Baton Rouge among America’s best cities for Hispanic entrepreneurs

Data collected by researchers at WalletHub, a website that helps small business owners make financial decisions and save money, shows there is a growing demand for Hispanic-owned businesses in the U.S.

According to WalletHub, Hispanic-owned businesses contributed approximately $486 billion to U.S. revenue in 2013.
As of this year, Baton Rouge is the ninth-best place in the country for Hispanic entrepreneurs to make a living, according to WalletHub.

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Rosie García >www.IconMediaAgency.com.

Rosie García, CEO & Founder, Icon Media Agency

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
Loyalty, Respect, Dedication and Love.

What inspired you to start your business?
The ability to be as creative and flexible to meet the needs of my clients with no rules or regulations or politics.

How did you finance it?
Through independent contracts with individually chosen clientele.

Does being Hispanic/Latina have any influence on your business?
Yes. Being an experienced Latina in the industry grabs the attention of mainstream clients that want to target the Hispanic market as well as the existing participants that want to expand to the Latino market.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to drive ahead?
I'm very observant.  I stay open minded and work with the wisdom and knowledge I've been blessed with everyday.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
The biggest challenge is knowing how to reveal at first sight the receivers versus the believers.

If you could change one thing about your business. What would it be?
I don't know.

What was your childhood ambition?
To show the world the value of humbleness and the passion of the ambition of fulfilling a dream.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire.
Sofia Vergara, Oprah, and Jennifer Lopez

For business meetings, which do you prefer: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
Lunch. It's brief and right to the point.

What sacrifices in your personal life did you have to make in order to become successful in your business?
I haven't been able to have a personal relationship.

What is your favorite quote?
Neo: What are you trying to tell me? That I can dodge bullets?
Morpheus: No, Neo. I’m trying to tell you that when you’re ready, you won’t have to.

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
No as long as you remain focus on your goal based on your own experience and instinct. It's always good to have the two mentors in two different divisions of your field of business, in my case the accountant and the creative. Not more then two. 

Biggest mistake made?
Not starting my own company sooner.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
Yes. Because I believe in the impossible. 

About the Company: 
Icon Media Agency caters to celebrity talent bookings on major TV networks and nationally syndicated radio segments. "The Luis Jimenez Show", Univision, Telemundo, Viacom, SBS, Music Choice etc. We hold the key to developing and cultivating the careers within the mainstream, Latin and Urban artists. Specializing in consistently generating a diverse fan base via social media, TV, radio and print promotion. From the management of press junkets for concerts, conferences and client events to implementing strategic market tactics to engage clients through exposure of cultural diversity. Icon Media Agency is the voice for todays entrepreneurs and tomorrows entertainers.

Online Hangout Sept. 25 about new course for young entrepreneurs in Spanish

Young entrepreneurs have a new tool to help determine if they’re ready for business ownership and help them get started. Young Entrepreneurs: An Essential Guide to Starting Your Own Business (Jóvenes Emprendedores) is a free, self-paced online course in Spanish that gives an overview of basic business principles and introduces resources available from the U.S. Small Business Administration.

“This month, the SBA recognizes the vital contributions Hispanic American small business owners have made to our economy as we observe National Hispanic Heritage Month,” said Maria Contreras-Sweet, SBA administrator. “As a proud Hispanic-American, I believe that providing financial, educational and technical assistance to Hispanic entrepreneurs is a major means to create jobs and stimulate the economy. The new course is an essential business development tool for young entrepreneurs that can be central to the future success for many generations to come.”

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Franchise Business Opportunities a Growing, Viable Path for Hispanic Entrepreneurs

DEERFIELD BEACH, Fla., Sept. 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Coverall North America, Inc., a leading franchisor of commercial cleaning businesses, is a viable option for aspiring Hispanic entrepreneurs interested in starting a business. Franchised business owners have found that being your own boss and having a flexible schedule to spend more time with loved ones are the benefits of ownership.

Of the 8,000 Coverall franchised business owners worldwide, 25 percent of them are of Hispanic descent.

