The Billion-Strong Minority Disability Entrepreneurship with Diego Mariscal

James Berges 00:00 
One billion people have a disability, the largest minority in the world. And if you live long enough, you'll join the club. Rather than sugar -coated or make it tragic, we can see it as for what it is, part of the human experience. 

Mai Ling Chan 00:14 
That's right, James, and our guest today, Diego Mariscal, is all about reframing how we think about disability and how we can empower entrepreneurs to break barriers. 

Diego Mariscal 00:27 
in some ways entrepreneurship saved me not just from unemployment but also getting me a sense of community, a sense of fulfillment and that's one of the reasons why I think that if done well entrepreneurship can be a platform that can provide disabled people and people in general a vehicle in which they find fulfillment in many many different ways not just financial. 

Mai Ling Chan 00:52 
Welcome to the Exceptional Leaders Podcast. I'm Mai Ling Chan, and together with James Berges, we're getting you top tips and resources for building and scaling your disability -focused offerings straight from the forefront of disability advocacy and leadership. 

Mai Ling Chan 01:10 
Hi, I'm Mai Ling Chan. Today, we're diving into a story that redefines what it means to actually be a leader with a disability. 

James Berges 01:17 
That's right, Mai, and I'm James, and I interviewed Diego Mariscal. He's the founder and CEO of Together International, which is the world's largest accelerator for entrepreneurs with disabilities. His journey from Monterrey, Mexico, to becoming a pivotal figure in the inclusive entrepreneurship is nothing short of extraordinary. 

Mai Ling Chan 01:36 
That's right, and I love Diego's work. I've been following him for years, and I also wanted to start my own accelerator, James, until I realized what a heavy lift that was. So, decided not to do that, but Together International is so successful that it has already supported over 80 startups, and they've secured over 70 million in investments. 

Mai Ling Chan 01:54 
That's a real game changer in the world of disability entrepreneurships, because it's kind of like the ugly stepchild. Nobody really wants to support these companies, because they're not so sure on the runway and how long it's going to take, and people who have disabilities are also a little hesitant to share that, because the investor might be hesitant to invest in them. 

Mai Ling Chan 02:13 
So, this is absolutely incredible what Diego has done in this space. 

James Berges 02:17 
Exactly, and it shouldn't be an ugly duckling because as Diego outlines, having a disability has a lot in common with being a good entrepreneur, mainly your ability to problem solve because you're problem solving through your whole life. 

James Berges 02:28 
So you're used to it. In addition to that, when you listen to this episode, you'll learn how Diego transformed his experiences with cerebral palsy into a global entrepreneurship movement. You'll get practical resources and programs available for entrepreneurs with disabilities. 

James Berges 02:43 
So share those if you know anyone. And success stories from his accelerator, Together International, which there's some great stories in there that will just leave you inspired. And Diego's personal advice if you're an aspiring entrepreneur, whether or not you have a disability. 

Mai Ling Chan 02:59 
That's fantastic. And speaking of redefining what's possible, James, did you catch that recent news about Olympic gold medalist Noah Lyles? 

James Berges 03:05 
I did. That was so cool. He won the 100 meter dash, was it? And then I saw that quote, Lyle's posted a powerful message after passing everybody. He said, I have asthma, allergies, dyslexia, ADHD, anxiety, and depression. 

James Berges 03:22 
So he's got many things. 

Mai Ling Chan 03:25 
Check them all. But I will. 

James Berges 03:26 
will tell you that what you have does not define what you can become. So why not you? I love that. 

Mai Ling Chan 03:33 
Oh, I love that. Love that. Thank you. That's a remarkable statement. And the WHO estimates that 262 million people worldwide deal with asthma. I didn't know that. When I was a child, we had one person in the class that had asthma, and now it just seems so much more pervasive. 

Mai Ling Chan 03:49 
And Lyle's telling everyone who has asthma that we're telling everybody that we all have challenges, but these conditions and these diagnoses don't hold you back. 

