Mario most recently served as vice president and general manager at Expedia Group, after running Xbox Live Latin America and various products globally for the Mobile Advertising and Devices business units at Microsoft. He also serves as a partner and a global board director of Social Venture Partners.
There’s a great sense of adventure in working here with the inspiring companies in our portfolio.
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What excites you the most about the portfolio companies you work with?
There’s a great sense of adventure in working here with the inspiring companies in our portfolio. I was always very curious as a kid, and was fortunate to be introduced to technology at a young age, which changed the trajectory of my life forever. To me, it’s all about that sense of possibility to improve people’s lives, and I love being a part of building companies alongside amazing entrepreneurs who are doing just that. I get up every morning knowing we have a chance to leave the world a little better together.
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What got you interested in the operational side of business?
I grew up in Bolivia, and from early on I worked at my grandmother's bakery and also helped family members who were building small businesses. They were entrepreneurs by necessity, and like every successful entrepreneur they had to build a great team and show amazing tenacity, grit, and ingenuity. They also got knocked down time and again, but persisted despite hyperinflation, massive floods, and other challenges that make people quit. I was inspired, seeing all of that from the inside, and it gave me deep respect for what it takes to make a business succeed.
03 –
As a leader, how do you solve tough problems when they emerge?
One of my biggest lessons over the years has been to listen with a sense of urgency. It’s important to engage people closest to an issue and to make room for their voices to be heard quickly. Then we can roll up our sleeves together to fix issues instead of pointing fingers. When you approach things that way, we can all learn and grow through difficult times, and they become an opportunity to strengthen the team.
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How do you create the trust that makes that kind of collaboration possible?
I focus a lot of time on relationships—with entrepreneurs, across organizations, and with my colleagues. One of the things I love about SoftBank is that we’re in it for the long haul. Knowing that we are deeply committed is a critical element, and we invest the time to build lasting trust. The way I see it, entrepreneurs and their teams are doing heroic work every day, and it is a privilege to be a part of their stories.
