What Latino Small Business Owners Want is More Business Training in Spanish

“Educational, illuminating, useful and customized in Spanish”, these were among the repeated testimonials by attendees of the third Su Socio De Negocios expo and seminar event hosted by El Clasificado providing Latino small business owners access to business training and services in Spanish. The three-hour evening event themed “Using Technology for Small Businesses” was held at the Delhi Community Center in Santa Ana on November 16, 2006.

Over 188,000 Hispanic-owned businesses are in Los Angeles County and most are small businesses with less than 100 employees, www.census.gov. More than 3,000 Latino small businesses advertise weekly in El Clasificado, and based on a 2006 customer survey most are micro-enterprises or “lifestyle entrepreneurs” with less than 49 employees who do not want to grow fast and big, but want to have a business that provides their family a comfortable lifestyle with future opportunities for their children. Many of these Hispanic entrepreneurs have little time and limited English skills but still yearn for low cost, high efficiency tools to better manage their employees and finances so that their businesses stay viable and profitable.

Su Socio De Negocios was designed with these busy, Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs in mind. Presentations are short and to the point, with ample time for participants to dialogue directly and in Spanish with companies offering products aligned with the particular needs of Spanish-speaking small business owners. Participants also enjoy the opportunity to network and build alliances with other Latino small business owners.

The enthusiastic interaction between attending small business owners with corporate sponsors demonstrates the need to bridge corporate services with Latino micro-enterprises. EVOS Consulting and Loyola Marymount University’s Small Business Development Center delivered formal presentations on using technology and forming business structures to an inspired audience. Through presentations by Blue Cross, Health Net and AFLAC, small business owners discovered that health and other insurance is accessible and affordable. Banking options and solutions demonstrated by Comerica bank, Washington Mutual and The Certified Credit Union were very useful. Sprint, AT&T and Cingular Wireless representatives introduced many new affordable products offering small business owners digital connectivity with their employees and customers from wherever they are, even if traveling in Latin America. Hands-on opportunities to use the internet and discover small business sites in Spanish were provided by The Business Coach, Erix Information Technology and Seminars in Spanish. The Social Security Administration provided Spanish-speaking business owners online access to social security information and business tools.

“Su Socio de Negocios” (http://www.susociodenegocios.com), is held in grassroots Latino communities in Southern California throughout the year. El Clasificado (http://www.elclasificado.com) is a free Spanish-language publication reaching close to 1,000,000 Spanish-speaking readers each week and dedicated to creating bridges that strengthen and empower the Hispanic community. “

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