979: Milton Pedaza & Erica Wertheim Zohar - Trust is the New Currency of Business

In this episode of The Self-Employed Life, I had the pleasure of speaking with two guests, Milton Pedraza and Erica Wertheim Zohar, co-authors of High Trust Worth: The New Currency of Business is Not Money, It’s Trust. We discuss the power of trust in business and why it is more important now than ever. Drawing from their experience in the luxury market, Milton and Erica break down the five pillars of building high trust and share what it really takes to both earn and keep it. We explore how businesses can stand out by making trust their foundation and how even small gestures can make a lasting impact. This episode is filled with advice for anyone who wants to grow their business with integrity.

Erica Wertheim Zohar is a distinguished entrepreneur, consultant, speaker, philanthropist, and journalist with specialized expertise in luxury brands and ultra-high-net-worth individuals (UHNWIs). After founding a successful clothing manufacturing company, she transitioned to consulting, advising leading luxury brands on sales, marketing, and communication strategies. A former West Coast Contributing Editor for Town & Country, Erica is currently a contributing writer for Forbes and a long-standing member of YPO. Drawing from her experience as both a business leader and a UHNWI, she focuses on helping organizations build strategic, high-performance relationships with UHNWIs. Erica’s unique perspective offers invaluable insights into the luxury market, making her a sought-after speaker, advisor, and thought leader in her field.

Milton Pedraza is the founder and CEO of the Luxury Institute, a leading-edge HNW and UHNW research, consulting, and training solutions firm that has served over 1,100 luxury and premium goods and services brands in the last 22 years. With unique, unmatched expertise in emotionally intelligent luxury, Luxury Institute has helped top-tier luxury and premium brands create extraordinary customer experiences, build long-term relationships and achieve financial results. Milton is globally recognized as one of the world’s leading luxury industry experts, as well a leading private investor and entrepreneur. Milton has served on the boards of top-tier luxury brands, as well as tech startups. He is a member of the Advisory Board at The UHNW Institute and is a frequent speaker at corporate events worldwide. Prior to founding the Luxury Institute, his successful career included executive roles at PepsiCo, Colgate, Citibank and Cendant. Milton is a frequent guest speaker at Columbia, has lectured at Duke and Harvard and has been recognized as a top Latin Entrepreneur by Stanford. He has conducted business in over 120 countries and speaks several languages.