LYNN — Latino businesses represent 14 percent of the 33 million in the country, according to the Hispanic Small Business Report.
They have surged by 34 percent over the past decade — outpacing that of any other ethnic group, the report says.
Yet for all that entrepreneurial vigor, Latino business owners still face some ongoing challenges.
For this reason, the EparaTodos program was designed to support the Latino entrepreneurs in their endeavors to grow, and the organization is set to hold a workshop Wednesday at KIPP Academy Collegiate on 20 Wheeler St. from 6-9 p.m.
The group hopes workshops such as the one at KIPP will help close the opportunity inequality gap and create employment in cities that are economically challenged.
There are two different free programs, the EparaTodos Accelerator Program, and Pitch contest. However the organization plans to launch a hybrid program this summer, serving both English and Spanish speaking communities simultaneously. Some of its goals are to increase the number of entrepreneurs and make their business ideas a reality, realize the potential of the Latino business ecosystem, and to integrate the cultural differences.
“As a Latina and entrepreneur, I know that there are so many Latinos with entrepreneurial drive and creative ideas that need more education in business, mentorships, support and help to break the barriers — some of them long-standing, some brand new — that keeps them from reaching their full potential,” said program director Alejandra Galindo. “Because of that I created a free workshop called ‘Three essential tools for Entrepreneurs,’ where entrepreneurs or aspiring entrepreneurs will learn from tree expertise professionals about the ‘Habits of successful innovators that every entrepreneur must develop’ and ‘The entrepreneur mindset.’
For questions, contact Galindo at [email protected]. Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll) is a non-profit organization working in accelerating economic and social impact in communities nationwide through inclusive entrepreneurship.