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The Bahia Resort
Hotel in San Diego was the second host for the 2006
LATINA Style Business Series. Hundreds of
Latina professionals and entrepreneurs gathered on
April 21st for a full day of professional and
personal enrichment.
The morning began with a refreshing networking
breakfast in the exhibit area. Robert E. Bard,
president and CEO of LATINA Style Magazine,
welcomed the audience with inspiring words about the
growing numbers of Latina entrepreneurs locally and
throughout the nation. Veronica De La Garza,
director of strategic alliances for LATINA Style
Magazine, introduced Dr. Ruben R. Garcia, District
Director of the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Dr. Garcia informed the audience about the many
different loan and self-help programs that are
available to women and minority entrepreneurs
through the SBA.
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Ken Hoepper,
and Joseph Soraci, ExxonMobil; Rodri
Rodriguez, IRDOR Entertainment (Keynote
Speaker); Leonard James III, ExxonMobil;
Sylvia Rios, First Security Mortgage (Entrepreneur
Recipient); and Desiree Carvajal, Fox 6 (Mistress
of Ceremonies) |
The first
panel, Access to Capital, moderated by Alice Perez,
Hispanic market manager, US Bank, detailed how to
realize the dream of starting your own business or
expanding an existing one. Among the topics covered
were business plan development, creditworthiness and
the various forms of loans that can be obtained to
start or expand your business. Panelist Patti Mason,
president and CEO of Accion San Diego, informed the
audience about how to obtain a micro-loan for an
existing fledgling business. Panelist Michelle
Butler, program director for the Women’s Business
Center of California, advised taking the proper
steps to become knowledgeable in all aspects of your
business in order to ensure your business’ success.
Panelist Shelley Hendrickson, vice president and
area manager for Wells Fargo advised the audience to
look into their credit history and to bring their
creditworthiness up to a level where it makes it
easier for a potential lender to help an
entrepreneur.
The second panel, Successful Marketing Strategies
for Yourself & Business was moderated by Therese
Cisneros-Remington, director of the Palomar College
GEAR UP Program. In a comfortable, round-table
discussion, panelists Oralia Michel, president of
Oralia Michel Marketing & Public Relations Firm,
Pilar Montoya, president of Mass Marketing, and
Carla Patterson, senior program manager, Women &
Latino Business Services at Wells Fargo, gave the
attendees excellent ideas on how to better market
oneself and one’s business. Panelists discussed the
importance of identifying your target market,
researching it and understanding what your target
market needs. Pilar Montoya offered excellent key
points to remember, “There are four things to
succeed in business: 1) Understand that there is a
power of intention, 2) Surround yourself with
excellence, 3) Find a mentor and 4) Find inspiration
in your faith.”
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Latina
Entrepreneur Panel: Lessons Learned – Mery
Lopez-Gallo, Univision Radio; Marie Alicia
Diez de Bonilla Gonzalez, Bonilla Law
Office; Manuela Murillo-Bump, Buena Casa
Realty; and Fanny Miller, El Latino
Newspaper |
Access to
Capital panelists: Shelley Hendrickson,
Wells Fargo; Rosa Rodarte, U.S. Small
Business Administration; and Alice Perez, US
Bank |
The third
panel, Your Business, Your Legacy, presented by
Carmen Torres, CLU, CfCH, and an agent at State Farm
Insurance discussed the importance of insuring your
business, goods, your employees, and yourself in the
case that any unfortunate event might take place. Ms.
Torres also touched upon the importance of
establishing 401(k) programs for your business.
The fourth panel, SCORE Counseling Opportunities,
presented by Lisa Benton, counselor at SCORE,
discussed the various workshops and free help
available for female entrepreneurs in San Diego
County.
The Latina Entrepreneur Award Luncheon, presented by
ExxonMobil, was honored by the presence of Rosario
Marin, secretary, State & Consumer Services Agency.
Leonard James III, U.S. business development manager
of ExxonMobil Fuels Marketing, welcomed the audience
and introduced the mistress of ceremony, Desiree
Carvajal, news anchor at Fox 6 News. Ms. Carvajal
shared her experiences as a Latina reporter and news
anchor in the various channels she has worked for.
She then introduced Rodri Rodriguez, president and
CEO, Rodri Entertainment Group. Ms. Rodriguez’s
inspiring story awed the audience. Sylvia C. Rios
was honored as San Diego’s Latina Entrepreneur of
the Year for her efforts as port commissioner at the
Port of San Diego.
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Attendees of
the San Diego Business Series |
Networking in
the exhibit area |
Lunch was
followed by the conference’s last panel session,
Lessons Learned. The panel was moderated by Mery
Lopez-Gallo, community affairs director, Univision
Radio. In this panel, panelists Fanny Miller,
president of El Latino Newspaper, Marie Alicia Diez
de Bonilla Gonzalez, president of Bonilla Law Office
and Manuela Murillo-Bump, president of Buena Casa
Realty, discussed the various hardships and lessons
that they learned along the uphill road that led
them to be the successful entrepreneurs that they
are today. They spoke candidly of their experiences
and shared secrets that empowered their listeners.
The San Diego LATINA Style Business Series
ended with a dessert reception, prizes and an
opportunity to continue networking with sponsors,
speakers and fellow entrepreneurs. Judging by the
knowing smiles on their faces, it could be said that
the conference-goers left with a new-found sense of
purpose.
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State Farm
representatives |
JoAnn Renning,
Principal Financial |
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Special thanks to
sponsors: American Airlines, ExxonMobil,
Principal Financial, McDonald’s, State Farm,
US Bank, Wal-Mart and Wells Fargo.
Another thank you to the partners: ALPFA
San Diego, Centro Cultural de la Raza, El
Latino Newspaper, La Prensa Newspaper, Latin
Business Owners of America, La Nueva 106.5,
MANA San Diego, National Association of
Hispanic Publications, National Council of
La Raza, National Latin Business Women’s
Association, Recuerdo 102.9 FM, San Diego
County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Small
Business Administration, The Spanish Shopper
& Hispanic Times, and US Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce. |
