INDIANAPOLIS — Connecting Hispanic business owners and guiding them to success. That’s the goal of a growing program currently taking place at the Indy Chamber.
This Hispanic Heritage Month, we wanted to see how this helps make entrepreneurship more accessible.
Antonio Chapital is a local photographer. He needed to find a way to capture the attention of his community, which is why he joined the Hispanic Business Council.
“It’s just a good feeling to see another Spanish business,” said Chapital, the owner of Chapital Photography.
It is part of the Indy Chamber’s Entrepreneur Services Division and offers free business coaching, financial assistance, networking workshops and events for small businesses.
“I was able to meet other companies that match my type of job,” adds Chapital.
That’s where Marcela Montero comes in, as director of the Hispanic Business Council. She has noticed that business owners in Indianapolis sometimes don’t pursue opportunities because they don’t have the financial means or resources.
“Access to capital is a major struggle in the business world,” Montero explained, “especially in the Hispanic business world.”
Of the more than 2,000 members of the Indy Chamber, about 80 are Hispanic. She wants to increase this number.
“Hispanic businesses have a big impact on the central Indiana region. Based on 2018, Hispanic businesses reported $1 billion in revenue,” Montero said. “There has been an increase in immigration here to Indiana from different Latin American countries and they have that entrepreneurial spirit.
For Chapital, this spirit drives his passion for photography.
“We’re really proud of it,” Chapital said. “As a Latino and as someone who provides support to the community at large, we try to grow together.”
He hopes other Hispanic entrepreneurs will see there is room in central Indiana for new ideas and small businesses.
“We want to be part of the community,” Chapital said.
The next Hispanic Business Council event will take place on October 11. If you would like to learn more about the program and the resources it offers, Click here.
