S U M M ER 2015
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HCC Business spotlight: Listo
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STL Emerging Minority
& Immigrant Entrepreneurs
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Word-of-Mouth Advertising for your
Small Business
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dear readers
Letter from the Executive Director Where the sun is radiant and the events are plentiful, summers in St. Louis are never short of memorable, and this summer isn’t any different. The Hispanic Chamber has been proud to contribute some notable events this season. Most recently, our Foundation celebrated our 9th Annual Golf Classic which sold out and was a great day on the course! We are continuously grateful for the endless support and success of this event. The proceeds that were raised has allowed our Foundation to fund the training and educational programs for Hispanics in the St. Louis Metropolitan area. In addition to our golf tournament, we teamed up with the Mosaic Project and Casa de Salud to tailgate and cheer on the St. Louis FC on Hispanic Chamber night at the World Wide Technology Soccer Park.
SUMMER 2015
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HCC Business Spotlight: Listo
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AMM Communications: Word-of-Mouth Advertising for Your Small Business
HCC Member Spotlight: Ann Marie Mayuga St. Louis’ Emerging Minority & Immigrant Entrepreneurs Enterprise Bank & Trust: Get to know your banker well
Dot Foods Increasing Opportunities for Universidad Ya!
SUMMER 2015 HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
As we make the transition into Fall, we are ready to hit the ground running with more events. The HCC eagerly awaits the start of Class V of our Hispanic Leadership Institute (HLI) in October where we will guide participants through nine training sessions that will focus on leadership development. HLI has been such a success thus far with helping participants continue to grow professionally, so we are anxiously awaiting for the new class to begin. Additionally, the HCC elections will take place in October and we will be welcoming a few new board members for 2016!
welcome By joining, the following individuals and companies have decided to make an investment in the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and our community at large. We encourage you to find out more about them and, whenever possible, to use their services. If you would like more information about any of these individuals or organizations, please contact us at 314.664.4432.
It is my hope that as we continue to grow, we are constantly providing our members with invaluable connections and applicable programs. In addition to our special events, we also have our monthly Educational Forum series, Café with Business, as well as our Business After Hours networking social. All of the information for these events is listed on our website- at www.hccstl.com. I encourage you to participate in these, as they are a great way to take advantage of your Hispanic Chamber membership, hone your skills and connect with business leaders in the community. It is my hope that as we continue to grow, we are constantly providing our members with invaluable connections and applicable programs. The Hispanic Chamber strives to foster meaningful relationships and seeks to interconnect with more businesses in the community to contribute to our organization. The Hispanic Chamber would not be where it is today without our supporters and I am constantly grateful for all of the wonderful contributions that each of our members provide. Thank you for your continued support,
Karlos Ramirez Executive Director
new members! Aflac — Linda Trevino Crothers
Norbert Dentressangle
Just Roy, Inc.
Otero Prada, LLC
Coulter Lambson, LLC
Martin Brothers Vineyard & Winery Mid-America Transplant Services
Northwestern Mutual — Feliz Tovar Site Improvement Association
Two Worlds Language Services
Cover Photo by Charles R. Turnell 3
Member Spotlight Listo
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nspired by a father and son, Roberto Garcia witnessed the injustice of the man and boy being removed from the movie theater because the young boy was translating Iron Man 2 in Spanish for his father. Garcia wanted to provide a resource for this father, as well as millions of other people that do not speak the dominant language. He wanted to provide them with the opportunity to enjoy attending the movie theater without facing a language barrier. This app has quickly gained a lot of recognition and support by the St. Louis community. Listo has received the 2015 Adelante Award for Hispanic Emerging Business of the Year from the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and has been the recipient of the 2015 Arch Grant directed towards promoting emerging entrepreneurs and assisting them with services in St. Louis.
