BEAUMONT, Texas — The Hispanic Business Association of Southeast Texas specializes in educating Hispanic business owners and teaching them how to own and operate their own business.
The co-founders tell 12News that traditional business classes have language barriers that can be intimidating for some members of the Hispanic community.
The Hispanic Business Association of Southeast Texas provides a safe space to ask questions.
"One of the motives to start the Hispanic business association is behind my parents being immigrants," said co-founder Raquel Ochoa.
After moving to the US from Mexico, sisters Erika Bandameza and Raquel Ochoa say their parents say their parents found it difficult to start their own business.
"Like they didn't have anything, because they didn't have a place where they could go and gain some knowledge onto what their career could be," said Ochoa.
However, this temporary setback was not enough to stop them from pursuing their dreams.
"(They) Started working at restaurants and just two to three jobs. I believe that if they would've found something like this, it would've been a little different for them," said Ochoa.
While in high school the sisters would regularly volunteer in the Hispanic community.
"We did see a need in business," said Bandameza.
In 2022 they founded the Hispanic Business Association of Southeast Texas to empower and connect business owners.
"So in all of our meetings it's not just networking you gain something else maybe either gonna learn about finances. You're gonna learn about how to open a business, how to do taxes," said Bandameza.
They provide resources for all stages of business development.
"We've seen that success in our members, where maybe they started going to our meetings because they were shy to go to maybe like the BBB, the SBDC. Because they were like awe it's all English, but once they started going to our meetings, they started getting the confidence and learning how to network," said Bandameza.
On October 22, accomplished business owners will share their secrets to success at their annual banquet.
"We feel like these conferences just provide a lot of valuable knowledge to business owners," said Ochoa.
To apply to join Hispanic Business Association of Southeast Texas, you can find their website online.