James Berges 03:58 
Exactly. And that's the kind of mind shift that our guest Diego Mariscal is championing in the world of entrepreneurship. So whether you're an entrepreneur, disability advocate, or health care professional, Diego's insights, much like Lyle's message, are sure to inspire ideas of what's possible. 

James Berges 04:14 
And I have to plug our podcast. Well, we're on our podcast, but I have to ask you, if you like stories like these, please take a second, leave us a five star review or even a four star one with some feedback, what can we do better? 

James Berges 04:28 
But it helps us spread inspiring stories and get the word out there to, you know, create that ripple of impact. 

Mai Ling Chan 04:36 
Yeah. And you know, I listen to podcasts, you listen to podcast, James. And whenever you say this, I'm always like, oh, yeah, I got to go back and do that for the show that I love. And so I'm just putting this little seed in your mind is next time you start your player, just find us and give us a little love on there and just it'll be real quick. 

Mai Ling Chan 04:49 
I promise. Yeah. All right. So what's been really big at my house lately, James, is that my husband is launching a book and I'm going to share this with our audience also because it affects everyone. 

Mai Ling Chan 05:01 
The name of his book is Finally Fearless. And what he talks about is our perceptions, understanding and preparedness for dying. 

James Berges 05:09 
Ooh, big topic, I have to say, right now I'm in a phone booth at this co -working space by my house in Echo Park, and yesterday they had a death cafe. Have you ever heard of a death cafe? 

Mai Ling Chan 05:21 
No, tell me more. 

James Berges 05:22 
I just found out about this, but it sounds like it ties into Cameron's book. But anyways, this idea of grief and, you know, we're all, God forbid, we're all going to die. I mean, I don't want to live forever. 

James Berges 05:33 
I've seen Hocus Pocus. They're just kind of at the end there as heads on the pavement. I don't want that, but let's live a healthy, long life for sure. But the Death Cafe is about people just come together, strangers, and talk for up to three hours talking about their intimate experiences with grief. 

James Berges 05:53 
It can be a personal story of death. It can be about tragedy in the world. It can be anticipatory grief, something you're anticipating someone dying. And it's just crazy. If you go to one of these, you know, people don't really have small talk before you start talking. 

James Berges 06:07 
They're kind of in their own zone. And then it becomes this vulnerable place where people just take off their daily small talk and talk about death. 

Mai Ling Chan 06:17 
Incredible. I love it. Well, for our listeners, I really hope that you get a chance to read Cameron's book. It is amazing in that he has all this experience from the bedside of death. So he is a social worker, he owns a hospice, and he's been just doing amazing work. 

Mai Ling Chan 06:32 
And now, you know, he has so many, so many patient stories. And he shares, and he's just really done a great job of working these stories into this book that shares like, what are our fears? So there's actually five fears of dying. 

Mai Ling Chan 06:47 
And then what are all these different perspectives of people who really were at death's door, you know, and how they're experiencing that. And then he gives recommendations on how you can really like approach and deep dive into those fears and communicate with your family and friends and do all this like really important work in preparedness, because it's going to happen, whether it's when we're 90, 

Mai Ling Chan 07:08 
you know, in our sleep someday or something, you know, more imminent. So I'm so proud of him. And I'm so excited. And I really think that there's going to be value in there for everyone. 

James Berges 07:18 
That is powerful, valuable work. And yeah, I'm glad he's writing this book, because you think of birth doulas to help you come into this world, but there's also death doulas. And yes. Yeah. 

Mai Ling Chan 07:30 
Yeah, and he talks about that too. Yeah, it's perfect. All right. It's called Finally Fearless. It's available on Amazon starting August 13. So now it's a time, let's dive in and learn how Diego Mariscal is redefining disability as a powerful and dynamic entity in the world of business. 

Mai Ling Chan 07:46 
And he's showing that what you have doesn't define what you can become. Let's get to it. All right. 

