Not Everyone Needs To Go To College, But Everyone Needs An Education with Patricio J. Gutiérrez - Business & Corporate Lawyer, EP #123

I talked with my friend Patricio on the podcast today because he is an excellent example of leveraging education and mentorship on his path to success. I met him when he was in his undergraduate degree in college, even before law school, and I’ve loved seeing his journey to professional achievement and giving back to his community.

Patricio J. Gutiérrez is the Founder and Managing Attorney of Gutierrez Law Group PLLC and focuses his practice on corporate and international transactional law. As a business and corporate lawyer, Patricio advises clients on a variety of transactions, including mergers and acquisitions, business formation, contract drafting and negotiation, and federal trademark registration. He assists domestic and international clients with the creation, governance, and sale of corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, limited partnerships, and other legal entities in the State of Texas.

Patricio advises foreign companies on matters concerning business operations in the United States, and U.S. companies with business operations abroad. With a bilingual prime of-counsel Mexican firm with offices in various cities in Mexico, he assists companies to operate within the legal parameters of international trade to maintain their competitive edge in the global marketplace.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

  • How to make the most of mentorship in a new country (4:40)

  • Why Latinos often need to retrain their mind to understand the path to success (10:30)

  • What Patricio learned from his internship at the White House (12:25)

  • Why earning your opportunities is essential (16:17)

  • The obstacles Patricio and his family overcame during his younger years (22:30)

  • Opportunities to look for in school to keep on the path of success (27:12)

  • The legal work that is meaningful for Patricio today (31:30)

Growing up in two countries at once

Patricio was born in a Texas border town but his family moved across the border to their Mexican hometown shortly after. He grew up walking across the border daily to go to school and to him, this was nothing special. He went to college at University of Texas Austin, did internships at the White House and the Capital, ended up at law school in Dallas, and has been practicing law in Texas ever since. When I asked Patricio what inspired him to go to college, let alone law school, as a first generation American, he told me that his parents were clear that the path to success for him was being educated in the States because of the information, opportunities, and mentors that would be available to him here. They didn’t have the answers, but they knew that the answers would be available through mentors. This was a key to his success throughout his education and career.

The power of mentors to guide you

When I asked Patricio about the key mentors who changed his life, he told me about a mentor he met before he started law school that instilled in him the importance of networking, getting a seat at the table, and being involved in the community. He taught Patricio that success is not about money or fame, it’s about being happy as a person and giving back to the community. This really impacted Patricio in his key decisions as his career unfolded. He learned the value of getting good advisors, financial planners, attorneys, and more in his network of support while he built a business. Latinos have an incredible entrepreneurial spirit but they still need guides and professional support to craft a solid path to business success.

Knocking on the door of opportunity 

Patricio is a big believer in the opportunities available in the U.S., but he’s also a big believer that those opportunities only come to people who knock on the door. He has seen the value of going to college, getting a postgraduate degree, and showing up to do the work. Sure there are examples of super successful founders who dropped out of school, but they are the rare exception and usually come from a legacy of well-educated families. The experience of leaving your hometown, going to a new place, meeting students from different cultures, and getting involved in new organizations is what opens someone’s eyes to what is really available. Not everyone has the opportunity to go to college, but whatever level of education you can access, it will be well worth it in the U.S.


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