For far too long, the business world was a men only club. Even among the immigrant community. That time is over.
According to The Center for Women’s Business Research, women, within the immigrant community in the U.S., are playing an active role in building businesses that result in generating jobs and promoting economic growth for the whole nation.
According to the American Community Survey of the U.S. Census Bureau, from 2000 to 2010 an increase of over 9 percent of entrepreneurial immigrants was recorded, while the increase for women born in this country grew by 6.5 percent; soon Latina business owners’ growth will exceed the number of non-Latino born colleagues in the U.S.
Due partially at the fact that female immigrants arrive with higher education and are better prepared than their male counterparts, they are well equipped for entrepreneurial activities and anxious to open their own business and become their own bosses.
Because very often they have been the administrators of their households, Latinas have proven to be particularly successful in the service economy. From the food industry to the taking care of others activities (from education to health), they already have mastered the cultural knowledge and skills needed in those fields.
That may be the case of Luisa Mena, who arrived in Los Angeles in California, committed herself with the “nostalgia market” and opened a store specialized in ingredients to cook traditional Mexican food. “Everyone told me I would fail, that an establishment in which sold everything and nothing at the same time would not last, he must sell food ready to serve because people do not have time to prepare, you know, work, children, cleaning the house, in this country what we sell is what makes life, it is more practical”, says the entrepreneur who believed in herself when everyone around doubted.
“Although there are many Mexican food places on the West Coast”, continues Luisa, “families also need the ingredients to prepare authentic dishes of our traditional cuisine as achiote, this Mexican paste like a curry with which can be flavored meats and chicken; banana leaf for Oaxacan tamales; the Granada pomegranate in English, or to adorn the world famous Chiles in Nogada sauce (these poblano chiles stuffed with meat with raisins, citron and sweet bathing with sweet cream nut)”.
Oddly enough, the demand is there, the younger generations are still cooking recipes and dishes first used by their grandmothers, food odors that are the odors of our land, and produce a feeling of support and belonging pleasant for those who come from elsewhere, and therefore, Luisa offers the gourmet’s products that make her business unique, thriving and a success story.
The fact that Latino entrepreneurs have an increasingly strong presence in the business world is an important issue not only at an economic and social level, but in many other areas such as the gender equality, since the independence of women starts from the economy, and been able to generate their own income empowers them and allows them to take control of their lives and destinies.
As the experts in gender equality accept, the financial independence is central in this struggle.
One should not ignore the fact that starting a business is not an easy task to face, especially if you have no experience in the business world in your new country, hence today are also new business opportunities, in the create your own field, which of course, feeds the good and positive vibe toward the Latino success.
