The purpose of this discourse is to describe the influence of the Cali, Colombia businessman’s mentality on the economic performance of the city during the XX century. Diverse social, economic and institutional factors played a role in establishing the guidelines for the city’s progress and social-business development along a historical perspective that describes the most important facts and events that determined businessmen’s way of being and acting. The historical perspective looks to describe and analyze what were the determining factors for social and economic progress in Cali, Colombia in the XX century. Four specific periods have been identified and these are characterized by having a concrete business mentality unlike others due to the time’s specific conditions. These differentiated the businessman’s actions thus setting the standards framework for the production factors in Cali’s society.