Santiago Mesa Rodriguez

Duke Analytics Grad Building Consulting Firm With My Dad | 6 Countries, 3 Languages | I Speak on Betting on Yourself Before You're Ready

: I'm 22, graduating from Duke's Fuqua School of Business, and am building a consulting company with my dad.

I've lived in 6 countries across 12 years: Colombia, Mexico, Venezuela, Panama, Brazil, and the United States. I speak English, Spanish, and Portuguese fluently. I worked at PwC consulting and turned down the safe corporate path to bet on myself.

Now I'm co-founding StepUp, a consulting firm helping mid-market LATAM companies access top-level strategies at prices they can actually afford. My father brings 25+ years of executive experience. I bring the AI and analytics. Together we're building something neither of us could alone.

I speak about:
- Betting on yourself before you feel ready
- Building a business with family (the real version)
- Why AI will democratize emerging markets sooner rather than later

I'm building in real time and sharing lessons as they happen. Your audience gets authenticity, not polished origin myths.

Best for: entrepreneurship, AI/tech, career pivots, family business, LATAM markets, self-improvement, and Gen Z founder podcasts.