We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ismael Mercado. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with ismael below.

Ismael, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

If you don’t know where you’re going, any path will do! A person is born twice in their life—once when they open their eyes, and again when they discover their life’s mission. It took me years, countless setbacks, and a lot of learning to find mine. But eventually, I realized what I was good at and how that could help others. My mission, and the mission of my business, is to teach people that through learning, communication, and focus, they can reach places they never thought possible.

Ismael, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I was born in Maracaibo, Venezuela, on December 6, 1980. I had a very happy childhood, largely thanks to my incredible grandmother, Milady Olivares, who loved me deeply. She was the one who showered me with love, while my mother, a Colombian immigrant, fled to Venezuela in search of a better future, escaping the Colombia that had long been under a gray cloud of corruption and poverty. My mother, a supermom, filled my life with love and continues to do so with her daily gestures. Together, they cared for me and always sought to instill the best values and principles in me so that I could become a man of value to society.

From a young age, I was always drawn to business. I didn’t know how to pursue it, but I was passionate about imagining myself in the future, dressed in a suit and tie, speaking and generating ideas that would contribute to society. Over time, I’ve learned that when you set your mind on something with a clear goal, life shows you the way and takes you to places where you can learn. That’s how I met someone who became my girlfriend for about three and a half years, and she taught me things I didn’t know—like the habit of reading, gaining general knowledge, learning new languages, and having the desire to travel the world. She even taught me how to set the table properly. After all of that, my desire to become a businessman grew even more, and I ventured into the business world without fully knowing the rules.

I made money, but I also lost it. Eventually, I realized that my lack of discipline had cost me everything I had by the time I was 20. Discouraged but determined to keep moving forward, I set out on a new path, this time more cautiously. I started several businesses, one of which was selling clothes. A few years later, in 2004, I founded my first company, Soluciones Gerenciales, where I dedicated myself to offering courses and seminars throughout Venezuela. It was an experience that immersed me in the corporate world, as I worked for banks and both public and private companies.

After several years of doing the same thing, I decided to put into practice everything I taught in my seminars and opened several businesses that became quite profitable and are still operating today. During that time of hard work, I also came up with a magazine called “Construyendo,” which was mainly a catalog for houses for sale or rent. Back then, social media didn’t exist. I even created an audiobook that would be like a podcast today, called “Seven Steps to Achieving Your Success”—this was before Spotify or any streaming platform existed. I have been multifaceted in what I’ve created. I love art, I love to create, and I am always working on something new.

I’ve done great business, but I’ve also had ventures that didn’t go so well, and I lost money. Reflecting on this, I realize that one of my best businesses was giving seminars because, with the money I earned, I opened a hardware store, which is still open and generating income in Venezuela. With all the money I earned, I opened a supermarket and had several other businesses that gave me five different monthly incomes. But one day in Venezuela, the electricity went out for three days. People went crazy and took advantage of the opportunity to loot and destroy any businesses they found along the way. That day, I lost almost everything.

At the time, my son Andrés was 7, my daughter Samantha was 5, and my wife was pregnant. It was an emotional shock. From that March of 2019, things started to change. My country plunged into darkness, and businesses had to close. In my case, my income dropped significantly, and I had debts. This led me to make the least painful decision among my options: to come to the United States and start from scratch. I arrived here on August 21, 2021, full of energy and hope. I quickly learned the hard way that coming as a tourist is very different from coming to live in this great country.

I went through mountains of tears and sadness, crying every day, missing my family, my homeland, and the warmth of home that was far away. At one point, I even thought about ending my life to escape the overwhelming feelings that suffocated me. But I reconsidered and gathered the strength to keep going. I discovered that the life you want often requires letting go of the life you have.

Three years later, I’m still here, more focused and with more determination, having learned lessons that have helped me make better decisions for the sake of my family and my future. I’ve published my first book, “Cuentos que Inspiran Historias,” and launched a podcast with the same name. I’ve also created a consulting firm to help others build new businesses. I run a business where I assist immigrants with their paperwork and guide them on what they need to do when they arrive in this country to avoid costly mistakes—this business is called Caminos Migratorios. Soon, I will open my online course academy for all of Latin America, with the goal of educating anyone who wants to move forward and contribute to the continued growth of this great nation.

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

First, I focus on identifying my true market, diving deep to understand their preferences. Then, I uncover their pain points—the real needs they have. Once I understand what troubles them, I craft a value proposition designed to solve their problems, helping to make their business or service more effective.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The best source of new clients has been social media. Understanding that advertising now means showing up on TikTok and telling your story on Instagram, all while creating valuable content aligned with my services. It’s never about selling directly to people, but rather sharing stories that resonate, stories that people can relate to and eventually choose to buy into. If you’re not using social media and don’t understand it, you’re living in the past.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ismaelmercado.wordpress.com
• Instagram: ismaelmercado
• Facebook: ismael Mercado
• Linkedin: Ismael mercado
• Twitter: @ismaelmercado
• Youtube: @ismaelmercado3411
• Yelp: none
• Soundcloud: none

Image Credits

Milady Yount