National Hispanic Heritage Month Sept. 15 – Oct. 15, was enacted into law in 1988 to celebrate the history, cultures and contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America. Sept. 15 is significant because it serves as the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.

"Coverall offers people the opportunity to become their own boss and take control of their future," said Rick Ascolese, CEO of Coverall. "We wish all of our business owners continued success as they operate their businesses for themselves and their families."

From Mexico, Robert Yepez started a Coverall franchised business eight years ago. Over the years, his business grew exponentially. Today, his franchised business services nearly 250,000 square feet each month.

Alan Landaverde, another Hispanic Coverall Franchised Business Owner, is originally from El Salvador. Landaverde worked in the aerospace industry for 25 years before changing his career path and starting a commercial cleaning franchised business. Like many business owners, Landaverde wanted the freedom of owning a business and more time to spend with his children.

Mercedes Cisneros moved to the U.S. in the 1980s and later started a Coverall commercial cleaning franchised business. She has owned her business for eight years growing it through customer referrals.

Coverall franchised business owners cite customer service and going above and beyond expectations as keys to their success.

"When a customer calls we do everything we can to help," said Yepez. "There is no task that my team cannot take on."

Coverall has been recognized with numerous awards for its franchise opportunities. Recently, the franchisor was named by G.I. Jobs as a 'Hot Franchise for Veterans' and was also named to USA Today's 'Top 50 Franchises for Minorities' list in 2013.

Learn more about Coverall franchise opportunities visit http://www.coverall.com/tufuturo

The Best And Worst Cities For Hispanic Entrepreneurs

Hispanics and Latinos now make up the largest ethnic minority in the U.S. By 2050 they will constitute a third of the country’s population, according to census figures and their impact in business continues to grow. Latinos today account for more than 70,000 of the country’s CEOs and the number of Hispanic entrepreneurs has tripled over the past twenty years – surging from around 557,000 in 1992 to over two million in 2012, according to a report by the Partnership for a New American Economy.

Together, they brought in an estimated $486 billion in revenue, says the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

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Eddie Rodriguez >www.latinworksmusic.com

Eddie Rodriguez, CEO, Latin Works Music

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?
Faith in God, passion, stick to it, preparation, a plan, contacts, opportunity and patience.

What inspired you to start your business?
I was working full time as VP Sales for Reed MIDEM involved in a new event called MIDEM Latin America & Caribbean. It is a Latin Music Industry Trade Show & Conference held at the Miami Beach Convention Center 1997, 1998 and the last event MIDEM Americas in 1999.  Since my position was eliminated due to budget cuts plus MIDEM decided to organize only one music industry trade show per year in Cannes, France at Le Palais du Festival as they have for the last 50 years I was on my way to being out of a job. A mentor, the late Jack Hooke (Tito’s manager with the late Ralph Mercado) passed away and I called Tito to express my condolences. He thanked me and asked if I was available to work for him. My answer was when did he want me to start and he said right away. I spoke to Ralph Mercado and Latin Work Music was contracted to manage the King of Latin Music The late Tito Puente.

Does being Hispanic/Latino have any influence on your business?
Yes, since being a bi-lingual Latino working as an entertainment marketing professional, I understand the diversity of the US Hispanic consumer being Hispanic has been key to my success with projects.

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to drive ahead?
Faith in God and keeping the momentum going on a project until it is completed or you come to the end of the road with it. Then I look to my right and start a new road on a project that inspires me.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced?
Staying relevant with the fast paced evolution of the music industry globally in the last 15 years especially in the distribution of digital content, live concert streaming rights, downsizing of multinational recording companies and the continued growth of the smart phone / tablets / smart TV sectors.
.
If you could change one thing about your business. What would it be?
I would have more trade shows and conferences in New York, Miami and Los Angeles where the next generation of Latin music industry leaders can rendezvous annually to learn about the present and future state of affairs of the business.

What was your childhood ambition?
To be a doctor until I learned that studying chemistry and biology were too boring for me.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire.
Sir Richard Branson, Mark Zuckerberg, Jimmy Iovine.

For business meetings, which do you prefer: breakfast, lunch, or dinner?
All three work well for business meetings for me.  However, I must be disciplined about nutrition and diet.

