By: Joshua Finley

Lamar Romero knows both the corporate world and the entrepreneurial path come with unique challenges. As founder and CEO of Hire Dragons, Lamar has leveraged over a decade of successes and lessons learned to build a thriving sales agency. However, the road to stability and growth was not always easy. Lamar credits his persistence through early struggles and strong mentor relationships as vital to shaping his journey.

“In the beginning, the hardest part was just figuring it all out,” Lamar reflects. After successful stints at Dell, Lamar stepped away from corporate life in 2008 to start his entrepreneurial endeavor. The shift from a guaranteed six-figure salary to an uncertain future was daunting.

For years, revenue remained modest as Lamar and his wife hustled at tastings and events. “We were basically living on 40, 50 thousand a year. So, it was all being creative, finding the right internet tools, developing SOPs for everything we did, and being capital efficient,” he explains.

Joining an Accelerator Program

During his fledgling years, Lamar knew he needed guidance to grow. Joining an Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) accelerator program provided the structured education he needed.

“That was a crucial point for me. It was about joining that program, going to those classes, and learning more skills and more leadership,” he states.

Lamar spent four years immersed in the program while actively growing his business. The knowledge he gained during his time in the accelerator served as a catalyst. “That’s where I really started learning business skills, but most importantly, how to scale faster,” Lamar notes.

Securing a Major Client

Hire Dragons started as a brokership promoting a small tequila brand in local liquor stores. Lamar and his team’s success catching consumers’ eyes led to Hire Dragons’ first major client. “We made that tequila the number one premium tequila, even over Patron, in Austin’s Spec’s stores within one year of promotion. And we did that just by a lot of guerrilla hard work,” Lamar recalls. Their talent for engaging consumers authentically opened the door to the Hire Dragons tasting and event agency as it exists today.

From the first client in 2013, Hire Dragons’ client base has grown from one to 50+. “We started with 1 client, which became 2, which became 3. That was a really slow growth. Fast forward 5 years, and my first son was born. And I said I have to go big or go home,” Lamar shares. In 2018, he secured an SBA loan that allowed investing in hiring and technology to support scaling up. Fast forward to today, and Hire Dragons sports an enviable client list and multi-million dollar revenue stream.

Mentoring the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs

Now, with over a decade under his belt, Lamar has his sights set on a new mission—guiding others in their entrepreneurial journey. “I want to invest in entrepreneurs and give them a chance. And I can easily advise in CPG brands because I just know how hard it is to be a beer, wine, or liquor brand and what hills they need to climb,” he explains. Lamar hopes to pay forward the knowledge he gained through the accelerator program and over 12 years of building Hire Dragons.

For any entrepreneur just starting out, Lamar emphasizes that persistence is vital. “It was really a slow, holistic growth process, figuring things out as I went. One of the first smart things I did was put myself into EO Accelerator,” he advises. Securing trusted mentors provides much-needed knowledge during the rocky early days.

Lamar built Hire Dragons through a unique blend of corporate experience and entrepreneurial grit. His path shows how embracing uncertainty, securing mentorship, and maintaining persistence can transform struggle into success.

Lamar is excited to share these vital lessons with aspiring entrepreneurs as he enters his next chapter. To learn more, visit Lamar Romero’s website here.

Published by: Nelly Chavez