An unstoppable Hispanic leader

“Creating a union within a team is essential for an organization to work”

The co-founder, president, and CEO of the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (SFLHCC) and her own foundation Liliam López, is a testimony of the positive impact that Latin women leadership has had in the United States in the last 20 years.  Now with her leading more than 1250 members, the SFLHCC has become one of the most important and influential Chambers of Commerce in the country. López arrived in the United States with her parents, at the age of three, running from Castro-communist Cuba. She graduated from Saint Thomas University and studied Political Science. She is now responsible for coordinating and implementing about 20 events a year through the chamber.

López is also part of the board of directors for “Alianza Para la Vejez” and the “Education for health to Miami Dade”, she’s is also a member of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and the Presidential Council of Florida International University. She unquestionably has known how to handle with success the roles that life demands of all women: be a daughter, wife, mother and business leader. Her trajectory has made her the winner of numerous leadership awards, one of the most recent, was in 2016 from by Miami Dolphins, they gave her the NFL Award for Hispanic Heritage Leadership.  This award is for Hispanic leaders that contributed in each market of the National Football League. In 2014, she received the award “Mujeres de Impacto” of Miami Dade County.

Liliam, as South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce co-founder, how do you actually see the woman role in the business world?

The women’s role in the business world is matured a lot. From the moment when the chamber started until now, I see a woman has taken a very important role, as a businesswoman but also as an executive of senior positions. That is very satisfactory.

The president and CEO of the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce share her impressions about Latin women leadership in the United States.

How was your arrival in the United States?

My parents had to run away from Cuba because of communism implanted by Fidel Castro, They lost their business, properties, and possessions, I know it was horrible for them to start again in a new country where there is another language. I was only three years old and well, I don’t remember a lot but I remember their faces of suffering from being economically tight.  Years later, my father opened a business and he could sustain the family but I know it was very hard for them.

What was the moment you decided to pave the way and found the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (SFLHCC)?

We lived in a time when Hispanics were still not as respected as they are now. The Hispanics that belonged to Anglo Chamber of Commerce, many times were in the committees for Hispanics but not in leadership positions like today. I have a friend that told me about making a change in this community and start an organization for young Hispanic leadership. I have experience with non-profit organizations because I worked as an Executive Director of Spanish American League Against Discrimination. My knowledge and experience helped me realize the dream and part of the original team that founded the chamber.

Aside from your leadership role as a woman at the SFLHCC, what other roles have you assumed in your life and how do you reach a balance in all aspects?

I have had many roles and I still have them which give me a lot of satisfaction besides being President of SFLHCC, I’m a mother and wife. Also I took care of my parents who already passed away. My daughter has 17 years old and my husband is architect and urbanist. Is difficult but you can reach the balance. I remember the days when my father lived. He went to a day care where they took care of him and I always went to pick him up after my appointments. It is the same with children. As children we take on the role that our parents had. Every time I picked him up that gave me satisfaction. I believe that I had more energy when he lived, although I spend all day running from side to side.

What are the qualities that women need to have to exercise business leadership successfully?

I think that there are a lot of qualities, but it is very important to have good relationships with people and not be so dominant. Once I heard an expert psychologist say emotional intelligence is more important than others things. Nothing is truer. Having a good relationship with people and a good environment is very important. An executive depends on employees and he needs to know how to be strong but at the same time he needs to be aware that we are all human. Respect is indispensable in all work relationships and executives must recognize that we all have qualities to something in life.

My philosophy is not to jump for the first one and see how the things can be solved in a friendly way. Creating a union within a team is essential for an organization or a business to work. You have to give credit and encouragement to people. A compliment is something pretty that we all love so is important give a flattery to people who are a fundamental part of an organization or business.

What advice could you give to Hispanic women who want to start and aspire to become business leaders?

If you have a goal, you must follow it and not deviate. Sometimes people have a good idea but for some reason they deviate from the goal, to start a business you have to know it. It is fundamental that you know what you want to do. The biggest failure that exists between businesses in the first year is the lack of knowledge of product or service they offer. That’s why sometimes the person will work first in something they like and then, with the pass of the years, they realize that they want to start their own business. Of course, with experience everything changes favorably.

You are a woman with a lot of experience in the commercial work, for Latin woman, what is the most difficult of the business leadership exercise?

I think that the hardest in the business leadership is although it is ok you can’t stop. Always appears a challenge that tell you that you have to keep fighting because it’s not easy to get up and stay. You always have to be continuously learning and spiritually growing. This helps you to see that no one can sit and say ¡I already arrived and I’m doing fine! You always have to keep creating new ideas for the success of the business. It’s like a marriage. You always have to take care of it and it will be ok. Business is the same. You always have to be looking for new growth opportunities because you can never stagnant, ¡never!

As a co-founder, president and CEO of SFLHCC, what projects have you had this year?

We have a lot of projects; we want to make a lunch for recognize the foundation of the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Through these 22 years, our foundation has granted more than $700,000 in scholarships to young Hispanics of low income families. We have a program with Southwest Airlines that incentivize our young to keep up their studies. As the Chamber has this important name, the foundation has been left behind about the publicity; we want to work about that item this year, because is important to highlight what we do in pro of the education of our young Hispanics.

By: Trina Intoci Ochoa