Latin America Leadership Program

By: Ana Gomez Garces (B'25) and Guadalupe Ramirez

Gustavo Rodríguez began his career as a corporate lawyer, specializing in labor and business law, holding key roles at Grupo Sago/Grupo Salinas and GT Global in Mexico. While working for the latter, he volunteered in Fundación Fleishman by involving the organization with key stakeholders within Mexico’s social ecosystem, including Enseña por México, New Ventures, Impact Hub, among others. This initiative fostered greater collaboration and impact in the country.

During this time, Gustavo developed a deep passion for driving social change. His journey led him to Georgetown University’s Global Competitiveness Leadership (GCL) program in 2019, where he expanded a project aimed at transforming Tampico and the northeastern region of Mexico through entrepreneurship. His belief was rooted in the idea that fostering entrepreneurship could generate opportunities for social mobility and regional development.

After GCL, the COVID-19 pandemic temporarily paused the project. However, a group of committed community members later joined forces to create Wela, which evolved from this initial project. Wela is currently presided over by Juan I. Haces (Director of GT Global ) and led by Mayte Holguera. The organization connects entrepreneurs, strategic leaders, mentors, advisors, and investors to enhance and scale the region's development. Wela aims to transform the Tampico, Madero, and Altamira regions into a high-impact entrepreneurial hub by 2030.

Rafik and the legal services democratization

Gustavo had always envisioned starting his own venture as one of his ultimate goals, but he believed this was something to pursue later in his career. The pandemic became an inflection point that accelerated his entrepreneurial journey. Taking a leap of faith, he founded Rafik as an opportunity to offer online legal services to companies, focusing on small and medium-sized businesses. Recognizing the potential to drive impactful change within the industry he was already working in, he initially gave himself one year to build Rafik before leaving his job. However, it only took six months for him to take that leap and dedicate 100% of his time to this vision.

Rafik is an online legal platform designed to provide small and medium-sized businesses across Latin America with access to advanced technological tools and trusted legal expertise to enhance their operations. Its mission is to democratize high-quality legal services through innovation and technology. Rafik’s offerings include digital management and storage of legal documents, AI-powered document analysis, contract automation, electronic signatures, and intellectual property tracking. From its inception, Rafik has focused on bridging the gap in legal digitalization for smaller businesses, addressing the unique challenges they face in adopting new technologies. Operating -mainly- in Mexico, Colombia, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, and Argentina, Rafik also drives social impact through initiatives in education and gender equity. Collaborating with schools near Mexico City, Rafik works to reduce educational disparities, offering students from underserved communities opportunities to build skills and access roles in the tech industry. By 2025, the company aims to become a certified B Corporation, further embedding its commitment to combining technological innovation with social responsibility.

The first challenge Gustavo faced when starting Rafik was the demanding time commitment required to start a business while still meeting the responsibilities of his corporate job. For this reason, he decided to save money to ensure financial stability and fully dedicate himself to his venture. Later, many more challenges arose than he had anticipated, as working in the legal department of a corporation didn’t prepare him for new variables such as human resources, among others. Gustavo believes that his 15 years of professional experience in law firms and corporate environments gave him a deep understanding of how companies operate, which he then applied to Rafik.

“When you’re an entrepreneur, everything depends on you. How much you do, how you move, and how you execute determine the progress of your company. Taking on that level of responsibility is the greatest challenge. I had never had so many people working for me, nor had I been in a position where their salaries depended on me. That kind of pressure requires careful management: technology positions are very expensive, and creating a sustainable framework is extremely complex and demanding.” - Gustavo Rodriguez (GCL 2019, Mexico)

Despite these pressures, Gustavo relied on his extensive corporate experience, GCL lessons, and MBA training to navigate the complexities of running a business. Driven by his passion for continuous learning, he decided to develop other skills he deemed essential for his company, such as basic programming. By focusing on collaboration, adaptability, and his vision of social impact, he overcame these challenges and established Rafik as a successful company.

Gustavo’s experience in LALP’s GCL program in 2019 was transformative, marking a turning point in his career and his vision for social impact. Through the program’s focus on leadership development, strategic planning, and fostering collaboration, Gustavo refined the skills necessary to drive meaningful change in his professional and entrepreneurial endeavors. The program not only made Rafik possible but also served as a platform to unify efforts with the most relevant stakeholders in Tampico and strengthen Wela, where Rafik is part of the first generation of the acceleration program operated by Endeavor.

The GCL network as a trigger for success

Gustavo served as Vice President of the GCL Alumni Network from 2022 to 2024, a role in which he actively fostered stronger connections among alumni throughout Latin America.  His leadership was instrumental in building collaborative initiatives, mentorship programs, and opportunities for knowledge exchange within the network. Gustavo values the unique sense of purpose shared by GCL alumni, which he describes as a community of leaders deeply committed to driving impact in their respective fields.

“I was able to see all the profiles within the network, and I find it fascinating in that regard. I don’t think there are more powerful networks in Latin America. Even when compared to the networks of other prominent universities, none have the same reach as this one.” - Gustavo Rodriguez (GCL 2019, Mexico)

The alumni network has not only served as a source of inspiration but also as a practical support system for Gustavo. Many of Rafik’s clients and collaborators have come through referrals within the GCL community, exemplifying the tangible benefits of this powerful network. For Gustavo, the GCL network stands out as one of the most robust and impactful alumni communities in the region, providing both professional and personal growth opportunities. 

Congratulations, Gustavo! From LALP, we are proud to see your journey, which demonstrates the transformative power of combining passion and expertise with a commitment to social impact. Your engagement in the GCL network, fostering collaboration, and your continuous learning exemplify the values of leadership and innovation that drive meaningful change. We look forward to seeing the continued success of Rafik and the impact you will undoubtedly create in the years to come.