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Female founders and leaders gather for holiday Fundraiser and Silent Auction

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Latina in Business’ Annual Fundraiser and Silent Auction is a time for giving and receiving. This year, our fundraiser titled Latinas Are Back in Business, will focus on celebrating the successes of female entrepreneurs and founders, supporting each other, sharing the struggles and lessons learned during the pandemic, and amplifying the voices of minority small business owners. 

The Annual Fundraiser and Silent Auction will take place on December 8 from 4pm to 7pm, featuring special guests, celebrities and female founders. 

“We are extremely excited and grateful that many sponsors and members are joining us to amplify the voice of  Latinas suffering during the Covid-19 pandemic.  We want to bring a little joy and hope to many female founders and tell them we will continue to support them,” Susana G Baumann. President and CEO, said.   

Join us for this free virtual event on Wednesday, December 8 from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm EST –Zoom and Live streamed on Latinas in Business Facebook page. 

You won’t want to miss this event! Register Now! 

 Guest speakers to share their stories of business and success as female founders 

Mariela Dabbah, CEO and Founder, Red Shoe Movement

Mariela Dabbah, CEO and Founder, Red Shoe Movement

Mariela Dabbah is the founder and CEO of the Red Shoe Movement, a leadership development company powered by a global community of women and men allies who support each other for career success. She is also a TEDx and International speaker, award-winning, best-selling author and go-to corporate authority for Fortune 500 companies interested in inclusive cultures.  

Dr Ginny A. Baro, founder of Fearless Women at Work.

Dr Ginny A. Baro is an award-winning international motivational speaker, certified leadership coach, career strategist, and #1 bestselling author of Fearless Women at Work. Named one of the Top 100 Global Thought Leaders, she delivers coaching programs, trainings, and keynotes to global audiences to develop individual women and leaders and helps Fortune 500 companies build inclusive leadership dream teams.

 

Rosario B. Casas is an award-winning women-in-tech advocate, co-founder of Business Creative Partners, leading digital adoption and transformation for Hispanic owned businesses. She is a Colombian-born serial entrepreneur, with over 8 years of practical experience in data and technology platforms and management roles. Most recently, she co-founded  Brooklyn2Bogota, a digital incubator for Hispanic business owners. The program aims to help close the digital divide post-COVID for business owners and entrepreneurs 

Tania Molina, founder and CEO of Villakuyaya Organic Dark Chocolate.

Tania Molina is the founder and CEO of Villakuyaya Organic Dark Chocolate. Originally an architect by profession, Tania shifted her career in 2014 with the entrepreneurial dream to create her own chocolate brand. Drawing on her Ecuadorian roots, Tania created Villakuyaya with quality ingredients and sustainable practices as her guiding goals. 

Lourdes Lulu Carey

Lourdes “Lulu” Carey, owner and founder of SweetLove gifts.

Lulu Carey is the owner and founder of SweetLove gifts, an online gift shop that personalizes a variety of products, from wine bottles to balloons and surprise gift boxes. Lulu started her business during the pandemic after discovering her creative side this past year. From hobby to business, Lulu shares her story as a new entrepreneur and the challenges and successes throughout her journey so far. 

Erica Sandoval, author and clinical therapist.

Erica Sandoval is a passionate licensed clinical therapist who is dedicated to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion. She is also committed to amplifying the voices and businesses of Latinx social work leaders. Erica’s book, Latinx In Social Work, has been named a #1 Best Seller New Release on Amazon. 

Jacqueline Camacho

Jacqueline Camacho Ruiz, entrepreneur, author, motivational speaker, philanthropist and pilot. 

Jacqueline Camacho Ruiz is a visionary social entrepreneur that has created an enterprise of inspiration. As an entrepreneur, author, motivational speaker, and philanthropist she has created two successful award-winning companies, two nonprofit organizations, published over a dozen books, created many products, and held dozens of events around the world in just the past decade. Additionally, she is one of the few Latina sports airplane pilots in the United States, living by the motto: “taking off is optional, landing on your dreams is mandatory.”

Pilar Avila, founder of interDUCTUS, and  Renovad experiential retreats.

Pilar Avila is the founder of organizational change management consulting practice, interDUCTUS, and  Renovad experiential retreats. After building a fruitful career over 26 years providing leadership at institutions across the private equity, hospitality, and nonprofit sectors, Pilar decided to launch a consulting practice as a boutique lifestyle business inspired by her journeys across 5 continents and 18 countries, and the desire to spend more quality time with the extraordinary women who serve as her mentors and collaborators. 

