IN SHORT

It took Allan Cherem a while to find his passion in life, and when he finally did, nothing could stop this competitive, value-driven entrepreneur. Today, his microfinance enterprise Contigo has a presence in twenty-three out of thirty-two states in Mexico, working with and empowering female entrepreneurs from all manner of backgrounds. And although Allan needed some time to find his true calling, he’s learned a very valuable lesson along the way: “A key part of finding your purpose in life starts with the self. You’ve got to take care of yourself before you can take care of others.”