What sacrifices in your personal life did you have to make in order to become successful in your business?
Traveling alone up to 70% of the year for out of town business meetings, concert tours, trade shows, conferences and conventions. You miss special occasions with family and friends.

What is your favorite quote?
Let The Games begin.

Is it difficult to be unconventional?
Yes. It is difficult to find investors that have faith in the future of the music Industry. What generates revenues today is digital audio / video streaming (paid subscriptions) concert tours and music publishing. Being unconventional means thinking out of the box to be successful.

Biggest mistake made?
Wow, the biggest mistake was taking a break from the concert promotions business to focus on educating myself in the digital and technology side of the music Industry for the last 5 years. However I’m back with new ways to monetize content to generate revenues for investors and return on investment to our clients via traditional and new media outlets.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why?
I was involved in a anti-piracy software and digital download technology companies early on and have promoted recorded digital music and video distribution via mobile since before the iPod and smart phones.

About the Company
Latin Works Music is a 100% minority owned Latin music concert organizer, marketing and promotions company. We produce events in venues such as Madison Square Garden NY, The Greek Theatre in Los Angeles and nightclubs throughout the USA. We are experts in activations of experiential consumer engagement and experts in gathering data at live events to increase data base for brands messaging to the $1.2 Trillion dollar in annual spending (2013) US Hispanic consumer (population 56 M). 

Study: Albuquerque 31st for Hispanic entrepreneurs

A new report released by financial information site WalletHub ranked Albuquerque at no. 31 in the U.S. for Hispanic entrepreneurs. Rankings were based on each city’s Hispanic purchasing power (we’re number 26) and business friendliness (a less-exciting 71). 

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Springs Resident Honored As Stony Brook Hispanic Entrepreneur of the Year

A small-town boy from Palmas, Ecuador, Luis Heras felt he could accomplish big things, but staying in Ecuador, and pursuing electrical engineering as he had planned, didn’t appeal to him as much as making it on his own abroad. So he moved to the United States in hopes of something more.

Now, 20 years later, he owns his own fuel company, Heras Fuel Oil Corporation in East Hampton—and was just named Hispanic Entrepreneur of the Year by Stony Brook University’s Small Business Development Center

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Report: U.S. Hispanic entrepreneurial growth dramatic

The number of Hispanic entrepreneurs in the United States has grown exponentially over the past two decades and Hispanic immigrants in particular have a higher rate of entrepreneurship than the U.S. population at large, according to a report released Tuesday by The Partnership for a New American Economy and the Latino Donor Collaborative.

The study, “Better Business: How Hispanic Entrepreneurs Are Beating Expectations and Bolstering the U.S. Economy,” released in Miami during a panel discussion and press conference, showed that between 2010-2012 the entrepreneurial rate declined overall in the U.S., but among Hispanics the rate shot up, said Jeremy Robbins, executive director of the partnership, an organization of 500 government and business leaders who support immigration reform.

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40 Top Latinos in American Media

This has been a really great year for Latino talent in American media. But before we get into the details of a year in Latino media excellence, I want to first share how this list comes together every year.

Methodology 
Like most media events in digital times this list of top latino talent begins on Twitter. Friends, fans, family, and especially colleagues of excellent Latinos in media recommend them to @vato, me. I add all of the recommended Twitter handles to a private Twitter List that I build and monitor throughout the year in Tweetdeck.  I have created a Collection in Tweetdeck for storing specific top Latino tweets for embedding  throughout next year's list, just as I have Alberto Ciurana's mighty tweet below.

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Hispanic Media & Marketing Agency, Omni Direct, Announces 15-Year Anniversary

Omni Direct, a leader in U.S. Hispanic direct response marketing, celebrated its 15 years of business this summer. Specializing in direct to consumer, brand, and digital marketing, Omni Direct was established in 1999 by Alex Agurcia.

Agurcia first founded Omni Direct in recognition of the growing but virtually untapped potential of the Hispanic market in the U.S. Prior to starting Omni Direct, he led Gold Coast Media as their CEO spearheading their rapid growth in the 1990s to become a leader in launching direct products and services to both the general and U.S. Hispanic markets. 

