Being Argentine-American, but raised in Chile, Nicaragua and Saudi Arabia until the age of 12, gave the younger version of me a different perspective than most. Having to navigate and bounce regularly between different cultures at an early age made me a keen observer of culture and human nature. How does a kid fit into different cultures with different languages, dialects and habits? By being extremely sensitive to the nuances that differentiate different cultures and by being a cultural sponge. Speaking 3 languages fluently helped too (plus 2 more marginally). High school in DC, then off to college in Boston to continue the fascination with culture and language; a degree in international relations and sociology then knee deep in the advertising world where my unique way of looking at consumer behavior was an asset to brands like Got Milk? Pine-Sol, DHL and Sutter Home Wine. This segued into a VP position at a multinational research conglomerate, TNS Kantar, becoming a leading expert in Latin American, Hispanic and cross-cultural insights. 18 years ago, I started Cultural Edge which was the consummation of my passion for understanding what makes people tick and shepherding Fortune 500 clients through the minefield of a culturally-complex mainstream culture. And it all started with an outgoing kid trying to fit into many cultures that were not his own.