an education and develop a huge passion for the sport. His enthusiasm was clear and Javier was able to buy into the franchise and become the first Hispanic investor in the NFL.

Reflecting on his career and success Javier doesn't think that there's any “secret sauce” to success. “It’s about communication and authenticity,” he says. Javier has had the experience to see how companies, industries, and businesses have evolved; and the lesson that he has learned is that as long as he is committed to communicating with his team and customers about what they are doing, how they are doing it, and what’s in it for them and remaining authentic people will follow and support.

Javier continues to be excited about the growth of his company. But he’s also invested in giving back to the community that made him. Specifically a student showcase in both Houston and El Paso that brings together college coaches and administrators focused on a range of sports and disciplines to come to one place and provide academic scholarships to students who may not necessarily get the attention they deserve. In the past 10 years, he’s proud to say that $30-$40 million of scholarships have been awarded.

Despite all of his success the topic that clearly brings him joy is his family. He has two young daughters and a wife who have their own ambitions and goals and he is excited and proud to be along for the ride and support them in any way that they need. The Loya legacy of hard work and ambition continues.

Javier Loya and Roger Goodell

DANIEL DIAZ LEYVA

MANAGING PARTNER AT DIAZ LEYVA GROUP

Bill Sarno

Courtesy

Luis González

THE LEGAL VIEW

Daniel Diaz Leyva, a successful and respected Miami attorney, sees a correlation between an emerging minority community and representation at the board level.

AS DANIEL DIAZ LEYVA paves the way for his Miami-headquartered law firm, Diaz Leyva Group, a firm well-established in the corporate and real estate practice areas, new challenges await. With hopes of scaling in the near future, his strategic plan includes more work in his current transactional space, expanding to support his owner-operator entrepreneurial clients with estate planning and immigration, and a new path toward litigation. He believes in a natural transition and growth pattern to business arising from serving as a trusted advisor to clients who organically request support in other areas of the law. “My relationship with my clients evolves over time as trust and confidence is earned over the course of each mandate. Eventually, clients request our counsel in other areas outside the scope of our mandates because of our ability to trouble shoot and give honest, effective advice," says Diaz Leyva, who left one of the nation's largest law firms to open his own practice and has built a client portfolio that includes the nation's largest homebuilders, banks and wealthy Latin American immigrants.

In addition, the new trajectory he envisions for Diaz Leyva Group responds to the fact that Hispanics are gaining in all sectors of life in the U.S., and he wants his practice to be a part of it.

“With more than 62 million Hispanics across the country, you need to be a reflection of the community you represent,” says Diaz Leyva. “More and more, companies are taking note of the growing population they are selling products and services to, and engaging and hiring more Hispanics to handle their legal work at firms like mine.” Having said that, it’s no secret that population growth among minorities is driving overall U.S. population growth. It’s just that these realities need to be felt across the spectrum, according to Diaz Leyva, including in corporate board membership. “As access to the board room grows to include an increasing number of Hispanic leaders, a trickle effect begins with a community a company serves reflected at all levels of that company. And it is this that I think will happen in the not-too-distant future.”

A very personal project for Diaz Leyva is the creation of a foundation which will manifest his commitment to sustained mentoring and give him the chance to pay forward the opportunities he has received. While his agenda is ambitious, its underpinnings rest solidly on the inspiration of Cubans, like his family, who have lived in exile for more than 60 years. "Our generation has benefited significantly from our parents and grandparents’ generations," says Diaz Leyva. “They bore the brunt of the challenges – the need to integrate themselves into the community and learn the language.” Diaz Leyva’s grandfather, who was an attorney and editor of some of the largest newspapers in Cuba, worked as a janitor when he arrived in the U.S. "I draw a lot from those hardships that my parents and grandparents experienced. I live my life with gratefulness and appreciation of their sacrifices and the opportunities that were given to us because of the adversity they endured,” reflects Diaz Leyva. "This has helped shape my life, my perspective on the world, how I treat people and on how I build my business. It is a big part of who I am.”

One of those opportunities was access to education. Diaz Leyva attended the University of Miami, majored in finance, and then obtained his law degree from St.

Thomas University School of Law in Miami Gardens, FL. "I realized that everything you do in business touches on the law so I felt that going to law school would be very helpful in the business world." He credits his family for his career choice as he felt a deep responsibility to make the most of the higher education he had been afforded.

At the beginning of his career, he worked with various mid-size and large law firms, including Foley & Lardner LLP, where he had the opportunity to work with distinguished and long-established clients, including publicly traded companies and innovative tech companies. This experience inspired him to go out on his own, even though it meant a bit of belt tightening. "I didn't start the practice to take over the world," he said. “I just wanted to be in control of my own destiny and support people that I thought big firms were not capable of supporting in a cost-efficient way." Initially it was friends and family that gave Diaz Leyva the opportunity to represent them. But today, his firm is anchored by a large publicly traded homebuilder, LGI Homes, the 10th largest publicly traded homebuilder in the country, based in The Woodlands, Texas.

Diaz Leyva represents LGI Homes across the state of Florida, managing all of its land acquisitions, homeowners’ association (HOA) work, and generally trouble shooting issues as the need arises. Other major clients include Farm Stores Franchising, a national drive-through convenience store chain; and real estate, investment and development companies such as Barlington Group, Orion Real Estate Group, The Estate Companies, and LinkVest Capital. He also represents several banks including City National Bank of Florida, Ocean Bank and Valley National Bank, handling their loan transactions. Other clients include family offices and investors from Latin America who are able to capitalize on Diaz Leyva being bilingual. "I do a lot of acquisition and sale work, leasing, and financings in the real estate space and direct investments with sponsors in the real estate private equity space for these kinds of clients," he said.

Diaz Leyva and his wife Cristina have two children, Daniel Jr., 9, and Adriana, 7. They have been very involved in their community for more than a decade and along the way, he has been honored by several organizations for his community

“WITH THE U.S. HISPANIC COMMUNITY GROWING IN SIZE AND INFLUENCE, BOTH POLITICALLY AND FINANCIALLY, WE ARE SEEING ENGAGEMENT WITH FIRMS LIKE MINE THAT IS GOING ALL THE WAY UP TO THE BOARD ROOM."

service. He has garnered the Ruth Shack Leadership Award from the Miami Foundation and the Head of School Alumni Award from Palmer Trinity School, his high school alma mater. He has also served on the board of trustees of the nation’s largest institution of higher learning, Miami Dade College; and helped establish and served as the executive director of the U.S. chapter of the Consejo Empresarial de América Latina, an organization that promotes economic development across the western hemisphere supported by some of the regions’ most successful entrepreneurs.

As his career evolves, he continues to draw upon his grandparents and parents. "Any time I find myself in a challenging situation, I tighten my belt and say: what would they have done? And that has pushed me through, it has helped me break through barriers."

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Jorge Ferráez @ JFerraez_Latino @ferraez.wine Luis E. González

ALTHOUGH I mostly like dry white wines, I need to confess that the fragrant, floral-perfumed sweet aromas of the Grüner Veltliners from Austria are delicious. I never waste an opportunity to have a glass (or two) before a luncheon on a bright day. This Kremstal Reid Kremser Watchberg Reserve 2019, showed fresh citrus and flowery aromas. It drank easy and had medium bodied structure with lemongrass, tangerine and mineral notes. As an ending impression it was perfumed and crisp. Just sipping slowly while preparing lunch or over a good conversation with friends, this wine is a real deal!

•On a trip to Chicago, I made a quick stop at one of my favorite places for Italian wine: Eataly. They have a very nice, organized section with the wine regions explained very well on the walls and the wines under each section; a 101 for Italian wine lovers. Browsing up and down I found this fantastic one from Tuscany: C. Berardenga “Castello di Rossi” Corbaia 2011. A rich blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a fantastic mix with soft and ample fruit and earthy notes. An elegant powerful and yet sophisticated wine with a delicate character and delicious palate. It shows; fig, balsamic and rose petals too.

•As the winter goes away and the bright spring days start, I discovered this white Bordeaux, which I guess is mainly Sauvignon Blanc. Talbot is a very well-respected Chateau in Saint-Julien, however their white wine is constructed on a wider regional base. Château Talbot Caillou Blanc 2019 has a nice and fresh approach with white flowers, grapefruit, and peach notes. Although medium bodied, well balanced and acid but with a very round and long finish. It is elegant with a mouthful grip, silky texture and could be more expressive but its youth is expressed a little still stiff character.

•Trying to get out of the ordinary wines, for some mid-week dinner with friends, I found this nice blend of Rhone varietals. Not expensive at all ($34), the Jeff Cohn “misc. stuff” 2013 (Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre: GSM) started with impressive with dark fruit notes of cherry and plum. At the palate was interestingly peppery, spiced and plummy with a bold character. We sipped it through dinner, and it was still stiff and chewy at the end. It definitively needs time to open, but I would also try to buy some more to cellar for a couple of years. It is a very good option for that last minute visit with friends or family.