James Berges 07:57 
Diego Mariscal is the founder, CEO, and chief disabled officer of Together International, a pioneering startup accelerator dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs with disabilities. Born with cerebral palsy and raised in Monterey, Mexico, Diego has transformed his personal challenges into a mission to redefine disability as a powerful and dynamic identity. 

James Berges 08:17 
Under his leadership, Together International has supported over 80 startups, helping them secure more than 70 million in investments. Diego's work has earned him prestigious roles, including an appointment to the U .S. 

James Berges 08:28 
SEC Small Business Capital Formation Advisory Committee, it's a mouthful, and highlighting his influence in shaping inclusive business policies. Diego, thank you for being on the Exceptional Leaders Podcast. 

Diego Mariscal 08:42 
I'm excited to be here. 

James Berges 08:44 
So let's start from the beginning because you have such an interesting story. Can you share a little bit about your journey from humble beginnings in Monterey to starting Limitless Preppa Tech at 18 and all the way to Together International? 

Diego Mariscal 08:59 
Oh, yeah, yeah, you did your homework for sure. Yeah, so I was born in the States, actually, my parents were, or about Mexicans were shopping and I was born six months and a half into my mom's pregnancy. 

Diego Mariscal 09:12 
She jokes and says that I've always been really stubborn, even before I was born, I wanted to get out quickly. And as a result of that, I have CP, cerebral palsy, which mainly affects my trauma walking, some reading and writing, but primarily walking. 

Diego Mariscal 09:29 
And I had the fortune of growing up in Monterrey, Mexico, which is very, very entrepreneurial town. And also, alongside my brother, who did not have a disability. And so I think what my parents did really well was maintain a high level of expectation for both of us, meaning that my brother had to make his bed in the morning, had to help with setting the table, had to do laundry, etc, etc. 

Diego Mariscal 10:00 
And so was I expected to do all those things. In many cases, that meant waking up an extra hour early or helping set the table with things that wouldn't break, break. But the underlying expectation, the high level of expectation was always there. 

Diego Mariscal 10:17 
And that was certainly a critical role in shaping my view of the world. And then I came to DC thinking that I was going to go into international relations and policy work, and was struck by how people were still talking about high levels of unemployment for disabled people, 30 years after the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed. 

Diego Mariscal 10:44 
And as somebody who grew up with entrepreneurs, and as an entrepreneur myself, like you said, I started my first company in 19, Mexico, I was really surprised that they weren't more disabled people involved, explicitly involved in the entrepreneurship space. 

Diego Mariscal 11:05 
Specifically, because when you think about managing a disability and thinking about how we have to figure out, how do we get dressed? How we drive? How we communicate? Essentially, how we live in a world that is not built to fit our needs? 

Diego Mariscal 11:23 
That is, in essence, entrepreneurship. That is innovation and creation. All a startup or businesses is solving a problem at scale. And we have to solve problems every day of our lives. And so that went from a hunch to really a thesis. 

Diego Mariscal 11:43 
And that thesis became what is now together international, like you mentioned, the largest accelerator in the world for founders with disabilities. And we've continued to have multiple conversations, not just about how we support entrepreneurs, which is obviously a very critical work, but also how we make entrepreneurship ecosystem accessible and inclusive for everybody. 

Diego Mariscal 12:08 
Because by supporting people with disabilities, we're also making spaces more accessible and inclusive for all. 

James Berges 12:17 
completely. We talk a lot about on this podcast universal design. It's the rising tide that lifts all ships. And so I love that, you know, we will talk more about Together International and I love that you started in this entrepreneurial place and how you define that as starting problem or entrepreneurship as solving problems, which seems like an advantage if you have the context of solving problems your whole life. 

James Berges 12:40 
But I want to quickly back up to even in high school, maybe you were trying to solve the problem of making friends or building empathy. But tell us about the program you made in high school. I just love that. 

