The State of Hispanic Business

The Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (GPHCC) has released "The State of Hispanic Business" for the Greater Philadelphia region. "The report provides business and consumer insights about Latinos, the region's fastest growing and increasingly influential market segment," said Varsovia Fernandez, President and CEO of the GPHCC.

The report highlights various business factors around the region including advertising the the Latino consumer, buying power, increase of Latino-owned businesses, and social media.

So why the report?

Ramon Zayas and Christian Cazares join Telemundo Philadelphia

As you know Telemundo Philadelphia has been going through tremendous (and great) changes. They recently announced hiring 15 new positions; but now three have been taken. According to MediaBistro.com, "Telemundo Philadelphia has made two key hires ahead of the launch of local newscasts next year: Claribel Collazo joins the station as assistant news director and Ramon Zayas (pictured) has been named 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. anchor." Zayas is no stranger to Telemundo; he comes from Miami, where he has been the anchor of “Un Nuevo Dia” since 2011. A familiar face will definitely help with the first months of ratings.

And just recently announced, reporter Christian Cazares is leaving KVVU-TV in Las Vegas, NV to join Telemundo Philadelphia. Although he won't be an anchor, he'll be one of many new reporters for the local owned-and-operated station.  The moves come months after the Telemundo Station Group completed the acquisition of its Philadelphia affiliate, WWSI-TV, from ZGS Communications.

Event: 2012 Minority Business Leader Awards

On August 9th, the Philadelphia Business Journal will recognize top level Corporate Executives and Advocates of ethnic backgrounds at the annual Minority Business Leaders Awards Program. This is a perfect opportunity to network with the region's top minority executives. Glad to see the Business Journal recognize minority business leaders. I have read lots of articles (and received several e-mails) about how to work with the Hispanic community, this is probably a good place to start. I've also had the pleasure of working with some of the nominees to some capacity.
Some of the people being recognized include:

Advocates:

• Steven Bradley, Bradley & Bradley Associates & African-American Chamber of Commerce of PA, NJ & DE; Veronica Castillo-Perez, Raices Culturales Latinoamericanas; ShinJoo Cho, Philadelphia Department of Commerce; Terrence H. Hicks, Ben Franklin Tech Partners; Sharon Humble, Linebarger Goggan Blair & Sampson, LLP

Executives:

• Jorge Benito, PPI Photographics; Nadeem Bezar, Kolsby, Gordon, Robin, Shore & Bezar; John W. Chin, Chinatown Community Development Corp.; Will Gonzalez, Ceiba; Tanya Hall, Multicultural Affairs Congress, a division of the PCVB; Luis Mora, Finanta; Mike Munoz, Collection Revenue Bureau, Inc.; James E. Nevels, The Swarthmore Group; among others. 

Event: ALDIA News Media 11th Annual Career Fair

With people complaining about jobs, what better time to host a career fair right? Well on Tuesday, May 29th, 2012 Al Dia is hosting their 11th Annual Career Fair. Al Dia's goal is to connect qualified, emerging professionals with premier companies maintaining headquarters or satellites in Philadelphia. These companies are searching for educated candidates of all professional backgrounds. Both internship and career opportunities will be displayed. Bilingual capabilities for this fair are encouraged, but not required. So what are the odds of landing a job at a career fair? You'd be surprised. I actually attended one of the job fairs a couple of years ago and there are great companies present. I didn't see anything that attracted me but I was surprised to see so many career opportunities. Best of luck to all you job seekers!

Date Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Location PA Convention Center, 12th & Arch Sts, Phila., PA 19107
Hours 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Set Up 8:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
Wrap Up 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Latinos.org: Real or fake?

So I recently read an article in the Philadelphia Business Journal about a new website Latinos.org looking to hire and grow. The article quotes, "One of the more interesting was Donald Woodring, the president and CEO of DonFiesta LLC, the operator of Latinos.org, which Woodring wants to make into a big Web destination for Latinos." Well currently it doesn't look like it will be. The homepage looks a little too simple for my taste and when I saw the istockphoto...enough said.

The article continued, “There’s a huge gap in the availability of websites that are in Spanish on the Internet, as well as websites that are not only in Spanish, but meet the cultural needs of the Latino community, so that’s what we’re attempting to do." I doubt this guy has any knowledge in the Hispanic market and is attempting to make a quick buck or two. I mean isn't that the thing to do nowadays? Make money off of our culture? I didn't even bother clicking on any of the website links considering most of the text on them were in gibberish. I wonder if he's heard of beinglatino.us/?

Photos of the Day: Alegria Ball

Thanks to my new fancy (work) camera I'm able to capture awesome video and photos. I attended the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's Alegria Ball last Friday evening and took some nice photos. Enjoy! You can find more at holaciudad.com. 

Yes I'm not a photographer but this camera is going to turn me into one. :)

Event: GPHCC's Alegria Ball - Fiesta Mexicana.

