America at 250th: Built by Grit – United by Purpose – Our American Dream

By Rebecca Contreras, President & CEO, AvantGarde LLC

As America approaches its 250th anniversary, this milestone calls us to do more than simply look back. It calls us to reflect on what this country has made possible—and what responsibility each of us carries to move that promise forward. For AvantGarde, that reflection for me is deeply personal.

Our founding story is not one of inherited privilege, easy access, or a straight road to success. It is the story of two people from vastly different worlds who found in America the freedom to begin again, the opportunity to build, and the courage to write a new chapter—not just for us, but for those we have the honor to lead. As majority owner and President & CEO, I have the privilege of leading AvantGarde alongside my partner of fifteen years, Dr. Greg Portnoy, our Vice President. We did not arrive at entrepreneurship through comfort—we arrived through grit, risk, hard work, a bit of knocking of heads, and an unwavering belief in what is possible when we don’t give up, stay the course, and focus on people.

My story began on the Texas border, shaped by poverty, instability, addiction, and family hardship—circumstances that could have defined my future before it ever had the opportunity to unfold. I recently wrote my memoir, LostGirl, where I lay out my personal transformation process. I learned early what it meant to face adversity and to fight for something more. But the hardships I faced did not get the final word. Through faith, resilience, mentors, and relentless determination, I rewrote the trajectory of my life, moving from survival to service, from personal struggle to government leadership, and ultimately from the White House to embracing the American Dream of entrepreneurship. That journey reflects the essence of the American experience: the power of second chances and the possibility of true transformation.

Greg’s journey began thousands of miles away decades before in Russia, under communism. A gifted mathematician and computer programmer, he made the courageous decision to leave everything familiar behind in pursuit of freedom. He came to the United States with his pregnant wife, a toddler, a backpack, and just $30 in his pocket. With no safety net and no certainty of what lay ahead, he began wherever he could—working as a janitor while learning English and adapting to a new American culture. Through discipline, perseverance, and an unshakable commitment to building a better future for his family, Greg rebuilt his career and rose into entrepreneurship in technology and business.

We came from different cultures, different countries, different life experiences, and very different professional paths. We also lead differently. My leadership style is rooted in people, connection, and purpose—grounded in lived experience and a deep belief in unlocking human potential. Greg’s style is analytical, systems-driven, and grounded in precision, logic, and disciplined execution. On the surface, those differences could have created friction. Instead, they became our greatest strength.

What unites us is far more powerful than what differentiates us: a shared respect for each other’s perspective, a commitment to solving hard problems, and a belief that diverse thinking drives better outcomes. We have learned how to challenge each other, how to listen, and how to meet in the middle when it matters most. That balance—between people and process, empathy and discipline, vision and execution—is what has allowed us to build something enduring together.

Over time, one leadership truth has become clear—one that defines how I lead AvantGarde every day: strong organizations are not built on sameness; they are built on the discipline to align around values while leveraging differences as strengths.

As owners, when we stay anchored in purpose, put people at the center, and respect what each perspective brings, differences stop being barriers—and start becoming the catalyst for better decisions, stronger teams, and lasting impact.

That alignment became part of AvantGarde’s DNA.

When we founded the company in 2011, we were not simply starting a business—we were building from lived experience. We understood that talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not always equally accessible. We understood that people often rise when someone chooses to believe in them, and that true leadership is not defined by title, but by the ability to create pathways for others. That is why AvantGarde was intentionally built as a people-first company, where individuals are not an afterthought—they are the sole mission. Customers are great, but our people are first. Without good people, we have no customers.

At AvantGarde, people are our strategy. We believe that when you invest in people—when you see them, develop them, challenge them, and support them—you unlock a level of excellence that cannot be achieved any other way. Our values reflect that commitment: our entire management team is centered on leading with integrity, pursuing excellence without compromising humanity, collaborating because we know the best solutions are built together, and holding ourselves accountable with both rigor and compassion. Above all, we open doors for others because we know firsthand what it means when someone opens one for you. Your life is forever changed.

Yes, we serve clients. Yes, we solve complex challenges. Yes, we deliver results. But at our core, AvantGarde exists to create opportunity—to build an environment where our people can grow, contribute, and realize their full potential. That is the deeper purpose behind our work.

As America marks its 250th anniversary, we reflect not only with pride, but with gratitude and responsibility. At its best, this country creates space for reinvention—for a young, poor Latina from the border to rise beyond hardship and lead, for an immigrant father born into socialism and communism to rebuild a life in America rooted in freedom, and for two unlikely leaders with very different styles to come together and build something that invests in others.

That is the American Dream in action.

It is not perfect, and it is never guaranteed. It requires perseverance, sacrifice, and belief. But it is real—in the lives of people who keep going despite the odds, in families who work tirelessly so the next generation can rise higher, and in leaders who measure success not just by what they achieve, but by how many others they lift along the way.

For us, this moment is not just a reflection—it is a call to lead with purpose. To protect opportunity, to value freedom, and to ensure that success is not something we hold onto, but something we use to create access for others. Because the American Dream, to us, is not an abstract idea—it has faces, names, and stories behind it. It looks like resilience. It looks like courage. It looks like people rising beyond what once seemed possible.

As America turns 250, its story is still being written. And at AvantGarde, we are proud to be part of that story—not simply as participants, but as builders. Our journey as owners of AvantGarde is proof that the American Dream is very much still alive and well in our great country! Happy 250th, America!

Builders of opportunity. Builders of people. Builders of the American Dream in action. Our story is rooted in one belief: when you invest in people, lasting impact follows. Learn more about our mission, values, and people-first approach.

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