Diego Mariscal 12:54 
By that nugget that you just said, it strikes me as you probably read or listened to one of my previous interviews, but I share that when I was starting my first company, Limitless, I was in high school back in Monterrey, Mexico, and it was on the surface, it was this idea and it was very much an integral part of the work. 

Diego Mariscal 13:18 
I had the fortune of living in Minnesota in the US for two years because I needed surgery and I came back from Minnesota to Mexico to finish high school and I had all these learnings about what it meant to live in a more accessible world where disability wasn't seen as a problem, wasn't seen as a burden, particularly now I know that that to me seemed like the standard for the US in general. 

Diego Mariscal 13:50 
Now I know that it was very particular to Minnesota and how Minnesota is very particular about the health care policies and practices, but nonetheless I had all this knowledge and experiences that I wanted to bring back to Mexico and so Limitless was the opportunity to do that by teaching students about various disabilities. 

Diego Mariscal 14:14 
That was sort of the public phasing and certainly a very critical part of the work. The underlying part of that work, especially as a high schooler, as a teenager, was I didn't really see disabled people in my high school and in the spaces that I was surrounded by and I didn't really have a lot of friends that I could relate to and so Limitless became this vehicle in which I created a mechanism where by function of the work people had to hang out with me and I'm using air quotes right because it was a way to use entrepreneurship to be less lonely and so it's a really I think now certainly older it's a really interesting realization of how in some ways entrepreneurship saved me not just from unemployment but also getting me a sense of community, 

Diego Mariscal 15:10 
a sense of fulfillment and that's one of the reasons why I think that if done well, entrepreneurship can be a platform that could provide disabled people and people in general a vehicle in which they find fulfillment in many many different ways, not just financial. 

James Berges 15:29 
I love that. So, I mean, I was just thinking a lot of different things as we were saying that but as a side note, we are in sort of a loneliness epidemic so it's interesting that even entrepreneurial, you can try to solve these things and it makes me think of where we are. 

James Berges 15:45 
Technologically, maybe do you think we have more resources now than we did when you were in high school to address loneliness? For example, virtual reality arguably could increase loneliness or it could be used as a tool to create even more empathy especially if you're a person with a disability. 

James Berges 16:01 
Maybe you have mobility issues, you can't leave your home and certainly with the pandemic and Zoom, that's helped us connect more for people who don't come into office. But yeah, I love to nerd out on just like the intersection of tech and where we are as community because I think that's something that whether you have a disability or not, we all need community. 

Diego Mariscal 16:25 
Well, the obvious answer to that question in some ways is yes, right? Because we have the ability to connect in a massive scale and in a global scale. On the flip side though, look at the reality, right? 

Diego Mariscal 16:39 
There are people and whether you're disabled or not, the level of loneliness has been rising over the last couple of years. And so I think that that's very telling. And also look at the disability rights movement, the fact that the 504 sit -in, which was the sit -in and the disability civil rights movement that gave birth to the ADA, that was the longest sit -in, more than 300 people took over a building, 

Diego Mariscal 17:09 
right? And that was in the 1970s, you know? And so talk about a way to connect, talk about a way to engage. And I share this because I think there is a real danger that technology and remote work opportunities give a false sense of connection when in reality it's creating an excuse to, or an alternative to not being face -to -face interacting, thinking that it's going to solve for loneliness, but in reality can contribute to the issue. 

Diego Mariscal 17:53 
I share this not to say that it's one or the other, but rather to be mindful of the balance in between. I think certainly technology and Zoom and other technologies allow for connection, but they cannot be a replacement for those face -to -face interaction that literally became revolutions that changed the world, right? 

Diego Mariscal 18:22 
So it's very important to keep that point in perspective. 

James Berges 18:26 
Yeah, that's a good point. I mean, I don't feel as connected if these cheap dopamine hits on, even on Zoom, you know, I'm trying to look at the camera and you at the same time and that's, it's just one extra layer but maybe it will get more and more. 

