Founded as the Latino Chamber of Commerce of Dane County, the organization expanded to a statewide scope in 2021.
“One of the reasons we’re branching out to spaces like Platteville, Beloit, Wautoma, Green Bay is because being on the ground in those spaces now, we’ve seen the high interest … and an increase in startups for Latino businesses in those regions,” says Chief Development Officer and Managing Director of Operations Javier Acevedo.
It focuses on supporting Latinos in starting businesses, and then offering ongoing support.
“(LCCWI) is really designed to support that tenacious entrepreneur with the goal of opening up a business in mind,” Acevedo says. “It also caters to that existing business owner who’s looking to create a more sustainable and more scalable business model.”
Data shows Latino communities outpace other groups in entrepreneurship.
“Entrepreneurship and business development have become a mechanism for wealth building. It has become one of the ultimate wealth building tools for our Latino communities,” Acevedo says. “That (entrepreneurial) spirit is high and strong. And the chamber is is looking to really support that spirit and really continue to elevate that morale and that that tenacious sort of mindset of entrepreneurship and wealth building.”
LCCWI offers several programs to support entrepreneurs in a number of sectors.
Tu Empresa, for example, is a 14-week business incubator, which offers classes both in person and virtually, and both in the morning and evening, to accommodate the individual needs of participants. About 60 business owners go through the process four times a year.
The Futuro program is a specialized incubator for childcare businesses; the Chamber ran its first pilot in Dane County last year. Participants were matched with existing childcare providers and required to work in their mentor’s facility for at least 10 hours.
“The really great thing about that program is that it has some access to+ capital built into it,” Acevedo says. “It also has a really hands-on and mentorship-driven component to it.”
After the successful pilot, the program will expand to Watertown, Green Bay and Milwaukee. The Watertown cohort will be conducted in English while the others will be in Spanish or dual language.
The Prospera program offers access to loans and grants to fund startups or expansions.
“We also offer some in person programming as well as the Chamber certification courses ranging from OSHA certification initiatives in the construction sector, to QuickBooks certification classes as well as ServSafe certification classes for folks who are within the food handling sector. We’re partnering with Madison College this year as well in an ESL for business owners program,” Acevedo says.
Help is available in the Chamber’s Gateway building in Fitchburg; business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs are encouraged to stop by any time.
Website: https://lccwi.org/
Address: 5262 Verona Rd, Fitchburg
Phone: (608) 712-3522
