Peoria is slowly becoming a hub for Hispanic business owners and entrepreneurs to build and grow their businesses.
The Greater Peoria Hispanic Chamber of Commerce provides resources on starting a business directly to Hispanic business owners. President Jim Montelongo said their educational programs include information on a variety of topics for new entrepreneurs.
“There's quite a few things that go along with it, whether you're talking about financing your business, or whether you're talking about something very specific, like opening up a restaurant in some of the regulations that you have to follow through,” Montelongo said. "And probably one of the biggest ones that I'd like to be able to see is everybody have a business plan.”
Montelongo said having a business plan is the best way to ensure that entrepreneurs have a successful start.
“For example, I'm a first-generation business owner, and over the last 30 years, I would definitely say it's really been training. The more you read, the more classes that you go to, the better chances are, it's going to improve your success rate,” Montelongo said.
Putting in the work and establishing roots have been the key to success for local businesses. Some say another advantage of Peoria is the community support of small businesses.
Succulent Natural Skin Care founder Xochitl Stafford said the community has welcomed her business from the beginning.
Stafford also said she has benefited directly from the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's.
“Now that Peoria has a Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, that's huge. That's huge for our community, because it gives resources and education that wasn't there before,” she said.
Those Chamber resources have allowed Stafford and other Hispanic business owners to connect and collaborate with one another. Stafford said she has seen a growing number of Hispanic-owned businesses in the area, and is grateful for the Chamber’s opportunities.
“We're out there, and we're a small but mighty community. And you know, having the opportunity to get in front of people that don't know that we're here is huge,” she said.
The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce hosts monthly meetings. More information about Succulent Natural Skin Care can be found on its website.
