Yolanda Ruiz
Stakeholder Liaison,
IRS.
entrepreneurs to get to the next level and
helps them craft a realistic, precise
three-year growth plan,” Roebker explains.
De La Cruz aims to grow her business
to $10 million in sales by 2020.
“Edith is just one small business owner
and in her story, you can see so much of
the impact Latina entrepreneurs are having
on our city—-namely, fulfilling the public’s
need for high demand services and
products and employment opportunities
for others,” Roebker shares.
The SBA offers loans and resources
such as the Office of Women’s Business
Ownership, which oversees the Women’s
Development Center in downtown
Chicago. Latinas have access to free
and low-cost training and mentoring to
start or grow their businesses. They learn
to compete globally and access bilingual
business training tools such as the
DreamBuilder online learning program.
LATINA Style recently named Delia
Gutierrez McLaughlin, president and
CEO of Coda Consulting Group (soon
AzTech Innovation), its Entrepreneur of
the Year. McLaughlin states recognitions
such as hers allows Latinas to showcase
their business accomplishments to
colleagues while encouraging others to
take the leap into entrepreneurship.
Latinas re-invent themselves and use
their unique perspectives, practicality
and intelligence to come up with innovative
business ideas, she adds.
“I spent 20 years in the corporate
sector and after that decided to go out
on my own and become an entrepreneur,”
McLaughlin shares.
She is a Latina entrepreneur in the
technology industry, which along with the
Janice Lopez
Managing Director,
Entrepreneurial Services at the Women’s
Business Development Center (WBDC).
businesswomen considering corporate
or government contracting.
The Latina Entrepreneurial Accelerated
Development Program (LEAD) helps
Latina entrepreneurs by focusing on
leadership, strategic planning and
advocacy. The three-day intensive
leadership summit caters to owners
seeking guidance or companies wanting
to take their business to the next level.
“The advocacy side is to make sure
more Latinas are present at the table
and have their voices heard if they want
change, and so, they can speak on behalf
of the community,” Lopez shares.
LS
Want to comment or have any questions on
this article? Email us at info@latinastyle.com
Delia Gutierrez McLaughlin
President and CEO,
Coda Consulting Group (soon AzTech
Innovation).
energy sector, is in dire need of more
Hispanic representation in Chicago. In
her business, McLaughlin partners with
Fortune 500 clients, manages relationships
and identifies ways for clients to reach
new clients through technology.
McLaughlin recently participated in
the Stanford Graduate School of Business
Latino Entrepreneurial Program and the
Women’s Business Development Center
“Scale Up” program in Chicago.
The IRS offers tax information and
resources to financially empower Latina
entrepreneurs. This includes the
Self-Employed Individuals Tax Center,
virtual workshops at irsvideo.org, and, an
electronic newsletter detailing tax credits
and incentives to expand businesses.
“Entrepreneurship is an exciting
endeavor, but it comes with great
responsibility,” says Yolanda Ruiz, a
stakeholder liaison at the IRS. “Business
owners should hire an attorney to help
set up their business and choose the best
business structure. An accountant can help
them with tax planning and obligations.”
According to Ruiz, the Mujeres Latinas
en Acción, a Chicago-based organization,
offers the Empreserias del Futuro education
training to women who want to launch or
expand their business.
Patricia Mota is president of the Hispanic
Alliance for Career Enhancement, a
Chicago-based national nonprofit
dedicated to the employment, development
and advancement of current and aspiring
Latino professionals. Mujeres de HACE
targets high-potential Latinas and
provides them with insight, access and
professional development.
According to Mota, at least 15 percent
of participants in Mujeres de HACE are
entrepreneurs. Another 15 percent left
their corporate jobs in favor of pursuing
entrepreneurship.
“Latina entrepreneurs … are also
more likely to tie their entrepreneurial
efforts to social causes and efforts that
contribute back to the Latino community,”
Mota shares.
Janice Lopez serves as Managing
Director of Entrepreneurial Services at
the Women’s Business Development
Center (WBDC). For Lopez, the Center
offers a wide range of services in every
stage of the business life cycle, including
entrepreneur training classes, one-on-one
counseling sessions and access to capital
to individuals who may not otherwise
qualify due to credit issues or lack of
collateral. WBDC sometimes helps
LATINAStyle Vol. 24, No. 1, 2018 www.latinastyle.com 17
/irsvideo.org
/www.latinastyle.com
link