We celebrate our
FIRST ANNIVERSARY Clakrsville
will speak English
4th Edition November - January 2018
If your dream is to have a restaurant, in Tennessee you can make it come true. We warn you that the process will not be simple, but you can begin to take note on what you need to get started.
you are trying to buy or rent have the zoning required for this type of business. The steps needed to obtain a commercial license can usually be found on the local government website.
1. Money
It will also be necessary to obtain a federal commercial license as well as a state commercial license if you will be selling alcoholic beverages in the restaurant.
Although it is something obvious, we want to highlight it. The kitchen equipment and installation services are expensive, in addition to the remodeling or construction that you must do to the premises. Obtaining a secured loan is the best option; however, it is advisable that you have a significant amount of money already saved.
3.
The Business License
Obtaining permits for the restaurant is one of the most important tasks. The lack of a license can delay the process for the opening of the place or cause future penalties. One of the first licenses that you must obtain is the commercial license and you must make sure that the premises
It’s not only the authorities that are responsible for overseeing the entire process of creating the restaurant; you must also have the approval of the neighboring community residing in the vicinity.
6. The Food Service License You must apply for a food service license with the county health department, which will send an official to the restaurant to inspect the place and verify that it is suitable for the handling and sale food.
7. The Staff
2. Location In terms of expenses and if you are new to the business, a lease is preferable to buying a property. Search the real estate market for rental properties. You must wait for a space that meets your expectations and service objectives.
5. Community Permission
4. Construction and Occupation Permits Once you have found a site you must process the construction permits and comply with all the codes and systems required for the proper functioning of the restaurant. Subsequently, the local building or zoning department of the city will issue a certificate of occupancy. This procedure is carried out according to the rules of each jurisdiction and the type of structure of the building where the restaurant will be located.
You will need to hire a chef, kitchen staff, waiters, a manager and other employees who will make the restaurant to function. As a company you will also have to obtain an Employee Identification Number, which is granted by the Internal Revenue Service.
8. Signage Permits Even the signs used to identify your restaurant and get the attention of the public need a permit from the local government. These permits state the measurements that the poster must have and other specifications related to the size, type of lighting used, location, etc..
For many Hispanics, especially for Dominicans, Tropicana Restaurant is the ideal place to try a meal like those made at home. Customers feel like they are home in their native country because Anyolina Valentin strives to create the typical home environment, preparing delicious recipes and making every person that visits feel special. Valentin’s story is like many who came to this city having some connection with the army. “My husband was in the army, and he had the idea of starting a business around 2003, but then the war came and he had to leave. At that time we had the plans, we had everything, and he wanted to leave the army when he got back from the war. I was alone, I didn’t have anyone. At the time my dad had a business in New York, and they decided to sell. We gave them the idea of them relocating here (Clarksville), we formed a partnership and opened the business between my dad, my husband and me. At that time we
had already been in Clarksville for six, almost seven years.” Valentin saw her children take their first steps in this business; Tropicana is a second home, and for her, this is another child for whom she has struggled and poured a lot of love into in order for it to grow and prosper.
First step After pinpointing the idea, the only thing left to do was getting to work; it sounds easy to many, but in reality, it was a lot more difficult than she thought it would be. “I didn’t know anything. It was my husband’s idea, but he had to leave. I was left alone with my parents and it was difficult because I had never run a business before. My parents had a grocery store, but a grocery store and a restaurant are not the same thing. We had employees that didn’t know how to cook food well, so we had to start cooking. I didn’t know how to cut meat the right way, I had to start from nothing, I didn’t know anything, if we did something wrong, we tried to correct it, and that’s how we did it, little by little....” Although her husband returned from the war, the business remained the same. “He left the Army, but it was a difficult transition because his life there is totally different from having a business. He then decided not to depend on the business but on other things outside of our company. And with the passing years, the business has remained the same as when we began: the homemade food, and all of us
working. I consider this to be a family business.
Always moving forward With an entire military base going to war, Tropicana Restaurant had to reinvent itself and look for ways to adapt. “It was difficult because when we opened, the base went to war, and we were not prepared. We depended a lot on the soldiers and we never thought that the entire base would be leaving. We had to teach the few remaining Americans about Hispanic food. It was difficult, but once they were hooked you gained a steady customer. Question and Answer 1- What is the best advice you can give to someone who wants to have a business of their own? First of all, they should consult with people who know. Many of the mistakes we made when we opened were because we didn’t have any advice. I would be in another place if I had the advice of a professional. When we opened, the person I had did not help me, so we made many mistakes. I didn’t have any business experience, my husband didn’t either, nor did my father, and we didn’t seek advice on time. I believe this is one of the keys to starting a business and being successful; you need a person who knows 100% of what you do not know.
· Why the name Tropicana? Because we come from a tropical and Caribbean place; so because of the tropics, my husband had the idea to give it that name.
2-As an entrepreneur, what are some of the joys that you have experienced? The greatest satisfaction is when a client comes who left five or six years ago and returns and Tropicana is there. I have struggled for my family; we have all struggled as a team and here we are. 3-How do you see Tropicana in a few more years? On top. Maybe not as fast as I would have wanted, but on top. The difference between where we started and where we are today is like night and day.
