Louis Barajas is a premier example of the American dream. Born in the East Los Angeles barrio and the son of Mexican immigrants, Louis began his financial and small business career in his teens by helping his father and mother with their wrought iron business. He graduated from UCLA in 1984, received his MBA from Claremont Graduate School in 1987, and attained a Certified Financial Planner designation from the Denver College of Financial Planning in 1990. After some personal life changing events and years of experience at major accounting and financial planning firms in Southern California, Louis left the "yacht and Mercedes" crowd of Newport Beach, California and returned to East Los Angeles in 1991 to form his own wealth and business planning firm, Louis Barajas Inc. Louis wished to make a difference with the kind of people he grew up with-hard-working men and women who, because of lack of information or understanding, often made bad financial choices that kept them from achieving the success, security, and significance they deserved.Over the last fifteen years, Louis has become a nationally recognized expert in Latino financial and business issues. Louis believes that creating abundance in underserved markets like the barrio will happen only when people change their limiting and culturally conditioned beliefs about money. His goal is simple: to create an Economic Revolution for the Working Class, to help them attain greater abundance through more intelligent financial choices. In his books, speeches, seminars, business and personal coaching, Louis makes the complex and overwhelming world of finances and small business comprehensible, as he teaches people at every economic level the simple, practical, and powerful financial and business strategies to achieve financial and entrepreneurial greatness.

-HarperCollins published his national best selling book, The Latino Journey to Financial Greatness in 2003 and El Camino a la Grandeza Financiera in 2004. Louis' book has been praised by many influential Latinos in the country, such as, Henry Cisneros, Moctesuma Esparza, Edward James Olmos, David Lizarraga, Marcos Witt, and Lionel Sosa.

-Louis' titles of his 3 forthcoming books are:

Entrepreneurial Greatness: 5 Steps to Creating a Great Life from a Small Business;

Financial Dignity for the Working Class: 4 Steps to Wealth and Happiness;

Undiscovered Wealth: Financial Secrets from a Barrio

-In September 2002, Mutual Funds Magazine named Louis as one of the Top 100 Financial Advisors in the United States.

-Louis was also the small business and financial expert for AOL Latino from March 2004 to April 2005. He answered business and financial questions weekly from members and also did a live web chat on a monthly basis.

-Louis is the first Latino to be selected on the National Board of the Financial Planning Association (FPA). The FPA is a 28,000 member organization that fosters the value of financial planning and advances the financial planning profession. He will serve on the board from January 2004 until December 2006. He also serves as the liaison of the Pro Bono Committee for the organization.

-In 2003, Sears sponsored his national book tour as part of their $100 million American Dream Campaign. DaimlerChrysler also used Louis' book as part of their Manejando El Futuro Program. Nationwide Insurance was a sponsor for his Spanish book tour in 2004.

-Currently Louis and Bank of America are working together to bring financial literacy for all Latinos throughout the United States.

-Louis currently writes a monthly financial empowerment column called Doctor Dinero, for the national Latino men's magazine, Open Your Eyes Magazine.

-Louis is a contributing writer to many other magazines, newsletters, and websites. He has published over 350 articles.

-Louis served on the National Advisory Board for the Journal of Financial Planning from January 2003 to December 2004.

-From 1997 to 2001 Louis wrote a weekly financial and consumer advocacy column called Entre Numeros for the business section of La Opinion, the largest circulated Spanish newspaper in the United States.

Louis is a highly sought after keynote speaker and workshop presenter for local, regional, and national conferences. He has been profiled, appeared as a guest, or been quoted in over 1,000 local and national television, radio, and press interviews, such as, CNBC, Univision, CNN en Español, ABC NEWS, Despierta America, El Show de Rocio, National Public Radio, Los Angeles Times. Because Louis is seen as a visionary leader in working with under served markets, he has graced the covers of Hispanic Journal, Hispanic Business, Mutual Funds Magazine and Senior Market Advisor.

His firm, Louis Barajas, Wealth & Business Planning, helps individuals and business owners attain their financial goals through the proper implementation of smart investment, tax, and business strategies. Louis also conducts financial and business seminars and workshops throughout the country to help people create wealth and enjoy a more balanced life. His knowledge product company, Financial Greatness, Inc., provides books, seminars, workshops and other media products to inspire financial abundance for individuals and organizations.

Louis is clearly recognized as the national leading advocate for financial and small business literacy and consumer advocacy for the working class. His purpose in life is to be the catalyst in helping people of all income levels attain their greatest life goals.

MISSION

Louis’ major purpose in life is to be the catalyst in helping people of all income levels attain their greatest life goals.

AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS

Awarded a Resolution by California State Senator Art Torres, April 1994

Selected as “Person of the Week” for Telemundo KVEA 52 (Los Angeles), April 1996

Selected as “Financial Planner of the Month” for Mutual Funds Magazine, September 2000

Selected as one of the “100 Top Advisors in the U.S.” in Mutual Funds Magazine, September 2002

Awarded the “Inspirational and Leadership” award for the Boyle Heights College Institute, November 23, 2002 

Business, Inspirational, Change Management, Diversity & Inclusion, Empowerment, Personal Growth, Diversity Topics,