James Berges 18:39 
But yes, community is so important and I know you like this quote from Maya Angelou. I believe you do. I come as one but I stand as 10 ,000. I love this quote too and I'm wondering how does that resonate with you and the power of community as we're talking about with the work that you do and maybe how does Together International foster community if we want to get into that. 

Diego Mariscal 19:05 
Oh, first I got to say I'm impressed. Yes, that is one of my favorite quotes, but usually when I do podcasts, the host is not quoting that quote to me. So I appreciate that. I appreciate that, that insight. 

Diego Mariscal 19:21 
I mean, I talked about the civil rights movement. I talked about Pavel Horsin and all of those things, when you really think about it, were entrepreneurship movements. I mean, the fact that disabled people were able to take over a building, they were able to work with the Black Panthers, they were able to essentially use sign language to communicate with the outside when they had cut phone lines. 

Diego Mariscal 19:48 
Those were all movements of innovation and creativity in the name of advocacy, in the name of disability rights. And so it is critical that the work that we do today is built on those, on those principles and recognizes disability rights movement as a movement of entrepreneurship and innovation. 

Diego Mariscal 20:14 
Because if we are able to recognize that, then we can emphasize that the disability community has been entrepreneurial and innovative since its inception. And therefore, entrepreneurship is not this foreign concept for founders with disabilities, but rather an innate characteristic that we all carry with us. 

Diego Mariscal 20:37 
That's on the more macro side. And then on the, on a personal side, one of my biggest mentors that will forever change my life was Judith Human. And in fact, Facebook, talk about technology and connectedness, Facebook just reminded me the day before yesterday, that 10 years ago was when I met her. 

Diego Mariscal 21:00 
And I, I normally don't do this, but I reshared the memory. And I said the caption and the reshare was that day that forever changed my life. And so I share this story because I encourage other disabled people, whether you're an entrepreneur or not, to really find those communities, find those mentors that you can see yourself as, because it's going to change, it's going to change the way you view your own disability, 

Diego Mariscal 21:32 
but it's also going to remind you that you're part of this bigger community that can help you become the best version of yourself. To go back to, I come as one, but I stand as 10 ,000. 

James Berges 21:47 
Beautiful. Yeah. And we kind of become there's another quote, you know, we can become the sum of the five people we hang out with the most, you know, the law of averages in terms of like our mindset and, and maybe even the money we make or what we think is possible. 

James Berges 22:04 
And it sounds like Judy, was that Judy? I'm sorry, I'm forgetting your mentor, Judy. She's human. She's human. Human, very human name. Gave you that, that feeling of empowerment. And what would you say being in the shoes you are now to people who may have disabilities, like to give them the mindset of disability can bring advantages and entrepreneurialism? 

James Berges 22:27 
What are some of those advantages? 

Diego Mariscal 22:30 
So there are both stuff skills and hard tactics that we can get into. So I'm sure you want to hear both. Which one do you want to hear first? 

James Berges 22:42 
Hmm, let's go the soft skills and then the hard tactics. 

Diego Mariscal 22:47 
So soft skills. So I'll give you an example. So when I was a kid, my parents would always look at things for me to improve my motor skills and physical therapy. And one of the things that we tried was horseback riding. 

Diego Mariscal 23:05 
I felt of a horse while we were while we were doing horseback riding therapy. And I felt the horse and I got back up onto the horse and continue with the therapy. After the session, the coach came back to my parents and said, wow, this is really impressive. 

Diego Mariscal 23:30 
Normally when people fall of the horse, it takes a while for them to get back up. And I remember thinking and discussing with my parents too, well, I fall every day, literally thousands of times in my life I've fallen. 

Diego Mariscal 23:45 
So for me, falling off a horse, I mean, yeah, probably the fall was a little more, I was a little more shaken, but it was just like any other fall of any other day. And so people talk about this idea of it doesn't matter how many times you fall advantage, how many times you get back up. 

