On today’s episode, Apollo sits down with Alfred Fraijo, founder and partner of the Somos Group, an entirely BIPOC-led multidisciplinary group, committed to broadening equity goals and advancing the value and expertise of people and communities that have been historically underserved and undervalued.

Alfred’s Prioritize score sits at 60%, with Leverage and Execute sharing the other 40%. Alfred recounts his early days as a lawyer and how he’s grown his Leverage skills over the years. 

He praises the mentors who have guided him along the way (including Apollo!) and offers sage advice for those looking to be a change-maker in the professional world. From curing imposter syndrome, to being authentic, to translating desires for humankind into action, Apollo and Alfred get to the roots of why they works hard to foster the communities around them.

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Guest Bio

Alfred Fraijo Jr. is a distinguished figure in the realm of land-use transactions, boasting a wealth of expertise garnered from his work with public, private, and nonprofit developers, as well as multi-national corporations, both domestically and internationally. Alfred has notably contributed his adept counsel to a diverse array of complex housing and mixed-use development initiatives spanning across California. His advisory prowess extends to pioneering urban renewal projects within inner-city environments and nascent markets, exemplifying his commitment to social equity. Alfred's mastery encompasses the intricate domains of project permitting, financing strategies for affordable housing ventures, and the orchestration of mixed-income housing developments.

His depth of knowledge extends to a myriad of legislative frameworks, including the Subdivision Map Act, California Community Redevelopment Law, the California Environmental Quality Act, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, CERCLA, RCRA, California Superfund Law, and the Polanco Redevelopment Act. Alfred's collaborative approach shines through in his work, as he collaborates closely with clients and consultants alike to conduct meticulous due diligence reviews of land-use matters. Armed with a bachelor’s degree from the prestigious Harvard University and a J.D. from Loyola Law School, Alfred Fraijo Jr. stands as an exemplar in the dynamic intersection of real estate, land-use, and environmental law.

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Guest PLE Score

• Prioritize - 60%
• Leverage - 24%
• Execute - 16%

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Guest Quote

“My work is about building better communities, building more resilient communities.  My work is about unlocking the potential of under-resourced, under-invested communities, the kind of communities that I grew up in.

I grew up poor in Boyle Heights. I grew up outside of the margins of opportunity and wealth and power. And so as a professional, my mission in life has been to undo that. It is both a system change process, and it's also a process for creating new strategies and new tools, right? 

You can't break down the master's house with the master's tools. You've gotta come up with new ones. And so for me, it was really important to be able to build a team, build an organization that was oriented towards systemic change.” - Alfred Fraijo

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Time Stamps 

*(3:00) Intro

*(4:45) Alfred’s Achievement Index

*(8:08) How to grow a prioritize mindset

*(18:18) Working the system from the inside

*(24:05) All of Alfred’s “Firsts”

*(25:56) What everyone can do to help the fuuture

*(34:49) Parting advice for others wanting to launch their ideas

*(48:08) Apollo’s Takeaways

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Links

• Find out YOUR Achievement Index
• Connect with Alfred Fraijo on LinkedIn
• Learn more about The Somos Group
• Connect with Dr. Apollo Emeka on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Apollo Strategy Group