Latino entrepreneurs make their way in Trinidad and Tobago

LATINO entrepreneurship is on the rise, with several businesses exploring the economic opportunities Trinidad and Tobago has to offer.

With each passing day, more micro-and-small businesses are opening, targeting a mixed clientele of the local population and fellow Latino immigrants.

From restaurants to beauty salons, decoration, construction, mechanics, carpentry, electricity, clothing stores, shoes and accessories, these businesses are adding to the expansion of the local economy.

Many Venezuelans, Cubans, Dominicans and Colombians living here have opened their own businesses, intending to invest their savings and not depend on a salary.

One such entrepreneur is Jhonitza Marcano Tovar, a 35-year-old Venezuelan who has been in TT for seven years with her three children and husband.

Upon arriving in TT, she worked in different areas looking for a livelihood for her family.

In 2021, after taking several manicure courses and reaching the master's level (the most advanced in her field), she decided to start her own nail business.

She rents a small commercial space on the Caroni Savannah Road, Charlieville.

"In my previous jobs, I was humiliated several times and was poorly paid. That prompted me to improve myself and have my own business where I could develop my ideas and my talent," Tovar said.

She started her business from home, serving her friends and family, who recommended others – immigrants and locals – allowing her business to grow through "word-of-mouth."

With her growing clientele, Tovar was able to save money and expand her business. Renting a space brought her more work.

At home, she served five people weekly. Now she receives around 20 clients per week.

Her extensive clientele allowed her to expand her services and bring onboard Kimberlyn Garcia who does pedicures.

Both believe working together as a team makes them even stronger entrepreneurs. They aspire to go further and open other beauty services such as styling and cosmetology.

"We are focused on beauty for both women and men. Let us be an example that immigrants are hard-working people with a great desire to improve," said Garcia.

With a similar success story is entrepreneur Yormando Ruiz. Ruiz is a Venezuelan national who has lived in TT since 2017 with his wife and three children.

He opened his woodworking business: Los Compadres, in Felicity, Chaguanas.

"We do all kinds of woodworking such as kitchens, closets, vanities, TV stands, tables and everything the client has in mind to develop."

Unlike Tovar, Ruiz decided to invest his savings into opening his independent business.

"Before the covid19 pandemic, we were already working in carpentry for a home construction company. My boss Patrick Lall supported me at all times and thanks to that I was able to buy my tools and equipment. In 2021, I decided to become independent and thank God we have been growing."

Ruiz shared how hard it was for him to open his business. "From our salary, we had to pay for services, rent, food, help the family in Venezuela and save for the purchase of tools, but we focused on having our own family business and here we have it."

He is grateful because a large part of his clientele is local.

"Little by little we are showing our work and local people like it. We are proud of the growth and of being able to contribute to the development of the TT economy."

Another popular Latino business that is gaining momentum in TT is decorations. On Latino social media accounts, you can see countless offers of this type of business.

One such decorator is Deilyn Bracho. She has been TT since 2019 and four months after arriving here she began to promote balloon decorations. Something she already did in Venezuela and continued here.

Unlike Tovar and Ruiz, Bracho was forced to become independent from the beginning to provide for her three young children.

"My children were small and I didn't have a trustworthy person to take care of them, and paying a nanny for three children would be a lot of money. My husband worked and that gave me confidence to start a business from home. