Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Roby Peñacastro. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Roby, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
A few years ago, I realized I was on the wrong path. It was 2017, and I was about to finish my degree in International Business when I decided to go on exchange to Finland. While I was there, I had the opportunity to join the team at Slush, one of the most important tech conferences in the world.
That’s where I listened to Daniel Ek, co-founder of Spotify, deliver a talk that truly shook me. It forced me to pause and ask myself a tough question: *What was I doing studying logistics and international trade?* That moment was pivotal. It awakened a desire in me to change direction and immerse myself in the world of technology.
Shortly after, I started as an intern at a startup called mienvío, where I met my now co-founder and COO, David. A few steps later, I joined Google. And eventually, Leadsales was born, a side project with no big expectations, which over time evolved into a growing startup that today helps over 2,800 clients in 20 countries triple their sales through WhatsApp and social media.
The idea behind Leadsales has always been bigger than software. From the beginning, the goal was clear: build the next “Leadsales Mafia.” Just like PayPal became the launchpad for giants like Tesla, LinkedIn, and YouTube, Leadsales aims to become a platform for people who won’t just scale the company, but go on to build the next generation of leading tech companies in Latin America.
Because the goal isn’t just to build the biggest tech company in Mexico. It’s to help shape a new generation of entrepreneurs, people who will revolutionize the industry and put Mexico on the global tech map.
Think about it. The United States has Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. Colombia has Freddy Vega and Christian Van Der Henst, the brilliant minds behind Platzi. Argentina has Hernán Kazah, co-founder of Mercado Libre.
And Mexico?
Who within our ecosystem will rise to spark the next generation of global entrepreneurs?
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
With over 10 years of experience in marketing, sales, and entrepreneurship, my purpose is clear:
To build scalable solutions that transform B2B SaaS across Latin America.
That mission became crystal clear in 2019, when I lost over $25,000 USD simply because I didn’t reply to a WhatsApp message in time.
That moment made me realize the real problem thousands of small businesses face every single day:
Lost sales due to an overwhelming volume of unanswered messages.
That experience led me to make a life-changing decision:
I left what I thought was my dream job at Google to become the CEO and co-founder of Leadsales.
What started in my parents’ garage has become:
→ A platform used by 2,800+ companies across 20+ countries
→ A team of 70+ Leadsalers distributed across LATAM
→ Recognized as one of Forbes Mexico’s 30 Business Promises of 2024
→ A startup with $4M USD in annual recurring revenue (ARR)
→ Backed by over $3.8M USD in funding
→ And one of the first companies in LATAM to be certified as an official WhatsApp Solution Partner
Our mission?
To optimize sales and customer service processes through a centralized, end-to-end platform that manages the entire customer lifecycle—Discovery, Consideration, Purchase, Post-Purchase, Re-Engagement, and Awareness—directly through WhatsApp and other messaging channels, including Messenger, Instagram, SMS, Email, Telegram, Twitter, TikTok, and more.
By bringing all conversations into one place, Leadsales empowers SMBs to scale operations, deliver faster and more personalized customer experiences, and unlock new revenue opportunities.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
– Speed of execution: Speed often beats perfection.
– Be a generalist: Every CEO needs to understand marketing, sales, finance, and HR.
– Keep grinding: Stay consistent.
—
Start messy, learn fast, and stay consistent.
You don’t need to master everything on day one, but you do need to be curious, humble, and willing to figure it out as you go.
When I started, I had no idea how to build a startup, raise capital, or lead a team. So I asked questions, read obsessively, and surrounded myself with people who were 10 steps ahead of me.
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
One book that’s had a major impact on my development is Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. It taught me the power of having a clear, focused desire and backing it with unwavering belief: what the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve. It also reinforced the importance of taking consistent action: thoughts only become things when they’re paired with execution and persistence. And perhaps most powerfully, it introduced me to the idea of the mastermind, the concept that surrounding yourself with people who challenge and support you can multiply your growth in ways you can’t achieve alone.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://leadsales.io/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roby_penacastro/?hl=es-la
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertopenacastroortega/
- Twitter: https://x.com/rpenacastro
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@roby_penacastro
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
