Latino business owners play a pivotal role in Chicago and Illinois’ economy; they bring new products and services to the neighborhoods where they operate and generate local jobs and tax revenue.
In the series premiere of ¡Presente!, host Francia Garcia Hernandez spoke with Dayana and Jessica Klein, the Venezuelan sisters behind Klein’s Bakery in Lakeview. They shared their journey of opening a business seven years ago.
¡Presente! is a news program highlighting leaders who are showing up for their communities by actively fostering grassroots solutions to challenging social problems.
Klein’s Bakery is a testament to the sisters’ family history. Their abuela taught them to bake and decorate cakes. Years later, they have a successful bakery with two locations in Chicago. “We were her little helpers,” said Jessica Klein about the lessons learned from working with her grandmother.
“When we moved here (U.S.), we had to reinvent ourselves and went back to our origins,” Jessica Klein said about opening the bakeries. Starting a new business was riddled with challenges, from introducing customers to Venezuelan flavors like golfeados, which are sweet bread rolls, to dealing with language barriers.
“We had to learn English,” said Jessica Klein. “We had to learn the process of opening a new business. The sisters credit organizations like the chambers of commerce in helping them get off to a strong start. “This year I participated in a program with the Women’s Business Development Center. They made us feel powerful,” said Dayana Klein.
“Our jobs as chambers of commerce of business communities is to make sure businesses scale,” said Jaime Di Paulo, president of the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “The future of the United States is Latino.”
According to a 2023 Stanford study, immigrant Latinos own more businesses than white immigrants. 52% of Latino-owned businesses are owned by immigrants while only 7% of white-owned businesses are owned by immigrants. Yet, they face more challenges than U.S.-born Latinos.
Another obstacle for Latino-owned businesses is trying to bid for government contracts. Diana Alfaro, Latinx Business Development Manager for the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, offered some suggestions. “We have a program called APEX Accelerators helping business owners understand the world of government contracting,” she said. “How do you find those contracts? How do you bid on those contracts? Once you bid and get awarded, what’s next?” Alfaro said that instructional and educational resources are available, many of which are provided at no cost.
According to JP Morgan, Latino businesses may be the U.S. economy’s best bet. If they grow at the national rate, they could add $1.4 trillion to the U.S. economy.
Resources:
- Register to receive DCEO-OMEE bilingual (English/Spanish) newsletters: Please click here, to sign up. OMEE will be sure to keep you posted on resources including funding opportunities.
- Sign up to receive Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce newsletters: https://ihccbusiness.net/ (scroll down to the bottom)
Apex Accelerator – They provide at no-cost assistance to businesses who want to get into the world of government contracting and assist with certifications like getting certified as minority, woman, persons with disabilities, and/or veteran owned. To find one near you, https://viewer.blipstar.com/blipstar?uid=51616
- IHCC has an Apex that has a bilingual speakers, for more information on their Apex Accelerator: https://ihc
Small Business Development Center (SBDC) – They are centers located across the state that provide no cost business counseling. They can assist business owners with a business plan, marketing, financial book keeping, finding grants, etc. To find one near you go here: https://viewer.blipstar.com/blipstar?uid=5161672 (they do take Zoom appointments)
- IHCC has a SBDC where their entire staff are bilingual, for more information on their SBDC: https://ihccbusiness.net/sbdc-ihcc/
Events
DCEO – OMEE events – You can find DCEO-OMEE events on this webpage at any time, https://dceo.illinois.gov/omee/omee-events.html
IHCC Events – You can find IHCC events on this webpage at any time, https://ihccbusiness.net/upcoming-events/
- IHCC Annual Business Expo, Thursday, October 3, 2024 at Navy Pier: https://ihccbusiness.net/expo/
- Register for at no cost: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ihcc-annual-business-conference-and-expo-2024-tickets-880943655187?aff=oddtdtcreator
Funding support for ¡Presente! is provided by the Joseph and Elizabeth Walder charitable fund, and generous Chicagoans.
¡Presente! is co-produced by Illinois Latino News (ILLN), an affiliate of the Latino News Network (LNN), and CAN TV, Chicago’s hub for community-centric news, hyperlocal stories, and educational resources.