A new year has come and for some of us flying by faster than we hoped it would. Do you remember your resolutions for the New Year? Have you realized that you have to put in some hard work in order to be able to carry out your resolutions? It could be that you have already given up on that dream of losing weight, saving money, or trying to make this world a better place. Have you stopped to think that the reason you lost your passion for these things is because they just were not that fulfilling? Maybe, there is something else in your life that might be needing a fresh start. God created us and He created us with a purpose. Our purpose in life is to bring God glory in everything that we do. Our very being is honoring the One that gave us life. I do not know where you are in your relationship with God, but the following recommendations are for non-
believers and mature Christians. Regardless of where you are at, you can use some freshening up. So how can you have this fresh start? First, submit to God. Decide to whole-heartedly follow Him in love and obedience. Second, begin to study the Word of God. You can do this by reading the Bible for yourself, or attend a church that offers bible studies. Third, begin to serve a cause bigger than yourself, start by serving a nonprofit organization or the church that you are attending. Believe me, there are plenty of things you can do to help out. The key is not to just sit there and wait to be asked to do something. Last, share your faith. Our testimony is not to be kept for ourselves, it is meant to be shared with others. There are a lot of people just waiting to hear how God is moving in the lives of people all around them.
Keep this in mind‌. It is never too late to start a new.
The event was held at the First Baptist Church of Clarksville, with the presence of entrepreneurs and friends who have supported this project in one way or another, and whose main purpose is to help the Hispanic community carry a positive and educational message, showing the hardworking and enterprising side of this community that continues to make important gains in this country on a daily basis.
An opportunity to try a delicious meal of local restaurants such as La Laguna, Tropicana, Los Márquez and Soledad de Bracamonte, supported by logistics by Méndez Trucking and America Rental. In the photos was as always the team of The Rouge Caravane Photography and Makeup in Clarksville, Tn. María Jiménez, in charge of public relations for the company, commented “this project is made to help the community, it is so that we can all spread and publicize our businesses, our work and at the same time be able to help each other”. Hispanos Emprendedores continues to grow, as its creative director David Bracamonte says “this project continues to grow and we already have in the oven
two new tools such as a mobile app for Hispanos Emprendedores and a Hispanic online Radio” which would mean a second stage of growth in this project. Diego Gómez (Torta Man), Antonio Murgas (Domino’s), José Valerio (Penn Mutual) and Andrew Ruud (US Bank) were speakers at night, where they could share about their work experiences and what their companies offer to the Hispanic market today. Hispanos Emprendedores currently has 5,000 printed editions (quarterly), website and social networks that is available to all companies that want to publicize their work.
By : Aida Medina
January 2, 2018 CLARKSVILLE, TN - Shortly after arriving in the United States with my three-year-old daughter, I felt the need to begin, as my mother did with me, to instruct my daughter in the written language. So, I started giving her writing exercises almost every day after breakfast. The main objective was to teach her to read and write Spanish. At the time, I had no teaching knowledge, but I felt that, as a mother, it was my responsibility to educate my daughter. At night we would read stories before going to bed or, in the absence of books in Spanish, which in those times were scarce, I would make up stories. After all, these efforts were giving wonderful results.Two years after arriving in the United States and the “height of Spanish at home” (which lasted about two years), my daughter entered Kindergarten speaking little English. However, she quickly adapted to her new Anglo-Saxon environment and finished primary school with good grades. In high school, she was an outstanding
student in all subjects. Her daily complaint was boredom at school because, having finished the activity assigned by the teacher, she had to wait for her classmates to finish their work. Years later, she obtained a university degree and thanks to Spanish, she has done very well in her career. My grandchildren, who were born in the United States and have never left the country, speak and write Spanish at their level. With them, the experience has been very different for countless reasons that are only relevant in academic research. However, to a certain extent, I think I won the battle because there was someone who assured me that this was impossible because English was going to always predominate. English predominates, of that there is no doubt. But Spanish (even with the simultaneous study of other languages), can be kept active alongside English. Nowadays, with the age of the technology there are great advantages and disadvantages in the learning of the language. However, with a defined goal, a
In 2017, I wrote two books for children Sapidus and Spanish Easy Reader: La luna la loba, with the idea of bringing you a new and authentic material that allows you to undertake the task of teaching Spanish in your homes.
strong willpower and patience, the dream of perpetuating the language and helping one’s children to keep their roots alive and to compete effectively in the labor market, becomes a reality. By this I simply mean, that you do not need a Spanish teacher’s degree to teach your child. You can do it if you wish. I say if you wish, because, although I do not share the idea, I respect the position of some parents who, when they arrive in the United States, consider that their children should adapt, first and foremost, to their new environment and focus all their efforts on the English. Here is a list of books that can help you with reading at home. Consider your child’s level (of Spanish) when selecting the material for reading.
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ONE YEAR! It seems easy to say, but like we always tell all the entrepreneurs we advise, starting is difficult but it’s even more difficult to stick with it. We have seen the fruit of hard work, of doing quality work, of giving space to those who deserve it, of promoting businesses, of working for the community and of doing everything wholeheartedly. Last year we set out to be a means of communication for our Hispanic community, and we are accomplishing it. Every day more and more people talk about Hispanos Emprendedores and more businesses, institutions, and friends want to belong to this project. This year our goal is to place the commercial directory on the website and on social networks, we want to have all of the city’s commercial premises and be the first guide in Spanish in the city. As usual, we hope for all of your support, we are very grateful, and we hope to continue working successfully on this wonderful project. Thank you, from all of us at Hispanos Emprendedores.