Empresas Small Business Development Program
Our Small Business Program offers educational services through courses, workshops, personalized advice, and access to commercial kitchens for the creation and development of small businesses in the Latine community of Washington County.
Upcoming Classes
Emprende Con Empresas 2024 (workshops)
These free workshops are held from February to October every third Thursday of the month (with the exception of May, which will be the fourth Thursday). The content of these workshops is taught by special guests or members of the Empresas program, dedicated to complementing your activities as a business owner. The topics are listed below.
November 21
Time: 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM
Introduction to Business Credit Step by Step (Zoom)
El Curso de Empresas (series of classes)
The Business Course is designed to provide topics related to the opening and growth of small businesses. It is an ideal course for people in Washington County, Oregon who want to open their small business or have only been operating for a few months. During each session, participants will review the key elements of a business plan and complete group and individual activities. The course covers several topics, such as marketing, government compliance, finance, sustainability, leadership, and others. In addition, expert guests will share their experiences and points of view with the participants.
10-week in-person course | Tuesday from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Start Date: February 4th, 2025
Location: 265 SE Oak St, Hillsboro, 97123
Cost: $50 per family.
*Scholarships available
Registration Opens January 2025
For more information:
Ana Torres, Business Coach & Capital Access Specialist: Email: atorres@adelantemujeres.org |
NOTE: This program is an essential requirement for future applications to the Casa Qui business incubator of the Market Access program.
Cocinemos Program:
The Cocinemos Course is designed to provide an introduction to the administration, operation, and financing of a small business in the food industry. It is an ideal course for individuals who wish to expand or open their small business in Washington County, Oregon. During each session, participants will review the key elements of a business plan and engage in group and individual activities. The course covers a range of topics, including marketing, government compliance, finance, sustainability, leadership, and more. In addition, experts from the food industry will share their experiences and insights with the participants.
10 Weeks Course | Tuesdays from 6 PM to 8 PM
Start Date: February 2025
Location: 265 SE Oak St, Hillsboro, 97123
$50 per family. * Scholarships available.
Registration Opens January 2025
For more information, please contact Lilia Palencia, Foods Specialist and Business Coach: apalencia@adelantemujeres.org
Program Components
Empresas focuses on startup and existing businesses with less than five employees from diverse industries. Through training, one-on-one coaching, networking experience, technical assistance, and access to capital, Empresas helps Latine entrepreneurs in Washington County, Oregon launch successful and sustainable small businesses.
Emprende con Empresas (workshops)
These monthly training opportunities are presented by bilingual subject matter experts on topics such as financial management, risk mitigation, marketing, and more. These workshops are open to current and past Empresas Course participants, as well as other disadvantaged micro-businesses.
Empresas Small Business Course
In this 10-week course, taught in Spanish, students learn how to manage, operate, and finance a small business. The course promotes the quadruple bottom line: People, Planet, Profit, and Purpose. Each session reviews the elements of a business plan and includes group and individual activities.
Food-Based Business Course
This 10-week course provides extensive training in the food industry, as well as access to affordable commercial kitchen facilities. Participants include caterers, food truck owners, restaurant owners, and food product manufacturers.
Technical Assistance and Business Coaching
Technical assistance and personalized advice is available once participants graduate from the courses. The minimum requirement to graduate is to attend 8 of the 10 classes of the course you choose.
Access to Capital
We support the participant's access to capital through support and advice in applying to the IDA (Individual Development Account) and Kiva Zip programs. The resource designated in the IDA depends on the amount assigned to the organization. To provide this support, our specialist in access to capital evaluates to determine if the participant is ready to apply for the programs.
The Adelante Mujeres Commercial Kitchen
Participants who have already graduated and are active in counseling with our team have access to the shared-use commercial kitchen at Adelante Mujeres' Forest Grove offices. The cost of this service is lower for our participants and it is necessary to have the requirements and guidelines to access the kitchen. Additionally, the program has agreements that allow access to commercial kitchens in Hillsboro and Beaverton.
This service is popular among participants who decide to apply to offer their products at the agricultural markets that are coordinated by the Market Access Program, since the Forest Grove market is located right down the street from the Adelante Mujeres building.
Meet your Empresas Experts
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Meet your Empresas Experts 〰️
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Lilia
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Ana
BUSINESS COACH & ACCESS TO CAPITAL SPECIALIST
Program Strategies
When Latina/e women are given an equitable opportunity and the tools to advance their socioeconomic well-being, they thrive in life. We provide specialized support to all low-income Latine micro-business owners who require business counseling in Spanish, with over 65% of our current participants identifying as Latina/e women entrepreneurs.
Prioritizing Disadvantaged Entrepreneurs
At Adelante Mujeres, a disadvantaged entrepreneur is defined as a low-income micro-business owner who has limited or no access to market opportunities. We prioritize low-income Latines in all of our programs, including Empresas. We make sure that neither education level, language skills, immigration status, or need for childcare are exclusionary factors for program participation.
Culturally- Responsive
We are committed to the inclusion of communities of color and underserved communities by embedding culturally-responsive practices at all levels of our work. We provide culturally-specific and bilingual programming to ensure Latine micro-businesses are sustainable and profitable.
The Quadruple Bottom Line: People, Planet, Profit and Purpose
Our Empresas Program encourages entrepreneurs to consider implementing the Quadruple Bottom Line, which values doing the right thing socially, environmentally, and profit-wise, as well as prioritizing a sense of purpose for the business owner.
Popular Education
Our Empresas Program utilizes a Popular Education approach, which breaks down the barrier between teacher and student, recognizing that everyone brings knowledge through life experience. We respect the wealth of knowledge and expertise that everyone brings to the classroom.
In 2022-23:
207
Participants sought technical assistance and business coaching
989
hours of training
28
New businesses were started
50
Jobs were created or retained
Why small business development?
Community barriers such as language inaccessibility and the racial wealth gap have contributed to intergenerational poverty and economic insecurity among the Latine community. Latinas are typically paid just 55 cents for every dollar paid to white, non-Hispanic men.
While the Latine community is the fastest growing ethnic group in Oregon, only 5% of businesses are Latine-owned, compared to 89% which are white-owned.
While a growing number of Latines have the drive and passion to start small businesses, they need business development support and access to capital to succeed.
Through the Empresas Program, Latine entrepreneurs increase assets and wealth, create jobs, and contribute to the economy.
Empresas Proudly Partners With:
