We were lucky to catch up with CECILIA GUERRA recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi CECILIA, thanks for joining us today. Let’s start with important influences in our lives. Is there a historical figure you look up to?
There are two historical figures that I look up to:
1- Abraham Lincoln
2- Nicola Tesla
Both of these figures came from humble beginnings one the son of a farmer who educated himself to become not only a lawyer but the 16th president of the United States who faced personal, political and national adversity. The second the son of a priest who had to deal with illness and faced death multiple times. He laid the foundation for electricity and invented one of the earliest remote controls and is responsible for the wireless communications we know today.
CECILIA, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am a first generation Honduran-American born and raised in New York City, NY. My brother and I lived in Honduras for a year when we were children because our parents divorced and it was then that we had the opportunity to meet my maternal grandparents. My grandfather was the treasurer of a sugar cane company and my grandmother a baker/saleswoman. It was through this trying time that I was able to discover this part of my heritage and became aware my great-grandfather had been an attorney in his town. My grandfather, for some reason, told me at the age of 16 that because of the characteristics he saw in me that I would follow in my great-grandfather’s footsteps and that I would also become a lawyer. My reply at the time was “I am just trying to get out of High School and you want me to dedicate another 12 years to this…I don’t know about that!” and here I am – the lawyer he predicted I would be!
He is the inspiration of for my cigar trademark – Cruzes Cigars and my grandmother is the inspiration for my coffee trademark – CeCafe Coffee.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
There are three books that I have read that have impacted my entrepreneurial thinking/philosophy:
1- Summa Theologica by St. Thomas Aquinas – there is synergy of reason and faith. Faith builds upon reason and sense knowledge;
2- Unconscious Branding – Douglas Van Praet- how to use neuroscience in order to market your goods/services;
3- Rich Dad/Poor Dad & Cashflow Quadrant – Robert Kiyosaki – discourse on financial freedom and the mindset required to achieve it
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
The Co-Vid Pandemic was a time when I had to pivot my business, career and life. I literally had to switch the areas of law that I practiced and as an entrepreneur I had to put my entire business on hold since I was self funding and no shipments were moving internationally. I had to work from home and really had to have a handle on time management, prioritization and budgeting. It really showed me that you cannot have all of your “eggs in one basket”. Diversification is key not only for investments but in supply chain and business as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ceciliaguerralaw.com ; www.cecafecoffee.com; www.cruzescigars.com
- Instagram: CeCafe Coffee
- Facebook: Cruzes Cigars; CeCafe Coffee
- Linkedin: www.Linkedin.com/in/ceciliamguerraesq
Image Credits
Image Credits – Cruzes Cigars and CeCafe Coffee – Monarch & Sparrow Enterprises Ltd. Image Credit – Lawyer picture – Cecilia Guerra, Esq.