Crystal Berger is the Founder of EBO.

Crystal Berger is the Founder of EBO, an on-demand expert bookings API that is committed to breaking barriers to entry in media using emerging technology. She is also the host of the Counter Culture Podcast, and a lifestyle contributor using emerging tech to break barriers to entry in media and corporate as a media tech entrepreneur. Berger has been recognized as a NAACP Award-Winning Journalist and is a Social Media Ambassador for the United Nations.

Nicole Mason, National CEO of Lemonade Day.

Nicole Mason serves as the National CEO of Lemonade Day, a non-profit committed to preparing youth for life by instilling an entrepreneurial spirit. For 15 years, Lemonade Day has offered youth K-8 an entrepreneurial and experiential program infused with life skills, character development, financial and business literacy, and mentorship. Their vision is for all children to be introduced to entrepreneurship through the real-world experience of starting their own business – a lemonade stand, the quintessential first business for young entrepreneurs.

instagram for small businesses, instagram,

How Instagram is helping Latina entrepreneurs survive the pandemic

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The pandemic put most brands into turmoil, if not out of business. It’s a dire situation for all businesses, but the minority-owned businesses bear the brunt. This is especially true for Hispanic-owned businesses, which took a 42% nosedive in sales from February to March 2020 alone. A similar report even suggested that the impacts of the coronavirus would be twice as bad on black- and Hispanic-owned brands than for white-owned businesses.

Despite this outlook, many Latina entrepreneurs weathered the crisis by pivoting their operations. These Latinas turned to Instagram to reach consumers and connect with others in the community. Get to know these three Latina-owned businesses that beat the odds via Instagram.

Cafe Con Libros (Bookstore)

The bookstore closed up shop in early March of 2020 when the pandemic broke out. It was a tough decision for Latina owner Kalima DeSuze since the business relied heavily on their storefront— they sold coffee and pastries. But DeSuze knew that it was the best thing to do in the interest of her staff and customers’ safety.

41-year-old DeSuze took social media, SEO, and e-commerce courses to learn how to effectively use Instagram. Applying what she learned, the bookstore gained 15,000 followers on social media. DeSuze successfully tapped into online retail and created a platform to share books authored by women of color in the process.

 

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A post shared by Cafe con Libros (@cafeconlibros_bk)


Flower Bodega (Floral Design & Content Studio)

Florist and owner Aurea Sanabria Molaei was forced to rethink her business strategy after the pandemic hit. Her 2020 contracts started to fall through almost all at once. She came up with the idea of creating floral kits instead.

She would scramble to deliver all the kits to customers around New York. After completing deliveries, Sanabria Molaei would host a live floral arrangement class on Instagram, filmed from her studio. Other brands took notice and now ask Sanabria Molaei to do Instagram takeovers and live video sessions to teach floral design.

 

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A post shared by Flower Bodega (@flowerbodega)


Franca (Ceramics)

It was a massive blow to Jazmin de la Guardia and her business partner when their wholesale accounts shut down, crippling 95% of the business. This was when they decided to look to social media to drive sales up.

 

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A post shared by FRANCA (@franca_nyc)


The Franca staff poured their efforts into growing their Instagram account, and it proved to be a success. Online orders started to come in, and their products even caught Michelle Obama’s attention. She commissioned a line of mugs as part of her ‘Vote 4Ever Merch’ collection. 

You might be interested: 3 Marketing challenges Latina-owned businesses face

How you can maximize Instagram for your business

Maintain high-quality visuals

Aesthetics is crucial on Instagram. It’s a photo and video-sharing app, so there’s simply no room for shoddy shots.

Your photos and videos need to look professional if you want to be taken seriously— well-lit, in high-definition, and tasteful. Furthermore, make sure that your posts are cohesive. Choose a theme or color palette that best reflects your brand and stick with it.

Follow a schedule

More than pretty visuals, you need consistency to keep followers engaged on Instagram. This is why you need to plan out your content calendar in advance. In fact, you can even use a dedicated Instagram scheduler to ensure this calendar is followed down to the minute.

Some schedulers also deliver personalized insights that let you know when your followers are most engaged and suggest the best time for you to post. This is especially important given Instagram’s latest update to their algorithm, where new posts are noticed more. 

Take advantage of live videos

Take a cue from the Flower Bodega and the Fashion Designers of Latin America, start doing live videos. This gives you a unique opportunity to showcase your products as well as your brand personality in a more casual and intimate way.

