Historically and culturally, the Latin American community in the United States is known, among many other distinctive traits, for building connections and community quickly and deeply, especially in the work or business environment. “Where there’s a Hispanic, there’s a brother,” we usually say with a degree of humor, but this has translated into a reality that now accounts for 19% of this country’s total population and contributes to 51% of the growth in the total population .
Just as the phrases “my house is your house,” “more than a friend, a brother,” or “my brother’s friends are my brothers” take on a much more intense meaning within the Hispanic-American community, so does devotion and trust in the work merge into one equation that has proven its strength and effectiveness when it comes to making successful businesses.
Where we make an associate who becomes our close friend and then part of the family, or where the celebrations are a commitment to great ideas and productive synergy, there is also the potential for success of small and medium-sized businesses, which today constitute a major engine for the North American Business.
This story was not easy, because behind a minority who initially faced headwinds and who had to enforce their rights and opportunities within the entrepreneurial ecosystem with two gears, there are thousands of success stories where the sensibilities of the strategic allies are in turn a fundamental factor for growth , learning and business consolidation.
Inspiration, human warmth and first class quality
In this context, the example of Gabriela Tutalo, the founder of Solano Exp., stands out, who was strongly inspired by her mother, who often tried to support local artisans by buying directly from her hometown of Puebla (in Mexico) equal make. Since founding her company in 2017, Tutalo has worked tirelessly to improve the current generation of Mexican artisans and give them access to much broader markets that she knew would otherwise cost her far more to reach alone . “We have high-quality products. There are a lot of students and new designers, young people,” says Tutalo. “If Solano can help them open doors and promote their products, that’s rewarding in itself.”
Gabriela Tutalo is currently a member of the newly formed UPS Ignite program, which offers a wide range of world-class educational content for entrepreneurs, as well as mentoring and networking opportunities in a group of like-minded, diverse business owners and executives. In addition, this initiative offers UPS customers a promotion of the health and growth of small and medium-sized businesses through the lens of sound and fundamental values: inclusion, equity and diversity of the business.
As part of the UPS Ignite program, Tutalo benefited from 12 months of access to the Lonely Entrepreneur Learning Community and access to various business consulting and leadership tools and resources that have helped her better focus on the various aspects affecting her business and… the craftsmen pushing it are represented. “I wish I had had a learning community like the program when I started the company,” he said. “It contains clear and useful information that people like me, a Latino small business owner, often don’t have but need to know.”
Recently, the founder of Solano Exp. received one of ten $10,000 grants awarded to participants in UPS Ignite, an initiative born of UPS and the Accion Opportunity Fund’s alliance to extend the grant program with to manage a clear and common mission: to serve the key needs of small businesses. Accion Opportunity Fund (AOF) is a not-for-profit lender that supports small business and promotes racial justice, working closely with small business owners to provide affordable loans, educational resources, training and support networks in English and Spanish. This grant will help Tutalo and his project speed up their operations. “With the 10,000 I’m looking for someone to help me with renderings for industrial design and textile design. This would allow me to focus on selling, better interacting with businesses and closing deals. Before, I did everything on my own: managing the website, social media, everything.”
Cases like that of Solano Exp. and actions like that of UPS tell us of a new horizon for Hispanic business in the United States, with much work still to be done. UPS continues to work with strategic partners to find new ways to empower its Hispanic founders. All available options are on the table, from providing greater access to educational content and capital to fostering a greater sense of community between UPS, specialty organizations and many innovative and impactful companies led by pioneering Hispanic entrepreneurs.
We are Latin Americans. We are a heartbeat of America. We are proud unstoppable.
you can be next
Today, UPS is looking to UPS Ignite for its next generation of intrepid entrepreneurs.
– Do you sell great products?
– Eager to learn from business coaches and logistics experts?
– Want to learn best practices to increase ecommerce sales?
Places are limited, apply today! Click here to find out more about this amazing opportunity!