Rocio Pinto is the co-founder of Multiverse, a Guatemala-based organization that harnesses entrepreneurship as a catalyst to the country’s development. Multiverse offers mentorship, tailored programs, online courses, consultancies, and a dedicated entrepreneurship school, all aimed at ensuring entrepreneurs have the knowledge, network, and resources they need to thrive—and to create a healthy entrepreneurial ecosystem. They’ve supported more than 4,500 entrepreneurs, resulting in at least a two-fold increase in jobs per venture and elevated incomes for all participating enterprises.
Pinto is also a fellow of the Aspen Global Leadership Network and (with Multiverse) a recipient of a 2023–2024 Global Inclusive Growth Spark Grant, awarded by the Global Inclusive Growth Partnership, a collaboration between the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth and the Aspen Institute. We spoke with her about her work, her inspiration, and her future in creating an inclusive economic future for all in this Q&A on the Institute website. Here’s an excerpt:
The AGLN’s mission is to awaken purpose and values-driven leadership across the world to address our greatest challenges. How is Multiverse an expression of your values and the legacy you want to leave as a leader?
I firmly believe that human beings deserve a dignified life. I believe that the ability to provide ourselves with what we need to live that dignified life lies in the freedom we have to obtain it through our dignified work and having access to opportunities. This is completely aligned with Multiverse’s cause: “A world where entrepreneurs who dare, compete freely and meritocratically, build business models that improve the quality of life for future generations.” And I see it and experience it all the time in each of our programs and with every entrepreneur. When people find support, tools, and a clear path, they seize the opportunities and take responsibility for their lives, achieving a life full of results and passion—a dignified life.
News Bites
Can employee ownership improve capitalism? In an op-ed for Fast Company, the Economic Opportunities Program’s Maureen Conway and Matt Helmer, along with Joseph Blasi of the Rutgers University School of Management and Labor Relations, discussed whether employee share ownership could help address the conflict between American capitalism and the American dream.
To support last week’s Employee Ownership Ideas Forum (which The Slice will revisit in an upcoming issue), EOP released publications on ESOPs in the Manufacturing Industry, ESOPs in Rural Areas, and Employee Ownership and ESOPs: What We Know from Recent Research, as well as case studies on employee ownership efforts in Pittsburgh and North Carolina.
Also last week, the Financial Security Program hosted the Financial Resilience Summit: The Future of Public Benefits Modernization. Video of the event is available at that link, and the program’s Raini Carr, Jason Ewas, and Marco Heuerta provided a recap of one panel in the post, “Find People Where They Are”: Four Experts on the Value of Person-Centered Practices in Benefits Design and Delivery. See also the related publication Highlighting Innovative Actions to Improve Public Benefits Delivery by Aspen FSP’s Sohrab Kohli and Tim Shaw.
EOP has published a new issue brief, The Importance of Participatory Decision Making in Designing Quality Jobs, which dives into the history of PDM, how it contributes to better jobs and improves business outcomes, and how it is used to address an array of challenges with a particular focus on how firms respond to technological change and create effective work-based learning programs.
This article was originally published in The Slice, Aspen’s monthly newsletter dedicated to creating a more inclusive economy. Subscribe here for latest in inclusive economy news, resources, and events from programs and initiatives across the Institute.
