N.9 l APRIL - JUNE 2019
l 10 Habits of a successful entrepreneur
l 6 Payment methods for e-commerce
At Hispanos Emprendedores we have worked hard to give our community valuable information on how to start and achieve their goals of having their own business, as well as showing the face of the Hispanic who is working hard every day to make this a better country. Our 9th edition is a reflection of what a Hispanic entrepreneur is. With our guest, Vanessa Almonte, we demonstrate that we can serve the United States in different ways. Like her story, we know there are many more stories, and we would like to know more about all of you. That is why we have enabled our website, www.hispanosemprendedores.com, to be able to contact us and tell us your stories. We will communicate, and in this way be able to learn more about you. We want to thank those who have always remained by our side during the most difficult times, and we want to let you know that very good news is coming for the Hispanic community and entrepreneurs. Our way of helping Hispanics is by giving information, connecting businesses and telling work-related stories. Thank you, Hispanos Emprendedores
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How to start a catering business Clarksville’s manufacturing industry grew more than 10 percent in 2018 10 Habits of a successful entrepreneur “Starting a business after the ARMY” 6 Payment methods for e-commerce Columna de opinión
Redaction Hispanos Emprendedores Hispanos Emprendedores guides you on how to start a catering business. If you are organized, like to cook and usually prepare food for family or friends’ events, maybe it’s time to earn income with your talent. Here you will find basic information with the steps you should follow.
POINTS TO CONSIDER WHEN STARTING A CATERING BUSINESS Starting a catering company may seem easy. You know how to prepare meals that everyone likes, you have your own kitchen, and there are even people who ask for your services for their events. But the truth is that for this type of business you must take into consideration some important points. This is a very lucrative business that you can start with little investment. However, it is not just about enjoying preparing food and serving others. There are rules for the handling, preparation, storage, and transfer of food that must be met. In addition, there
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are risks such as one of your HOW TO START A CATERING employees getting hurt or BUSINESS that some customer gets sick Catering for events is one of the from eating your food. most profitable business ideas. Like any other company, you While it can be an exciting first need to make a business type of business to have, you plan, decide on a name, and must be very careful and act the structure it will have. It is judiciously to avoid problems. important that you incorporate Some of the positive aspects your business under a structure include being able to start that provides you with limited part-time; and as you grow liability. and each time you cater, you reach potential customers. The second step will be to apply for the licenses and permits Before starting your food you need to operate your food business, answer the business. Next, determine following questions: the type of catering you want to do and if you will serve a • What type of food are you specific niche. The secret of going to prepare? many catering companies is to prepare only one type of • What equipment is necessary food or serve specific types of to prepare meals? events; for example, weddings or corporate events. • Will you purchase, rent, or operate the business from your You must also have a marketing own home? plan to promote your business, and also start contacting • Does zoning allow you to suppliers to get the ingredients operate a food business in the and utensils you need. location? One of the most important • How will you transport the aspects to consider is whether food to the venue? you can use a residential kitchen. There are states in • Do you know all of the which you are not allowed to do regulations that govern the so. You can work at home, but in industry? a separate space that meets the requirements of a professional • What knowledge do you have kitchen. about food management and preservation? You can also rent or share a commercial kitchen that is already licensed. It is likely that you will be able to rent the kitchen at a restaurant. Licenses to start a catering business in Tennessee
To open a business in the food industry you must know all the regulations. Before starting operations, you must obtain the licenses and permits necessary to open a catering business. Even if you work from home, you will have to comply with the same regulations as in a commercial space. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture regulates everything related to the processing, handling, and storage of food. Whereas the State Department of Health will be the one to approve if the catering business operates from home. To start in this business, you must obtain permits at the state, municipal and city level. Therefore, you should contact these entities to learn the details of what you need Among the permits you must obtain to start a catering business are: Commercial license. You must apply for this license before applying for specific permits for the preparation and sale of food. This involves registering the business, requesting the Employer Identification Number, unemployment insurance number, among other procedures. Catering license. This is the one that allows you to prepare food in one place and move it to where it will be served. But, besides this, there are a series of 4
permits that you must obtain in order to manage a food business. These include health permits and the license to handle food. In addition, the Health Department will inspect the kitchen where the food will be prepared. Can I serve alcohol with a catering license? According to the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission, the catering license allows you to sell alcohol, wine, and beer in establishments in a city or county that has authorized the sale of alcoholic beverages for consumption in the facility. This is possible through the liquor-by-the-drink license. However, some restrictions apply. For example, those who serve the drinks must have a permit from the commission. Additionally, sales can be made only in the city, municipality,
and state in which it has been authorized, and must collect the appropriate taxes. Whoever has a catering license cannot offer just alcoholic beverages, they must also serve food. For more information on obtaining a liquor license for a catering and banquet business, visit the commission’s website. With this information, you will know how to start a catering business. This type of business is profitable and scalable. You can start with low investment and work a few days a week while you grow your business.
