From MTV to MLB to The Legacy Agency, Nelson Peña Is Living 'The American Dream'

Nelson Peña is in many ways living the "American Dream," having worked on Wall Street, for MTV - including helping with the launch of one of their stations - and for Major League Baseball (MLB).

"It is humbling to say the least. The fact that my parents are from small towns in Dominican Republic & Ecuador and put my sister and I through college in the USA is inspiring," says Peña. "I don't take for granted and work hard every day to be the best I can be."

Peña is currently a senior vice president at The Legacy Agency (TLA), one of the leading athlete representation firms in MLB, recruited by the company to help start their new events divisions and expand into Latin America.

TLA acquired Peter E. Greenberg and Associates (PEG) in late 2012, giving Legacy deeper inroads into the growing Hispanic market. With the acquisition of PEG, TLA gained presence in Venezuela, the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua - providing arbitration & contract negotiation, marketing, public relations, visas and permanent residency, financial planning, and charities and foundations services for Hispanic baseball players; making them one of the largest athlete representation and sports marketing companies in the U.S. Currently, TLA represents over 150 MLB and minor league baseball players.

Peña's previous work experience made him a perfect hire for TLA. Prior to joining TLA, Peña worked in developing contacts and closing sponsorship deals in Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama, Colombia & Venezuela on behalf of MLB - including the Latin American sponsorship for the World Baseball Classic.

"I was in charge of getting the sponsorships for the Dominican Republic team, the Mexican team, the Panama team," says Peña. "A lot of companies want presence in the United States. They understand there is real value in that. So you have to do your research on the companies to see if it's a right fit. You have to find out what they are doing both nationally and internationally. Research and preparation are important."

Before linking up with MLB, Peña worked with MTV Networks, helping launch MTV's Latin channels, including MTV Puerto Rico & MTV Tr3s - working on the business development side of various platforms to help get the stations off the ground.

Even before landing at MTV Networks, Peña had a wealth of experience understanding international markets, having for worked Citigroup in media banking - specializing in equity research coverage of companies such as Grupo Televisa, GloboCabo, TV Azetca, and AOL Latin America.

Peña feels his ability to communicate has allowed him to transition from one career path to another. As someone who does business in various parts of the world, adjusting to different cultures and customs, as well as dealing with strong personalities - from Wall Street-types to professional athletes - Peña believes that listening is as much a part of his success as a sales pitch.

"You always have to listen. Who doesn't like to hear themselves? Sometimes you have to listen," said Peña. "It has to be a part of your personality. You're always meeting different people and you have to find a way to relate to them while still trying to get to your goal."

Peña, who has found success in working at companies most people dream of ending their careers at, is very happy with TLA and believes that this the right place and company for his talents.

"I feel like I am just at the start of what I want to attain. I want to continue to grow professionally and personally," says Peña. "Becoming the best is always a goal but also always enjoying and being fulfilled on what you are doing. I want to leave a Legacy and thus why chose to work at the Legacy Agency."