Mayra Ordonez's blog

In 2022, Small Business Majority, in partnership with Support Latino Business and Modern Woodmen Fraternal Financial, awarded critical funding to three Latina business owners through their annual #SupportSmallBiz grant program. The grant program bridges the gap in small business funding for Hispanic and Latino businesses, which often face challenges and systemic barriers in getting the capital and resources they need to start, grow and expand their enterprises.

Serving her local community came as a natural transition for JeJuan Stewart, CEO and Lead Consultant of EAGLE 7 Consulting in rural Georgia. She also leads the John and JeJuan Stewart, Jr. Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose vision is to create a group of focused, empowered youth who make a positive difference as individuals in their families and communities. 

Leslie Allison-Seei is the president of Robust Promotions LLC, an award-winning turnkey service provider offering prize consulting, legal documents and support, microsite infrastructure, graphic design and much more, in Villa Park, Ill. Together with her husband Greg, they’ve worked with restaurant chains and global brands such as Popeyes and Häagen Dazs, among others. 

Non-compete agreements are an obstacle to entrepreneurship, create a non-level playing field and stop employees from using their skills. They are not only a barrier to entry for entrepreneurs, but they also prevent small businesses from hiring the most diverse, qualified and skilled talent. In January, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) proposed a rule to ban non-compete agreements and sought input from the public.

Small Business Majority’s Outreach Team advocates for entrepreneurs on two fronts: It supports policies that benefit small businesses and it offers webinars and in-person events that help entrepreneurs grow their businesses. We have found this work to be even more important as small businesses experience rising inflation, supply chain disruptions and workforce challenges in the aftermath of the pandemic.

Without a trace of experience in the food industry, Matt Weyandt and his family sailed into the world of chocolate and launched Xocolatl in late 2014. Although their business is based in Atlanta, Matt and his wife Elaine discovered the wonders of chocolate and chocolate-making processes in the Costa Rican jungles. 

Janna Rodriguez has always been an active leader in her community—when she was 16, she began volunteering for political campaigns, from her local school board, all the way to presidential elections. In 2018, her entrepreneurial spirit led her to establish the Innovative Daycare Corp. in Long Island, New York. Her mission is to ensure that minority children in her community have the resources and privileges that children in other communities experience.

Small Business Majority’s Outreach Team advocates for entrepreneurs on two fronts: It supports policies that benefit small firms, and it offers workshops and events that help small business owners grow their companies. We have found this work to be even more important, as small businesses recover from the ongoing global health and economic crisis. 

This week we are spotlighting Jessica Anguiano, Small Business Majority’s new Southern California Outreach Manager, to let small business owners know how our team members can assist them.

Vanessa Avalos noticed a need for bilingual education for young children in her community, and she immediately decided to execute on it. She launched Luna y Cielo, a play café and Spanish learning center to aid Latino and Hispanic mothers in raising bilingual, bicultural and biliterate children.