Today we’d like to introduce you to Alec Chapa.
Hi Alec, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I grew up in San Antonio with hardworking parents; mom was an educator who encouraged my curiosity, and dad worked with his hands who taught me to work smarter, not harder. I followed my passion for dialogue and philosophy (yes, philosophy) to Oregon, where I studied directly under a professor before going on to earn my bachelor’s in conflict resolution. In those formative years, I learned about the transformative power of dialogue –from small moments like forging authentic bonds between individuals and getting groups of people to think and build together, to large groups organizing in support of nonviolent protest. Relationships, curiosity, and dialogue were the through lines.
I came back home to San Antonio in 2019, where I immediately began a dual career trajectory, splitting my time between holding down various traditional jobs and leveraging my conflict resolution skills as a consultant as time allowed. Each job I took did more than pay the bills; it helped me develop diverse skills in a broad array of contexts and industries, always channeling this professional development back into my consulting practice. In the fall of 2022, I made the leap to self-employment, committed to choosing the working arrangement that allowed me to do my best work and best serve others. Aside from a short period working for the U.S. Department of Justice Community Relations Service (CRS), shortened by federal funding cuts, I have remained proudly independent since.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road is winding, but the way emerges as you walk it; it cannot be known or planned entirely, perhaps at all, in advance. In my journey, I’ve encountered just about every struggle I could personally imagine. A degree constantly met with confusion at best, sometimes skepticism. Trying to start a career and business during the economic downturn of COVID. The gift of a young-looking face that ironically makes me appear less qualified to some in an industry dominated by people more than twice my age. The list goes on and on – and honestly, I’ve had plenty of days that were disheartening, frustrating and everything in between. I’ve doubted myself at times, not because I didn’t believe in myself, but because I wondered if I had chosen to believe in something not enough people were willing to believe in with me. But I kept going. Not to build a business that could help me retire early (I love what I do and don’t want to stop). I kept going because I believe in the power of dialogue. I believe in the power of relationships and communities that work together, not against each other. And I need to believe in these things; it’s what gets me out of bed in the morning.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Mosaic Collaborative Consulting?
As founder of my consulting firm Mosaic Collaborative Consulting, I lead a team of professional consultants. Collaboration, dispute resolution, and capacity building are what we do, and we specialize in housing matters, resolving issues between landlords, tenants, roommates, and neighbors to keep people housed and keep businesses solvent. We help guide successful relationships and businesses away from the perils of disagreement and change, and when they do find themselves there, we help them to win together with out-of-court settlements.
HousingShield is Mosaic’s flagship program, “keeping roofs overhead and bottom lines intact.” It’s a rapid-response dispute resolution program built to benefit both providers and residents with impartial, confidential mediation. We step in before things spiral — helping landlords and tenants resolve issues early, without going to court. Many cases get resolved within days, and over 80% don’t need a formal legal action at all. It’s kind of like insurance, except instead of paying for what folks might need someday, they can access on-demand services anytime, and only pay for extra services when needed. And while insurance companies avoid payouts — we’re ready to render services to provide value that keeps clients subscribed. We save our clients thousands per unit by preventing unnecessary evictions, cutting turnover costs, and easing staff burden – all while making our communities more safe and less prone to destructive conflict.
HousingShield is one-of-a-kind, and we are proud to offer these services as part of a socially responsible business model, committed to sustaining profits and sustaining people at the same time. That means we offer a lot of pro bono services, and intentionally reach out to serve the hardest-hit communities, not just the affluent. All of our HousingShield services feature a 24-hour response – something you’ll rarely if ever get from courts and attorneys – so that folks can come early, come prepared, and ultimately come out ahead.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
Tao Te Ching, a book on ancient Chinese wisdom traditions, is a favorite of mine. It reminds me, among many things, that the best leader is a servant.
On the business end, I’d highly recommend the book Rework to any entrepreneurs or small business folks – or really just anyone with a project of any kind in mind. It takes a lot of common assumptions and flips them on their head, showing how you don’t need a fancy business plan or loan to get something started and make an impact.
For podcasts, I love The American Bar Association’s Resolutions podcast all about dispute resolution. The episodes are under an hour and are a great way to peer into the thriving industry of dispute resolution, from sorting out the mess after the fall of the Baltimore bridge to helping senior citizens with Long-Term Care Ombudsman, they have it all.
For music, Caspian is a long-time favorite of mine. They’re a post-rock band out of Massachusetts and their music ranges from explosive and energizing, to beautiful and inspiring and so much more. My favorite part is that their music feels alive, like it’s almost breathing. Me + coffee + Caspian = some of my best work.
Pricing:
- Discovery call: Just want to learn more about dispute resolution, no pressure? Totally free.
- Case Evaluation: Get help assessing your conflict and determine next steps. $175-250/hour.
- Mediation: structured agreement-building by an impartial, confidential mediator. $1000/4 hour session.
- HousingShield: conflict management systems, saving providers 30% or more compared to attorneys and courts. Book a call for a quote.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://mosaiccollaborative.consulting/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mosaic.collaborative
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MosaicCollaborativeConsulting
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mosaic-collaborative-consulting/
- Other: https://g.co/kgs/Tkquej