According to a study by Kempler Industries, the manufacturing industry in Clarksville grew more than 10 percent in 2018. In addition, it was placed among the ten best cities to be employed in this sector. Find out more about this study in Hispanos Emprendedores.
Redaction Hispanos Emprendedores Regarding the study methodology The manufacturing sector plays an important role in the industrial development of the United States. Hence the interest to learn about the industry’s performance and the best cities to seek employment in this sector. Kempler Industries is an active family business since 1962 and was commissioned to conduct the study to find the best cities for manufacturing jobs. They compared the situation of 236 American cities. Among
those included are 150 of the most populous cities in the country. The information was obtained from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Census Bureau. After finalizing the comparison, they presented a list of the 50 cities with the highest projection for manufacturing jobs for this year. They arrived at these results analyzing four key factors: total manufacturing jobs per 100,000 inhabitants, annual growth rate, the average income in the sector, and the average cost of housing.
The study analyzes the sector between December 2017 and December 2018. Clarksville’s manufacturing industry grew more than 10 percent in 2018 As a result of the study Clarksville, Tennessee was among the top 10 cities for manufacturing jobs. The area in which it had the best performance was in annual growth. In fact, this industry, led in growth, during 2018. The growth rate during that period was 10.7 percent. Reno, Nevada follows in the same column, with a growth of 9.9 percent 6
and Cape Coral, Florida, with 8.6 percent. In Clarksville, there are 4,990 manufacturing workers per 100,000 inhabitants, for a total of 13,400. A person in Clarksville, employed in this industry earns, on average, $34,745 per year. Although it is not among the highest in earnings, all factors included, make it the eighth best sector to be employed in. Clarksville is the only city in Tennessee that is in the top 10 of Kempler’s study. However, there are others within the first 50. Chattanooga ranked 23rd, with only 3 percent annual growth. Knoxville also appears in 34th place, in this case, the growth was greater than the previous one, with 4.8 percent. This data shows that the manufacturing sector is growing, and Clarksville is not left behind in this trend. Therefore, it could represent an opportunity to invest and start a new business related to it. Studies like this will be useful to develop your plan and when starting to look for resources for entrepreneurs in this sector.
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Small cities lead the industry The manufacturing industry maintains steady growth throughout the country. According to this study, it is projected to continue to grow. But it seems that the small cities are in the lead. Within the first 50 cities on the list, only two have more than 700,000 inhabitants. The two cities are Boise, Idaho, and Portland, Oregon. The latter is the largest metropolis in the top 10 with a population above 2 million people. Portland ranks 5th, while Boise narrowly exceeds 750,000 inhabitants and is in ninth place. The rest are small metropolises. Wichita, Kansas, ranks first overall with a total of 54,200 jobs in manufacturing. Which means that for every 100,000 inhabitants, there are 8,386 people working in this industry, with an average income of $51,456 per year. In addition, the growth rate during 20172018 was 4.8 percent. Wichita is followed by Fort Wayne, Battle Creek, and Toledo to complete the first four places on the list.
One of the advantages of small cities is that they have a lower cost of living than in large cities. In addition, in the latter, the workforce is more diversified. This could explain why the large metropolises - except for those already mentioned - are off the list. Fluctuations in the salary and number of jobs Among the four factors included in the study, the number of jobs is the most relevant. This category is led by Green Bay, Wisconsin, with a total of 10,319 per 100,000 inhabitants. Regarding salary, it was found that there are large fluctuations between one city and another. The average annual salary ranges between $20,000 and $76,000. The national average is $54,420. The fact that the Clarksville manufacturing industry grew more than 10 percent in 2018 shows that there are opportunities in this sector. To grow your business, you must keep yourself informed of any new developments; therefore, we invite you to read our online magazine.