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How start-up culture is changing Mexico

The story of Mexico’s private sector has long been one of monopolies and duopolies. These often massive companies dominate a range of Mexican industries, reaping the lucrative benefits of little to no competition, established distribution networks and widespread access to credit.

But another story is now emerging. Mexican start-ups, especially those in technology services, are taking off, and their success is quickly broadening the economic landscape.

Many Mexicans own their own businesses. 

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Latino Entrepreneurs Get Ready to Pitch Their Startup Ideas at Demo Day Event in Silicon Valley

Manos Accelerator, a startup accelerator program with the vision to be recognized as an international hub in Silicon Valley where Latino entrepreneurs from across the globe can come to convert their big ideas into reality, is having six startup teams from their 2014 Summer batch pitch their ideas at an upcoming Demo Day event on Wednesday, August 27th, at Yahoo headquarters.

“From week one to week twelve, it has been great to see the overall development and progression of our 2nd batch of startup companies,” said Edward Avila, Co-founder and CEO of Manos Accelerator. “Part of what we do here is not only to assist these early-stage startups with their solutions but to inspire Latino entrepreneurs and have them see what is possible and to think big about what they can go do. We are also thrilled to have Manos be embraced by top-tier high tech companies in Silicon Valley like Yahoo and Google.”

Manos Accelerator is a tech accelerator that has partnered with Google for Entrepreneurs since 2013. It provides mentoring, training and investment connections for startup companies. Their 12-week accelerator program selects Latino-led startups and then helps to develop them into marketable, functional companies that are then displayed at the program-concluding Demo Day.

"Manos is building a strong community in Silicon Valley that nurtures and enables Latino entrepreneurs," said Mary Grove, Director of Google for Entrepreneurs. "Google is passionate about helping build inclusive communities with diverse perspectives and we support Manos' mission of providing resources and mentorship to help more Latino entrepreneurs excel globally. The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in the Manos community."

These companies that have been selected and developed under Manos Accelerator’s program these last 12-weeks get ready to pitch their business solutions to a distinguished panel of judges on August 27th at Yahoo headquarters starting at 5:30 PM. Participating startups include Audive, CoupleCare, Cuestiona.me, FashionTEQ and saySquare. The event is a day of celebration that gives these startup teams the opportunity to promote their companies to a cross section of the Silicon Valley community that includes entrepreneurs, media, mentors and prospective investors. These presentations are a showcase of their business models and the great progress that have been made due to their participation in the Manos Accelerator program.
About Manos Accelerator, LLC 

Manos Accelerator creates a Latino ecosystem of entrepreneurs, mentors, industry experts, leaders and investors. Through a mentorship-driven program, it provides education, resources and guidance for promising startup companies led by Latinos. For more information, please visit http://www.manosaccelerator.com.

About Google for Entrepreneurs. 
Google for Entrepreneurs provides financial support and the best of Google's resources to dozens of coworking spaces and community programs across 125 countries. We also create Campuses: physical hubs where entrepreneurs can learn, connect, and build companies that will change the world. To learn more about Google for Entrepreneurs, visit google.com/entrepreneurs or follow us on G+ (+GoogleForEntrepreneurs) and Twitter (@GoogleForEntrep).

For Fourth Consecutive Year, Republica Ranked as One of Inc. Magazine's 5000 Fastest-Growing Companies in America

República, a leading independent cross-cultural advertising, digital and communications agency, today announced its inclusion once again on Inc. magazine's exclusive list of the 5000 fastest-growing private companies in America. Ranked at No. 3006, this year marks the fourth consecutive time República is included by the Inc. 5000. Companies such as Yelp, Pandora, Timberland, Dell, Domino's Pizza, LinkedIn, Zillow, and many other well-known names gained early exposure as members of the Inc. 5000.

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Americanizados and Hispanos Lead the Growth of Hispanic-Owned Businesses and Self-Employment

Latinos are introduced to an entrepreneurial spirit and an enterprising nature during childhood. Good deeds and chores done well are rewarded with coins, or the coveted $1 bill. And summer time means earning "spending money," garnered by spending hours mowing lawns, selling lemonade, peddling candy and cookies, or unloading once-loved toys at garage sales.

