Manolo Betancur
Manolo Betancur is a Colombian-born entrepreneur, baker, author, philanthropist, and social activist. Now a U.S. citizen after a landmark ruling, he uplifts communities through business and humanitarian work. He champions small businesses and immigrant entrepreneurs, showcased by his Creative Mornings talk, "How to Discover the Hero in You," and his book, Speaking from My Heart.
A trained engineer and former Colombian Navy officer, Manolo holds a second-degree black belt in karate and a fourth-degree black belt in taekwondo. He has been an entrepreneur for 28 years, earned a degree in modern languages from King University, and completed a business entrepreneurship program at Stanford University.
Expanding his impact, as CEO and founder of Manolo's Bakery in Charlotte, N.C., Artisen Gelato Allergy-Friendly, Higher Grounds Cafe, and the nonprofit By Immigrant Hands, he leads purpose-driven businesses supporting more than 26 local nonprofits.
In 2021, Manolo received the World Bread Hero USA Award from the International Baking Industry Exposition.
His story has been featured by major media outlets, including PBS North Carolina, The Charlotte Observer, MSNBC, CNN, El País, AP News, Today NBC, Der Spiegel, Bloomberg, El Tiempo, Reuters, The Guardian, Washington Post, Al Jazeera, and the State of Latino Entrepreneurship Report from Stanford Graduate School of Business. His journey was highlighted in The Changebaker (Mountainfilm 2025), winner of the Moving Mountains Award.