Redaction Hispanos Emprendedores The goals you set for yourself are not achievable without working for them. Having the right attitude and skills is what will guide you in your endeavors. That’s why we introduce you to 10 habits of a successful entrepreneur. With these tips from Hispanos Emprendedores, your business will be closer to achieving its objectives.
GET READY TO START! Increasingly, there are people who decide to create their own business. But not all are prepared to make it grow and last over time. Only those who develop their skills and have the necessary attitude will become the successful entrepreneur they want to be. Being your own boss has great advantages, however, it is not a simple task. To get the results you want from the business you must dedicate time. Contrary to what it means to work for someone else, in this case, you will not have a fixed schedule. You will have to take risks, leave your comfort zone, learn about finances, 9
prepare for failure and learn how to recover from mistakes. These are some of the characteristics of a successful entrepreneur. But there are other qualities that you must develop. The following are some of those key qualities.
10 HABITS OF A SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR
If you are determined to become an entrepreneur you must have a plan, validate the business opportunity and be willing to work to take advantage of it. Practice these habits and they
will bring you closer to success. They surround themselves with people who add value Although in the beginning, you will be bearing the weight of your business, you will need to establish a good work team. Bring together a group who shares your passion and vision for the business. Your team must be as determined as you and provide ideas. This is how they will get the business to grow and not make it depend on just one person.
They turn their ideas into reality Many projects remain just an idea because the person does not have enough determination to make it a reality. Therefore, we can say that one of the keys to success for entrepreneurs is to be determined and have the courage to materialize their ideas. They remain open to new experiences The path of the entrepreneur is not a straight line. You can start with an idea and realize later that it is not what you were looking for. Consequently, you must be open to changes and prepare to evolve. If another business opportunity comes up, you should learn how to figure out if it is worthwhile or not to invest in it. Learn to manage time One of the tips for entrepreneurs you will hear most often is to learn how to manage time. No one will tell you what you must do, nor how or when to do it. You will be the one responsible for planning all the daily tasks that will lead you to achieve your goals. Fight against your own fears Stepping outside your comfort zone is uncomfortable and generates fear. Entrepreneurship is a clear example of this because you will not have a fixed income and perhaps you will have to do certain tasks that you are not used to.
Being an entrepreneur also means investing capital and having to answer to other people. Along with all of this comes the possibility of failure. But you can also do well, and if you make a mistake you will have learned the lesson so as not to repeat it. Takes proper rest It is true that when you become an entrepreneur you will be working most of the time. You will rest little during the first few years. However, to be successful you must also learn when it is time to take a vacation. Timely and appropriate rest will also help you in your business. It will allow you to relax, think about new ideas, stay motivated; and let’s not forget that it is necessary for your health. Values the experience of other entrepreneurs If you want to learn how to be a successful entrepreneur and not fail in the attempt, then surround yourself with other people who have walked the path before you. Talk to other entrepreneurs, learn from their experiences and let them offer you their knowledge.
what is happening around you. Your business’ future depends on learning how to adapt to these changes. Take risks Doubts are common in anyone who wishes to start a business. The important thing is that you can face them and able to take the risk. Having a little fear is fine because the possibility of being wrong exists. But if you do not take the risk then you have already lost, and you will not have the possibility of knowing what would have happened. Does not spend more than they can afford Financial education is the key to success. Managing expenses is one of the skills that any entrepreneur should learn. Although we have talked about taking risks, this does not mean that you should start spending more money than you can afford. Among the habits of a successful entrepreneur must also be to keep up with the business reality. That’s why we invite you to read our online magazine and learn from the experience of other business owners.
Remain alert to new opportunities The market evolves and a good entrepreneur is alert to the opportunities that may arise. While you work on your current idea you must remain alert to
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Interviewed by Hispanos Emprendedores The quest to excel and to always do something different has led Almonte to fulfill many personal goals. Nowadays, we see Hispanics everywhere in the United States, working and excelling in various occupations. We see someone like Vanessa Almonte, who has excelled in not just one occupation, but in several, including being an entrepreneur after the ARMY. Almonte is the only female out of 5 siblings, born in a humble home in Brownsville, Texas, where perhaps the hope of academic improvement, such as going to the university was a little distant. But that desire to achieve more things, and better herself, led her to enlist in the United States Army; a decision that would change her way of seeing life. “I enlisted at age 18 because I wanted to continue studying and it was difficult to achieve that on my own. So, I made that decision and in 4 years I can say that I did everything! Ha! Ha! Ha! I took care of the logistics and guards a lot; but in reality, you do many things, including assisting the new women who came in, because there were not many, and much less Hispanic. Being a Sergeant, I always had to be a leader and guide,� said Almonte of this experience.