Diego Mariscal 24:01 
I have literally fallen thousands of times in my life, thousands of times I've gotten back up. And so that instills a level of resiliency, a level of creativity that if nurtured and prepared the right way and supported the right way can be translated to business, to interpersonal relationships, to communication, et cetera, et cetera. 

Diego Mariscal 24:25 
And no matter, I mean, this specific example is talking about a physical disability and particularly mobile disability, but no matter if you're blind, deaf, have an intellectual or invisible disability, we've all faced adversity, adversity to such a level, to such a degree, that it unlocks in many different ways, these levels of creativity and resiliency that we can foster to accelerate our business and that become a competitive advantage to businesses. 

James Berges 25:04 
Hmm. Yeah, you're at such a good point. I mean, you're like wired differently than what the world's norm arguably the world's norms are not very conducive to thriving in general, but especially for people who have other challenges So perseverance persistence and then creative thinking those are all common themes within the disability community Are you looking to go beyond your degree and expand your impact whether you're a clinician or educator? 

James Berges 25:33 
You can leverage your skills outside direct services Maybe you want to break into the exciting world of health and ed tech or maybe you're interested in carving your own path and digital Entrepreneurship either way you'll find a supportive community and resources at slp transitions comm Inside you'll find my personal tips for mastering your mindset in the face of transition. 

James Berges 25:52 
Trust me I've been there and inspiring stories of people who've made the leap You'd be surprised how much your experience translates to other fields to find out how join other movers and shakers at slp transitions comm Now let's get back to the amazing interview I encourage you listeners to listen to Diego's has a TED talk TEDx talk called redefining 1 billion people and In that talk you emphasize the importance of inclusive entrepreneurship And you say we need to create a world where people with disabilities are not just included but valued for their unique contributions as you're mentioning How does together international let's get into your the world's largest accelerator for for entrepreneurs in the disability space Let's talk about that. 

James Berges 26:41 
How does together international support entrepreneurs differently or in general? 

Diego Mariscal 26:46 
Yes, so I will get to that. I also want to touch on the tactical piece. 

James Berges 26:52 
Oh, yeah, I almost skipped that. Please, God. 

Diego Mariscal 26:55 
Because I do think it's very relevant as we think about disability as the competitive advantage for entrepreneurship in general. So I talked about sort of the soft skills that we have as disabled founders. 

Diego Mariscal 27:07 
On the tactics or, or maybe I should use the word mechanism, hard tactics or mechanisms, this is particular in the U S and it may not be applicable to everybody, but it's certainly applicable to most disabled entrepreneurs. 

Diego Mariscal 27:21 
So there's a thing called vocational rehabilitation services, which is a federally funded program that exists in every state that supports people in achieving what's called integrated competitive employment, which essentially means supporting disabled people as they get an education to achieve competitive integrated employment, which certainly entrepreneurship can be a part of that. 

Diego Mariscal 27:50 
But I share this because if you are part of this vocational rehabilitation services administration program, you can essentially depend on the state, but most states you can get your college education and potentially even master's education covered. 

Diego Mariscal 28:09 
You can also receive support for housing and for food and accommodations. And as most disabled people know, you can qualify for what's called social security, disciplinary income, and that is a monthly stipend that you receive from the federal government about $700 a month, depending on your income level. 

Diego Mariscal 28:36 
I just shared two different programs that very much provide again, a competitive advantage to entrepreneurs because we now not only have the education to pursue whatever entrepreneurship journey it is that we want to, but we also have funding and mechanisms that allow people to be successful. 

Diego Mariscal 28:58 
On the financial side, there's also a thing called the ABLE account, which is essentially a retirement account where you can save money, put money that doesn't count towards your asset limitation or social security, supplementary income. 

Diego Mariscal 29:17 
But the most important part of this account is that it's an investment account. And so you, if you put money in there, let's say the max is about $35 ,000. So if you put that money in there at a rate of compound interest of 8% over 30 years, that is about $3 million. 

