Frederick's First Spanish Business Mentorship Program

The first ever Spanish speaking business mentorship program Visión Empresarial is a Spanish business mentorship program offered by Centro Hispano de Frederick in close collaboration with Frederick County Office of Economic Development (FCOED), the City of Frederick’s Department of Economic Development (DED), the Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Maryland Small Business Development Center. Tailored specifically for Spanish speaking entrepreneurs, this six-week program, modeled after FCOED’s EmPOWER Mentorship program, equips aspiring and emerging entrepreneurs with practical skills to grow and strengthen their business. This program is a collaborative effort led by local partners committed to supporting Fredrick’s small business community, providing participants with hands-on guidance, mentorship, and tools they can immediately apply to their ventures.  In investing both financial resources and staff support, the City helps ensure that aspiring and emerging entrepreneurs have access to the guidance, training, and connections they need to grow successful businesses.

Heather Gramm, Director of Frederick County Division of Economic Opportunity said, “Frederick County has offered the EmPOWER Mentorship Program for several years now with great success. This year we were excited to collaborate with community partners and be able to offer the same impactful program in Spanish. This expansion into Spanish-language programming reflects our commitment to ensuring that all Frederick County residents have access to the tools and support they need to build successful businesses. Between the knowledge and skills they’ve built over the past six weeks, the support of their fellow entrepreneurs, and the opportunity to utilize the EmPOWER Loan Program, this cohort is well-positioned to grow and thrive as business owners in Frederick County.”

Visión Empresarial began as an idea from Ariel Rodriguez Mercado, Managing Director and Wealth Management Advisor for Northwest Mutual. This concept began to take shape when he shared this vision with other community partners like Dr. Suzanne Salichs and Dan Blum with Centro Hispano, and Patricia Mir with the Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, among others.

“Vision Empresarial is a true collaborative effort; the team at Centro Hispano and Maryland Hispanic Chamber of commerce, led by Dr. Suzanne Salichs and Patricia Mir, played a major role in refining, developing, and executing the program into what it is today. Their leadership and commitment, along with the support of many community partners, helped transform an idea into a meaningful initiative for Frederick's Hispanic business community.

As I reflect on the journey of Vision Empresarial, I am incredibly excited about what lies ahead and the impact this program can continue to have on our community. What began as a simple idea has grown into something meaningful, empowering entrepreneurs with knowledge, confidence, and connections. The success of our first cohort is a testament to the power of collaboration, and I truly believe this is only the beginning of even greater opportunities ahead. Vision creates opportunity; collaboration turns it into reality." - Ariel Rodriguez Mercado

During the six-week course term, participants attended workshops led by the Maryland Small Business Development Center (SBDC), the program’s state partner, who delivered instruction on key business fundamentals such as planning, marketing strategies, financial management, and operations. These sessions are designed to give entrepreneurs the confidence and knowledge needed to navigate common business challenges while building a strong foundation for long-term success, and reviewed these topics:

• Introduction to Entrepreneurship 

• Planning for Your Business

• Managing Your Business 

• Marketing Your Business 

• Growing Your Business

• Doing Business in Frederick/Graduation

The program concluded with a graduation celebration that featured a pitch round for the participants, presentations and support from community partners including insights from city and county economic development on business resources and tools available to local entrepreneurs. Dr. Suzanne Salichs, Ph.D., Executive Director for Centro Hispano, was pivotal in the program’s creation and design. She says of the course, “Centro Hispano’s Mentoría Visión Empresarial was an amazing collaboration. It was exciting to see the business owners engaging, learning, and networking. We appreciate the support and are excited to see the program grow and serve more of our local business owners.” Centro Hispano de Frederick hopes to build on this cohort’s momentum and continue the mission expanding access to entrepreneurship education and support across the community.

The City of Frederick supports programs like Visión Empresarial that strengthen the local entrepreneurial ecosystem. Andie Feldman, Economic Development Specialist (Bilingual) says, "This program demonstrates how intentional investments in language accessibility can drive economic development. Recently the Department has added bilingual capacity to their team to expand our outreach, provide more meaningful support to Latino entrepreneurs, and help more businesses access the tools and mentorship they need to thrive. When more businesses succeed, our entire community benefits through job creation, local investment, and a stronger, and diverse economy."