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The army not only left her with discipline, good experiences and a lot of knowledge, it also left her with what is now her family. She met her husband, who is also a military man, in Afghanistan, an unromantic place but it was perfect for them to meet. After a while, it was time to make the decision to leave the ARMY because she also wanted to have more time for the family and the new member who was already on the way. But to make this decision, which she does not regret, at the time was not an easy task. Leaving a whole way of life behind for something that was completely new to her, affected her a little at first, but with the support of her family and friends they managed to get ahead, and she even managed to finish her engineering career. A HOBBY THAT WENT TO THE NEXT LEVEL Vanessa loved photography from the beginning, only she did not see it as a business. It was her husband who insisted that she could make a career out of it. Then, seeing it from that perspective, she noticed a need in the market, which was to include make-up for her photo sessions. “With the equipment already purchased, I started as a hobby, thinking that this could help me get to know more people and give me something different to do. But then when I took the photographs, I realized that people needed makeup because Photoshop changes them a lot, that’s when I decided to go to makeup school; and that’s where I met my partner, Alison Glen. In six weeks we became friends and we built the business known as The Rouge Caravane Photography and Makeup, in Clarksville, Tennessee. But it was thanks to her and her initiative in business, that we were able to bring the business to fruition.” The Rouge Caravane Photography and Makeup in Clarksville, Tennessee, not only provides professional photography services for weddings, Sweet Sixteen parties, children and family sessions, etc., they also provide makeup service. They really are giving the best of 12
themselves so that the customers look their best in the photographs. Almonte understands that the world of the entrepreneur can be complicated, and therefore recommends “the first thing they have to do when they want to start a business in my experience is that they must do a lot of prior research, they must figure out what they are going to do and how they are going to do it. Especially when coming out of the ARMY, you may have many things running through your head, but it is necessary to do your research. The other thing, and it’s what always makes it difficult is investing. We started this business with our savings, and without loans. And the other thing is that everything must be done legally, have all the permits, licenses, everything necessary for your business to comply with all of the laws and regulations.” Word of mouth Although many may think that technology today is what moves the world, Almonte says that in the Hispanic community, personal recommendation holds great weight, much more than digital. That is why you can’t slack off on the work you do “offline” (outside the internet) because most of your Hispanic clients come because of someone’s recommendation; someone who’s tried your services and recommends it without reserve. That is why they carry out free events such as the Free Headshot Event, where they took photos of entrepreneurs, and others interested in having a professional personal photograph. Examples like Almonte’s can help the US Army’s entire Hispanic community that may think that things can get difficult after the Army. She is an example that beyond the difficulties, anything is possible! 13
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Redaction Hispanos Emprendedores Among the most important challenges facing online stores is choosing the most appropriate payment methods for e-commerce. If you have no way of accepting payments for your products or services, the business cannot grow or generate revenue. In Hispanos Emprendedores we introduce you to six of the most used methods in the United States.
How many online payment platforms does my e-commerce need?
For an online business to grow and be competitive, it must be able to accept online payments. There are several methods from which to choose. The important thing is to find the right ones to generate more sales. First, let us clarify what the online payment gateways are. It refers to the services that process the payment 14
information for the websites. Transactions are processed thanks to these platforms between e-commerce and the clients.
is most convenient for them when buying online. This means that including several online payment platforms improves the user’s experience and saves them time. For e-commerce, this means greater conversion and a lower rate of abandonment of the shopping cart.