Diego Mariscal 29:39 
And so talk about generational wealth, talk about an opportunity to invest and to be innovative. And again, I share these because I think the unique things about the disability community is that with the right research and support, we can find both the hard, the hard mechanisms and tactical systems to succeed and the soft skills to really be successful entrepreneurs and founders. 

James Berges 30:11 
That's super helpful. Thank you Diego. The practical resources meets the mindset shifts. They have to come together. Policy meets entrepreneurialism. And are all these resources that you mentioned on your website? 

James Berges 30:23 
And if not, we should definitely list them in the show notes somewhere. Yes. 

Diego Mariscal 30:28 
We need to do a better job of promoting these things, especially the sort of tactical mechanisms, because it is really, really critical information that all founders should know. So the short answer is no, they're not on the website, but we can certainly provide more information about that for the show notes. 

James Berges 30:49 
Great, yeah. So speaking of just opportunities, tell us more about what you do with Together International and thank you for going through the soft and hard skills. Those are the two sides of the same coin. 

Diego Mariscal 31:03 
Yes. Yeah. So at Together, so we essentially, like you said, we're the largest accelerator for founders with disabilities and we provide a suite of services. So think about sort of three different stages. 

Diego Mariscal 31:17 
The first stage, which we are most known for, and I'm going to go in back order, but the stage that we are most known for is the accelerator program. So that's for companies that already have traction, already have some proof concept, and they just want to continue to grow and gain traction. 

Diego Mariscal 31:39 
And this is a 10 -to -12 -week program where they get connected to mentors, resources, and like my individuals. And then at the end, they pitch for non -deluded capital. That's the accelerator piece. 

Diego Mariscal 31:54 
But let's say you only have an idea that you want to turn into a business, that you want to turn into an MVP, a minimum viable product. Then there's a program called Venture Labs, which is focused on essentially taking entrepreneurs through that journey. 

Diego Mariscal 32:12 
It's about an eight -week course going from idea to business. And then there's also a platform called the Get Together Platform, which is for those entrepreneurs or those individuals who don't yet have an idea, but are just looking to get connected with other like -minded individuals, are exploring entrepreneurship, et cetera, et cetera. 

Diego Mariscal 32:36 
And so there's the suite of services, no matter what stage you're on, and we're working on a $5 million fund that will essentially be investing in founders and disabilities. 

James Berges 32:48 
Amazing. So like seed to growth, every level idea. That's cool. And is it only for people who have disabled people, people with disabilities or anyone who wants to help? 

Diego Mariscal 33:01 
So as of now, yes, it is. We are about to expand our program to about 26 countries in Latin America through a partnership that we'll announce shortly, and that will be broader. We still have to define exactly what that means. 

Diego Mariscal 33:19 
We've been really intentional as an organization to focus on supporting entrepreneurs with disabilities specifically, just because we feel like the same way that the independent living movement, the disability rights movement was at this this model of nothing about us without us and really was by founders, for founders with disabilities, we feel like that's a very critical part of the ethos. 

Diego Mariscal 33:47 
We're finding ways to sort of expand that and say there's ways to include other community members as part of the movement. 

James Berges 33:58 
Love it, that makes sense. Would you be willing to share a couple success stories or one success story from The Accelerator? 

Diego Mariscal 34:05 
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. So actually, I'll share two different stories of people that actually now sit on our board of directors. So they very much helped shape the direction of Together International. 

Diego Mariscal 34:16 
So one of them is Eric Ingram. Eric actually was part of our very first cohort in person in DC, pre COVID. And he came to us with an idea, I remember an idea basically on a back end. And that I from that, he now has, he's doing satellite inspection in space, has raised millions of dollars in fund funding, actually got one of his major investors through a Together International event, and is actually no longer the the director of his company, 

Diego Mariscal 34:55 
but he's actually the chairman of the board of his company. So he's, he's done so well to the point that, that, you know, it needs, it has continued to grow beyond his initial vision and direction, but just shows the power of, of him, and of the community at large. 

