Juan Carlos Lascurain runs a Sports Brokerage firm in Mexico looking to attract foreign investment into sports clubs from North and Central America.
What is Lascurain-Grosvenor all about?
Lascurain-Grosvenor is a boutique firm based in Mexico City that believes that the challenge of completing the globalization of sport can be achieved by helping foreign investors to get through the obstacles presented by the region.
In Lascurain-Grosvenor, we have a deep understanding of the issues affecting this industry in the region. Through our vast international network of investors, sports clubs, agents, sport and government officials we are ideally positioned to help our clients.
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you started your business?
Even since I was young I was interested in the running of sports organizations (especially football and motorsports). When I was in Highschool I started to get involved in the motorsport business. I saw how F4, Rally, and tourism races were organized.
In December 2017 I started my own racing team, we were going to race in the most famous Rally in Latin America but due to the result of the Mexican presidential elections, our sponsors pulled out forcing us out of business. That summer, after closing my Racing Team, I started to look for opportunities with Football Player agencies in Mexico. I got involved with many agencies. With them I developed expansion plans to South America, United States, and Europe, I also learned how the sport is managed in our country. As my interest started to grow more and more, I started to study different courses on management while expanding my network.
After developing business models for various soccer clubs, I received two job offers, one in Brazil and the other in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates).
In December 2020 after having thought about my future in the sport’s industry, I decided that I had the network, knowledge, and passion necessary to start my own firm and to attract clients to the region.
How have the pandemic affected you or your new business?
The pandemic has affected our business in many ways. First of all, many tournaments such as the FIFA U-17 and U-23 World Cups, have been put on hold affecting and delaying our services that consist of advising biding campaigns to host this kind of event.
The economic crisis caused by the pandemic has also affected potential investors that would otherwise be more willing to buy clubs in the region.
Nevertheless, we are still operating with the same attitude and passion, helping our clients despite the obstacles presented by the current situation.
What were the top mistakes you made starting your business and what did you learn from it?
The top mistakes I made back when I started my first business were to try to do things the quickest way possible and almost without help. I was a 20-year-old “entrepreneur” trying to run a racing team on my own. Back then I realized that in order to succeed in business you need to dedicate a sufficient amount of time to your projects for them to be complete and attractive to potential clients. I also learned that you need to be prepared to accept rejection and continue pursuing your dream.
From 2014 to 2017, I made almost 20 pitches to different organizations about investing on a racing team that were rejected, and from 2017 to 2020 I spent most of my time studying and developing modern and effective management models for soccer clubs while working on expanding my professional network. This last part was very important for starting my sports brokerage firm.
What is one thing that you do daily to grow as an entrepreneur?
Having a daily routine consisting of working out, reading and working helped a lot to create a base. The one I found most helpful was exercising as it helped me to improve my discipline and motivation.
After one week of working out every day, I realized I had more desire to follow my daily schedule and to achieve one business goal per day.
What are three books or courses you recommend for new entrepreneurs?
I think that a daily routine that includes reading is essential to grow on a personal level no matter what career path you follow. Some books will help you grow as an entrepreneur as they will expand your vision on the way the business world works and show you the most important skill a successful leader has.
The first book I would recommend to anyone looking to pursue their dream as a businessman/entrepreneur is “The Prince” by Niccolo Machiavelli. This book will help you understand one of the most important aspects of success, that is, achieving your goals by any means necessary.
Another book I strongly recommend is the Autobiography of Sir Alex Ferguson. In this book, Sir Alex Ferguson writes about the importance of being a good leader and how with this skill you can motivate your team to overcome any obstacle.
And the third book is “The Man Who Ran Washington” by Peter Baker and Susan Glasser. The authors take you on a journey through the life and career of James A. Baker, a Texan attorney that was the closest advisor to George H.W. Bush, went on to be one of the most influential figures on the Republican presidential campaigns, served as Chief of Staff for both Ronald Reagan and President Bush and became Secretary of State.
What was your first business idea and what did you do with it?
As I mentioned before, my first business idea was to have a Racing team. In 2014 I started to contact potential sponsors. It was until 2016 that I got in touch with the manufacturer of the racing cars and its distributor in Mexico that I got involved in the industry. I met a lot of wonderful people that showed me how the races were organized, how teams were managed and the interaction between politics and sports.
What are you learning now? Why is that important?
I am currently taking a specialization course on negotiation and Portuguese lessons. The negotiation course is important as it reinforces previous knowledge on negotiation in order to master this art.
Learning Portuguese as well as learning any other language, helps you to expand your horizons as you interact with people from other cultures.
Nowadays it is very important for any entrepreneur to be fluent in as many languages as he/she can to have better communication with clients and reach more markets that are within reach thanks to the free market and globalization.
What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?
The most effective marketing strategy has been going online with my own site. This new website has helped me to reach more clients all around the world, showcasing what the firm can do for them in a more effective way.
What’s your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?
To write their business plan and to stick to it despite rejection.
You should identify what your main goal is and what are the secondary goals that can be achieved daily that will get you closer to achieve that goal you identified as your priority. The goals have to be backed by your talent and not just on your desire of having success.
As you go on you will face rejection from potential clients, friends, family, and employers but no matter what happens you have to keep going. If you do things with passion, dedication, and knowledge, the opportunity will come to you, you just have to keep ongoing.
What is your favorite quote?
I have two favorite quotes that I live by, the first one is:
“If you’re going through hell, keep going.”
– Winston Churchill
and the second one is:
“Work hard. Do your best. Keep your word. Never get too big for your britches. Trust in God. Have no fear, and never forget a friend”
– President Harry S. Truman.
What is your definition of success?
I think that to be considered successful you need to achieve things no one (including yourself) thought you would be able to do, over and over again. The more you overcome, the more successful you are.
How do you personally overcome fear?
I used to be afraid of many things, this led to panic and anxiety attacks. As time went by, I understood that the only thing that keeps you from having a happy and successful life is fear. To overcome fear, I tend to analyze the result of the thing I am afraid of, after analyzing it, the problem becomes easier to control.
You have to keep in mind that the reward is often greater than the risk when trying to overcome your fears and when you finally achieve this, you can go out face any obstacle no matter how big it is.
How can readers get in touch with you?
I would like to thank the readers of Billion Success and let you know that you can reach me through our website, lgsportsbrokerage.com, and through my email address, juancarloslascurain@lgsportsbrokerage.com. I will be more than glad to assist you.
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