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SUMMER 2015 HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Roberto Garcia, Co-Founder: Why is your business a Hispanic Chamber member?
garciA: It’s a win-win to be a member of the Hispanic
Chamber. One of the reasons is because we are at the epicenter of Hispanic culture this year in St. Louis. The leadership has already been very beneficial for me personally with my career before Listo and now with Listo. Recently, we had the Business After Hours event here and it was a huge success. For me, and even for someone like my business partner who is not Hispanic, we felt absolutely welcomed at the event. He learned a lot about the Hispanic community and we received a lot of support because people see the vision and that is very validating. What has been the most valuable aspect of your Hispanic Chamber Membership?
garciA: I would say two things. One is all of the great people
we have met. These are people that have such a natural synergy and have allowed us to discuss future plans for Listo. And two, I was a member of the Hispanic Leadership Institute and the experience I had in the movie theater happened just a few months before I joined the Hispanic Leadership class. It was at HLI that my mind really started going with all of the leadership and task-oriented classes. I had a good job and I was good there, but it was at HLI that I thought “If I don’t make it happen, no one is going to make it happen and I’m going to keep regretting it.”
What worked well was creating a plan of action and it doesn’t have to be perfect... I like that better than ‘follow your dreams’ because then I thought, ‘I’m going to do one little thing: I’m going to register the company.’
Being a new business, what challenges have you faced so far?
If you could share any advice, what would you share with readers and future entrepreneurs?
We are a pre-revenue business which means everything we’ve done so far is with investors and personal savings. The company has big potential and there are a lot of people that will benefit, so that is why we keep going. However, it is a unique set of circumstances and people do see the vision, but it’s not until you have that traction that more people will start joining. Therefore, being a pre-revenue business and going from having a steady paycheck with a good career projection to being a brand that nobody knows has been a challenge.
One of the things I wish I had done earlier was find the right balance because you read a lot of things about follow your dreams and just go for it which is true, but it can also become a little off putting because that’s for other people because I have bills to pay and things to do. The fact is that everyone has that, so for me, what worked well was creating a plan of action and it doesn’t have to be perfect. One of my tech partners has a great quote, “a good battle-plan that’s actionable today is better than a perfect plan tomorrow” and that’s by General Patton. I like that better than ‘follow your dreams’ because then I thought, ‘I’m going to do one little thing: I’m going to register the company.’ And that I can get behind better than ‘follow your dreams.’
Explain your biggest accomplishments for your business?
It’s been a really good year. There’s been community recognition that brought us great satisfaction that the Hispanic Chamber is saying you can do this. Right after that we were awarded the Arch Grant. I was also awarded the St. Louis Most Intriguing People award by the St. Louis Business Diversity Initiative. Aside from the awards aspects of things, I have had the honor of being a mentor and judge of start-up competitions. As far as the business side of things, we have met with one of the top five global studios in Hollywood. They love the idea, they love the concept, and this is going to help bring more consumers to the theaters and they love that. That’s a good sign that we are going in the right direction.
What’s next for Listo?
Getting to market is the next big milestone. We are in the middle of a capital campaign. We are raising funds to get a solid working relationship with studios. Then, after that, we will start with the U.S. and then plan to go global later. We want to really focus on the U.S. Hispanic population for the first 6 months to a year and then expand globally. If you would like more information about Listo or to see what they’re working on next, visit www.listo-movieapp.com.
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Member Spotlight
Ann Marie
Ann Marie Mayuga is a partner with
AMM Communications, LLC, and is a member of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis. Founded in 2008, AMM Communications LLC, public relations, marketing and training agency of St. Louis, Missouri, provides PR, business development, crisis communications, content marketing, internal communications, executive training, marketing, media relations, reputation management, and search consulting. AMM Communications works with small- and mid-sized businesses nationwide. From 2010-2012, the agency was voted as one of the top 25 St. Louis public relations firms by the readers of Small Business Monthly. For more information, please navigate to www. ammcommunications.com or call 314.485.9499.
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SUMMER 2015 HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
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Mayuga
t is important to promote the progress the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is making, as well as showcasing to our members and nonmembers our constant strive for improvement and growth. However, it would be a detriment to readers and to our organization not to promote the successful members and businesses that dedicate their efforts to making the HCC what it is today. Ann Marie Mayuga, business co-founder and HCC member, shared some of the knowledge that has helped her flourish in the corporate environment. Humbled quickly when asked about her personal journey, she explained that before she Co-Founded AMM Communications LLC with her business partner and husband, Ed Mayuga, “I thought to myself, if I’m working that hard for this person, I might as well see if I can do it for myself.” Mayuga continued to share her journey and confess, “I knew enough to know that I didn’t know anything, so I didn’t have the fear factor.” And it is clear that she didn’t. AMM Communications LLC has grown substantially since 2008; they have services providing their clients with strategic marketing plans, business development, and content marketing.
