We were lucky to catch up with Cynthia De Los Santos Maxwell recently and have shared our conversation below.

Cynthia, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you scale up? What were the strategies, tactics, meaningful moments, twists/turns, obstacles, mistakes along the way? The world needs to hear more realistic, actionable stories about this critical part of the business building journey. Tell us your scaling up story – bring us along so we can understand what it was like making the decisions you had, implementing the strategies/tactics etc.

When people look at the companies I’ve built and invested in today, they see the success of my endeavors & often assume that success came overnight. The truth is nothing about this journey was “overnight”.

The middle phase, the messy & in between chapters, the grit of growth – is rarely talked about.
Those chapters are where it all happened. That’s where the foundation I stand on today was built brick by brick.

I started small, like most founders do. I had a vision that I pursued with conviction & more passion than playbooks.

But passion alone doesn’t scale a business.
What did?
Strategy, relentless execution,and building the right team.

Hiring the right people ,& just as important -not hiring the wrong ones, has been one of the most crucial elements in every stage of my businesses.
Talent can take you far, but loyalty, alignment, character, and drive are what make people stick and not only help you grow, but grow alongside you.
And sometimes, the hard decisions like parting ways with misaligned or stagnant team members are the ones that save your company from deeper setbacks.

Scaling also meant knowing when to let go of control and trust the experts. I couldn’t be in every room or lead every meeting. I had to build leaders who could lead without me. That took patience and clarity in communicating our vision so they could carry it forward.

There were mistakes, no doubt hiring too fast, trusting too easily, holding on to team members who aren’t aligned with the business’s direction can slow down progress. There were deals that fell through & money lost. But every misstep became feedback. Every loss taught me where to pivot & the direction to go in moving forward.

One meaningful moment I’ll never forget was when several of our portfolio companies hit its first 7 figure month. That moment didn’t come from a sudden viral success or lucky break. It came from months and years of building systems, analyzing data, refining messaging, and showing up even when the metrics weren’t pretty.

Growth isn’t glamorous in real-time. It’s spreadsheets, sleepless nights, rebranding, rebuilding, dealing with the human side of business disappointments, betrayals, doubt. But the grit pays off. And when you focus on impact, not just income, the right people and opportunities find you.

Today, our companies aren’t just profitable they’re purposeful. They’ve created jobs, empowered communities, and changed lives. That’s the real story. And it’s one I’ll keep telling, because the world needs to hear that success is built not given.

Cynthia, 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?

Cynthia Maxwell is a serial entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist and along with her husband Derek Maxwell they are the visionary founders of the Maxwell Group, a powerhouse firm with over 32 businesses spanning real estate, private equity, luxury retail, distribution, fashion, medical, tech, staffing, health and wellness. But long before she became a CEO overseeing multi million dollar acquisitions across North America and now internationally she was a young girl growing up in the colonias of South Texas a migrant, a dreamer, and a fighter.

Born and raised in Weslaco, Texas, I come from a hardworking family that taught me the value of love, hustle, and integrity. My father, Lúcio De Los Santos, was a truck driver with a heart of gold. He loved deeply, gave generously, and cared for everyone he met. My mother, Gloria De Los Santos, poured her heart into her work as a preschool teacher, showing me the importance of patience, dedication, and kindness. Together, they raised five of us with the kind of values that don’t just shape your character they anchor your purpose.

At 20 years old, as a single mother of two with no college degree, Her “education” came from books, real-life experience, trial by fire, and an unshakable faith in God. Every setback was a lesson. Every hardship, a stepping stone. And every small win, a sign she was on the right path.

Under her leadership, Maxwell Capital Group has established a commanding presence in key markets including Texas, California, Boston, Oklahoma, San Francisco, New York, Canada and currently expanding into Europe. The firm’s growth is fueled by Cynthia’s unwavering dedication to purpose driven investment enhancing communities through sustainable development, philanthropic initiatives, and impactful engagement.

Cynthia’s and Derek’s bold vision and entrepreneurial spirit have propelled Maxwell Group into the global spotlight, with the firm now expanding its reach into emerging international markets. With a proven track record, deep industry insight, and an unrelenting focus on innovation, she continues to redefine what it means to lead with both purpose and performance.

As a woman shaping the future of investment, Cynthia is passionately pushing the boundaries in a traditionally male dominated industry. Through Maxwell Capital Group, she’s not only building a powerful and diverse portfolio she’s creating space for women to lead, build, and innovate at the highest level.

With operations across the country and internationally her firm is committed to community focused growth, sustainable development, and legacy driven investments. Cynthia’s mission goes beyond business she’s empowering a new generation of women to step into boardrooms, lead major deals, and leave a lasting impact on the world.

What sets Cynthia apart is more than business success it’s her story. Her roots. Her unwavering belief that where you come from does not define where you’re going.

She is living proof that a migrant girl from the colonias can rise, lead, and change the game without privilege, without shortcuts, and without apology.

“I didn’t come from wealth. I came from work ethic. I came from faith. I came from love. That foundation built everything.” – Cynthia De Los Santos Maxwell

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

1. “The Hard Thing About Hard Things” by Ben Horowitz
• Why it matters: Candid, real talk about the brutal truths of running and scaling a company. Offers mindset-shifting insights on decision-making, layoffs, culture, and leading under pressure.

2. “Good to Great” by Jim Collins
• Key idea: What separates great companies from merely good ones — based on research, not theory.
• Notable concept: Level 5 Leadership, the Hedgehog Concept, and the Flywheel Effect.

3. “Zero to One” by Peter Thiel
• For visionary thinkers: Focuses on building something truly unique instead of just iterating on existing ideas (going from 1 to n).
• Encourages contrarian thinking in business and tech.

4. “Principles” by Ray Dalio
• Impact: Breaks down decision-making into systems and principles you can apply to business, leadership, and life.

If you have multiple revenue streams in your business, would you mind opening up about what those streams are and how they fit together?

Yes, my business portfolio includes multiple and strategically designed supplementary revenue streams across all my companies.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: Cindyaroundtheworld
• Linkedin: Cynthia De Los Santos Maxwell

Image Credits

Head shots by Barbara Delgado