Five thousand and six hundred attendees. A who’s who of the financial services world. Executives from some of the most powerful and recognizable brands in the US (and abroad). Participants who’ve flown thousands of miles, flocking to San Diego for education, inspiration, and some networking sprinkled in. Workshops. Keynotes. Discussions. Break-outs. A list of speakers, musicians, award-winning authors, movie stars, and athletes. ESPN. Disney. The NBA. All united by the current opportunity for the Latino/Hispanic community in the United States.

Yes—it’s about real estate. And invariably, financing and banking as connective tissue. However, what stands out more is the collective commitment this group has to advance opportunity across the entire US, leveraging a voice that is, by some measures, 63 million strong (Latinos/Hispanics in the US).

NAHREP wasn’t just about powerful brands. It was about brands, and people, that EMPOWER. So many of my conversations revealed a theme of wanting to do more. To be an advocate in the community. To share advice with others back home. To find ways to access capital, leverage capital, repeat success, or innovate. Some of the attendees’ trips were funded by large corporations. But many others were independent brokers and advocates adamant about spending their time and dollars to get to San Diego. Some of the very evident takeaways were:

• In the next 20 years, 70% of the mortgage growth in the US will be from Hispanic/Latino buyers.
• Brands MUST covet this economy if they want to be relevant. Those that don’t will suffer the fate of dinosaurs.
• Product diversification is more relevant than ever. Latinos/Hispanics represent a tremendous growth in private wealth/wealth management access.
• It is imperative that banks, from single branches to the largest national entities, have an appetite to support a desire to start, grow, and amplify businesses—the Hispanic/Latino community is bringing jobs to America and Americans.
• Commit to a strategy with your chief strategy/brand/marketing leaders. This is a top down requirement. Staff or find the resources and then execute. It’s not enough to have a website with some Spanish content. The leaders at NAHREP acknowledged that success is in Spanish and English in all channels—phone, digital, and print. It is activating in Spanish. It’s creative adaptation. It’s being knowledgeable of and proactive with the local communities with responsive messaging. It is being clear and intentional. .
• Properly building out and supporting an LEP program could be expensive, but it will be worth it. It was even argued that each dollar of LEP programming could have a higher ROI than its English counterpart.
• There is more risk in doing nothing than doing something. Being late to adopt an LEP strategy will be noticed by consumers and even employees.
   

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