Buying America — Watch & Listen

E-1 vs. E-2 Visas: Trade, Investment and U.S. Business Expansion

Joe Faraci and the Buying America team discuss E-1 treaty trader and E-2 treaty investor visas with immigration attorney Tomás, using cross-border business examples from Canada and Mexico. Topics include trade in goods and services, renewals, intent to depart, employee roles, and questions to ask when comparing E visas with L-1 and immigrant options. Recorded in 2026; anecdotes, statistics and application practices reflect the original conversation, not current news. Editorial clarification: E-1 requires substantial, continuing qualifying trade principally between the United States and the treaty country; E-2 requires substantial investment in a real operating enterprise that meets the nonmarginality requirement. Dollar figures and transaction counts discussed are examples, not universal legal thresholds or promises of approval. Visa validity depends on nationality and reciprocity; authorized stay is a separate determination. E and L-1 classifications do not automatically confer permanent residence. EB-5 has separate capital, qualifying-enterprise and job-creation requirements; buying a business or retaining its existing workers alone does not establish eligibility. General educational discussion, not individualized legal advice. Check current official E-visa requirements at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/employment/treaty-trader-investor-visa-e.html and consult qualified immigration counsel for your circumstances. More conversations at https://buyingamerica.group.

Money Lessons for Kids: Value, Assets and Critical Thinking

Joe Faraci and the Buying America team discuss how children learn beliefs about money, creating value by solving problems, and using practical examples to explore assets, liabilities and applying knowledge. The conversation also considers critical thinking, listening without judgment, learning from experience and valuing time. Recorded in 2025; references reflect the original discussion. These are the speakers’ personal perspectives and teaching examples, not formal accounting definitions or guarantees of wealth or business results. General educational discussion, not individualized financial advice. Visit https://buyingamerica.group for more.

Investing vs. Speculation: Equity, Cash Flow and Understanding Risk

Edmundo Treviño, Joe Faraci and the Buying America team discuss investing versus speculation, equity ownership versus lending, and evaluating real estate through entry price and cash flow rather than market hype. They also share their views on saving, inflation, advisor incentives and geographic diversification. Recorded in 2025; market rankings, figures and fund references reflect that time, not current offers or verified outcomes. The speakers’ perspectives are opinions, not guarantees; education and deal analysis do not eliminate investment risk. General information, not individualized investment, tax or legal advice. Visit https://buyingamerica.group for more.

What Defines Success? Learning, Consistency and Mentors

Joe Faraci and Edmundo Treviño discuss what success means beyond money: learning from setbacks, practicing consistent habits, building relationships and remaining open to advice. The conversation explores the work behind visible achievements, the value of mentors when entering a different business environment, and how success can involve helping other people. Recorded in 2025; company and market references reflect the original conversation, not a current market update. These are the speakers’ experiences and opinions, not guarantees of business or investment results. Visit https://buyingamerica.group for more.

Mobile Home Parks: Affordability and Building Assets

Edmundo Treviño and Joe Faraci discuss mobile home parks, affordable housing and the transition from running a business to owning income-producing assets. They reflect on Edmundo’s experience living in a mobile home and Joe’s lessons from his father. Recorded in 2025; market figures, fund references and project statements reflect that time, not current offers or verified outcomes. The speakers’ opinions are not guarantees of returns or protection from economic downturns. General information, not individualized investment, tax or legal advice. Visit https://buyingamerica.group for more.

My Quote Was the Most Expensive. He Still Chose Me.

Customer service, customer experience and B2B sales helped me win business in the United States beyond price. I share why a customer chose my most expensive quote, how I drove 15 hours to deliver urgent parts, and what showing up meant to my customers. I am Edmundo Treviño, a Mexican entrepreneur with 24 years of experience doing business in the U.S. In this organic vlog from Portugal, I share real customer stories: flying to a sales meeting with one day of notice, shipping an opening order to a hotel before the deal was signed, bringing homemade mole to a customer in Oklahoma, and arranging small shipments when a manufacturing customer needed urgent supplies. The order did not come from sending another email. My customer said he chose me because I kept visiting, learning about his needs and working to improve the product, even in freezing weather. These are personal experiences, not a promise that the same approach produces the same result in every business. CHAPTERS 00:00 Why extraordinary service matters 00:16 My experience building businesses in the U.S. 01:17 A work trip to Portugal 02:30 Meeting a potential business partner in person 03:13 The next-day sales meeting in California 04:16 Shipping the order before closing the sale 05:27 Setting up the displays and training the team 06:18 Homemade mole and customer relationships 07:12 Getting customers to talk about your brand 08:20 When a buyer changed suppliers too soon 09:21 Small shipments to protect production 10:15 Picking up the product at the border 10:37 Driving 15 hours to deliver at opening time 11:31 Why a customer chose my most expensive quote 12:29 What it takes to stand out What have you done for a customer that went beyond the quote? Explore more business experiences: https://buyingamerica.group #CustomerService #CustomerExperience #BuyingAmerica

Two 50/50 Partnerships Taught Me This the Hard Way

A business partnership in the United States needs more than equal investment. I share what happened in two 50/50 businesses with the same partner, why our responsibilities became uneven and what I would discuss before becoming partners again. I am Edmundo Treviño. After 24 years building businesses in the U.S., I tell the story of a trade show in Houston and a second product-distribution business. Equal cash contributions did not settle who did the work, who controlled the team or who could make decisions when we disagreed. This is my personal experience, including how cultural knowledge helped us find our first customers, why a partner's family on the team complicated decisions and why the separation became difficult. CHAPTERS 00:00 A partnership lesson from my own businesses 00:20 The decision problem with 50/50 00:57 Capital, income and voting rights 01:38 Starting a trade show in Houston 02:20 The value of a local ally 03:18 Translating the business culture 03:54 Equal investment, unequal responsibilities 04:19 A new show and disputed expenses 05:28 A second company with the same partner 06:00 Decisions about the team 06:57 Working without a salary 07:36 A difficult separation 08:06 Responsibilities and the operating agreement 08:59 Experience, relationships and contributions 09:56 The conversations I would have before partnering 10:56 What the experience taught me What would you agree on before starting a business with a partner? Explore building or buying a business in the U.S.: https://buyingamerica.group Ownership, voting rights, compensation and tax treatment are separate questions. The arrangements in my story are specific examples; document the agreement with qualified legal and tax advisers for your situation. #BuyingAmerica #BusinessPartnership #Entrepreneurship

My Supplier Betrayed Me. Why Am I Still Selling Their Products?

Building a distribution business in the United States taught me how much customer loyalty matters. A manufacturer changed our relationship, another distributor started a price war, and the customers we had served kept asking for our products. I am Edmundo Treviño. After 24 years doing business in the U.S., I share the story of a Mexican manufacturer I helped introduce to this market. We started with a small shipment from Laredo and developed products by listening to end users. I explain the operating costs they underestimated, the risks of private-label competition, why I stopped taking cash in my own businesses, and why a smaller profitable customer can be worth more than a bigger name. This is my account of a specific business relationship. CHAPTERS 00:00 A supplier relationship that changed my business 00:57 Meeting the manufacturer at a trade show 01:29 Bringing the first shipment from Laredo 02:11 Customer feedback and new products 03:00 Their own warehouse in Texas 03:27 Copying the staffing model from Mexico 04:30 More sales without profit 04:50 Finding another distributor in Dallas 06:19 Copying a business strategy across borders 07:10 Selling below cost 09:03 Why I stopped taking cash 10:09 The private-label decision 11:15 What happened to the manager 12:24 Why I still sell these products 13:08 Lessons and immigration references in the story 14:55 Stay close to the end user 15:22 Small but profitable What would you do if your supplier started working with your competitors? Explore building or buying a U.S. business: https://buyingamerica.group About the immigration references in this personal story: L-1A eligibility is not determined by a universal employee-count threshold. E-1 requires substantial qualifying trade principally with the treaty country; having a foreign company alone is not enough. Visa eligibility and renewals depend on the individual facts. Sources: https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-2-part-l-chapter-3 and https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/employment/treaty-trader-investor-visa-e.html #BuyingAmerica #Entrepreneurship #CustomerLoyalty

I Was Running Out of Money Before My Business Even Opened

Starting a business in the USA tested more than my savings. A business mentor, a landlord and suppliers helped me build my company when permits were delayed and money was running out. These are the people I still call my angels. I am Edmundo Treviño. After 24 years building businesses in the United States, I know I did not get here alone. In this episode I share how Emir helped with my first company, how Mr. Robert let us use another workspace rent-free while we waited for construction permits, and how John helped me earn a manufacturer's trust when my business was still operating from a container. I also remember the guidance of my former attorney, Todd, and explain why I now share these experiences with other entrepreneurs. This is my personal business journey, including the mistakes, relationships and practical lessons behind it. CHAPTERS 00:00 The people who helped me build a business in America 00:49 A conversation that reminded me to give back 01:43 Emir and my first company 04:33 No credit, limited money and nowhere to work 05:28 Construction permits delayed the business 06:08 Mr. Robert offered another place to work 07:01 Almost a year without rent or utility bills 08:31 Suppliers ignored my small business 09:23 The order that brought a manufacturer to my container 10:31 Sales tools that helped me earn a distribution 11:39 Learning how U.S. distributors think 13:09 My book and the people behind my journey 13:57 The attorney who guided me through my early mistakes 17:04 Why I want to give back Who helped you when your business was just getting started? Tell me in the comments. More stories and resources: https://buyingamerica.group My book and personal journey: https://edmundotrevino.com #Entrepreneurship #SmallBusiness #BuyingAmerica

