09/13/2026
Friends 🧑🍳🙏 No words can describe my gratitude to Charlotte Business Journal Charlotte Business Journal for honoring me among our city’s 100 visionaries. 👑❤️
🚶🏻Following my gut, my heart, and my faith hasn’t always been easy.
🍰 Thinking of creating a Tres Leches Cake against tradition and culture- to make my own cake, my own flavor was not easy.
💪 Facing the fears from my own team, family, and customers, just knowing that our bakery is one of the best in the country.
🇺🇸 Bringing the pain of my immigrant community to light for a broken system that has not changed in 40 years has been a path just guided by God.
🤝 As my friend Charlie reminded me the other day- Manolo, this fight is not about the inhumanity of the system; it is always to remember the humanity of your people.
I love this nation; however, my love for Charlotte is immeasurable because, in the end, the soul of my Queen City is in the million angels who live in this city.
🪽 A million angels who, every day, have given me the love to be the Visionary that our God has decided I should be.
I love you, Charlotte.
Manolo Betancur
I am deeply honored to be included in CBJ’s 2026 Power 100: Visionaries, alongside more than 100 people — some very good friends, and others I hope to meet someday — who are helping move Charlotte forward.
For my profile, CBJ asked me three questions:
Let me share the last one:
What motivates you to challenge conventional thinking?
“I am motivated by the idea that none of us succeeds alone. Everything we know comes from the ideas, sacrifices and dreams of those who came before us. This makes me feel responsible for leaving something meaningful for the next generation.”
I invite you to read my answers — and, even more importantly, discover the ideas and stories of the other leaders recognized this year. 👏👏👏
Charlotte’s future is being built by many hands, including immigrant hands. By Immigrant Hands
The Change Baker Place
Read here: 👇
