As various challenges have arisen over the past year-and-a-half, PIDC has been busy at work, adjusting its resources to expand ways to better serve its business community.

As part of this expanded effort, PIDC will kick off Business Builder Workshops En Español, an eight-month series of Spanish workshops aimed to assist Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs, who represent one of the fastest-growing business groups in Philadelphia.

The new initiative is part of PIDC’s RESTART Action Plan. Created in the Summer of 2020, the RESTART Action Plan focuses on adapting three core strategies to meet Philadelphia’s needs to drive an equitable economic recovery: supporting growth and resilience of businesses, investing in high-impact community revitalization, and catalyzing opportunities for inclusive growth.

“The new Business Builder Workshops En Español support our first core strategy and it is just one of the many initiatives we’re taking action to implement as a part of our plan,” said Anne Bovaird Nevins, president of PIDC.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are an estimated 4.65 million Hispanic-owned businesses in the U.S., representing a major segment of the business community and nationwide economy. The number of Hispanic business owners in the U.S. has also increased by 34% in the last decade. 

Marla S. Hamilton, senior vice president of client engagement & business support at PIDC, noted that this reality is also mirrored in Philadelphia. 

“PIDC’s initiative is an acknowledgement of that growth and the Business Builder Workshops En Español is a part of a larger PIDC strategy to ensure we deliver the needed products and services to this segment of our local economy,” she said. 

The workshop series will provide critical business education to entrepreneurs and organizations from every industry, and address a variety of business topics — including building credit, establishing accounting systems, budgeting, buying and financing commercial real estate and more — led by Hispanic and Latinx professionals. 

The Business Builder Workshops En Español series are free, culturally-relevant and specifically targeted to established businesses.

A key partner in developing and coordinating the initiative is Kersy Azocar, principal and CEO of Balance Consulting Group.

“This is a huge milestone for the Hispanic and Latino community in Philadelphia,” Azocar said of the initiative. “Delivering culturally sensitive educational training is a priority and our goal is to ensure that financial information and resources are comprehended by our Spanish-speaking audience.” 

She noted that financial education for small businesses must be intentional and relevant to the diverse cultures that comprise the business community.

Azocar had previously collaborated with PIDC for the Pennsylvania COVID-19 Hospitality Industry Recovery Program (CHIRP), a $17 million grant program created by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to support businesses in the hospitality industry.

“I'm excited for what this represents and for what's to come in the future,” she added. 

Hamilton highlighted how the prior collaboration helped open the door to a broader conversation about discussions around services for the Hispanic business community.

“Our ultimate goal is to position PIDC as a culturally sensitive and trusted advisor with products and services that reach a multitude of diverse small business communities without the barriers of language and culture,” said Hamilton. 

For a full list of PIDC workshop listings, click here.