Diego Mariscal 35:15 
And then the other story that comes to mind is her name is Kili Cat Walls. You might come across her, especially because she's very well known in the podcast, LinkedIn space. But she actually was an entrepreneur who came to us, because she was not able to complete a formal education, given a number of disability related issues. 

Diego Mariscal 35:42 
And yet, after a program, she was able to sell her company for about $10 million, to another media company, working with with minority groups, and has since then started her second company, making space. 

Diego Mariscal 35:59 
And they're actually going to be the hosts for the Paralympics, this coming Paris 2024. Yeah, amazing. So very, very excited. Yeah. And like that, we have other 600 entrepreneurs, so I could go on and 

James Berges 36:17 
They just make a whole directory of success stories and I mean talk about community and I'm sure these people connect more than just financially with together, there's mentorship and just I think just hearing stories alone is so inspiring and that's why we share some of these on the podcast because it's like oh I have an idea or may have an inkling of a premise of an idea but I'm not sure if it's business worthy like let me connect with other people who have been in those shoes or a few steps ahead of me and so what advice would you give to someone with a disability who has a problem that they want to solve, 

James Berges 36:54 
maybe they do or don't have a business background, any words of advice and wisdom? 

Diego Mariscal 37:01 
Yeah, so it's gonna sound kind of cliche, but keep at it. Keep at it. I mean, I often say to people, together is the 10 year overnight success. You hear all these success stories, and you hear, you know, these partnerships with the Interac and Development Bank, this knowledge of able accounts, etc, etc. 

Diego Mariscal 37:25 
What you're hearing is 10 years of work. And so what people often don't know is that this meant dealing with Social Security for a number of years, living with seven other roommates in a one bedroom apartment so that I could make ends meet, tutoring in Spanish and math, you know, as a cycle while while I was building together, I would get an over pools, just so I could pitch strangers, I would go to nowhere. 

Diego Mariscal 37:57 
I would just get an over pool just so I could pitch strangers on what we were doing. And so as cliche as it sounds, I would say keep at it. We are here to help, we are here to support. But know that I am and together is certainly an example of there's no substitute for for persistence. 

Diego Mariscal 38:20 
And we are certainly persistent as members of the disability communities know that you're not alone. And we're, we're here to help together. 

James Berges 38:29 
Boom. Yeah. We're going to lift each other up. But it does require hard work and persistence. I love that pitching in Uber pools. It's like a captive audience. And for our audience and anyone who wants to learn more about your work or get involved or see what together is up to, where should we send them? 

Diego Mariscal 38:48 
Yeah, so our website is together -international .org. That's together with a number 2, so 2 -G -E -T -H -E -R -international .org. And you can find all our programs, applications. We're always running programs. 

Diego Mariscal 39:02 
So you're welcome to join. And I'm sure there's going to be something that will be a fit for wherever stage you're at. 

James Berges 39:13 
Wonderful. We'll link all of this in the show notes too, just so everyone has it in writing and audio. And Diego, yep, you're truly inspiring all the work you're doing. We didn't even touch on the policy work and stuff you've done with the UN, but that could be a whole another conversation, but just a shining example and wealth of resources. 

James Berges 39:31 
So, really appreciate you taking the time. 

Diego Mariscal 39:33 
Awesome. Thank you for having me, James. It was great to be here. 

James Berges 39:37 
Amazing. Thanks Diego and thank you listeners. Stay tuned for the next one. 

Mai Ling Chan 39:42 
We hope you enjoyed this episode and invite you to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and share the show with people you think will find value from it. This helps the show a lot, or have a great guest referral, reach out to us at xleaders at gmail .com. 

James Berges 39:58 
And if you want exclusive tips on becoming an exceptional leader, deliver straight to your inbox, just go to exceptionalleaders .com and sign up for our mailing list. Thanks for listening.