HL | Milestone Series – Honors Frank Carbajal

HL | Milestone Series – Honors Frank Carbajal

May 29, 2026 | Milestone

HL | Milestone Series – Honors Frank Carbajal

Culture • Influence • Legacy

Some leaders build companies. Others dedicate their lives to building people, strengthening communities, and creating pathways for future generations to lead.

Frank Carbajal has spent his career doing exactly that.

Frank began his entrepreneurial journey in leadership development, quickly establishing himself as a respected voice dedicated to empowering the Latino community through education, mentorship, and leadership capacity building.

Frank Carbajal will be recognized during  our HL | Milestone Series – Silicon Valley event, taking place on June 17, 2026. This invitation-only reception brings together a curated audience of executives, entrepreneurs, and community leaders for an evening of connection, conversation, and recognition.

👉 Event details & RSVP: https://bit.ly/41B5Z3J

He is the Founder and President of Es Tiempo, LLC, a firm focused on developing leaders and helping individuals and organizations reach their highest potential. Throughout his career, Frank’s work has been guided by one consistent mission: creating opportunities for emerging leaders while strengthening communities through intentional leadership.

A respected author and thought leader, Frank is the co-author of Building the Latino Future and Latinx Business Success, publications that continue to inspire entrepreneurs, professionals, and future leaders across the country. He also co-authored El Futuro Latino, a publication distributed throughout 14 Latin American countries, including Mexico.

Frank’s leadership influence expanded nationally through his involvement with renowned management expert Ken Blanchard’s network of keynote speakers, where he helped organizations, executives, and business owners develop leadership strategies rooted in growth, purpose, and accountability.

Milestone Moments

  • Founder and President of Es Tiempo, LLC
  • Founder of the Silicon Valley Latino Leadership Summit (SVLLS)
  • Creator of one of Silicon Valley’s premier Latino leadership gatherings hosted at Stanford University and the Computer History Museum
  • Co-author of Building the Latino Future
  • Co-author of Latinx Business Success
  • Co-author of El Futuro Latino, distributed across 14 Latin American countries
  • Member of Ken Blanchard’s keynote speaker network
  • Longtime advocate for Latino leadership development and community empowerment

A Legacy of Leadership and Community Impact

Through the Silicon Valley Latino Leadership Summit, Frank has created a nationally respected platform that brings together influential voices from business, education, technology, entrepreneurship, and public service to inspire dialogue and leadership at the highest levels.

Hosted at premier venues such as Stanford University and the Computer History Museum, the summit has become a meaningful gathering place for conversations centered on leadership, opportunity, innovation, and the future of Latino influence in America.

A graduate of San José State University, Frank lives in Santa Clara, California, with his wife Molly. While his professional accomplishments are significant, Frank often says his greatest source of pride and inspiration comes from his three daughters.

His life’s work continues to reflect the philosophy behind Es Tiempo:

It’s time to lead.
It’s time to build.
It’s time to create lasting impact.

The HL | Milestone Series is a national platform designed to celebrate leadership across business, community, education, and innovation.

The 2026 HL | Milestone Series is made possible through the support of Wells Fargo, the series’ funding partner, whose commitment to community engagement and financial empowerment helps bring these important conversations and recognitions to life.

HL | Update 29.9 From Surviving to Thriving Stories Behind Success, Influence & Legacy

HL | Update 29.9 From Surviving to Thriving Stories Behind Success, Influence & Legacy

May 29, 2026 | Culture and Influence

HL | Update 29.9 From Surviving to Thriving Stories Behind Success, Influence & Legacy

by Richard Sandoval – HL Culture & Influence

Over the past month, I’ve been thinking about a simple question:

What separates those who survive from those who thrive?

As we close out Small Business Month, that question feels especially relevant. Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to meet entrepreneurs, executives, and community leaders who have navigated uncertainty, setbacks, and changing markets. What they share is not luck. It’s resilience, adaptability, and a willingness to keep moving forward.