Today there are multiple means of electronic payment that you can include in your online store. Having at least one is essential but, for the convenience of users, it is necessary to include different methods. The reason But it doesn’t just come down for this is that each customer to choosing as many payment expects to use the platform that methods as possible, but about
choosing the most appropriate ones. For this reason, it is necessary to know the target client well and know which platforms they prefer to use. If your customer is an Apple user, for example, you should include Apple Pay in your payment options. Or, if their income level is high, it may be worth betting on American Express. How to choose the appropriate payment platforms The first thing you must do to choose the payment methods for e-commerce is to know your customers. Prepare your buyer’s profile and approach them to ask what platforms they use. You can do this through surveys or similar methods. Keep in mind that one of the goals of payment gateways is to facilitate the purchase process. Therefore, you must evaluate the characteristics of the platforms that interest you. From that analysis, choose those that make the process easiest and most intuitive. Another critical point is security. One of the reasons why customers leave the shopping cart is because they do not want to leave their data on a website. The different online payment systems instill greater trust because they encrypt data and prevent third parties from accessing them. Therefore, if you want to increase your business sales you must include secure payment methods.
There are services like PayPal that are popular all over the world, but this does not happen with all platforms. Depending on where your client is located, they may prefer one payment system over another. Finally, another important feature for your business is the cost. Some services are more expensive than others, and some, such as Google Pay, do not charge at all. There are also some that charge per transaction. Evaluate each one before making the final decision. SIX PAYMENT METHODS FOR E-COMMERCE At this point, you may be wondering what forms of payment exist in electronic commerce. Here are some of the systems used by e-commerce in the United States. 1. PayPal. Not only is it the most used in the United States, but throughout the world. It has more than 250 million users and is one of the most trusted. By including it on your website you can expect a substantial increase in sales. In addition, it accepts debit and credit card payments. 2. Amazon Pay. This method begins to gain popularity because it is backed by one of the most popular shopping websites in the world. It offers security and trust. If your customers have an Amazon account, you will make the purchase process easier on your website.
3. Authorize.Net. For a monthly fee, plus the transaction charge that is applied to each purchase, you can accept payments with debit or credit card. It is one of the most used by the web in Magento. 4. BluePay. The platform claims that it has the highest security levels. It allows accepting payments both in credit card and in e-checks. 5. Google Pay. It is the platform with which Google entered the market of digital payment. To make their payment, the users only need to add their card information to the platform. In addition, it extends their reach due to the fact that it works with PayPal and Visa Checkout. 6. Apple Pay. It is Apple’s electronic wallet. The users of this system can pay with a single click. In addition, they are guaranteed that their financial data is protected. These are six of the payment methods for e-commerce that you can include on your website. If you want to grow your business, you must choose the most suitable ones for your online store. Do you still have concerns about this or other entrepreneurship issues? Contact us and tell us about what topics you want us to talk about.
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There is a silent killer in this world that is destroying people, marriages, families, friends and even whole communities, and that killer is depression. Depression is a sickness that attacks all types of people. There isn’t anyone that is out of its reach if the necessary opportunities are given to destroy lives, emotions and the mind of someone. Sadly, many people are not giving this sickness the seriousness and attention that is needed to be able to attack the symptoms early enough, symptoms that can hide within unstable behaviours and passing emotions. We can also see that social and general media really take depression lightly. It is not given the importance or the attention needed to help and prevent the subtle attacks on someone. It looks like the only thing we see in the media are those that have been victims to this sickness. We don’t see sufficient examples of those who do succeed in fighting against depression and the symptoms in their lives, and that have been able to see the light of a new day. For this reason, as a christian, I like to go to the Bible. There I find examples of men and women, that were in
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moments in their lives that depression could overtake them and take their life, but they were able to survive the attack and come out of the darkness that surrounded them. We see many examples from the beginning to end of the Bible, such as: people losing multiple family members, being betrayed by family, not being able to feed their family, incurable sickness, etc. But, over and over, we see how these people confronted difficulties that would have taken them directly to depression. And if we look closer, we will see something that kept their head above water and that was: not losing hope. Each one of them could see a ray of light at the end of the storm. They kept their faith and hope on their God. I tell you this: “Don’t lose your faith and hope”. The sun will shine his light everyday. I want to give you this bible verse that has helped me, so it will encourage you: “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not
driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;” 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (ESV) If you feel like you are falling into a depressive state, desperation, or you feel like you cant find value to your life, seek help. There are organizations, doctors, people, even your family that are there for you. Above all, God is there for you. He was there for me in my most difficult times in my life, I know he will be there for you. But, if you don’t know who to talk to, I extend my hand of friendship, you are not alone. God bless you.
In His peace, Pastor Jose V. National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255