Yand ou know what you’re good at doing you still need and want to learn.
You’re working with a great group of clients who value what you do because you are constantly learning about their business and evolving with them.
It is no question that Mayuga is genuine with everything she does and the clients that she serves. AMM Communications decided to focus on small businesses. “We were really looking to identify the small business owners that tended to be more in a professional service, financial service, or tech startup community where they are providing great value to other business owners.” Ann Marie proceeded to explain, “sort of what happens with small business owners, you just have a tremendous amount of respect and empathy knowing that a person went out on their own and they discovered something inside themselves that said ‘I can do this’.” It is clear that Ann Marie has a true appreciation for her clients and is an inspiration herself. When asked what advice she received throughout her career, she boldly stated, “Be accountable.” It is inevitable that these are words Mayuga lives by because she proceeded to explain, “You know what you’re good at doing, and you still need and want to learn. You’re working with a great group of clients who value what you do because you are constantly learning about their business
and evolving with them.” Mayuga shed light on another simple, but crucial practice. “Regardless of size, regardless of industry, regardless of a lot of things, just be kind, be decent... in today’s world, you don’t know who knows who.” Being aware and accountable has had a positive impact on the success that follows Ann Marie. When asked about what’s next for AMM Communications, Mayuga has an ambitious drive to constantly improve communication, generate revenue strategically, and help businesses reach their target audience. With Ann Marie’s accountable attitude, it’s no surprise that “AMM Communications’ success is all built on credibility and the desire to serve our clients well.”
I thought to myself, if I’m working that hard for this person, I might as well see if I can do it for myself. 7
St. Louis’
Emerging Minority & Immigrant Entrepreneurs By Kampen Consultants, LLC Martha Garcia Kampen, Sr. Strategist
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ave you noticed it? Have you seen the new emerging businesses in St. Louis? Have you sensed the entrepreneurial economic engines revving up the local landscape? The fact is that minority, immigrant and innovative entrepreneurs are “sparking” the STL economy. By their very essence, entrepreneurs represent diversity. And St. Louis is benefitting from an entrepreneurial emergence which includes African Americans, Hispanics, Pan-Asians and immigrants. According to a recent study conducted for the St. Louis Mosaic Project by J.S. Onésimo (Ness) Sandoval, Associate Professor and Co-Director of the Public and Social Policy Ph.D. Program of St. Louis University; immigrants are 60% more likely to be entrepreneurs. And with approximately 126,500 immigrants in the St. Louis metro area, we are prime for an entrepreneurial boom.1 [Graph Reference “A”] Minorities are drawn to starting their own businesses for a variety of reasons. Primarily, it is their “American Dream.” For many, it is a trade that has been handed down through generations, for others making the most of skills that can be readily monetized. Many find that business ownership is the path to economic freedom, while maintaining one’s values. One in four people in the St. Louis area is of a minority group, with more than 53% of our population growth (2000 to 2010) coming from minorities. Trends show that primarily Latino and Pan-Asian residents in the STL region will fuel population growth in the coming decades.1 [Graph Reference “B” & “C”] So does this mean that St. Louis may become an Entrepreneurial Haven of Diversity? One just needs to travel down South Grand Avenue, Cherokee Street or the Bevo Mill neighborhood in south St. Louis city to notice the diversity of restaurants, shops and merchants from various cultural groups. We are finally catching up to many of the largest metropolitan cities in the U.S. who boast thriving ethnic business communities. In 2010, new immigrant business owners had a total net business income of $650 million, which is 5 percent of all net business income in the state of Missouri.2 Culturally diverse businesses are good for the St. Louis economy.
