Grupo Avance

Minneapolis, MN

Grupo Avance, LLC is a company of business professionals with a passion to advance commerce with the U.S. Hispanic, Mexican, and Latin American markets. Grupo Avance offers a wide variety of experience in market development, including direct selling of multimillion dollar system integration projects, sale and implementation of e-commerce solutions in Latin America, and expertise in consultative selling opportunities. To provide superior results for its clients, the company also leverages an extensive network of international market development, sales, and operations experts.

The company advances growth for its clients in Hispanic markets by offering:

• broad expertise in Sales and Market Development,
• the ability to understand and operate in both U.S. and Hispanic business cultures and market dynamics, and
• a successful track record in implementing complex projects.

Grupo Avance offers a host of services to prepare companies to address this marketplace, and then works with clients to execute growth plans. The company’s services include:

• Market sizing for products and services in the U.S. Hispanic and Mexican markets
• Market analysis of economic trends, financial & logistical feasibility, and political environment
• Business planning to include legal and cultural requirements
• Market entry and marketing strategies for Mexican and U.S. Hispanic markets
• Competitive analysis for targeted products, markets, and industries
• Products and services customization to meet the specific needs and preferences of Hispanic markets
• Message refinement to communicate clearly through translation and market localization
• Execution of sales, distribution, after-sale service, and support requirements

Principals

Juan Ramirez, President

Mr. Ramirez is a proven technology executive with a track record in business development, revenue growth, account management, and team leadership. He is a results oriented professional with over 20 years experience in sales and marketing of business and information technology solutions to senior executives, end users, and information systems clients. He is the Founder and President of Grupo Avance.

Prior to founding Grupo Avance, Mr. Ramirez was a Senior Principal with eLoyalty Corporation, a leading CRM and systems integration concern. While with eLoyalty, he was responsible for the sale and implementation of CRM implementations to a number of key accounts, including a top tier healthcare organization, a Fortune 500 manufacturer, and a financial services provider. Prior to eLoyalty, Mr. Ramierez served as Global Alliance Manager at SPS Commerce, an e-commerce software provider. With SPS, he led the business strategy and revenue plan for the company’s TeamSAP group and developed a number of business alliances in Mexico. He was also a featured speaker for the company at Latin American conferences, including presentations at SAP Saphire in Argentina and Brazil.

Prior to SPS, Mr. Ramirez served as a Senior Account Manager for General Electric. With GE, he was responsible for winning a number of important accounts for the company, including a multi-million dollar contract for the company’s Purchasing Electronic Catalog system. While with GE, he was also responsible for implementing a consulting contract with a global manufacturer that shortened the client’s cycle time by 90%, reduced labor time by 70%, and improved distribution channels.

Previously, Mr. Ramirez served enjoyed a career in sales at IBM, where he successfully sold multi-million dollar systems integration outsourcing contracts to manufacturers, retailers, and services organizations.

Mr. Ramirez holds an MBA from the University of Minnesota, a BS in Business Administration from Miami University in Oxford, OH, and studied Business Administration at the Universidad Veracruzana, Mexico. He is fully bilingual, with fluency in both English and Spanish.

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