Creating your own category in business is all about carving out a unique niche or market segment that hasn't been fully explored yet. It's about being the trailblazer and setting yourself apart as a leader and innovator. But here's the catch - this approach requires playing the long game. You have to think beyond immediate gains and be willing to make strategic investments and sacrifices to accelerate growth and establish a dominant position in the market.

Joining me today is Edrizio De La Cruz, a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, and co-founded Arcus,a fintech company that raised $20M from Y Combinator, Initialized, Citi Ventures, SoftBank, and a16z. Edrizio has secured 19 Million in funding, has raised 100 employees, and worked with over 100 clients as well with most of them as big as Walmart and 7-Eleven. Edrizio shares his wisdom and the principles outlined in his book, "The Underdog Founder," which provides guidance on rising above racism, poverty, imposter syndrome, and various startup obstacles.

Key Takeaways:

• A mindset of believing that things will get better can drive you to find ways to make it better
• Surrounding yourself with exceptional people can have a profound impact on your success
• Overcome imposter syndrome by recognizing your unique journey and the value you bring
• Build relationships and collaborate with others to accelerate your growth
• Create a category for your business and become the leader in that space
• Recognize the value of education and the opportunities it can provide
• Find a peer group where you are not the smartest one and learn from each other
• Transition from founder-led sales to team-led sales to scale your business effectively

All this and more, on this week’s episode of Beyond 7 Figures.

Stay tuned next week because I will be talking with Christian “Boo” Boucousis. So, don’t forget to subscribe to the show to get that episode as soon it gets released. Until then, be profitable.

• edriziodelacruz.com
• amazon.com/Underdog-Founder-How-Unseen-Unstoppable-ebook/dp/B0CH9D22YH
• linkedin.com/in/edrizio-de-la-cruz-2b8ab75