Graciela Tiscareño-Sato, the CEO and founder of Gracefully Global Group LLC, has carved a unique path in the publishing world by deftly blending her passion for showcasing positive Latino American contributions with a strategic business approach. Her journey into publishing was an unexpected turn, catalyzed by a pivotal conversation that transformed her trajectory.

In 2010, Tiscareño-Sato wrote “Latinnovating: Green American Jobs and the Latinos Creating Them.” However, it was a publisher in San Francisco who recognized her marketing prowess and nudged her to take charge of publishing her own works. This moment became the inception of her publishing venture, guided by mentorship and a profound realization: Publishing, at its core, is an extension of marketing.

“When I realized that publishing is actually marketing, I was like ‘Then let’s do this,’” Tiscareño-Sato says.

Her drive stemmed from a mission close to her heart: showcasing the invaluable contributions of Latino Americans in the US. This mission fueled the evolution of Gracefully Global Group into a platform that not only publishes but innovates through literature, targeting the underrepresented demographic of Latino American kids and children of immigrants.

“I’m looking out there and saying, ‘What literature do I wish existed when I was a kid?’ That’s the gap that we can fill because there are so many Latino American kids growing up like me who need these pathways—pathways to entrepreneurship, pathways to college, pathways to business startup. Our mission is to create literature that doesn’t exist to cross genres that don’t exist,” she says.

The pivot in her business model was a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which threatened the traditional sales channels for educational books. With schools closed and conventional sales avenues disrupted, Tiscareño-Sato astutely diversified her revenue streams. Leveraging her literature as a foundation, she ventured into providing professional development services for universities and student veterans. Her books seamlessly integrated with online courses and workshops, illustrating a holistic approach to education and growth.

“We don’t just do novels for fun,” she says. “The books are intended to cause change, teach, and inspire.” The challenges of the pandemic pushed her to explore unconventional avenues. Initially intending to enter the air show circuit to showcase her children’s aviation books, she encountered setbacks due to cancellations and unexpected costs. However, her resilience and adaptability led her to reimagine her approach. She saw the potential of air shows not just as events to sell books but as platforms to engage schools, driving bulk sales by directly engaging with students before the shows.

“Last year in Houston, serving two school districts for two days before the air show, was $16,000 worth of sales,” she says.

This innovative strategy unveiled a new revenue stream: partnering with Air Force units and sponsors, effectively tapping into a previously untapped market while spreading inspiration within the Latino community. Tiscareño-Sato’s model signifies a departure from conventional publishing paradigms. Rather than just being a publisher, she immerses herself in the industries her books touch, positioning herself as an expert and an innovator within those sectors.

Her message is clear: differentiation and adaptation are key. By transcending traditional publishing norms and embedding her works within industries, she’s not just selling books but driving change and growth. Graciela Tiscareño-Sato’s story serves as a testament to the power of innovation, strategic thinking, and unwavering dedication to a mission, transcending boundaries to create lasting impact.

“We’re still pivoting, but I found the secret sauce,” she says.

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