Gary Acosta's Podcast

The country is experiencing significant disruption, unlike anything we've seen since the end of World War II. A perfect storm of demographic changes, AI advancements, and political upheaval will reshape the nation forever. Some changes will be beneficial, while others will be less clear. Here's my perspective on what to expect in the next decade.    The country will be more socially libe...

I have been writing this blog for almost eight years. In two weeks, the format will change. I will start a video series on social media titled "The Latino Brand." I will supplement the videos with a weekly news sheet emailed to my database that includes links to the video series. The videos will focus on Latino unity, leadership, and wealth building.     I have a few tips for anyone cons...

An Alternative Perspective on Mass Deportations   I expect to get some heat for the title of this blog, but I hope you hear me out. Deportations could ultimately benefit Latinos in the long run, and here is how.    Donald Trump’s central promise throughout his presidential campaign was to enact mass deportations on a scale the country has never seen. Trump repeatedly characterized undocumented peo...

It has been said that government policy resembles a game of "whack-a-mole," meaning when the government tries to tackle a specific issue with a policy, it often causes new variations of the problem to emerge in different areas. In other words, "any action has an equal and opposite reaction." When taxes and regulations are reduced, as is expected in 2025, two things tend to happ...

Their Work is Important Realtors are in the business of making dreams come true. Owning a home is the cornerstone of the American dream. Realtors help families navigate the largest and most intimidating financial transaction of their lifetime. They serve as guides, counselors, cheerleaders, and protectors. Many of them remain friends of their clients for life. America is at its best when its citiz...

While the fires raged in Los Angeles, some of the most powerful people in the country weren’t focused on helping the families who suffered unimaginable losses. Instead, they used their enormous platforms to blame the tragedy on their favorite target, DEI.    In less than four years, DEI went from being a widely accepted bipartisan solution for America’s precarious wealth and income gaps to the roo...

Professional investors know that the best way to make it big is to believe in something that almost everyone disagrees with - and be right. That could be a business idea, an investment opportunity, or a cultural trend. If change creates opportunity, this coming year feels ripe for new big things to emerge. The country is more divided than ever. The world seems to be on the brink of war, and the on...

Next week, I will be speaking at a Hispanic Leadership Summit at the United Nations. I was asked to speak on the topic of Unity. The following is a preview of my speech.    In 1966, Ronald Reagan made a statement that became known as the “11th commandment” in Republican politics: He said, “Thou shall not speak ill of thy fellow Republicans.”  Republicans loved it, and most would argue that it has...

For years, I have been one of many people who spoke about creating an accurate and positive narrative about Latinos in America. It is one of the goals of NAHREP, and it was talked about frequently at L’ATTITUDE. We pointed at the media and entertainment industries as often portraying Latinos negatively and how politicians all-too-often characterize Latinos as takers who are a drain on the economy...

NAHREP has reasons for both optimism and concern about a second Trump term: Realtor Lawsuits – Net Positive  While it’s far too early to know how a Trump DOJ will address issues like broker compensation cooperation, the Clear Cooperation Policy, or other antitrust issues, the consensus is that a Trump administration would be more favorable to the industry. NAHREP will continue its leadership in en...

With the presidential election only three weeks away, partisans on both sides are taking off the gloves with rhetoric that vilifies their opponents and fires up their minions. Most people believe that our country is more divided than ever. Indeed, the days when liberal and conservative candidates can debate their views respectfully seem like a distant memory.  At the risk of oversimplifying things...

On Friday evening, the LA Dodgers won game one of the 2024 World Series over the New York Yankees in glorious fashion, with Freddie Freeman hitting a walk-off grand slam home run in the bottom of the 10th inning. For Dodger fans, the game could not have been scripted better. The family of Dodger legend Fernando Valenzuela, who died earlier in the week, was honored before the game. According to peo...

The NAHREP wrapped up three weeks ago. Once again, the event attracted some of the most influential and inspirational leaders in business, media, sports, technology, and entertainment. Below is a short list of the speakers and VIP’s who participated at the event.  Tony Robbins Nando Parrado, Society of the Snow Priscila Almodovar, CEO of Fannie Mae Jeremy Wacksman, CEO of Zillow Terry Schmidt, CEO...

Many people will tell you the easiest path to success is to find someone already successful and emulate what they do. Nothing is wrong with that, but I can't think of anything more boring. People tend to gravitate to that thinking because it's a shortcut. Making money is hard, and anything that makes that process easier or shorter is appealing. I get it.  However, the best businesses and...

There are two types of people in the world: those who add stress and those who subtract stress. Simon Sinek says that every person in your team should be judged by productivity and loyalty. Everyone wants people who are highly productive and loyal to the organization’s success. But Sinek also says that if you must choose between loyalty and productivity, always go with loyalty.  It's not diff...

As the two presidential candidates lay out their economic plans for the country, housing affordability is on the list for the first time in decades. Republicans' default solution for any economic issue is tax cuts and deregulation, and for Democrats, it's grants and more regulations. Anyone who knows me knows how frustrated I have been with the current administration, who seems to believ...

In 1992, Eddie Murphy was one of the biggest stars in the world. At 30, Murphy had already starred in ten studio films and built two billion-dollar franchises with “48 Hours” and “Beverly Hills Cop.”  “Boomerang” was a different kind of film. It was a movie about friendship, loyalty, and romance set in NYC at a medium-sized Black-led company that sold beauty products. Boomerang had an all-black ca...

The Difference Between Good and Great  A video of an interview with Will Smith is making its way around social media. In it, he discusses the gap between being good and truly great at something. Smith says the difference between 90% and 100% is “lightyears.” I have always known this, but Smith described the difference in practical terms well. At one point, he says, “You can be good with talent alo...

Whether you like Donald Trump or not, the recent attempt on his life is not something we should take lightly or joke about. Certain things should be off-limits.  Crossing the line in circumstances like this can also cost you your career. From what I have read, hundreds of people have already lost their jobs because of what they posted on social media after the assassination attempt. If you get not...

This past week, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) invited me to participate in a meeting with the NAR leadership and Jonathan Kanter, the Assistant Attorney General of the United States, Antitrust Division. The parties agreed in advance that to encourage an open and frank discussion, only high-level elements of the conversation, which took place in a large conference room in the Departmen...

Never in U.S. history have we had two older or less popular candidates running for president of the United States than we do today. We repeatedly hear the question, “How can these two candidates be the best our country has to offer?”. Joe Biden is 81 years old, and Donald Trump is 78. I don’t think it is ageist to note that neither Trump nor Biden would be eligible to serve on the majority of publ...

I was born in East Los Angeles in the sixties. My parents met at Roosevelt High School in Boyle Heights and were married shortly after they graduated. I was their firstborn.  My grandfather on my mother’s side was a Pentecostal minister and the former national president of the Apostolic Assembly Church. When I was a kid, my family would go to my grandfather’s church in the El Sereno area of Los An...

The author, Jordan Peterson, asks why rich people send their kids to liberal arts colleges . Is it because they are stupid? No, it's because they know that nothing makes you more powerful than being literate and articulate, and there isn't any single skill that will move you up the ranks of any organization than the ability to communicate. The ability to read is the ability to learn. Com...

This is part 2 of my blog from last week about political extremism. In this blog, I will explain what most people get wrong about the root causes of dangerous political movements, both left and right.  Let me begin by saying if you are primarily fearful of living in a society that is racist and discriminatory, you should be very concerned with what is happening with the political far left. If your...

George Washington cautioned against political parties. In his farewell address, he said, “It [political parties] serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection.” That sounds about right. People o...