“I really, truly believe that this is a very important moment in history for Latinos in America.”

Rivera is the Founder and CEO of Utah-based Novation Title. She served as the 2023 National President of the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals and continues to serve in national leadership with the organization.

HL has also had the opportunity to hear from Rivera before.

In June 2022, Rivera joined HL as a featured speaker during our HL Home Ownership Summit, which was streamed online. The conversation centered on homeownership and the real estate industry.

Four years later, the setting and conversation were different.

This time, Rivera was reflecting on leadership, entrepreneurship, resilience and the growing significance of Latino participation across business and economic life.

More importantly, she offered a perspective on why this moment matters.

A Moment Worth Paying Attention To

HL has been exploring what appears to be a broader shift taking place across the Latino community.

We have previously described aspects of it as a renaissance a period increasingly defined by entrepreneurship, ownership, economic influence, leadership and a growing presence in the rooms where decisions are being made.

Rivera sees something similar happening.

When we asked why she continues to devote her time to NAHREP, even after serving as its national president, her answer was direct.

“I want to help build our people,” Rivera told HL. “It’s important for me to keep having Latinos rise.”

She also points to the vision of Gary Acosta, Co-Founder and CEO of NAHREP, as one of the reasons she remains connected to the organization.

For Rivera, the work taking place within NAHREP is increasingly about more than real estate. It is also about leadership, entrepreneurship, economic opportunity and building connections among people who are helping shape what comes next.

“I think when we’re grandparents, a few decades ahead, we’re going to look back at these moments,” Rivera said, “and realize that this was a pivotal moment for the history of Latinos in this country.”

Why Being in the Room Matters

Rivera’s comments also help explain the energy surrounding AVANCE Global.

Real estate remains an important foundation of NAHREP, but Rivera sees the gathering evolving into something broader.

“If you’re a mover and a shaker within the Latino community and all across the United States, you’re here,” she said.

The conference brought together professionals, entrepreneurs and leaders from different industries and different parts of the country.

For Rivera, there is value simply in creating the opportunity for those people to meet.

“You get to meet people you would have never met otherwise,” she said. “It’s magical. It’s amazing.”

That observation speaks to something HL continues to see in our own work. Relationships matter. Being present matters.

Getting into rooms where ideas, business opportunities and future partnerships are being formed matters.

The significance of a gathering such as AVANCE may not simply be measured by attendance. It may be measured by the conversations and relationships that continue long after everyone goes home.

Resilience in a Difficult Market

Rivera’s perspective is also grounded in experience.

She founded Novation Title in 2015 after building a career in the title and escrow industry and has since navigated both strong and difficult real estate markets.

Today’s environment has challenged professionals throughout the industry.

“People are just struggling to get the deals, and it’s just not as easy,” Rivera said.

But she also understands that business moves in cycles.

“You have an up cycle, you have a down cycle, and it keeps going.”

Her attention is less focused on whether difficult periods happen and more on how people respond to them.

“I think something that’s within our people and in our blood is that people are very resilient,” she said. “We’re committed. We’re not afraid of going through something difficult.”

That resilience, Rivera believes, is another reason gatherings such as AVANCE become important during uncertain markets.

“They want to learn from their peers,” she said. “They want to see if there’s something that they haven’t thought of that they can do to completely shift and transform their current business.”

Building What Comes Next

Toward the end of our conversation, we asked Rivera one of our favorite questions:

What’s next?

Her answer brought the conversation back to people.

“I’m a big dreamer,” Rivera said. “I love building people.”

For Rivera, growing her own company and helping others achieve their ambitions are closely connected.

“My life mission is really helping other people grow and achieving their dreams while I’m also achieving mine,” she said.

That means continuing to build Novation Title, continuing her work with NAHREP and remaining open to opportunities that allow her to serve and develop others.

But she was equally clear about what comes first.

“Family first,” Rivera said. “Mi familia.”

Then she left room for whatever may come next.

“We’ll see what life brings me with all that passion and the gifts that God gave me.”

Perhaps that is why Rivera’s perspective feels particularly relevant right now. She is not simply talking about demographics or market statistics. She is talking about participation. About relationships. About resilience. About leadership and about recognizing that some moments only reveal their full significance after we have lived through them.

Nuria Rivera believes this may be one of those moments.