TEXAS – Data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows Hispanic-owned businesses grew by more than one million from 2007 to 2012 and Texas had the third highest number.
More women are trying to break into the business world every day. The Hispanic Alliance is helping women kick their businesses off from the ground floor into flourishing enterprises.
“We know that the most amount of businesses started in the US are started by Hispanics but we also know that those businesses don’t grow at the rate that the other businesses do,” said Monica Peraza with the Hispanic Alliance.
The alliance advocates said reversing the trends of struggling businesses means setting new entrepreneurs down the right path.
“I love my job right now but it’s something that I’m building for somebody else and I want to build something for my family,” said Austin entrepreneur Alejandra Quereshi.
The Austin Hispanic Alliance teaches a business course for women of all ages and experience. The class teaches business basics like filing taxes and obtaining permits.
“When I first started 12 years ago, things were very different even in Austin. For women, for Hispanics, beaking into real estate was a big deal,” said Austin entrepreneur Frida Mack.
Mack is now her own boss and counsels other women as they set out to map their own course.
“I’m very happy just to know that there are people wanting to progress. Wanting to go the extra mile and that I’m a part of it makes me happy,” said Mack.