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SUMMER 2015 HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
ore than 72,000 St. Louisans identify themselves as M Hispanic; the majority of whom are American-born citizens and legal residents, with projections of growing to more than 100,000 by 2020. Diversity of foreign-born in St. Louis
The fastest-growing minority group in St. Louis is the Hispanic population. More than 72,000 St. Louisans identify themselves as Hispanic; the majority of whom are American-born citizens and legal residents, with projections of growing to more than 100,000 by 2020. 1 and 3 With a median age of 26.2, Hispanics are the youngest minority group in our region. They represent the potential for the most optimistic growth of our city. The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis, established to support, promote and connect businesses and increase opportunities for Hispanic-owned businesses for the greater good of the St. Louis economy is uniquely positioned to help grow this emerging business community. With collective encouragement, support and an economic environment conducive to growing entrepreneurial businesses, St. Louis can experience positive economic growth and prosperity for decades to come‌from our diverse entrepreneurs. About Martha Garcia Kampen: First generation Mexican-American, Garcia-Kampen was raised bilingually and bi-culturally in Missouri. Having studied in Guadalajara, Mexico, Martha launched her career in Hispanic Marketing. Kampen began her entrepreneurial business in St. Louis in 1988, with extensive experience in Marketing Research, Planning and Implementation. Kampen Consultants, LLC provides Strategic Planning & Development consultation to businesses, and trains corporate leaders and teams in the areas of Cross-Cultural Communications for corporate alignment to Vision. Kampen serves as 2015 President of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis. Contact info: Kampen Consultants, LLC 745 Craig Road, Suite 212, St. Louis, Missouri 63141. 888-887-6536. Martha@kampen.com; www.kampen.com
A
Population trends: Latinos in St. Louis
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Population trends: Asians in St. Louis
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Martha Garcia-Kampen: First-generation Mexican-American, Martha was raised bilingually and bi-culturally. Having studied in Guadalajara, Mexico, Martha launched her career in Hispanic Marketing to the U.S. With extensive experience in marketing research, planning and implementation, Garcia-Kampen provides generational and cultural strategic marketing consultation to businesses, educational development on cross-cultural communications and trains corporate leaders and teams in the areas of inclusion and diversity. Contact Info: Kampen Consultants, LLC 745 Craig Road, Suite 212, St. Louis, MO 63141. 888-887-6536. Martha@kampen.com • www.kampen.com
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Get to know your banker well: It’s more than a transactional relationship By Scott Favazza
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hoosing a bank for your business involves more than opening a new account at your personal bank or picking the branch office nearest your company. You need to understand what services you require and how much they cost. Ideally you’ll find a banker who will take the time to walk you through how to solve a problem, so you can go back to running your business. Still, some business owners may spend more time shopping for a $300 laser printer than they would shopping for a bank. We constantly hear that small business drives the economic engine in the United States. That is true. I view it more from a microeconomic level that small businesses are indispensable for any local community to thrive and grow. In St. Louis, we are fortunate to live in an area that encourages and attracts great entrepreneurial minds and talent. A growing and significant part of our region’s entrepreneurial force are members of the Hispanic community. A Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation survey released this spring found that immigrants and Latinos helped drive an uptick in
Business owners know they need a strong accountant, a strong business attorney and a strong business insurance broker. I also encourage you to add a strong banker to your bench of advisors. You need a team to watch out for your personal and business interests so you can focus on managing and growing your business. The kinds of banking services and products offered For starters, most banks regardless of size and structure, will offer a similar group of business products and services. What will set the banking experience apart for you is how strong your relationship is with your banker. Most banks will offer the following business products and services, which include:
Basic Services
Lending Services
Cash Management
Other
»» »» »» »» »»
»» »» »» »» »»
»» »» »» »» »»
»» »» »» »»
Checking account Business savings account Credit card Deposit-only card Discounted employee checking accounts »» Online banking 10
new business creation. The research found that the share of new Latino business owners climbed to 22.1% in 2014, from 20.4% in 2013 and just 10% in 1996. This compares to data showing that Latinos comprised 17.1% of the U.S. population in 2013, up from 10.6% in 1996.