Gala season is starting, well sort of. The Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce presents their 2012 Alegria Ball: Fiesta Mexicana. For the 5th year, this GPHCC signature fundraising event recognizes the rich and vibrant cultures of Latin America. Did you during last year's gala I was awarded the Hispanic Professional of the Year!? I know crazy right. In fact it was last year this time when I felt something telling me, "Stay in Philly."

Anyways, this year's gala is bound to be bigger and better. The GPHCC will again feature the 3rd annual Excelencia Hispanic Business Awards marking the incredible growth and success of Latino business and professional markets across the Greater Philadelphia region. Come join in on the fun! Hurry because tickets are selling fast :).

Alegria Ball: Fiesta Mexicana - Que Viva Mexico!
1/20/2012
6 p.m. - 11 p.m.
Vie, 600 N. Broad Street
215-790-3843

People still send money?

In a study conducted by Xoom.com, the company revealed that Hispanics use their mobile phones to send money more frequently than any other immigrant group.  Mexicans and Central Americans are leading this trend with 13% of remittance transactions being sent from a mobile phone.  Other immigrant groups send 7% of remittances from a mobile phone. This probably explains why people work so hard here, then just move back to Mexico. The U.S. dollar is more valuable in their own country. I wonder if the study shows who's bank account.

Anyways, consumers can now use Xoom.com to send money to Mexico or any other country. Founded in 2001, the website is probably making the smartest business decision ever. I faked attempted to send money to Colombia but was deterred by the sign-up feature. Either way, for a small convenience fee of $5, I say go for it. Sure money transfers via the web seem shady but if PayPal did it why can't Xoom? So please send me some money so I can begin my next journey to Colombia :). J/k.

Essentials for our community...internet

Internet Essentials provides access to all
low-income families including Hispanics.

Our Philadelphia native friends at Comcast today continued to roll out its “Internet Essentials” program, providing families with children eligible for a free lunch under the National School Lunch Program with low-cost Internet service, affordable computers and digital-literacy training. One of the most important aspects of this effort is not only do they receive $10 access all year long, but there's also a voucher for a $150 computer. It's also important to inform nuestra comunidad about how to use the internet.

The goal of Internet Essentials is to help close the digital divide and to help ensure more Americans benefit from everything the Internet has to offer. The program addresses what research has identified as the three primary barriers to broadband adoption: 1) a lack of understanding of how the Internet is relevant and useful, 2) the cost of a home computer and 3) the cost of Internet service.
 Although I've seen research which shows Latinos are using internet and social media...the digital divide is much larger. That's why I'm happy to see the Spanish-language website for Internet Essentials. While the road to affordable access has just begun, this is an exciting opportunity and will most certainly open doors to families...especially youth.

Online deals everywhere

So is it me or is everyone starting their own online savings website? LivingSocial and Groupon are the obvious money-makers in the business and as BeingLatino has said, "Groupon can go gold with the Latinos." The other day I received an e-mail about a new online deals website named Cupondia. And like LivingSocial and Groupon, subscribers receive one email, text message, or voice call a day with a great deal for 50-80% off the things they care about in their city. Actually, a voice call seems a little weird but for Latinos maybe it will work.

And no one seems to care about the Latinos in Philly huh? Cupondia currently has deals in Los Angeles, New York, Miami, San Diego and San Francisco. In addition to the launch, Cupondia has partnered with MetroPCS. Visitors can enter to win a brand new Blackberry Curve with one year of talk, text & web from MetroPCS! Click here for more information.

When telenovelas beat U.S. television

So what is it about La Reina del Sur that is attracting the new Latino in the U.S.? Well it's not your average telenovela on Telemundo. We have a strong woman who sure is a drug dealer, but she gets things done. It's not your typical love story where two women are chasing after a man and there's all this drama for no reason.

Did you know it beat out all English primetime ratings? Yep, sure did. So what does this mean for Spanish-language television? One can only see the change in programming, marketing, consumer projects and more. The Today Show talked to the program's leading lady and other people about why this program has been so successful.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Xfinity goes for the Latinos

Philadelphia's greatest accomplishment, Comcast Corp., recently launched Xfinity TV in Spanish in an effort to increase programming available to Latinos on television, on demand and online. Go figure. The Latino TV portal, XfinityTV.com/LatinoTV, offers Comcast digital subscribers free access to over 500 Spanish-language movies and shows. Score.

So what exactly does this mean? More Latinos jumping over to the Comcast side? This probably is good news for NBC and Telemundo since they all fall under that umbrella. If that's case, why did Comcast hire Sofia Vergara as their spokesperson? Doesn't she have an awesome show on ABC? Either way, kudos to Comcast for "finally" reaching out to the new-age Latino consumer. Maybe we'll convince our families to switch over from *cough* DirecTV.

A pura vida gala in Philadelphia

As you know, it's Latino gala season in Philadelphia. These events are your opportunity to meet and greet with the most "influential" Latinos in the area. Sure the galas bring together almost the same people, but they are all different and unique in their own way. First up, the Greater Philadelphia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's gala: the Alegria Ball.