In this edition of HL | Update, we explore those themes through our feature, Small Business Month: A Surviving to Thrive Story, highlighting the journeys of business owners who continue to build opportunities not only for themselves, but for future generations.

We also take a brief trip back to New York City, where a visit to Café Ginori inside Bergdorf Goodman reminded me that some of life’s best discoveries are often hidden in plain sight. Whether in business or travel, curiosity has a way of opening new doors.

You’ll also meet several of the remarkable individuals recognized through our recent HL | Milestone Series. Their accomplishments span business, community leadership, entrepreneurship, media, and advocacy, yet they all share a common thread: a commitment to creating meaningful impact.

At HL | Culture and Influence, we remain focused on telling stories that inform, inspire, and connect. Stories about leadership. Stories about opportunity. Stories about the people helping shape our communities.

Thank you for being part of this journey.

In this edition of HL | Update

Small Business Month: A Surviving to Thrive Story

Café Ginori: One of Manhattan’s Most Charming Hidden Gems

In case you missed “Videos”

Orange County – HL | Milestone Event

New York – HL | Milestone Event

Milestone Honoree Profiles

HL | Milestone Series – Honors A&H Security Services

HL | Milestone Series – Honors Classico Building Maintenance

HL | Milestone Series – Honors Esperanza (Escobar) Teasdale

HL | Milestone Series – Honors Ana Ceppi

Have a story to share, please send me a message – RDS@HispanicLifestyle.Com

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Small Business Month: A Surviving to Thrive Story

Small Business Month: A Surviving to Thrive Story

May 28, 2026 | Business, The Business of Surviving to Thrive

Small Business Month: A Surviving to Thrive Story

by Richard Sandoval, for HL | Culture & Influence

The journey from uncertainty to opportunity and the entrepreneurs building legacies that extend beyond a single generation.

For many Americans, May is recognized as Small Business Month.
For us at HL | Culture and Influence, it represents something much deeper.

It is a reminder that behind nearly every neighborhood, every family story, every growing community, and every cultural movement, there are entrepreneurs taking risks most people never see.

Small business owners are not simply selling products or services. They are creating opportunity, building influence, preserving culture, generating jobs, supporting families, and investing back into the communities they call home.
And in many cases, they are doing it without massive teams, institutional backing, or headlines.

They simply keep showing up.

Across the country, we continue to witness entrepreneurs redefining industries in real time. Some are first-generation business owners. Others are building on family legacies. Many are balancing business ownership with parenting, caregiving, mentoring, and community leadership.

What often goes unnoticed is how deeply personal entrepreneurship really is.
For many small business owners, the business is not separate from life it is life.

  • It represents sacrifice.
  • It represents identity.
  • It represents belief in something bigger than a paycheck.

Over the years, HL has had the privilege of telling the stories of restaurant owners, financial professionals, creatives, nonprofit leaders, real estate experts, retailers, attorneys, wellness advocates, media entrepreneurs, and founders from a wide range of industries. What connects them is not simply revenue or visibility.

It is resilience.

Especially within Hispanic and multicultural communities, entrepreneurship has long been part of the economic engine that helps families move forward. Small businesses often become gathering places, employers, mentors, sponsors, and trusted voices within the community.

They become part of the cultural fabric.

Today’s business environment, however, is far more demanding than it once was.

Entrepreneurs are navigating inflation, rising operational costs, technology shifts, AI disruption, changing consumer behavior, social media pressures, and an economy that often feels unpredictable. At the same time, they are expected to constantly market themselves, create content, manage teams, and remain visible in increasingly crowded digital spaces.

The pressure is real.

Yet despite those challenges, many continue to evolve, adapt, and grow.
That spirit of reinvention may be one of the defining characteristics of modern entrepreneurship.

At HL, we understand that evolution personally.

