The Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey offers opportunities to startups as well as established Hispanic entrepreneurs looking to expand through their Hispanic Entrepreneur Training program (HETP).

HETP classes Hispanic entrepreneurs offered by SHCCNJ

“The mission of the HETP is to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate business education and mentorship services to Hispanic small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs,” said Luis O De la Hoz, Vice Chairman of the chamber. “These services are provided for free to all aspiring or established entrepreneurs.”

This year, according to De La Hoz, the program has been divided into two tracks to allow better gathering of the information provided. “We used to have startups and established businesses together but we realized that questions and concerns were different for both type of Hispanic entrepreneurs,” he said.

Based on the last year’s program experience, the chamber gathered a great amount of information of the Hispanic entrepreneurs needs, including a structured business plan, resources and “a taste of reality.”

Luis O De La Hoz. Vice Chair of the SHCCNJ and LatinasinBusiness.us Padrino

“While established businesses demand information about resources and access to capital, mentorship or resources for growth in new markets, new ideas need to be analyzed in order to determine their sustainability,” De la Hoz shared. “It is a taste of reality for startups that goes beyond the enthusiasm of a business idea and proves it possible.”

This year, instructors are also different for both tracks and the curriculum will have a different knowledge level.

The Statewide Hispanic Chamber is committed to offer New Jersey’s over 80,000 Hispanic entrepreneurs and small businesses an appropriate support system to help them flourish.

“It is the concept of ‘familia’ that will allow our community to grow together, and sustain real growth,” De la Hoz said.  “Our goal is to provide access, opportunity and meaningful mentorship/coaching for all our community so that we guarantee them a fair starting point to become successful,” he concluded.

Track description of the HEPT Program for Hispanic entrepreneurs

Make Your Idea a Sustainable Business

20-25 participants in an ideation phase will be instructed during a 60-hour course.  During such time, a newly developed curriculum with workbooks for all participants shall provide the framework for the creation of individual business plans.  From soft skill development, business writing and networking platforms, participants will not only have completed a comprehensive business plan upon graduation, but also have fundamental business skills not usually offered in a classroom experience.

Classes will commence March 11, 2017, and shall be held every Saturday (12 weeks) from 9AM – 1PM at The Culinary Conference Center at Hudson County Community College in Jersey City.

​Participants shall be selected on a rolling basis until February 24, 2016.

Grow Your Existing Business

This course shall consist of 20-30 participants that have previously completed a SHCCNJ HETP course and/or SHCCNJ small business members that want to expand their business platforms. Bilingual subject-matter experts will lead participants through 11 workshops on a variety of topics critical to establishing and strengthening a business. Participants will be paired with coaches for a 12-week period. Also, all will be granted access to shared office space at FUSE Bergen Community College Regional Accelerator.

​Program will commence March 14, 2017, and will be held on Tuesdays from 5PM – 7PM at FUSE in Lyndhurst. Participants and coaches shall schedule meetings based on their availability.

​Participants shall be selected on a rolling basis until February 24, 2016.