The 2011 Alegria Ball (Costa Rica Verde) will be held at the Please Touch Museum on Friday, January 21, 2011. For the 4th year, this GPHCC signature fundraising event recognizes the rich and vibrand cultures of Latin America. This year they celebrate Costa Rica's rich culture, lush tropical rainforests, biodiversity and flourishing green economy. The event will also host the 2nd annual Excelencia Hispanic Business Awards marking the incredible growth and success of Latino business and professional markets across the Greater Philadelphia region.

See you all there!

Clever clever T-shirts

Remember when I told you about Tchirts.com, well here's to another round of hilarious shirts! Snorg Tees specialize in pop-culture inspired, random, and all around funny t-shirt designs. Most of the designs on the site are SnorTees employee creations. However, 28% of the design ideas come from the customers. We live in the age of social media and pop culture, it makes the world go round and round (sort of).

Think about a clever quote or something "savvy" from your time and put in on shirt. Examples include:

• Warning: If Zombies chase us, I'm tripping you
• That's what she said
• The only thing we have to fear, is fear itself...and spiders
• Little Brothers get Luigi

So as you can tell, a lot of the sarcasm comes from things we grew up with! Sign up to get exclusive deals, and don't worry, it's not just t-shirts; I mean it is the winter. Enjoy!

Dance Central's "Latino"

Happy Belated Thanksgiving everyone! Speaking of eating food all day and being lazy, last Friday I had the opportunity to play on the XBOX360 Kinect. One word: Exercise. Kinect brings games and entertainment to life in extraordinary new ways without using a controller. Imagine controlling movies and music with the wave of a hand or the sound of your voice. With Kinect, technology evaporates, letting the natural magic in all of us shine.

So what game did I play? Of course I had to get my Dance Central on! I had the chance to perform to Beanie Man's "King of the Dancehall" but someone else was the stereotype and performed to Pitbull's "I know You Want Me." To my non-shocking surprise, the creators of the game of course added a Salsa and Merengue step. You can't be mad at them for attempting to teach mainstream America something. But what did shock me was the "Latino" move. Really? Who names a move the "Latino?" Don't stop there though, there's a "Latina" move as well. Egh, it's a great workout and fun. But remember, what happens in your video game room stays in the video game room.

Tek Lado hits stands otra vez

About a month ago a new bi-lingual magazine hit stands across the Philadelphia region. Sure some people are asking themselves why launch a magazine in this time? But hey the creators Mel Gomez and Liz Spikol are doing a tremendous job. But earlier today the November/December issue of Tek Lado hit stands and it was Geekier than ever.

This month's issue includes a Holiday Geek Gift Guide and a great Q&A with Springboard Media owner Everett Katzen. Did I mention there's an article written by yours truly? You'll have to get the hard copy to read the entire article. To add on to the magazine's Geek factor be sure to follow them on Twitter (@TekLadoMagazine) and friend them on Facebook.

That Really Doesn't Grind My Gears...BeingLatino

As much oppression there is going on in the world, I can't quite be as happy to be Latino today. It has nothing to do with the increase of Latinos in the U.S., but it really has to do with our opportunity. Sure we complain a lot about life and how it's difficult to get through things, but in the end, it really all works out. Besides, life isn't meant to be easy. And to make things even better, I'm a part of BeingLatino on Facebook and the blog...it's great to connect with people with similar interests. Sure there are some quarrels every now and then, but these 40k+ people on here all have positive things to say. Go us!

Keep an Eye on Shakira

As if Shakira hasn't already taken over the world with her music and philanthropy, she now has a new fragrance: S by Shakira. Over on the fragrance's website, you can now make your own remix of the S by Shakira TV spot (watch the original below). Click here to go to the site and start work on your remix.

I'm waiting on mine :)

Modern Language for a Modern Family

We all love Sofia Vergara on ABC's Modern Family...given fact. Last week they touched on an issue many immigrants face today and always will: accents. Sure they sound sexy and fun but some people find it uncomfortable to talk because of thick accents; and it's not just Latinos. During the episode Gloria's husband, Jay, tries to talk to her and tell her sometimes people misinterpret her words and things can end badly. However at the end the entire family realize she should not loose her accent because it's who she is.

In corporate America, accents can and should be a good thing! It shows you are bicultural and bilingual. Is it necessary to speak perfect English, you can try, but in the end since you are the liaison between the client and the corporation, you end up winning for translating. Do you think it's necessary to get rid of your accent? Have you ever been insulted because of it?

Tu Empresa, Tu Futuro

Have you been in business over a year? Can you show proof of revenue? Well quickly write up a detailed budget and how you can use an extra $5k because you could be one of four small-businesses to win some grants! According to an article in Fox News Latino, "To commemorate entrepreneurs across the country, Sears is holding a contest that will award $5,000 grants to four of them across the country."

It's a known fact that Hispanic-owned small businesses grew at twice the national rate from 2002 to 2007—a rollicking 43 percent. The contest called “Tu Empresa, Tu Futuro/Your Company, Your Future” features Cristina Saralegui as a spokesperson. Business owners can enter by completing an online form and submitting a brief essay on what inspired them to create their businesses. Entrants also can refer up to four friends to participate.