Our own platform has gone through transformation rethinking not only how stories are told, but why they matter. We have shifted toward deeper conversations around culture, leadership, influence, business, wellness, travel, and aspiration because today’s audience is looking for more than headlines.

  • People are looking for connection.
  • For insight.
  • For inspiration.
  • For examples of what’s possible.
  • Small businesses provide exactly that.

As we look ahead, we believe the future belongs to entrepreneurs who understand the value of relationships, authenticity, adaptability, and community trust. The businesses that will continue to grow are the ones that recognize consumers are no longer simply purchasing products.

  • They are investing in experiences.
  • Values.
  • Stories.
  • And people they believe in.

That is especially true within affluent and emerging multicultural markets, where influence extends beyond economics and into lifestyle, identity, and community impact.

Small Business Month should not simply be about celebrating survival.

  • It should be about recognizing vision.
  • The vision to create something from nothing.
  • The vision to employ others.
  • The vision to build legacy.

And the vision to continue moving forward even when the path is uncertain.

  • To every entrepreneur working long hours behind the scenes…
  • To every founder funding a dream with personal sacrifice…
  • To every family-owned business adapting to a changing world…
  • And to every small business owner still believing in what’s possible…

We see you.

And your story matters.

Because long before corporations discover trends, communities are often shaped by the entrepreneurs already doing the work at the local level building influence one relationship at a time.

That is worth recognizing not just in May, but throughout the year.

HL | Culture and Influence
Defining Culture and Influence… in our community.

Small Business by the Numbers

Why Entrepreneurship Continues to Matter

  • Small businesses account for 99.9% of all U.S. businesses, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration.
  • Small businesses employ nearly 46% of the American workforce, representing millions of jobs across every industry and community.
  • Latino-owned businesses continue to be one of the fastest-growing segments of entrepreneurship in the United States, contributing hundreds of billions of dollars annually to the U.S. economy.
  • Studies continue to show that business ownership remains one of the strongest pathways toward building generational wealth, particularly for first-generation entrepreneurs and multicultural families.
  • Family-owned businesses often create more than income — they create:
    • Homeownership opportunities
    • College funding for future generations
    • Employment within the community
    • Long-term financial stability
    • Legacy and economic influence
  • According to multiple business and financial studies, entrepreneurs are more likely to create transferable assets that can be passed down through generations compared to wage-based income alone.
  • Today’s entrepreneurs are increasingly building businesses around:
    • Culture and community
    • Digital influence
    • Specialized expertise
    • Lifestyle-driven brands
    • Relationship-based trust

The Bigger Picture

For many families, entrepreneurship is no longer simply about owning a business.

It is about creating freedom.
Creating opportunity.
And creating a legacy future generations can build upon.

Source | U.S. Small Business Administration

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On the Menu | An Afternoon at Café Ginori

On the Menu | An Afternoon at Café Ginori

May 27, 2026 | On the Menu

by Richard Sandoval, for HL | Culture & Influence

Café Ginori: One of Manhattan’s Most Charming Hidden Gems

There are certain places you return to when visiting New York City. Not because they are trendy or impossible to get into, but because they leave you with a feeling you want to experience again.

For our family, one of those places is Café Ginori, located inside the iconic Bergdorf Goodman along Fifth Avenue in Manhattan.

A few years ago, we spent an afternoon there that unexpectedly became one of the highlights of our New York trip. So during our recent return to the city, Café Ginori was immediately placed at the top of our list.

What makes the experience memorable is that it is not what most people expect.

There are no sweeping skyline views or dramatic rooftop scenes. Instead, you make your way down a side staircase and suddenly feel as though you have entered a completely different world quieter, elegant, intimate, and removed from the nonstop pace of Manhattan just outside its doors.

According to the staff, the restaurant reinvents itself every few years with updated décor, redesigned table settings, refreshed menus, and new themes. That commitment to evolution gives the space a unique personality while still maintaining the charm that keeps guests coming back.

And honestly, that charm is part of what makes New York so special.

