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Sobrino came to Los Angeles with her family in
1982, hoping to expand their tourism business.
When that dream didn't materialize as planned,
she launched what would prove to be her greatest
success, Lulu's Desserts. "Honestly, I never
thought I was going to stay here in the States.
I had begun to pack," she says. But her desire
to own a business made her stay.
In
the beginning, people said she was crazy and
told her it would never work. But the response
to her dessert cups was phenomenal. Sobrino says,
"At first I didn't know what I was doing, but I
found my niche." Marketing is a huge challenge
to running any business, but especially for
small businesses. Sobrino says the amount of
money needed to market and place a product (what
the industry calls "slotting") is very expensive.
"When I started, slotting didn't exist. I was
lucky; word of mouth helped push my dessert cups,"
she says. She now markets Lulu's in food
magazines, at food trade shows and on Spanish
language television. Access to capital was a
problem for her at the start. "That's still a
major problem for a small business-owners,
especially for Latinas."
To finance the start of Lulu's, Sobrino sold
some property that she owned in Mexico - but she
realizes that not everyone has that option. When
seeking capital, Sobrino advises others to go to
the Small Business Administration in their area.
In 1989, a small business loan helped her to get
into a medium-sized manufacturing plant.
For future entrepreneurs, Sobrino has a few tips:
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Believe in yourself.
She believes this is especially true for
Latinas, who often put everyone else first.
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Plan, Plan, Plan.
Sobrino stresses the importance of having a
business plan and extra funds. Starting a
business is costly, so it's best to be
prepared and to do what you can afford to
do.
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Keep a grip on your
finances. Money is tight in the beginning.
Sobrino suggests keeping a day job and a
steady paycheck. "Move slowly to the next
level," she says.
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Hire the right people.
Work with and around people you know and
trust.
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Keep yourself informed.
Get to know the market you're involved in.
Sobrino stresses the importance of
networking, stating, "Other Latinas have
been my greatest unpaid marketers."
Sobrino is now being recognized for having the
courage to follow her dreams. She has received
awards from organizations like the National
Foundation for Women Legislators, where she was
named Woman of the Year. In 2000, Lulu's Dessert
received the Business of the Year Award from the
Latin Business Association in Los Angles.
Last year, Sobrino was invited to speak at the
President's Economic Forum on behalf of the
small business community. "For me it was a great
honor and experience to represent small
businesses," she says. At the Forum, Sobrino
spoke about the obstacles that small business
owners face and offered her opinion on how the
federal government could help.
For 21 years, Maria de Lourdes Sobrino has
continually redefined the meaning of a small
business entrepreneur. The best word to describe
Lulu's Desserts is a word that Sobrino
definitely likes: victoriosa. |
