Pedro David is an entrepreneur, author, and investor. He is the co-founder and CEO of SmileyGo, an online platform for non-profit investment companies.
The young man was born and raised in Lima in 1994. He then joined Roosevelt school in America for primary and secondary education. Out of his hard work, he got a scholarship for Berkeley, a Californian-based university. He worked for Shell gas stations as a manager in Peru for a short period before joining the higher institution.
Pedro David studied Business administration, where he graduated after four years. Along the way, he was awarded as an Entrepreneur of the year at the University of California by Janet Napolitano. In summer 2014, Pedro was very eager to enroll at Stamford for part-time classes. He studied engineering, entrepreneurship, and management science. It was the engineering courses that drove him to set up SmileyGo.
His company had a great influence on the innovation of silicon valley academy. He got support from billionaires who invested in his company. Pedro David received another scholarship from 2013 to 2015 because of his audacity and initiative at various clubs.
At 23, he received his certificate as a US citizen. Pedro David was among the first youngest individuals to give a TED talk at Georgetown University. His inspiration for building networks by having solid relationships motivated almost 2000 people. As time went by, Pedro knew the power of technology. So he invested a small amount in retail software, music technology, and autonomous vehicles.
In 2019, he released his first book entitled “Differences That Make a Difference.” Greater names like Reed Hastings, Dan Schulman, and Eric Schmidt contributed to this book. Co-author Jorge Titinger has been his long-term friend since university. Pedro David set up the ‘Pan Peru organization’ during the pandemic to empower women by training them to become entrepreneurs. Currently, Pedro is a board member for corporations, startups, and non-profit organizations. Furthermore, he is the keynote speaker in popular talk shows.
Since I was a kid, I have always dreamed of becoming an entrepreneur. I also wanted to become an author of inclusion and diversity ideas. My whole family is a mixture of different professionals. Karina, my elder sister, is a doctor, while my elder Dianna runs her business. My mother, Julia, is an experienced engineer. So when I was living in New York, I was inspired to write a book about the global economy.
I migrated from a developing country to the US for education purposes. I thank God for blessing me with two scholarships at Berkely and Stamford University. Whenever I think about this opportunity, I know this was the right moment to change America. Out of nowhere, I set up my first technology company at 19. No other tech company represented the Spanish community, so I became my worker.
When I moved to San Francisco, I realized how people were very open to different ideas. However, there were few venture capitals for Latino founders. The black founders struggled with their startups due to financial difficulties. From my knowledge, I saw an opportunity. This inspired me to write a book that could bring a difference. Even when I was in Berkely, I observed a small percentage of immigrant students in STEM and business courses. Classes like computer science, engineering, and statistics were filled with the Americans.
So, I wanted to develop some information that could change this situation. My inspiration was to inform the next generation about this opportunity in top universities. In addition, I wanted to inject a winning mentality to the readers to work hard and grab the opportunities.
My typical day starts with Chinese Mandarin before having a virtual committee and board meetings. After that, I will go swimming in my extra moments, playing golf and tennis. Pop music has always inspired my ears. Unfortunately, I don’t eat dairy foods, but I like drinking chamomile tea. When it comes to social media, I keep my eyes away. They are never productive, and they waste a lot of time.
To bring ideas to life, I use the technique of execution. People spend much of their time on the things they prioritize. When I set up SmileyGo, I had to deactivate some of my Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook. My results were just positive. At the Guitar store, I met Mark Zuckerberg, and I had to install Facebook.
My parents were entrepreneurs, and I learned to turn small ideas into solutions. When we were living in Peru, one day, my father uttered, ‘son, we will build a five-star hotel.’ I thought it was a mere joke. After a few years, we had a huge hotel in the Lunahuana River resort within the next three years. That motivation gave me the foundation, strength, and positive belief.
So I knew the best way to make ideas real is to visualize and execute them. For almost two decades, my older sisters have been my mentors. My parents trusted me when I was young, and I can say this is a gift that last-borns have.
When I joined Stamford for my second scholarship, Karina linked me with her close friends who worked at Google, Facebook and Apple. The friends turned up to be my first client with SmileyGo. That’s where I started networking and building bridges.
I am fascinated by how our economy is growing in the aspect of technology. When I was in middle school, I remember using iPhone maps to get the direction back to my school. Currently, we are embracing the power of machine learning and artificial intelligence. Possessing Alexa and having a conversation with the AI speaker is enjoyable. Technology is disrupting almost all industries. Look at innovations like Airbnb and Uber.
I love how Hispanic kids have filled kindergarten in San Francisco and Los Angelos to learn AI. Companies are now embracing diversity to bring different cultures into their products.
To remain productive, I believe in being energetic and disciplined. I would rather create a long-term relationship with my employees, friends, relatives, or never. When I was at the two higher institutions, I would create friends through the tennis court or airport lounge. I also have a personal board of directors who have helped my companies grow.
I am very thankful to Berkeley University, who wrote my name among successful alumni in Business school even before I graduated. It was my accounting professor who brought out this idea. That was fine because I like being ahead of every activity. I also remember my high school teacher encouraging me to use my skills and create an album. With the support of my parents, I went to the broadcast and recorded some songs. They got recognition in TVs and radios.
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To a younger Pedro David, put all your focus on the end goal. Don’t stay in your comfort zone when you are healthy. Passion can earn you recognition. Then, avoid being jealous of other people’s success. Just cherish what you have earned. Having a positive mentality drives one to the winning table. Also, wasting time on video games won’t add up.
Follow-up is what I do over and over to keep my clients on their toes. I am a believer in persistence and tenacity. When you work hard, you will embrace efficiency.
To grow my business, I have set my business flexible to absorb any help from people. For example, my last business book had several contributors. I invited almost 150 executives whom I interviewed. I sleep for almost nine hours to remain energetic the following day. You have to create a chance where others will coach you. By doing this, you will have many chances to succeed.
To those searching for ideas, get something that can solve a problem experienced by billion people worldwide. For example, when you create software to manage unused parking lots. Churches have parking lots that get occupied during Sundays only; what if you turn them into business? Traffic issues have affected many cities, including Silicon Valley. One can make use of algorithms to work on a bigger project.
If you offer me $100, I will become a Costco member. I eat a lot of calories. Vegetables, fruits, grains, and carbs are my foodstuff. At home, I like cooking from scratch. But I consume food as if I have kids, and I don’t. But when you visit me, be prepared to get bored; I don’t watch TV.
Google calendar has been my helper since I was in middle school. It helps in managing my tasks. I learned that from my parents. Gmail is another tool used for communications.
Kindly grab my book “Differences That Make A Difference” for those who like reading. There are better lessons from top CEOs in the world. It inspires the next generation to use their time, strength, and effort to succeed. Mainly, to immigrants, you don’t have to get scared when you get a scholarship in a new country. Be courageous enough to face the challenges.
My best quote comes from the Bible: “Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth,” Proverbs 10:4. Your willpower becomes the strongest force.
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