My name is Carlos Huerta, and I am eighteen years old. As a 2019-2020 Academy of Business Leadership (ABL) 2019-2020 Business and Leadership Institute (BLI) scholar, I am excited to have the opportunity to capital raise for college dodging becoming one of the 45 million Americans who owe $1.6 trillion dollars in student loan debt (according to an article that appeared in Forbes on February 25, 2019) – a fact that has a devastating impact on borrowers since only 18.6 million of those are currently on a regular payment plan (according to a September 20, 2019 article in NerdWallet). This fact can delay if not inhibit my ability to achieve my big dream of becoming a “fulfilled billionaire philanthropist entrepreneur”. 

The year-round ABL BLI program that I am a part of focuses on four initiatives: college, career, wealth creation, and philanthropy while teaching us how to acquire empowering conscious and subconscious beliefs to help us make quantum leaps towards our wildest dreams. ABL covers those four initiatives through three components throughout the entire year. This past summer, as part of one of the three components of the ABL Business and Leadership Institute (BLI), I attended the award-winning ABL Summer Business and Leadership Institute (SBLI) at the USC Marshall School of Business where we were taught by USC college professors, a Chicago Booth MBA, and the ABL Refounder, President & CEO Anna Ouroumian. So far, for me, this experience has been, hands down, the greatest experience of my life!

A bit of backstory about myself: During the beginning of my life I was immensely shy and underachieving hiding behind the title of victim as a low-income Latino. College was a thing I never thought about; S.A.T.s was something I never knew existed. It wasn't until my sophomore year that I decided to drastically change which allowed me to graduate with high honors and be accepted at California State University of Long Beach (CSULB) despite having had a bad start. This was quite a huge accomplishment for a student who had acquired Cs. Many were proud of me, including my counselor who was amazed. Consciously I was proud though I could have done more which was a consequence of subconsciously not feeling “worthy” – a fact that I recognized later through Anna’s teachings. Despite this achievement, something didn’t sit well with me; I did not feel whole. Insecurity and depression continued to linger. Not having the answers, failing and trying new things were things I avoided at all costs. 

In my journey of self-improvement, I attended an ABL seminar in March, which led me to apply for ABL year-round. However, my negative subconscious beliefs almost cost me my opportunity to be a part of the program. To put it simply, I was very afraid and insecure, which I thought I had gotten over that fear by making it into CSULB, and graduating with high honors from high school. However, I almost succumbed to what others were telling me about ABL – that it is too good to be true. I can’t believe that I even listened to them. If it weren’t for Anna following up with me personally, I would not realize I was cheating myself -- something she realized before I did. The sad part was that I was making excuses about my low financial state, about being a minority or how I had it “bad”, and people would agree, and would think it is understandable to be underachieving or not seeking more out of life. No one told me the truth that being the victim is the worst in every situation as it makes one feel powerless. That’s what keeps most people in our inner cities disempowered. Thanks to what I learned at ABL, I now believe that I am a victor and not a victim. I also believe that through hard work and determination, and through changing my conscious and subconscious disempowering beliefs, I can do anything! Anna and ABL have changed my life! I could have not asked for more from ABL! I have never felt so free and happy with who I am. I no longer seek to be great but extraordinary! I have learned the concepts of becoming successful while achieving fulfillment for life. 

In the 2019 Summer Business and Leadership Institute (SBLI) at USC, through developing a business plan, I have learned the many dimensions of running a business from communicating with colleagues to fundamental strategies that are required of a business. It is a challenge at times. Seemingly small things, such as figuring out the cost of production can be tricky. But I have enjoyed my experience tremendously, especially with all the wonderful resources provided by USC, as well as with the phenomenal support of Professor John McGuire, Professor Patrick Henry, Ms. Anna Ouroumian, and the University of Southern California professors, staff, and resources. Prior to joining ABL, a distinction that I never knew I had was the desire to build a company from the ground up with an unmatched company culture. My peers would like to work for that company but I want to be the owner. If it weren't for ABL and this program, I would not have been able to come up with my “life vision statement” of becoming a “fulfilled billionaire philanthropist entrepreneur” and genuinely believe it. 

Experiences inside of USC like the Meta 4 game that put into perspective the importance of teamwork and the type of leaders we can be; and the MBTI test with Professor Gita Govahi taught us about our innate characteristics and things we should improve on to adapt to different personalities. The trip to Universal Studios and to Martha De Laurentiis’ (owner of the production company that made Arnold Schwarzenegger popular) office left me speechless and very inspired. Going to the Beach home of Cheryl Paller, a top executive in private wealth at Bank of America made me dream of one day owning a home like hers. It was the first time in my life where I was an “honored” guest at such a beautiful house and not simply there to do gardening to help my father who works for families with beautiful homes like Mrs. Paller’s. It is incredibly amazing that we could have such experiences so far! Realizing how much time I have left in the program has me immensely excited. 

Currently, I am proud to be in the ABL Management Trainee Semi-Virtual Internship, another key component of the 2019-2020 BLI program, as part of the Inaugural 100 class. Here, we will raise money to pay it forward and for our college trust fund while we learn transferable employability skills to prepare us to become entrepreneurs, corporate executives, and leaders in all fields. 

The ABL capital raising model was created and formulated by the ABL Refounder, President, and CEO Anna Ouroumian based on her life story and experiences. Though Anna grew up in orphanages in war-torn Lebanon, and was destined for a second-grade level education, she used capital raising to get to high school, come to America alone as a young teen with $160, and study at UCLA where she received the highest honor at graduation as outstanding senior as one of four out of 10,500 seniors, for her academic achievements as well as her service to UCLA, and the community. Anna has dedicated her life to making a difference in the lives of thousands of youth. Anna was able to persevere due to not seeing money as an obstacle. Just as she used capital raising to radically change her circumstances and help thousands of youth achieve their dreams, she is now teaching us how to do the same through a capital raising system of leveraging other people’s resources and relationships that she came up with. Anna’s amazing life journey makes me think that if she could do, I can definitely do it too with your support and assistance! 

Therefore, I kindly ask you to consider investing in my future and the future of many other high potential students. My capital raising goal is $150,000 for my college fund for CSULB and to help me with my transfer plan to the University of Southern California, and $60,000 to pay it forward. By not having to worry about paying back my student loans, I will be able to focus on my studies and immerse myself in all the opportunities that college has to offer to prepare me for future leadership roles. Moreover, being in this management trainee internship, I will learn transferable employability skills such as sales, marketing, branding, relationship building, relationship management, team building, time management, organization, project management, power networking and connecting as well as grit and stamina, among many other skills. In addition, having a team of “Champions and Super Champions” who are invested in my success, will hold me accountable to my dreams. 

Capital raising will serve as a Launchpad to fulfill my vision of becoming a “fulfilled billionaire philanthropist entrepreneur” that will leave a positive legacy in the world. Simultaneously, I would like to grant the ability to other students to accomplish their biggest dreams through this amazing program. However, I cannot reach my capital raising goals without your support. ABL teaches us to see ourselves as “investments and not as charity”. I am very grateful to just have this opportunity! I sincerely hope that you do consider investing in me as a “Champion” by making a one-time investment, and/or by becoming a “Super Champion” to help me capital raise so that through you, I may invest back in my community, and in this great country! 

Thank you in advance for your support! I promise that for every dollar that I receive, I will one day pay it forward a thousandfold as a generous philanthropist. I also promise that one day I will write the big checks you write to ABL in your honor, so that many others can spread the “love and gratitude” this world needs. Giving back is the least that my fellow scholars and I can do since ABL is helping us acquire the empowering conscious and subconscious beliefs, and the right mindset and tools to become sustainable and transformational leaders. ABL is giving us the chance to learn critical knowledge at such a young age that is changing our lives. 

Thank you once again from the bottom of my heart! I'm so extraordinarily grateful for this experience that words simply cannot convey! Your investment in me is ultimately an investment in the future philanthropist that will exponentially multiply your investment by supporting other youth who will also pay it forward and support millions more of their generation so they may reciprocate this infinitely. This will ensure that your legacy does continue to live on! I cannot thank you enough for believing in me and other deserving youth!