The Guatemalan Chamber of Commerce will officially launch this Thursday, Nov. 21, from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., with a reception at Atlantis Banquets in Riverhead, bolstered by support from the Guatemalan consulate in Riverhead. The founders aim to kickstart their plans to support local entrepreneurs and those aspiring to become business owners.
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According to Linda Vega, president and founder of the chamber, the idea to unite entrepreneurs from her country into one entity was conceived a year and a half ago. Since then, they have quietly worked on identifying local businesses and their needs and are now ready to introduce the community to the benefits of joining the Chamber.
“We want to provide the foundation, the tools, and serve as a link and access point for them to grow their businesses significantly,” said Vega, who also co-owns Verapaz Express, a shipping, money transfer, and services company. “We also want to offer advice on buying homes, not just focusing on business but also personal and cultural areas.”
Guatemalan Consul in Riverhead Ana Mercedes Flores was among the first to endorse the initiative. She has motivated the founders and provided them with valuable contacts and physical space at the consular office to start some of their projects.
“For us at the consulate, having a group like the chamber will be very helpful because they can access the community in ways we might not be able to, and they will act as the leading voice of the consulate,” Flores said. “Wherever they go, I have asked them to inform people that the services we offer are free, that we are here to serve, that this is their little piece of home, that from the door inward, this is Guatemala,” said Flores. “For me, they will serve as a channel for no-cost promotion, and it brings me joy because it’s something I would have liked to have in this consulate, which other consulates do have, that is, a sector that promotes trade, investment in the country where they live, and the proper use of their remittances in their home countries.”
After the launch on Thursday, the board members of the new Chapina Commerce Chamber will embark on numerous plans they have in mind: seminars, workshops, keynote lectures, and all types of advice for local entrepreneurs. They dream of the chamber becoming a constant resource and information hub for business owners.
In their initial months of operation, they discovered that despite bearing the name of a country, they do not want the organization to be exclusively for the Guatemalan community. They already have members of other nationalities and aim to broaden the spectrum, increasing the growth opportunities for their members’ businesses, while infusing the initiative with the strength and resilience they believe are the key values of Chapin entrepreneurs.
“We have several outstanding Guatemalans in this area, and we need to support each other. We have seen some who have just started a business and are already opening another, showing great courage. Overall, we are all very strong and valiant,” Vega said.
“The Guatemalan has an entrepreneurial and resilient spirit. They adapt to any situation,” added Flores. “If at first they don’t succeed, they try again; if they fall, they get back up, and that is worthy of applause and support.”
The new chamber also has plans for those interested in joining who are not necessarily entrepreneurs but are workers dreaming of owning a business. The entity would guide them through the process of creating their own business.
“Everyone starts by working for someone else,” said the chamber president. “We have many resources and contacts that can bring us closer to those resources, and what we want to be is the pathway for the community to access those resources.”
Another aspiration of the chamber is to become a bridge for communication between businesses in the United States and those in Latin America, facilitating contacts to boost imports and exports so that entrepreneurs here and there can mutually benefit.
“We have ties in Guatemala, we travel to bring this information because the idea is that we can expand internationally. Our dream is to be international,” Vega said. “We want to meet more people in agriculture and other fields and bring that information back and share it with our entrepreneurs. Another objective is to focus a lot on the cultural and social field. If there’s a place in our countries that needs something, let the chamber be a bridge to help.”
Although the official launch has not yet taken place, the chamber already boasts more than 100 affiliates, primarily from construction, landscaping, beauty salons, and cleaning companies. The organizers hope that Thursday’s event will attract many more.
Membership in the Guatemalan Chamber of Commerce costs $175 annually, which gives affiliates access to discounts for seminars, lectures, and networking events planned throughout the year.
“We want to get to know each other and why not, even American entrepreneurs, because now Americans are very interested in engaging with the Hispanic community,” Vega said.
Thursday’s launch will feature local authorities and elected officials. After the official swearing-in, there will be artistic performances, dinner, and dancing. The gala costs $125 and is open to the general community. To reserve tickets, call 631-764-6175 or email chambcgny@gmail.com.
This article was originally published by Tu Prensa Local Long Island. Republished by permission.
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