Laredo TX · Business Alliance · South Texas

WHERE LAREDO
BUSINESS GROWS
STRONGER.

Acapello Business Alliance is Laredo's professional services and business development network — connecting South Texas entrepreneurs, executives, and commercial enterprises with the consulting, capital access, regulatory guidance, and cross-border trade expertise that grows businesses in one of the most strategically positioned markets in the United States.

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280+Member Businesses

18yrLaredo Based

$2.4BCross-Border Trade Supported

Acapello Business Alliance Laredo Texas South Texas business consulting network

LAREDO'S BUSINESS NETWORK

From international trade and customs to commercial real estate and workforce development — one Alliance, every advantage South Texas offers.

Cross-Border TradeBusiness DevelopmentProfessional Network

Business Development◆Cross-Border Trade◆Professional Network◆South Texas◆Laredo TX◆Business Development◆Cross-Border Trade◆Professional Network◆South Texas◆Laredo TX◆

Acapello Business Alliance 416 Shiloh Road Laredo Texas

2006Founded

Who We Are

LAREDO'S PREMIER BUSINESS ALLIANCE

Acapello Business Alliance was founded in Laredo in 2006 on a straightforward observation: Laredo is positioned at one of the most strategically important gateways in North American trade — the largest inland port of entry on the US-Mexico border — and the businesses operating here deserved a professional services network that matched the scale and complexity of that position.

We provide business consulting, professional development, cross-border trade advisory, and commercial networking for the 280+ Laredo businesses in our Alliance membership — from logistics and customs brokerage firms navigating US-Mexico trade regulation to Laredo retail and professional services businesses building their local market position and seeking capital access and growth advisory.

Our 22-person team is headquartered on Shiloh Road in Laredo. We hold monthly Alliance forums, provide member-to-member referral introductions, and offer direct consulting engagements for businesses seeking expert advisory beyond networking.

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Services

SIX WAYS ACAPELLO DELIVERS

Business consulting, trade advisory, professional development, and commercial growth services — purpose-built for the Laredo and South Texas business environment.

🌎

CROSS-BORDER TRADE

US-Mexico trade compliance, customs advisory, import/export licensing, USMCA certification, and maquiladora business structure guidance for Laredo businesses operating in the world's largest bilateral trade corridor. 18 years of border-specific expertise.

USMCA Compliance & Certification
Customs Broker Referral Network
Import/Export Licensing Guidance
Maquiladora Structure Advisory
Trade Finance Access

📈

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Growth strategy, market expansion, competitive positioning, and commercial development advisory for Laredo businesses seeking to grow their local market share, expand to new South Texas markets, or develop cross-border commercial relationships.

Growth Strategy — Local & Regional
Market Expansion Planning
Competitive Positioning Analysis
Commercial Partnership Development
Revenue Growth Consulting

💰

CAPITAL ACCESS

Financing identification, lender introductions, SBA loan advisory, USDA Rural Development programs, Texas Economic Development resources, and the capital access guidance that helps Laredo entrepreneurs and small businesses find the right funding structure for their growth.

SBA Loan Program Guidance
Texas Economic Development Resources
USDA Rural Development Programs
Commercial Lender Introductions
Investment Readiness Advisory

🤝

MEMBER NETWORK

280+ Laredo businesses, 22 industry sectors, monthly Alliance forums, structured peer advisory groups, member-to-member referral tracking, and the professional community that makes the Alliance Laredo's most productive business network.

Monthly Alliance Business Forums
Peer Advisory Groups by Industry
Member-to-Member Referral System
Executive Mentorship Matching
Annual South Texas Business Summit

🏛

REGULATORY GUIDANCE

Texas business licensing, local permitting, Laredo city and Webb County regulatory navigation, and the city hall relationships that help Laredo businesses move through local government processes without the delays that cost money and momentum.