Lines of credit Term-loans Commercial real estate Equipment leasing SBA loans
SUMMER 2015 HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Wire transfers Wholesale lockbox Merchant services Remote Deposit Security, internal control and fraud prevention
International banking Payroll Retirement accounts Insurance
There will be some products and services that differentiate a bank or its technology platforms. The key for you as the business owner is to find someone you know, like and trust to help manage your banking needs and help you implement your vision for long-term financial success and growth. It’s all about the relationship in banking and in life
A strong and growing relationship with your banker could make a difference in how your business grows. View your banking arrangements as a long-term relationship. Consider not just what you need immediately, but services you may require in 18 to 24 months. You want to find a banker who understands your business and industry, including your creditworthiness and your seasonal borrowing needs. Ideally, your banker will see a customer’s growing business as an opportunity to provide more useful services and will listen if you run into a financial emergency. Get referrals from your attorney, accountant and centers of influence. Ask why they chose to suggest a particular banker. What is it about the relationship they value? When networking for and interviewing with prospective bankers, there are a few items to keep in mind: Lending authority: You will want to ask if the banker has
lending authority. And find out what loan amount she/he can approve without checking with a manager or a review board. Banks of all sizes provide good customer service. You want to find someone you’ve clicked with and who you trust. Relationships are built with face-to-face interaction — it’s all about the relationship, not the transaction. Be prepared with current financials: Each business
owner is unique — length of time in business; annual sales, revenue, and profitability; number of employees; products and services offered; the industry of the business; and a variety of other factors. Before meeting with a banker or interviewing perspective bankers about a loan or line of credit, the following materials need to be prepared: »» P ersonal financial statement prepared by your accountant »» The past three years of tax returns
»» Two – three years of sales projections, and two –three years of sales growth numbers like a Profit / Loss statement prepared by an accountant »» A business plan is strongly recommended and usually requested for a start-up company. For an existing company, two – three years of tax returns are requested. If you need a loan or line of credit, understand why: Securing capital is a logical strategy to grow your business. Questions that a banker may ask include: »» How much money do you need to borrow? »» Why do you want the money, and how will it be used? »» What is the primary source that will generate funds to repay the loan? For example, selling a building, selling inventory, increased business, etc. »» How will the loan be secured? What type of collateral? »» Who will guarantee the loan? Knowing what you don’t know
Banks offer similar and yet very different business banking products and services. At Enterprise Bank & Trust, products and services we offer can help entrepreneurs save time, protect against fraud and increase cash flow. For example, fraud is one of the biggest challenges faced by individuals and businesses today. We have a product called Positive Pay Check, which reduces the risk of paying fraudulent checks and allows you to review and return unauthorized items. The point is to be aware that banks offer a variety of great products and services can help better manage and protect your business’ finances. The best way to learn about what a bank has to offer is to build a relationship with a banker. For me, there is a wonderful sense of satisfaction and professional accomplishment from offering solutions to clients and knowing that I’m helping grow their business, and they are helping grow our community. Do you have a business banker you know, like and trust? If not, go out and find one. Your business will thank you for it, and you’ll be glad you did it.
Scott Favazza: Enterprise Bank & Trust assistant vice president of business banking, works with clients to provide banking solutions for privately held businesses with revenues ranging from $1 million - $10 million. He works with current and prospective clients with identifying and incorporating customized banking solutions for each client’s specific needs. Scott can be contacted at 314512.7225 and sfavazza@enterprisebank.com.
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AMM Communications
Word-of-Mouth Advertising for Your Small Business
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egins with INSPIRATION. Think about how you have inspired your clients and customers recently. Perhaps they have given you an unsolicited recommendation on social media? Or better yet, a referral for a new client. Obviously, something that you said or some action that you have taken has inspired your clients or customer to become advocates for you. All things being equal, what separates you from your competitors is the personalized service that you provide. If you “go the extra mile” to provide customer service for your clients, that may result in them proactively recommending your company. But if you truly want word-of-mouth advertising, there is no harm in asking your clients for a referral or a testimonial on social media. You can also produce your own “news” by issuing your own press releases, when you have a particularly inspiring story of how your product or service helped a client by bringing in more business, making them more efficient, or saving them money! In order to cultivate word-of-mouth advertising for your small business, you should think about three immediate steps you can put into action: 1. Determine who are your raving fans 2. Understand the customer experience and tell a story 3. Know when to use a press release Go through your current and past clients and customers to determine who your raving fans are. Ask yourself, “Why did they become clients and eventually fans in the first
place?” There is probably some common thread between the products or services that you provided to these clients and why they keep coming back to you. If you think of Apple Inc. they have raving fans and a large user base of volunteers who are brand advocates for all things Apple, from iPads to their laptops. Next, put yourself in the customer’s place. Effective marketing and advertising means putting yourself in the other person’s shoes for a moment and finding out what inspires them. Then craft a good, simple story around that idea that highlights your product or service. If you craft an easy enough story for your clients to tell, they will do so and create word-of-mouth advertising for your business. They will be your greatest marketers! A final tactic that you can use to tie the customer stories and provide permanent reference for your raving fans, are press releases. In addition to creating a “buzz” in traditional media outlets, such as print, TV, radio, it more importantly stakes a claim for you on the Web. If you can weave testimonials about your product or service into your press releases in a natural way, this will go very far to increase your search engine optimization (SEO) which will drive potential clients to your website. Once potential clients and customers are on your website, this is an additional venue to inspire them through testimonials. Whatever steps you take, remember to inspire your audience to keep them coming back for more!