The innocent desire to earn pocket change matures, and those children later become entrepreneurs who developed much-needed Hispanic businesses, helping to spur economic growth in U.S. markets.

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Nhora Barrera Murphy > www.tmncorp.com

Nhora Barrera Murphy, CEO, TMN

What do you need to be an entrepreneur?

For me the most important aspect is “attitude.” I am a positive person and always try to see the good side even at bad times. Setting goals and applying myself to them with discipline and persistence has been a basic aspect of my career.  My goals have all been based on strategic planning to help me reach measurable goals.  Clients are an intrinsically part of my planning.  We know our clients and strive to service them with personalized attention tailoring each program to their needs and objectives.

What did inspire you to start your business? 

My career was leading me more and more to do outreach and to work on social issues. My understanding of the gaps, barriers and needs that Hispanics were facing in health care were my motivation to start the company.  Our work is very rewarding and an inspiration not only for me for my staff.

How did you finance it? 

Savings and loans backed up with personal property.

Being Hispanic…Does it have any influence on your business? 

In my line of business YES, it’s had a big influence. I have focused my career to reach out Hispanics in the U.S. with culturally-appropriate messages through national communication programs with a social component that are aimed to educate Hispanic community about health, traffic safety, environment and educational issues. The principles and methodologies used have helped me to expand into other areas.  As my business has grown, we have learned that underserved markets have many of the same needs.  So we have expanded our business and our staff to serve many ethnic groups.  The goal is to empower these groups to gain the tools to achieve the American Dream. 

In the face of adversity, how do you decide to keep going? 

I just move on and look at the big spectrum in the horizon. How I see or perceive the adversity will model the approach that that I will take on the situation; therefore, I try to find the best out of adversity and turn it into something positive or a lesson learned. At some points, it is important to step back before you leap forward.

What is the biggest challenge your business has faced? 

Buying my partner out and refocusing the company to achieve my business goals.

If you could change one thing about your business, what would it be? 

I wish I had the knowledge I now have when I started and I wish I had a business mentor.

What was your childhood ambition? 

The business world was always fascinating to me.  I didn’t have an exact idea or role in mind, it evolved with time.

Tell us about three entrepreneurs that you admire?

1.      Steve Jobs: I admire his charisma, innovation and vision that ultimately changed the computer industry.

2.      Barbara Corcoran: Her story is inspiring. So is the self confidence it took her to build a 6 billon dollar company. I also admire her willingness to share of her wisdom with other entrepreneurs.

3.      Oprah Winfrey: I admire her determination to achieve what she wants and her commitment to helping others.

For business meetings: breakfast, lunch, or dinner? 

I am flexible, but I prefer lunch or dinner. 

What sacrifices on your personal life did you have to make in order to become a business success? 

Family. I had to sacrifice quality time with my youngest son during his early years.

What is your favorite quote? 

I like following quote because I think no one person can build a successful business alone. My team is committed, dedicated and truly believe in what we do.

“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” Henry Ford

Biggest mistake made? 

I don’t like to categorize mistakes by size because what you could feel and call a big mistake at a particular time in your life may be meaningless in the present. The most important thing is to learn from the mistake. There is a lot of opportunity in starting and growing a business to make mistakes.

Do you consider yourself an innovator? Why? 

Yes, if you do not change, reinvent, and adapt you will not succeed. To stay in business you must innovate constantly.

Company Description:
TMNcorp is a full-service communications firm in Silver Spring, MD that provides innovative solutions in marketing, branding, strategic communications and social awareness through expertly coordinated media.

Founded in 1999, TMN excels in creating and implementing national, regional, and local campaigns for general and multicultural audiences. We believe our team’s combination of high quality research and multi‐faceted media experience; coupled with a solid understanding of community dynamics, sets us apart from other traditional communications, research, public relations, and advertising companies.

Social Media Links:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/tmncorp

Twitter:  @TMNcorp

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/61360?trk=tyah