July 2020 Interview with Luis Yepez, Chief Operating Officer of Mainstream Global

Q1: Tell us about your business, how you got started, what you do, etc.

Mainstream Global was founded in 2000. Mainstream Global offers verifiable, environmentally responsible, financially sustainable IT Asset Disposition (ITAD) services. We focus on markets in the US and Latin America and work with a full range of clients from small family-owned businesses to Fortune 50 companies. Mainstream Global is the largest ITAD service in our market in terms of geographic coverage and the only company to have 6 self-owned and operated facilities throughout the Americas that are ISO and R2 certified. We are firm believers in establishing processes and procedures which permit us to offer uniform quality standards throughout all our facilities. We provide environmentally responsible solutions that help customers save money, increase profits, and ensure brand protection while safeguarding the environment. Our services include providing IT asset testing, data destruction, as well as onsite data erasure and refurbishment services. We help technology-driven companies maximize the residual value of their high volume off-lease, enterprise equipment, and customer returns. 

Q2: What was your experience with financial inequity?

We are a first-generation American family originally from Ecuador whose parents didn’t work for corporate America and as such did not have the financial network and know-how which we would later need as our company grew. Although the company had been successful, we were plateauing and had difficulties breaking through to the next level. The growth we were looking for required a different level of experienced business partners, capital, and a larger network. We worked very hard to build our business with our local networks, but we needed a different way to open doors to unlock our growth. That’s where the Foundation for Business Equity (FBE) came in. FBE partnered us with an amazing consultant, Michael Hicks, who helped us see weaknesses within our company and set concrete goals to fix them. Additionally, we worked together to build a 5-year growth plan to double our sales. It has been an incredible experience.

Q3: How did you come in contact with FBE?

My brother heard about FBE and asked me to look into it. After going through a rigorous selection process, right from the start, FBE took the time to really understand what we do and how we do it. Based on their understanding, they paired us with a Strategic Advisor they felt could help make an impact on our growth. And Michael helped us do just that – we’ve seen tremendous growth since our involvement with FBE.

Q4: What were you able to accomplish together?

For a year, we met weekly with our Business Equity Initiative (BEI) Strategic Advisor. He held us accountable to deliverables, which helped us develop the structure we needed to enter into this next period of growth at Mainstream Global. Along with our Advisor’s insight and mentoring, we were able to develop a five-year plan to double our sales and follow a concrete path to move our business forward. We also assessed the conditions that would enable us to successfully implement our plan. It has been amazing. 

FBE also provides monthly CEO Roundtables where guest speakers are brought in to discuss business leadership topics with business owners to augment the overall FBE experience. FBE is all about helping businesses and business owners to grow. It’s a fantastic organization.

The Strategic Advisor we were paired with had experience working with Fortune 100 companies, which was incredibly helpful in enabling us to understand the mindset and expectation of this type of client. As a result, when we are pitching new business, we’re better prepared in understanding what’s important to the company. As a result, we have had incredible success.

Q5: What do you have to say to other business owners especially now? 

As entrepreneurs, we inherently are optimists and have faith that we will find a solution to whatever problem we may confront. However, we, as business leaders, must also face the harsh reality of the conditions we are operating in, especially during this global pandemic, and take the time to analyze the strengths and weaknesses of our companies. Having this understanding will help to chart a course that will not only lead you through these challenging times but keep you on track to continued growth.