Ed Mayuga: A partner at AMM Communications, Public Relations Marketing and Training of St. Louis, Missouri , is an executive trainer in the areas of PR, business development, content marketing, internal communications, marketing, reputation management, search consulting, and social media. Founded in 2008, AMM Communications provides marketing communications services to small- and mid-sized companies, who want to sell more through promoting a brand. Ed can be contacted at (314) 4859810 or ed@ammcommunications.com. 12
SUMMER 2015 HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
F
amily owned and operated since 1960, Dot Foods serves as a link between food manufacturers that sell goods to distributors who in turn sell to restaurants, convenience stores, and other distributors across the country. Dot Foods offers 109,000 different items from 775 manufacturers— from canned corn to frozen chicken, crackers, cutlery and dinnerware. Dot’s unique position in the supply chain allows the company to deliver LTL (less than truckload) quantities of product with a short 2-3 day lead time. I have been working for Dot Foods for just over a year now as a District Sales Manager Trainee (DSMT). The DSMT role is a 12-18 month training program for anyone looking to begin a sales career at Dot. At any given time, there are between four and six DSMTs in the program, which allows for individuals to learn together as well as from each other. Being able to lean on other employees in the same program has a direct effect on my progress, as we rely on each other to help develop and advance our skills. As a DSMT, my time in the program is divided between two major components: 1) managing the Distributor Development Program and 2) training and development. The Distributor Development Program is a program designed to help train DSMTs on sales processes and etiquette, while benefiting our manufacturer partners. Each DSMT calls on distributor customers throughout the year to increase sales on behalf of a manufacturer partner—no cold calling is involved! By participating in these calls, I’ve learned the right questions to ask to uncover barriers to sales, customer service, and how to effectively manage my
time. I’ve also formed great working relationships with many distributors throughout the nation. Many of our customers appreciate the added touch and enhanced customer service this program offers! The training and development part of the DSMT program takes many different forms, which allows for a variety of activities. The training sessions vary week to week and include presentations, role play situations, game shows, partner quizzing, brainstorming sessions, and more! Training has been one of my favorite parts of the program, as it’s challenged me to think outside the box and explore areas and ideas that I’ve never explored before. It’s also pushed me to further refine skills I already have, such as my ability to listen and appropriately respond to the customer’s needs. DSMTs also have a chance to practice their presentation skills within the group, participate in role plays to sharpen skill sets, and learn Dot’s product offering. DSMTs also have multiple opportunities throughout the program to shadow current District Sales Managers in their respective territories. Since working for Dot, I’ve had the opportunity to travel every other month and get in front of customers across the country, answer questions, and see how the information I’m learning applies to actual customer situations. Dot’s District Sales Manager Trainee program has been the perfect start to my career and will without a doubt provide me with a solid foundation to continue to build upon in the future! I encourage you to explore career opportunities at Dot Foods at www.DotFoods.com/careers.
Melissa Mennenga began her career with Dot Foods as an intern at their corporate office in Mt. Sterling, IL in May of 2013. After graduating from Illinois College with majors in Management and Organizational Leadership, Communication and Rhetorical Studies, and a Spanish minor in May of 2014, she relocated to St. Louis to continue her career in sales as a District Sales Manager Trainee at Dot Foods.
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Increasing Opportunities for Universidad Ya!
If you don’t empower immigrants, you are not empowering the country.
With a program as admirable as Universidad Ya!, it is no surprise that Virginia Braxs, professor at Washington University, is paving the way for higher education within the Latino community. Universidad Ya! is an educational initiative that provides Latino students, regardless of their status, with various resources and services to prepare for college.
