Sep. 22—A St. Joseph organization focused on entrepreneurship celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month on Wednesday by spotlighting three Latino business owners.
Anette Weeks, director of entrepreneurship at Missouri Western, said the goal of Cup of Joe is to uplift and support local business owners and entrepreneurs. This week, the organization wanted to do something that would emphasize Hispanic heritage.
"This month we were excited to celebrate Hispanic (Heritage) Month," Weeks said. "We wanted to bring in a few Latino business owners and highlight several of them as many of them are just beginning their journey. We hope by doing this we can broaden their network and expand their support."
The three business owners who attended Wednesday's meeting included Adrian Perez, owner of Adrian's Tacos; Juan Sanchez, owner of Right Vision Enterprises LLC; and Marileidy Marquez, the owner of a small family business, CM Gifts and Party LLC.
They discussed the progress of their business journeys, who their target markets are and a few challenges they've faced along the way.
Sanchez started his business in construction three years ago and said the program has played a key role in promoting his company.
"Just as everyone else, the Latino community works hard," Sanchez said. "I think holding events like this one really highlights how much we serve our community in the States. We want people to know we are credible and they can count on good services from us."
Many business owners have seen progress after joining Cup of Joe thanks to the networking opportunities and support from other local entrepreneurs.
"We have people join our organization and they notice how much support everyone has for each other," Weeks said. "Our group wants to see each other succeed and everyone here is constantly spreading awareness about one another's business and that's what helps it grow stronger."
Program directors are encouraging everyone from entrepreneurs to individuals who are interested in learning about local business owners to join Cup of Joe meetings, which start at 8:30 a.m. every Wednesday.
Cup of Joe will continue celebrating Hispanic heritage this week by partnering with the Chamber of Commerce to host a Latino business seminar on Thursday night from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
For more information about Cup of Joe, visit its official website at cupofjoe-sj.com.