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Date: 9/13/2022
SPRINGFIELD – Commonwealth Corporation (CommCorp) hosted an informational forum for Latino entrepreneurs on Sept. 7 at the UMass Center in Tower Square.
CommCorp is an organization that fosters workforce equity by providing professional development solutions. So far, the origination has aided over 20,000 workers throughout the state with resources and strategies for succeeding in the work force.
The roundtable discussion included insights from CEO of Archipelago Strategies Group (ASG) Josiane Martinez, President and Founder of BlueX and Coach for the Latino Economic Development Corporation Pedro Sánchez and PowerUp Business Outreach Coordinator for Amplify Latinx Jesús García Mota.
Martinez shared that she migrated to Boston 20 years ago in search of new opportunities. She steadily developed ASG into an organization that provides marketing strategies and grassroots avenues for business mobilization. The organization currently features 65 employees – 90 percent of whom are Latino women.
Martinez expressed that ASG’s diversity is one of the entity’s distinct strengths. She said the multitude of perspectives allow the organization to successfully break down complex problems. Additionally, Martinez credits ASG’s workforce for fostering a deep connection with the communities they work within.
“Our assets are our people … Our people are from the community, that gives them a sense of pride,” said Martinez.
For business advice, Martinez implored organizations to embrace communal partnerships and define a specific audience to market toward.
“Know who you are selling to … Your marketing is going to be based on that particular segment,” said Martinez.
Sánchez worked originally as an engineer for 22 years before founding BlueX. In his dual roles at BlueX and the recently-formed Latino Economic Development Corporation, Sánchez shared that the key to his success is defining strong relationships with his employee base.
“I need to treat my employees how I want to be treated … A vision starts alone, it comes to fruition when we work together,” said Sánchez.
In his work, Sánchez has helped create programs for single Latino moms to develop financial literacy skills and created extensive training programs for business owners. Sánchez also highlighted the Latino Economic Development Corporation as a significant resource in aiding business owners, whether it be with writing grant submissions or fostering business growth.
When it comes to scaling business production, Sánchez stressed the importance of organizations possessing a strong hold on their data.
“To grow or scale, you got to know your numbers,” said Sanchez.
Along with working for Amplify Latinx, Mota shared that he possesses experience working at the Consulate General of Mexico in Boston for nine years. Mota said he witnessed workplace exploitation of the Latino community during his experiences, which motivates him to aid Latino workers and business owners.
With Amplify Latinx, Mota said the program provides free, bilingual programs for interested parties. Mota said the Latino community often faces initial barriers when entering the workplace, starting a business or seeking grants, but he believes those roadblocks can be overcome through collaboration.
“Bureaucracy is very overwhelming for our community … We need to learn to continue to help each other,” said Mota.
The informational session also included information on MassHire programs and a networking period for the participants.
Readers can learn more about CommCorp and their programs at https://commcorp.org/.