I recently started my dream job working to advance small business voices and interests across the country as Executive Director for a national organization whose purpose is to lead a new generation of business leaders and entrepreneurs. My personal story of overcoming barriers and setbacks is one that many can relate to especially if you are an aspiring entrepreneur, business owner, corporate executive, public servant, or a community leader. The path forward is never a straight line, but the opportunity to lead should always look ahead and that’s what I intend to do.
Currently America is facing a lost generation of entrepreneurship and business leadership which will inhibit the next generation’s potential for pursuing the American Dream. In just the last few decades we’ve experienced devastating events: 9/11, the Great Recession, and most recently the global Covid-19 pandemic. My generation, millennials, in particular face their own challenging economic setbacks and social barriers in addition to these recent events, especially in starting and growing their own businesses.
My story is no different from many others of my generation. I have certainly had to overcome my share of barriers and obstacles.
My parents were dreamers who left their native land of Honduras to seek out the American Dream: work hard, raise a family in a safe community, and through their sacrifice and hard work, hope for the next generation to have a better life. My parents established their roots in their new community through a program called TPS (Temporary Protected Status) which gave them the opportunity to live and work in the United States.
For decades my parents lived in limbo not knowing if they would ever have an immigration status that doesn’t say: Temporary. We always had a shadow hanging over our heads, never knowing when the clock would run out and the life our family had built would disappear.
Many in my extended family have worked for small businesses in various industries from construction, to restaurants, to manufacturing - and it was through their stories of struggle & success that I became interested in small business. These same small businesses give families across the nation a chance to access the American Dream. When I graduated with my MBA, I chose to focus my career on helping uplift small businesses – because strong businesses create thriving neighborhoods and communities.
I focused on helping small business owners and their families achieve a new level of success through strategic planning by equipping them with knowledge, resources, tools, and a road map for sustainable growth. However, for far too many small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs, the path to success isn’t clear or accessible, stalling economic growth and progress in our local communities.
I’ve been at the dinner table, translating a conversation between the bank and my parents, after the small business my dad worked for closed its doors, and without his job which provided half of our family income – we weren’t sure how we’d keep a roof over our heads. I’ve been in the room as a multi-generation family business discussed closing their doors because they didn’t have access to commercial lending. I’ve sat at conference tables and listened as business owners shared that they couldn’t cover payroll after maxing out personal accounts. I’ve also been in the worst room one can think of: the arrangement room of a funeral home, devastatingly planning the burial for my only sibling, my 18 year old sister.
I’ve witnessed firsthand the effects of inequitable policies, an economy that works for some, but not for all, and seen what hardship looks like for working families. My work with small businesses, championing immigration reform, and advocating for diversity in leadership brought me to the NextGen Chamber of Commerce - this is the natural next step for me - to help create an inclusive economy by lifting the voices of existing and aspiring entrepreneurs.
Our generation has been through difficult struggles, but we are at a moment in history where we can draw a new roadmap for the future of our economy and society. A future that is inclusive, diverse, and breaks down the economic barriers to entrepreneurship.
Together we can learn from history and write a new chapter as we enter into our own roaring 20’s. I will do my part in building new bridges, forming new partnerships and developing the creative solutions that are needed to meet the challenges the next generation – our generation - is tasked with solving!