LYNN — Entrepreneurship for All (EforAll) is expanding its Spanish Accelerator program, EparaTodos, in Lynn, which is aimed at providing Latino entrepreneurs with additional opportunities to launch and grow successful businesses.
The free EparaTodos Lynn program will now be offered in both the summer and winter and will run concurrently with the English EforAll Lynn program, a hybrid pilot that is also launching in Holyoke this summer.
EparaTodos already runs twice a year in Lawrence, but has only been offered during the winter in Lynn for the past years. In light of the continued coronavirus outbreak, this year’s summer session, which begins in July, will be held virtually.
“We understand that right now more than ever, with the crisis going on, many people are jobless and we needed to change that structure to serve more individuals,” said Janin Duran, executive director of EparaTodos Lawrence. “There’s a huge need for this type of program.
“Here in Lawrence, we get people even coming from Connecticut to take the class, people that drive 10 hours, people that come from New Hampshire and it’s because they can’t find this type of program in their own language,” Duran continued. “There’re so many Latinos in Lynn. They’re entrepreneurs and they tend to come to Lawrence. Why not provide something that’s closer to them for the entire year?”
The year-long program offers a combination of immersive business training, dedicated mentorship, and access to a professional network, according to its website. The program also includes pitch contests, where entrepreneurs share their business ideas and solicit feedback.
Separate instructors will lead the 12-week English and Spanish classes for the separate accelerator programs, but the showcase ceremony will be held together. The showcase is a celebration of the work the entrepreneurs have done during the accelerator program, according to Alejandra Galindo, program manager for EparaTodos Lynn.
“I think this a great opportunity for our community, for the Latin American community and also for the entrepreneurs,” said Galindo. “I think (in) the Latin American community, we’re facing a lot of challenges, especially at this moment. It fits perfectly with the situation we’re in now.”
Galindo said this summer’s pilot program will be experimental not only because it’s new, but also because the COVID situation will change the focus of the curriculum. As the pandemic has forced many businesses to work remotely, entrepreneurs will be coached on e-commerce and website building, she said.
Those skills are lacking in parts of the Latino business community right now, added Duran, noting that EparaTodos is trying to provide a solution for traditional businesses, such as bakeries and beauty salons that are struggling to survive during the pandemic.
Classes will focus on teaching entrepreneurs how to sell their products online and build their virtual platforms. For a community that likes to be together, the switch to online is a big change for many Latino entrepreneurs and business owners, Duran said.
“We understand that not everyone has the skills right now,” said Duran. Especially in the Latino community, we know that many lack the computer skills and we need to teach them that. We need to be hands on with the entrepreneurs when it comes to that. We’re going to be assisting entrepreneurs who want to learn their business but are afraid of using a laptop or even using Zoom.”
Tomasa Pujol, founder of Boston-based Golden Builder Construction, went through the EparaTodos Lynn program in 2018 and is supportive of the expansion.
Although she speaks English, Pujol said having a Spanish-speaking program as an option was very helpful to her efforts to get her business off the ground.
Before starting her company, she had been working as a construction specialist for the city of Boston for 11 years. EparaTodos gave her the push she needed to strike out on her own, Pujol said.
“Before I started the program, I hadn’t really made a decision yet to quit the job so after I started the program, it gave me more clarity, so I decided to quit my job and go full-time with the business,” said Pujol.
Pujol started Golden Builder Construction, which focuses on residential and commercial remodeling projects in the Boston area, in 2015, but she went full-time in July 2018.
She said the program helped her with shaping her business model, navigating through the legal aspect of her work, and marketing, but one of its best assets was the networking that she was able to take advantage of.
“I know there’s a lot of people that can take advantage of their program,” said Pujol. “(In) Lynn, there’s a lot of Hispanic people there. A lot of times, we don’t (join) other programs because of the language. I think this is an excellent program for the Hispanic community.”
Duran added that “EparaTodos (is) helping the Latinos accomplish that American Dream that they came to this country to look for.
“Basically, they came here full of dreams and then when they get here they see all the struggles and the limitations they have to go through and many times they give up,” Duran continued. “When they find EparaTodos…. they (find a family and) learn that they don’t have to be building a business by themselves.”
EparaTodos accepts between 12-15 entrepreneurs for each round of the program. New business ideas are preferred, but people who need help establishing businesses that they are already operating are also eligible.
EparaTodos Lynn is accepting applications through May 20. Interested entrepreneurs can sign up through EforAll.org or contact Alejandra Galindo at [email protected].