Texas Business Licensing
Laredo & Webb County Permitting
City Hall Relationship Navigation
Zoning & Land Use Advisory
Compliance Review — Texas & Federal

🎓

WORKFORCE & HR

Workforce development, employee training program access, TAMIU partnership programming, bilingual talent recruitment, and the HR advisory that helps Laredo businesses build and retain the workforce that fuels South Texas commercial growth.

TAMIU Business Partnership Programs
Workforce Development Resources
Bilingual Talent Recruitment Advisory
Employee Training Program Access
HR Policy & Compliance Guidance

Member Results

WHAT ALLIANCE MEMBERS ACHIEVE

Trade · Logistics · Laredo

LAREDO LOGISTICS PARTNERS

Cross-border trade structure advisory — helped a Laredo trucking and logistics company restructure its US-Mexico customs procedures under USMCA, cutting customs clearance time from 4.2 hours to 38 minutes and eliminating $280K in annual compliance penalties.

91%Faster Clearance

$280KPenalties Eliminated

USMCACertified

Capital · Retail · South Texas

GATEWAY RETAIL GROUP

Capital access advisory — connected a Laredo retail business group to SBA 7(a) financing and a Texas Economic Development grant that funded a 3-location expansion across Laredo and Webb County, creating 48 new jobs in 18 months.

3New Locations

48Jobs Created

SBA7(a) Secured

Network · Professional Services · Laredo

BORDERLINE CONSULTING

Member network referral results — an accounting firm joined the Alliance and through structured member-to-member introductions grew its Laredo client base from 38 to 142 clients in 24 months, adding $1.1M in annual recurring revenue without any paid marketing.

38→142Client Growth

$1.1MAdded Revenue

24moTimeline

Leadership

ACAPELLO LEADERSHIP

20+ years of combined Laredo business leadership, South Texas commercial experience, and cross-border trade expertise.

CARLOS MORALES

Executive Director & Founder

Laredo native. Former VP Commercial Banking, International Bank of Commerce. 22 years in South Texas business development and US-Mexico trade finance. TAMIU adjunct faculty, Business Administration. Founded Acapello in 2006.

MARIA GUTIERREZ

Director, Trade Advisory

Licensed Customs Broker. Former Customs Compliance Manager, World Trade Center Laredo. 15 years USMCA and US-Mexico trade compliance. Leads Acapello's cross-border trade practice. Fluent English-Spanish.

ROBERT SANCHEZ

Director, Capital Access

Former SBA District Office Loan Specialist, San Antonio. 12 years in small business financing, SBA programs, and Texas economic development. Manages Acapello's lender relationship network and capital access programs for Alliance members.

DIANA REYES

Director, Member Services

Former Chamber of Commerce Director, Laredo. Leads Acapello's 280+ member relationship management, monthly forum programming, peer advisory groups, and member-to-member referral system. 11 years building South Texas professional networks.

Member Voices

WHAT MEMBERS SAY

The Acapello Alliance did something for our logistics business that we couldn't do alone — it gave us the USMCA compliance structure that cut our customs clearance from hours to under 40 minutes, and then it introduced us to three other Laredo logistics companies that became strategic partners rather than just competitors. That combination — the advisory expertise and the genuine network — is what makes Acapello different from every other business association in South Texas.

Laredo logistics company owner Acapello Business Alliance review

Ernesto ValdezPresident, Laredo Logistics Partners

Carlos and the Acapello team connected us with SBA financing and a Texas Economic Development grant that we didn't know existed. That capital funded three new Laredo locations and 48 jobs. Without Acapello's capital access advisory, we would have gone to a conventional bank, gotten told no, and not grown. The Alliance changed our growth trajectory.

Laredo retail owner Acapello alliance review

Patricia MendezCEO, Gateway Retail Group

I joined the Acapello Alliance as a startup accounting firm with 38 clients and a skepticism about whether professional networks actually generated business. Two years later we have 142 clients, and every single new engagement in that period came through an Alliance referral. The structured referral system works because it's structured — not just a cocktail party with business cards.

Laredo accountant Acapello member review

Sandra FloresManaging Partner, Borderline Consulting

WHERE LAREDOBUSINESS GROWSSTRONGER.