I Gave Up Half My Business Because I Couldn’t Pay My Supplier

Building a business in the USA taught me a painful lesson about business partnerships, debt and cash flow. I gave up 50% of my distribution company when I could no longer pay the manufacturer. Here is what happened next. I’m Edmundo Treviño. After 24 years doing business in the United States, I share the mistakes behind my growth: borrowing for inventory, facing the 2008 crisis and learning to work with partners. This episode explores community investing, shared responsibilities and the value of your own time. 00:00 My experience building businesses in America 01:03 Why I started thinking about community 02:27 Inventory, debt and the financial crisis 04:27 The night I couldn’t sleep 05:20 Giving up half my distribution company 06:27 What working with partners changed 07:35 Investing together: the housing example 09:58 Who does the work behind an investment? 11:51 What is your time worth? 13:00 Continuing the conversation Explore Buying America: https://buyingamerica.group Context for this personal story: the housing discounts and percentage returns discussed are illustrative, not forecasts or guarantees. Pooling investments does not eliminate losses or assure profitability. Passive income does not automatically receive a lower tax rate; treatment depends on the income, participation and taxpayer’s circumstances. Community ownership percentages mentioned in the conversation have not been independently verified. Sources: https://www.investor.gov/introduction-investing/investing-basics/save-and-invest/diversify-your-investments https://www.irs.gov/publications/p925 #BuyingAmerica #Entrepreneurship #BusinessPartnerships

A Border Inspection Led Me to My E-2 Visa

My E2 visa story began with a frightening border inspection. Edmundo Treviño shares how he found a business immigration attorney, documented his investment and kept his U.S. business operating for 24 years. The episode also explores family relocation and why approval is only the beginning. Investment amounts and employee counts describe his historical case, not universal requirements. E-2 is a nonimmigrant category; eligibility and renewals depend on the individual case. Learn more: https://buyingamerica.group.

Investor Visas: E-1, E-2 and Active Businesses with Joe and Tomás

Recorded in 2025. Joe Faraci speaks with immigration attorney Tomás about E-1 and E-2 visas, documenting the source of investment funds, consular processes, and the distinction between active businesses and passive real estate holdings. They discuss buying an existing business, starting a new operation and explaining a business plan. This archived conversation preserves the speakers’ experiences and opinions at the time. References to investment amounts, approval rates, processing conditions, politics and market opportunities are historical examples, not current requirements, legal advice or guarantees of visa approval or investment results. Requirements and individual circumstances should be reviewed with qualified counsel. Explore the podcast at https://buyingamerica.group/episodes and learn about Buying America at https://buyingamerica.group.

The Power of a Niche: My Biggest U.S. Customer Was in a Town of 8,000

Edmundo Treviño shares how visiting a small town that competitors overlooked helped him win his biggest U.S. customer, even at a higher price. Drawing on more than 24 years of business experience, he explores geographic and industry niches, differentiation beyond price, and the challenges of supplying large orders. He also discusses how he applies this approach when evaluating real estate beyond major cities. Property returns mentioned are projections for the case discussed, not guarantees; actual results depend on expenses, vacancy and financing. Watch the video: https://youtu.be/PpMiRI7uFh0 . Learn more: https://buyingamerica.group.

Sexy Businesses: Why Traditional Services Deserve a Closer Look

Recorded in 2025. Joe Faraci and Edmundo Treviño discuss why traditional service businesses—plumbing, HVAC, roofing and truck maintenance—deserve attention alongside technology startups. They share personal experiences with business ownership, reinvestment, practical learning and the role of partnerships in building businesses and real estate portfolios. This archived conversation reflects the market, financing and projects discussed at the time; references to investment opportunities, lending and immigration are historical, not current offers or guarantees. Explore more conversations at https://buyingamerica.group/episodes and learn about Buying America at https://buyingamerica.group.

Before Investing in the U.S.: Ownership and Structure

Edmundo Treviño and Joe Faraci discuss questions foreign investors should consider before buying U.S. real estate or businesses. The conversation covers LLCs, ownership structures, tax elections, estate planning and the distinction between building wealth and protecting it. Recorded in 2025; tax examples, market references and opinions reflect that time and should be reviewed with qualified professionals for your circumstances. Visit https://buyingamerica.group for more. General information, not individualized investment, tax or legal advice.

Mobile Home Parks: Land, Cash Flow and Operations

Edmundo Treviño and Joe Faraci discuss mobile home parks, lot rent, affordable housing and the operational work behind this real estate business with their guest. The conversation covers ownership, market consolidation and evaluating cash flow. Recorded in 2025; market references and opinions reflect that time. Visit https://buyingamerica.group for more. General information, not individualized investment, tax or legal advice.

Why Invest in the U.S.?

In the first Buying America episode, Edmundo Treviño and Joe Faraci share their experiences as foreign investors and discuss U.S. real estate, currency stability, business opportunities and the importance of choosing a strategy that fits your goals. Recorded in 2025; market references reflect that time. Visit https://buyingamerica.group for more. General information, not individualized investment, tax or legal advice.

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The Buying America podcast — for global investors and immigrants building wealth in the U.S. through real estate, business acquisitions and smart strategy.

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