San Antonio Business Journal – – Longtime San Antonio resident C. LeRoy Cavazos-Reyna has returned to the area to start a consulting firm after spending three years working as a senior executive with the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C.
By James McCandless – Reporter, San Antonio Business Journal
Longtime San Antonio resident LeRoy Cavazos-Reyna has returned to the area to start a consulting firm after spending three years working as a senior executive with the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Washington, D.C.
The 37-year-old told the Business Journal that owning his own firm has been a goal for over a decade, stemming from the experiences he’s had advising entrepreneurs throughout his career. He left the Chamber because, after helping to reorganize its operations, he said he doesn’t feel suited for the daily business of chasing federal procurement dollars.
Cavazos-Reyna most recently served as the Hispanic chamber’s vice president of government and international affairs. His new firm, Localism, officially launched in August to bring what he calls a “local approach” to advising businesses. He previously worked for the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber from 2012 to 2017. He holds both a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from the University of Texas-Pan American.
“I always knew that I wanted to chart this path for myself to help businesses, nonprofits and corporations,” he said in an interview.
Cavazos-Reyna said he brings a global view to advising clients, citing his experience working in Washington and with large multinational corporations.
“A lot of consultants that do political consulting, advocacy or government affairs, they’ve done it for years from a San Antonio perspective, and I’ve traveled the world to get different perspectives to prepare my firm to do this work on behalf of people,” he said.
Cavazos-Reyna said he already has a handful of clients, including his former employer. By the end of next year, he plans to have 10 to 15 clients and four to six employees. He’s also considering locations for future office space, either downtown or on the Westside. He’s currently based out of a home office.
He said he also works as a consultant for Public Private Strategies, a D.C.-based business consultancy.
Localism is in the process of being certified as Hispanic-, LGBTQ+- and Disabled-owned. He also plans to seek a disadvantaged business certification from the Small Business Administration, saying that he intends to becoming a federal contractor to better assist small businesses hoping to do business with the government.
“I have a lot of energy to really show people the low-hanging fruit that perhaps they had been missing, or that they’re just not aware of,” he said. “Because you don’t know what you don’t know.”