To learn more about Visión Empresarial and other initiatives that help entrepreneurs grow and succeed, visit the City of Frederick Department of Economic Development’s website.

Empowering Entrepreneurs: Insights from Karen Kalantzis of the Maryland Women’s Business Center

MWBC with DED Staff at the Coffee and Connections event at City Hall, 2024.

The Maryland Women’s Business Center (MWBC) has been an invaluable resource for aspiring and established entrepreneurs since its founding in 2010. MWBC plays a vital role in fostering the growth of small businesses throughout the state of Maryland. As part of its commitment to supporting business development, the Department of Economic Development (DED) has a longstanding relationship with MWBC, referring entrepreneurs to their services for guidance and support. By sending individuals to MWBC, the DED ensures that entrepreneurs have access to the mentorship, resources, and networking opportunities necessary to succeed. Karen Kalantzis, Senior Business Consultant at MWBC, shares insights into her work, the role of the center in the community, and some essential advice for new entrepreneurs. Let’s dive in!

How did MWBC come to be and how did you get involved?

The Small Business Administration created Women’s Business Centers in 1988. Today, there are approximately 150 centers, with a presence in almost every state. The Maryland Women’s Business Center, founded in 2010 as the Rockville Women’s Business Center, is hosted by Rockville Economic Development and now provides support to women and men in Montgomery, Frederick, Prince George’s and Howard Counties. I joined the organization during Covid after I was laid off from my previous job.

What is your job and what does it entail?

Karen Kalanzis, Senior Business Consultant

I am a Senior Business Consultant supporting Frederick County entrepreneurs. I help women and men start a business or grow an existing business. We provide free counseling services, free and low-cost business education, and small business resource and networking events. I host Coffee and Connections, a networking group that meets every month, and also help the candidates participating in Frederick County Chamber of Commerce’s SHE Pitch competition.

What is the role of MWBC in the greater community?

To help aspiring and established business owners gain the skills, connections and confidence necessary to navigate entrepreneurship.

Tell a success story of a business owner who has used MWBC resources.

 The MWBC has helped many women in the city open or grow their businesses such as JoNa’s Outdoor Furniture, The Frederick Ballroom, Nelia African Market, and The Frederick Wig Company. I am currently very excited to hear about the progress Jenni Hoover is making with preparing to open a new indoor swim school called Serenity Swimming. Jenni was a SHE Pitch winner and won over the judges with her business plan and dedication to our community to teach all generations how to be safe in the water.

 What are the top 3 common mistakes Frederick business owners make?

I have seen many people make the same mistakes when starting their business. First, they fail to create a comprehensive plan based in reality before launching the business. They spend too much time thinking about what I call the “fun or pretty things,” such as just the right logo color or uniform design, and not enough time thinking about more serious matters like funding, pricing, and revenue streams.

The second mistake is being under-funded. Every business owner is looking for grants from the government, but the reality is a person starting out will have to use or find their own money to invest.

The third mistake is thinking that people will automatically come when the business is created. They fail to understand who their customer is, what real needs they have, and how to effectively reach those potential customers with marketing to break through all the noise. So, to sum up, planning is key for a successful business!

MWBC Coffee and Connections networking event at JoNa’s 

What advice would you give to new entrepreneurs who aspire to start their own businesses?

Start working on a business plan, interview potential customers about their needs, collect information on startup costs, save money to invest in the business, and improve their credit score if necessary. Also utilize all the resources that are available to you! For mentoring and training, there is the Maryland Women’s Business Center, the Small Business Development Center and SCORE. The City and County Offices of Economic Development are also available to provide assistance. Once you engage with one of these offices, you will typically have many doors open to you.

With a mission to provide support and guidance to business owners, particularly women, the Maryland Women’s Business Center (MWBC) provides the guidance that many entrepreneurs need to succeed. From free counseling services to business events and webinars, MWBC is here to help navigate the entrepreneurial terrain. Visit https://www.marylandwbc.org/ to schedule a counseling sessions. If you would like to learn more about small business resources, reach out to our Economic Development team at 301.600.6360 or email businessinfrederick@cityoffrederickmd.gov.