Students: The Frontera Leadership Institute is a great program for budding entrepreneurs

Rio Grande Guardian's Podcast

BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Students participating in the Frontera Leadership Institute at the eBridge Center for Business & Commercialization in downtown Brownsville have nothing but praise for the program.

The 12-week program is run by LMNTS, a nonprofit based at eBridge whose aim is to empower diverse talent with the elemental skills needed to become transformative leaders.

“Our goal is to inspire and equip the next generation of diverse leaders with cutting-edge training in technology, leadership, and emotional intelligence,” said Ruben Cantu, founder of LMNTS.

The program covers topics such as product management, executive leadership, and emotional intelligence.

“Our students get to learn about user experience, user interface, design from one of our former alumni who actually went through the program,” Cantu explained. “And the students are phenomenal. They show up, they're putting in the work, and they're going ahead and asking for more resources. So, this is a good sign for where we're going. We want more students to sign up in the next cohort.”

One of the students on the course, Mykel Delangeo, Brownsville, said his goal as a future entrepreneur is to open a music venue. “That's one of the projects my team is working on. So hopefully, by the end of this course, we will have the foundations and the plans to bring that to life soon,” he said.

Asked what he thought of the course, Delangeo said: “It's amazing. It’s really transformative. I'm not the same person I was before this course. I’ve learned so much, and I’ve grown as a person and a leader, as an entrepreneur. They teach you not just how to run a business, but they teach you how to understand the people you want to help with your business.”

Another student, Martin Cuevas of Brownsville, said he wants to give back to his community.

“Right now, my goal is to create something that will help out my community, that will eventually outlast me. I want to build either a business or an organization or something that will eventually help people. Because for me, that's my ideal goal… to help people.”

Asked what he liked most about the Frontera Leadership Institute, Cuevas said: “It is really good seeing other people who have already achieved their goals, already have their own businesses, or who are just like me or ever so slightly older than me, doing their dream. That's ideal. It gives me it gives me something to follow.”

Another student, Daidree Wright of Brownsville said she learned about the Frontera Leadership Institute when she visited the eBridge Center for One Million Cups event. She said she is pleased to have signed up for the course.

“It's really interesting. We're getting different perspectives from my peers, other business owners who have years of experience in product management and product development,” Wright said.

“And it's also more than just management and how to manage a company. It’s how to truly be a leader and lead from the front and show others how to lead also.”

Cantu, the LMNTS founder, added: “We really want to thank the City of Brownsville for investing in this effort, because we're already seeing the fruits of the labor. It’s really going to be something amazing.”

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