Responding to a special request from Mayor Patrick McCrory and Congressman Melvin Watt, LATINA Style hosted its fourth Business Series of the year in Charlotte, N.C., on Aug. 20. Things started out on the right foot for Charlotte with the previous night’s Carolina Panthers win against the New York Giants, and the Business Series had a touchdown of its own with a day full of networking, empowerment and outreach.

The morning opened with a hearty networking breakfast. Nearly 200 Latinas exchanged business cards as they visited the 20 sponsorship exhibits, arming themselves with invaluable business information regarding financial security, technology, and small business loans.

The Honorable Patrick McCrory delivered the event’s welcoming remarks. Latinas are the fastest burgeoning sector in the business community, he said, and they have North Carolina’s support in the form of ongoing opportunities for Hispanic-owned businesses.

The morning’s workshops began with a discussion of Small Business Administration Loan Programs by Lee Cornelison, the loan director of the Small Business Administration. Next, Maria Mesa, the small business support manager for Bank of America, addressed the audience about financial stability with Balancing Your Checkbook and Your Life. Martita Mestey, the director of iHispano.com, gave a presentation called Establishing Your Brand, and Valerie T. Hayes, the acting director of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, spoke about federal procurement. Jose Ulloa, the director of development of VICOM Studio, wrapped up the morning with a talk entitled Marketing Your Company Via the Internet.

During a delicious early afternoon lunch, Mistress of Ceremonies Janelle Martinez, a reporter for NBC6 in Charlotte, introduced keynote speaker Rebecca Read Medrano. Medrano, the owner of the GALA Hispanic Theater, addressed the audience with her touching story of overcoming obstacles and hurdles to become strong and successful. Her words encouraged the audience to shoot for the stars; the most important key to success, she said, is the desire to achieve it.

Attendees followed up lunch with the afternoon’s Latina Entrepreneur Experience & Success Stories panel. Moderated by Astrid Chirinos, the president and creative strategist of Diverso Global Strategies, the panel included four talented and admirable Latina entrepreneurs: Hilda H. Gurdian, the publisher of the Spanish-language newspaper La Noticia; Doris A. Cevallos, the owner of Alianza Mortgage Corporation; Victoria Gonzalez, an attorney at Gonzalez & Associates, P.A.; and Katherine Mejia Alexander, the owner of Mejia Interior Design. The panelists shared their stories of career success and work-family balance, demonstrating that with the right mix of determination and business savvy it can be possible to break through that glass ceiling.

The day came to a close with a dessert and networking reception and the Business Series raffle. Generous gifts were up for grabs, provided by Wal-Mart, Sam’s Club, Bank of America and La Noticia. And even those not lucky enough to have their name drawn walked away with a LATINA Style tote, full of gifts from the event’s sponsors. Guests mingled in the exhibit area to share coffee and desserts, and to wind down from a day of inspiration and development with last-minute business card exchanges.

Aspiring Latina entrepreneurs and current business owners seeking solutions can check out the LATINA Style website at http://bs.latinastyle.com for information on past and upcoming Business Series seminars.