Negocios Now

www.negociosnow.com 14 October 2022 Age: 35 Title: President Name of Organization: Chocobar Cortes Carlos Cortes is the Executive Director of Chocobar Cortés, the restaurant branch of Cho- colate Cortes. He is responsi- ble for revamping the image and experience of the Choco- bar Cortes brand in addition to expanding the restaurant be- yond the original Old San Juan location. Chocobar Cortes in the South Bronx is the first lo- cation outside of Puerto Rico. As the youngest of the fourth generation Cortes brothers, one would think finding his way into the 93-year-old family chocola- te business would be straight- forward. That wasn't the case for Carlos, who moved to New York in 2005 to pursue his undergra- duate studies in economics and philosophy at Columbia Uni- versity. After graduating in 2009, Carlos worked in the family bu- siness from New York, increasing sales and distribution of Cortes chocolate products in the Nor- theast. Carlos learned one very important lesson during this time: it was nearly impossible to grow as a small business through traditional means when compe- ting against corporate giants. With a desire to help people and an interest in mental health, Carlos switched gears and enro- lled in medical school at NYU in 2013. However, while he was in training, Puerto Rico fell into a fiscal crisis, and was then rava- ged by Hurricane Maria. Being disillusioned with the medical system and with a sense of res- ponsibility to help Puerto Rico's situation, Carlos combined his MD with an MBA from the NYU Stern School of Business to pi- vot away from medicine. While a student in New York, Carlos fell in love with the city and began to pay close attention to the city's social and economic scene especially as it unfolded in and around trends in food and beverage. At the same time, his mother, Elaine Shehab, launched Chocobar Cortes in Old San Juan. Equipped with what he learned from his formal business studies and from observing the trends in New York, Carlos was ready to return to the family business with a clear mission of sharing with the world the unique Chocobar Cortes brand and experience. He believes there is a need for more authentic and diverse La - tinx businesses and brands that reflect and represent the true and beautiful diversity of the city. He hopes to be an example for other businesses and entrepreneurs by showing that you can find suc- cess by embracing and celebra- ting who you are. Carlos Cortes Changing the Chocolate Business WORDS OF WISDOM: "B e yourself and the rest will follow. The same is true for our collective self as Latinos."

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