By Henry Villaseñor
I didn’t invent the term inclusive capitalism. But I’ve lived it—loan by loan, business by business, family by family.
For more than 40 years, I’ve worked in the world of commercial real estate lending. Not the glamorous, high-rise Manhattan kind. The kind where a family pulls together to buy a small strip mall so their son can open a taco shop, or a carpenter secures a loan to expand his custom furniture workshop. Maybe it’s a cousin who spent every spare minute under the hood growing up—finally able to open his own auto repair shop after years of working in someone else’s garage. I’ve walked with entrepreneurs who built something from nothing—sometimes with barely a business plan, but always with a vision.
This work has taught me something simple but profound: when we invest in people, especially those traditionally left out of the system, everyone wins.
That’s the essence of inclusive capitalism. It’s the belief that a thriving free-market economy shouldn’t leave people behind. It’s about using capital to generate not just profits, but possibilities. It’s where good business and doing good aren’t in conflict—they’re aligned.
“To me, winning is when I can lift someone up and help them dream.”
I’ve spent my career helping underserved borrowers find financing when the banks said no. I’ve seen firsthand how one opportunity—just one—can ripple across a family and into the next generation. A mother who gets funding for her storefront suddenly has more stability. That stability lets her children dream a little bigger. Maybe she saves for college. Maybe her kids grow up and build something of their own.
“I constantly witness the success that the current generation enjoys from the labors and decisions that their parents made for them.”
That’s the kind of success that matters. That’s legacy. That’s generational wealth—not measured in millions, but in mindset, freedom, and possibility.
To me, la familia always comes first. When families are supported, communities grow stronger. And when we ease the burdens—just a little—on today’s entrepreneurs, we create the space for something greater than just a loan getting paid back.
“Imagine if your parents or relatives were less stressed, more relaxed, and able to save just a little bit more for you, so you could dream of success for the next generation.”
This isn’t charity. It’s sound economics. Small business owners are the backbone of this country. But too often, they’re forced to navigate a lending system that wasn’t built with them in mind. I believe we can change that—with smarter processes, better relationships, and a commitment to inclusion as a business strategy.
Inclusive capitalism isn’t just a concept. It’s a movement—and one I’m proud to be part of. Because when we create the conditions for others to rise, everyone rises.