Sometimes the city’s best experiences are not found at the top of a skyscraper or inside a major tourist attraction. Sometimes they are discovered in smaller moments that allow you to slow down and appreciate the rhythm of the city.

Our meal was beautifully presented, and the cocktails added to the atmosphere of the afternoon. But beyond the food, what truly stood out was the environment surrounding us.

I’ve always enjoyed people watching, and Café Ginori delivered a perfect New York scene.

At one table, a mother and daughter enjoyed tea while taking a break from shopping. Nearby, a couple relaxed with cocktails as one of their recent purchases from Bergdorf Goodman was delivered directly to their table. Across the room, a group of women paused their afternoon shopping excursion to share conversation and champagne before heading back upstairs into the city.

How cool is that?

The experience felt cinematic in a very New York way sophisticated without being pretentious, stylish without trying too hard.

More importantly, it reminded me that travel is often about much more than landmarks and itineraries. It is about discovering those moments that allow you to connect, observe, and fully experience a city beyond the obvious tourist destinations.

That afternoon at Café Ginori became more than just another meal during our trip. It became another memory added to our family’s continuing story of travel, conversation, and shared experiences.

And that may be the greatest compliment you can give any restaurant.

It leaves you wanting to come back again.

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HL | Milestone Series – Honors Esperanza (Escobar) Teasdale, ACC

HL | Milestone Series – Honors Esperanza (Escobar) Teasdale, ACC

May 15, 2026 | Milestone

HL | Milestone Series – Honors Esperanza (Escobar) Teasdale, ACC

Culture • Influence • Legacy

Some careers are defined by the brands they help build. Others are defined by the people they inspire and the legacy they create.

Esperanza Teasdale has done both.

With more than three decades of leadership at PepsiCo and Unilever, Esperanza built strategies that helped shape iconic brands including Pepsi and Propel while guiding relationships with major retailers such as 7-Eleven and Dollar General. Throughout her corporate journey, she earned a reputation for blending business strategy, creativity, and analytics to deliver measurable growth with purpose.

Esperanza Teasdale will be recognized during the HL | Milestone Series — New York, taking place on May 20, 2026. This invitation-only reception brings together a curated audience of executives, entrepreneurs, and community leaders for an evening of connection, conversation, and recognition.

👉 Event details & RSVP: https://bit.ly/4bApDkE

A highly respected expert in Hispanic marketing, Esperanza has long championed the idea that cultural understanding is not simply a communications strategy it is a business advantage.

Today, as Founder of Mariposa Zenith, Esperanza helps leaders move from reactive to intentional by integrating mindfulness, cultural fluency, and inclusive leadership into how they lead and serve others.

An ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC), certified yoga instructor, and passionate advocate for intentional leadership, she teaches what she calls The Cultural Fluency Advantage and The Mindful Leadership Advantage frameworks designed to help leaders achieve stronger results while leading with clarity, empathy, and purpose.

Milestone Moments

  • Inducted into the American Marketing Association New York Hall of Fame (2025)
  • Named Hispanic Marketer of the Year by the Hispanic Marketing Council (2024)
  • Launched PepsiCo’s Juntos Crecemos initiative to support Hispanic small business growth
  • Recognized as one of People en Español’s 25 Most Powerful Women (2021)
  • Founded Mariposa Zenith in 2025 to help leaders unlock their highest potential

A Legacy of Purpose-Driven Leadership

Esperanza’s professional journey reflects a powerful evolution—from driving growth for some of the world’s most recognized brands to helping leaders cultivate greater awareness, stronger cultures, and more meaningful impact.

Her work reminds us that influence is most powerful when it is intentional.

The HL | Milestone Series is a national platform designed to celebrate leadership across business, community, education, and innovation.

The 2026 HL | Milestone Series is made possible through the support of Wells Fargo, the series’ funding partner, whose commitment to community engagement and financial empowerment helps bring these important conversations and recognitions to life.