Born on Dominican Soil. Raised in the Florida Sun.

Erika’s story begins in the Dominican Republic and continues in Florida, where she was raised in a family shaped by hard work and entrepreneurship. She watched members of her family work tirelessly to build opportunities for others while her grandfather pursued businesses of his own — his entrepreneurial spirit and ability to build and scale companies left a lasting impression on her. Erika learned early that ownership could change the trajectory of a family, and that access to information, capital and the right relationships determines who gets the opportunity to build wealth. Those lessons became the foundation of her career.

Building Her Foundation

Erika began her professional journey in sales and business development, quickly distinguishing herself as a strong negotiator, relationship builder and strategic problem-solver. Her career expanded from serving Main Street businesses to managing growth initiatives for large commercial and Fortune 100 clients — experience that taught her how companies make decisions and how relationships influence outcomes. Even as her work moved into larger corporate environments, she remained drawn to founder-led and family-owned businesses, understanding that for these owners, a business was rarely just an asset.

Real Estate, Ownership & Generational Wealth

Erika entered residential real estate, fixing and flipping properties while building a portfolio of long-term holdings. She went on to flip and wholesale dozens of properties and taught aspiring investors how to replicate her efforts — extending her family’s legacy of land ownership. Real estate gave her direct experience evaluating opportunities, managing risk and making decisions with her own capital at stake, strengthening a belief that continues to shape her work: meaningful wealth is built through ownership.

Turning Loss Into Purpose

Following the passing of her grandfather, Erika founded The Baez Agency, Inc. — a consulting firm created to help underserved and underrepresented communities with financial health and legacy protection. Through the firm, she connected individuals and small-business owners with education and resources that had often felt inaccessible. Her focus was no longer limited to building businesses of her own; she was beginning to create pathways that helped others recognize and pursue their own opportunities.

Becoming a Multi-Venture Founder

Erika founded The BPH Group, LLC (Best Payments & Healthcare Integrations), a Florida-based, woman-owned business serving merchants nationwide with payment processing, PCI compliance, high-risk payment solutions and essential business infrastructure. Since its founding, the firm has facilitated more than $300 million in card-processing volume. Building companies gave Erika firsthand experience with the decisions founders make behind closed doors — experience that continues to influence how she approaches every engagement.

The Move Into M&A

Erika’s background in sales, real estate, business development, consulting and company ownership ultimately converged in mergers and acquisitions. She recognized that her strongest capabilities were most valuable during moments of transition: evaluating opportunities, understanding value, structuring solutions and bringing the right people into the room. She earned the Certified Mergers & Acquisitions Professional designation and built a reputation for guiding acquisitions, business sales, valuations and ownership transitions across the upper Main Street and lower-middle market.

An Owner’s Perspective at the Negotiating Table

Erika approaches transactions as more than an advisor — she is an acquirer, founder and active limited partner with ownership interests across multiple industries. That perspective matters. She understands what it means to put capital at risk and make decisions when the outcome is personal, and what is at stake for an owner preparing to transition a company built over decades. Her work considers more than purchase price — it examines the strength of the business, the structure of the transaction, and the legacy that remains after closing.

Building an Entire Business Ecosystem

As Erika’s M&A work expanded, she repeatedly saw the same problem: buyers and business owners rarely needed only one service — yet those resources were often fragmented across providers who were not connected to one another. Erika responded by building an ecosystem. Today, her associated brands span:

• Certified business valuations and strategic advisory
• Sell-side M&A and ownership transitions
• Entrepreneurship through acquisition education
• Off-market acquisition sourcing
• Buy-side representation and deal support
• Healthcare acquisition sourcing
• Payment processing, PCI and business infrastructure
• Value creation, growth and exit preparation

Erika serves as the linchpin across that ecosystem, helping each buyer or business owner identify the right path and access the capabilities needed to move forward.

Expanding Access to Business Ownership

As a first-generation Latina entering the world of mergers and acquisitions, Erika learned that ambition and ability were rarely the true barriers to ownership — the barriers were access to capital, credible education, quality deal flow and trusted relationships. That realization continues to shape her work. Through acquisition education, national initiatives and programs supporting economic mobility and youth entrepreneurship, Erika helps expand pathways to ownership for underserved and underrepresented entrepreneurs. She believes the next generation of business owners can be found in every community.

Sharing the Work Beyond the Deal

Erika brings her experience to stages, classrooms, boardrooms and private conversations across the country. She speaks and teaches on:

• Entrepreneurship through acquisition
• Buying and selling businesses
• Business valuations
• Value creation and strategic growth
• Exit readiness
• Negotiation and transaction strategy
• Relationship-driven business development
• Generational wealth through ownership

She serves on the Enterprising Women Advisory Board and contributes her time, expertise and relationships to initiatives advancing entrepreneurship, leadership and economic mobility. Whether speaking to aspiring entrepreneurs, established CEOs or next-generation owners, Erika’s objective remains consistent: help people understand their options and connect with the right resources to move forward.

The Work Today

Today, Erika leads an interconnected portfolio of companies, associated brands and professional relationships serving business buyers, founders, CEOs and family-owned enterprises. Her work sits at the intersection of ownership, enterprise value and transition — helping buyers prepare to acquire, owners strengthen what they have built, and founders navigate decisions that will shape their companies, wealth and legacies. Her reputation has been built not only on completing transactions, but on understanding the people, businesses and consequences behind them.

One relationship. An entire business ecosystem.

Beyond Business

Family is at the center of Erika’s life, purpose and definition of success.

The lessons passed down by her Dominican grandparents have been immeasurable. Through their example, she learned the value of hard work, entrepreneurship, family and building something that can endure beyond one generation.

Erika is deeply proud of the family that helped shape her, including her mother, her aunt and 2 uncles, who served as an extension of her parents, and her three incredible cousins. She also recognizes the charisma she shares with her late father, a quality reflected in her natural ability to connect with people and command a room.

Her husband, Loyal, is an important part of the life, businesses and legacy they are building together. Above all, Erika is immensely proud of her son and the young man he is becoming. He represents both the legacy she inherited and the future she is working to build.

Proud of her Dominican heritage and grateful for the family that poured into her, Erika’s work is deeply personal. It is about honoring those who came before her, building alongside those she loves and creating something meaningful for the generation that follows.