Instagram allows you to broadcast live through the Stories format and even the IGTV format, which lets you upload longer-form videos, too.

COVID-19 put a strain on Latina entrepreneurs, but it’s also proven how their entrepreneurial skills and tenacity can tide them through even the most difficult times.

Abasto Magazine Latinas in the USA

LatinasinBusiness.us and Abasto Magazine join efforts to support Latinas in the USA

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We are celebrating Small Business Week with this great announcement! The reason to join efforts? Latinas in the USA are the largest growing demographics entering the labor force, opening businesses and increasing their economic power but their rise to decision-making position still lags behind other minorities.

It is with great pleasure that I introduce you to our LatinasinBusiness.us column in Abasto Magazine. You and I will have an opportunity to get to know each other, connect on the important issues that affect Latinas today, discuss trends and innovative solutions for your business or career, and find common ground to help each other grow.

Susana Baumann Tell your Story

Susana G Baumann, Editor-in-Chief LatinasinBusiness.us

A little over two years ago, I launched LatinasinBusiness.us with the vision to build, support and empower a community of Latina professionals, those in the corporate track and small business owners. After over 25 years of working in corporate America, the State of New Jersey and finally starting my own business, I felt that my experience of struggle and success could be of use for many. As a Latina, I was ready to give back one more time.

The experience has been riveting, to say the least. At a professional level, it has allowed me bring a small contribution to the struggle of Latinas around the country. At a personal level, it has also allowed me to meet hundreds of young Latinas like you who truly are the future of this country.

Are Latinas in the USA making history?

I started my business at a time when being Latino was not “cool” as it is today! Even if we still have many steps to climb and milestones to achieve, we have made strides in every industry, field and activity. Nevertheless, we need to keep going!

 

Unfortunately, women in general and Latinas in the USA in particular are still falling behind in many aspects of their professional, career or business development. We need to work harder and smarter in these areas:

Leadership: One in five women in this country is a Latina. However, there are no Latina CEOs among the Fortune 1000 companies and less than 3 percent of board directors at Fortune 500 companies are Asian, black or Hispanic women. Women hold only 19 percent of Congressional seats. The first Latina elected to the Senate was sworn in 2017 and just a few more made the House this year as well.

Business: The fastest growing demographics opening businesses, Latinas in the USA represent 36 percent of women owned businesses with receivables of approximately 71 billion (2014). However, Latinas grab a very small portion of five percent Federal contracts awarded last year to women –for the first time in the history of the SBA- and have the least access to capital of all minority business owners.

Corporate America: In the workplace, the numbers do not look much better. One in seven women is Latina in the workforce and they are projected to be over 17 percent by 2022. However, the outcome is poor: One-fourth of Latinas in the USA live below the poverty line and more than half are living in near-poverty with a pay inequality gap of almost 56 percent.

Education: Latinas in the USA have surpassed their male counterparts in educational achievements. However, they still lag behind other minorities in attaining a high school degree, and only 19 percent complete a college degree. They get the crumbs when it comes to employment or promotions with only fewer opportunities to access decision-making, high-paying positions.

Buying power: Latino buying power has increased 167% in the 15 years expected to reach 1.7 trillion in 2020. Primarily Latina moms make all financial and buying decisions in the family.

Health: Health disparities are rampant among Latinas, with the highest rates of death for breast cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

Retirement: The financial and economic gap follows us into old age, becoming the least protected demographic among all minorities.

 

Not all hope is lost

This evidence is not the only reason that compelled me to launch LatinasinBusiness.us. On the contrary, a deeper knowledge of a vibrant and competent community of talented Latina women, working hard at achieving their potential, was the main reason to create this small window of opportunity: to encourage, promote and bring to the front these wonderful stories of Latino women building family, businesses and communities around them.

Not one person or one movement can achieve this huge task alone. We need to keep holding hands and helping those just starting or on their way up to achieve their best potential because when one raises, the others follow.

Abasto Magazine is giving me today the opportunity to meet with all of you on these pages, tell your stories, and bring discussions to the forefront –the hard difficult questions we need to ask and answer. For that, I need your help: to reach out to me and share your dreams and your achievements but also the difficulties and the battles you have encountered along the way so we can all learn from each other.

Remember: ¡La unión hace la fuerza! We do not need to wait for opportunities to come our way but we need to create them for ourselves. I did it for over 20 years, you can do it too!