Why are Latinas so entrepreneurially minded?
Happy International Women’s Day!
I’ve started writing this article about three times. First, focusing on the statistics. Second, crafting a celebratory profile of some of the top Latinas in New Jersey and throughout the country.
But, of course, the story comes first. The numbers follow.
So I’ve been pondering a question: Why are Latinas so entrepreneurially minded?
With the backdrop of February’s rise in unemployment and gas prices climbing at the local station, it feels like a loaded question. Yet as International Women’s Day approaches on March 8, we will do what women have always done. We push forward. We celebrate. And we keep building.
So I offer an anecdote.
“Latinas, we will cook up a delicious feast con solo plátanos verdes,” she said with matter-of-fact firmness, cheerful pride and resolve.
Sí, señoras y señores. In one short, humorous yet very real statement, my friend Alejandra — yes, I changed her name to protect her privacy — neatly captured the spirit behind this piece.
Alejandra was simply stating what Latinas know.
We are creative. We are resourceful. We can stretch a dollar. We care for our families and communities. And we know how to set a table that nourishes both.
A former colleague and now friend, Alejandra was born in the Dominican Republic. She shared her recipe for mangú, the classic breakfast of mashed green plantains topped with sautéed onions. As she described it, I thought of Ecuador’s bolón de verde. Different countries, different traditions, yet the same comforting foundation: verde, a warm kitchen in the morning and a strong café to start the day.
But the shared foundation runs deeper than food. It’s character. Integrity. Resilience. Responsibility. Courage. Determination.
These are the traits that define the Latina entrepreneurial spirit.
The numbers tell the rest of the story.
Across the United States, Latina entrepreneurs are helping reshape the country’s small-business landscape.
-
- More than 2 million businesses in the United States are owned by Latinas, according to research from the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative and Babson College.
- Latina-owned businesses generate more than $100 billion in annual revenue and support hundreds of thousands of jobs nationwide.
- Over the past decade, Latina-owned businesses have grown more than four times faster than the national average for all businesses, making them one of the fastest-growing segments of entrepreneurs in the country.
- Latinas are launching companies across sectors including food services, retail, consulting, health care, marketing, media production and technology.
- Many of these businesses begin with modest startup capital, expanding through family networks, community ties and entrepreneurial persistence.
- Latinas are also among the fastest-growing groups of college graduates in the United States, helping fuel a new generation of entrepreneurs combining formal education with business ownership.
Latinas in New Jersey snapshot
New Jersey not only reflects national trends. In our state, Latinas are leading across industries.
According to U.S. Census Bureau data, Hispanic-owned businesses account for tens of thousands of firms statewide.
Latino entrepreneurs are especially active in construction, professional services, food service, retail and transportation.
As the state’s Latino population grows, so does its impact on small-business ownership, job creation and community investment across New Jersey.
But here in New Jersey, the story becomes personal.
Latinas are shaping the state’s economic and civic landscape in ways that are both visible and quietly transformative — building businesses, leading institutions and helping guide public policy.
Sometimes the best place to begin celebrating that progress is right within our own familia.
Our fearless leader is Aixa G. Lopez, chief of staff at the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey, and a proud Puerto Rican whose leadership reflects technical expertise, grace, discernment and empathy.
Last year, Lopez was named one of El Diario’s 2025 Mujeres Destacadas, an honor recognizing 24 exceptional Latinas throughout the tri-state area whose work inspires leadership, service and impact.
With more than three decades of experience in engineering, operations and strategic planning, Lopez has helped strengthen the Chamber’s work supporting Latino entrepreneurs throughout New Jersey. Her leadership reflects something many Latina professionals understand well: the ability to solve problems, bring people together and move big initiatives forward.
That same spirit is reflected in the hundreds of women graduating from the Chamber’s signature entrepreneurial programs, including the Latina Entrepreneurship Training Series (LETS) and the Entrepreneurial Training Program (ETP). These initiatives equip Latina entrepreneurs with practical tools to launch and grow businesses while strengthening the state’s small-business ecosystem.
Latina leadership is also increasingly visible throughout state government.
Vereliz Santana, recently appointed director of advocacy in Gov. Mikie Sherrill's administration, now plays a key role in ensuring that the voices of residents and community stakeholders remain part of the policy conversation.
We also recently congratulated Analilia Mejia on securing the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor. Long recognized for her work in economic justice and community advocacy, Mejia’s nomination reflects the growing presence of Latina leadership in statewide politics.
Another important appointment came with Margo Chaly, now serving as New Jersey’s secretary of higher education. Her leadership arrives at a critical moment as institutions work to expand access to higher education, strengthen workforce pathways and support students throughout the state.
At the Department of Community Affairs, Commissioner Jacquelyn Suarez continues to serve New Jersey residents and businesses in a role that touches many aspects of daily life, from housing policy to local government support and programs that assist communities throughout the state.
Taken together, these leaders represent something larger than individual accomplishments. They reflect a broader shift underway across New Jersey and the country.
Which brings us back to Alejandra’s kitchen-table wisdom.
For generations, Latinas have known how to take what is available, make something meaningful from it and share it with others. In kitchens and family gatherings, those traditions become lessons passed down — resilience, creativity and the determination to make things work.
That instinct has done more than feed families. It has built businesses, strengthened communities and shaped the future.
Today, more than ever, Latinas are not simply participating in the economy — we are helping drive it.
So why are Latinas so entrepreneurially minded?
Because it’s part of who we are.
We are daughters, wives, mothers, business owners, and leaders of change
We create opportunities for ourselves and for those around us, just as generations before us did around their own kitchen tables.
Let’s celebrate each one of us on this International Women's Day!
Related Coverage
Business Spotlight: The Rey Sol Coffee Story
| By Giovanna Aguilar
This Is Tu Momento: New Jersey’s Latino Business Story Has a New Home
| By Giovanna Aguilar
No es suerte: es trabajo, disciplina, perseverancia y relaciones
| By Board Member
From New Jersey to Colombia: Dr. Alexander Rios Answers the Call to Serve
| By Board Member
Hispanic Heritage at the President’s Table
| By John Lucas