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SUMMER 2015  HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Universidad YA! A Task force of the Hispanic Arts Council of St. Louis
www.hispanicartscouncilstl.org
Ms. Braxs started volunteering with the Latino youth 20 years ago and has been a prominent activist since. She noticed that the Latino community had very little access to higher education and has since strived to help them have a promising future in America. As the president of the Hispanic Arts Council, she established Universidad Ya! in hopes of “educating Latino families on how the higher education system works.” In August, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce had the pleasure of donating ten laptops to Universidad Ya! The HCC heard about Braxs’ ambitions for the program and was excited to assist. Not only does she strive to attract more Latino students and families, she also explained her vision of implementing the laptops at the Hispanic College Fair. The Hispanic College Fair is the only bilingual college fair in the region and attracts 350-400 participants from the bi-state area. One of the most unique aspects of this college fair is that it provides education for parents in Spanish. The parents receive information on the best ways to support their children through the college process. Therefore, a larger demographic has been able to participate and benefit from these unique services. With many students in attendance, the laptops will help encourage and assist students to complete their FAFSA applications during the college fair. Braxs also mentioned how valuable the laptops will be for their after-school program. The after-school program is hosted at St. Cecilia’s Church and strives to assist in various aspects of the college planning process. She states, “The Latino youth has had little access to higher education and the
cycle of ‘not knowing’ will continue if we don’t help them have a future in America.” Thus, this platform will administer ACT preparation courses, assistance with college applications, and access to scholarships in hopes of educating more Latinos and promoting the importance of education. Virginia’s passion for higher education throughout the Latino community has fostered a powerful message: “If you don’t empower immigrants, you are not empowering the country.” Braxs’ efforts are endless and her obstacles are substantial when it comes to the immigration status of some of her students. One of the many hardships that undocumented students face is the cost of college tuition. “Now undocumented students are allowed to attend college, but they are expected to pay the tuition rate of an international student,” states Virginia. This has created a significant hurdle for undocumented students and the need for financial assistance is even more prevalent now. Thus, “One of the biggest challenges that the program faces is finding more scholarships for students,” reports Virginia Braxs. Braxs hopes to discover more businesses willing to help establish a scholarship fund and participate in the Hispanic College Fair, so Universidad Ya! can continue to support Latino students as they further their education. If you are interested in scholarship development, the Hispanic College Fair, monthly events, learning more about Universidad Ya! or volunteer opportunities, please visit wwwhispanicartscouncilstl.org for more information and a monthly events calendar for Universidad Ya!
LEFT: Prof. Virginia Braxs and Mr. Karlos Ramirez. RIGHT: Universidad YA! team: [Left to right] Maria Rebecchi, Program Director Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis, Lic. Gustavo Arango, Immigration Lawyer & Prof. Virginia Braxs, President of the Hispanic Arts Council of St. Louis, Ms. Gloria De Avila, College Student, and Mr. Karlos Ramirez, Executive Director of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of the St. Louis Metropolitan Area presenting the check at the 1st Hispanic College Fair at St. Cecilia School, in south St. Louis organized by Universidad YA!, an education initiative from the Hispanic Arts Council of St. Louis.
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C o r p o r at e S p o n s o r s
3611 South Grand Boulevard Suite 105 St. Louis, MO 63118 • www.hccstl.com • 314.664.4432
PLATINUM
Anheuser-Busch, Inc. Centene Corporation
United Way of Greater St. Louis
Nestlé Purina Regional Business Council
SILVER
BRONZE FRIEND Armstrong Teasdale LLP AutoZone BMO Harris Carrollton Bank Citrus Springs Commerce Bank Dot Foods, Inc. Enterprise Bank & Trust Enterprise Rent-A-Car Facilitec Corporate Furnishings Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Fifth Third Bank Garcia Properties Guarantee Electrical Company Home Depot
Lindenwood University Lodging Hospitality Management LUXCO, Inc. Madrina’s Ice Cream Major Brands McCormack Baron Salazar, Inc. Midwest BankCentre Mississippi Lime Company Missouri History Museum Montgomery Bank New York Life NextGen Information Services, Inc. Pangea Group People’s Health Centers Ranken Technical College
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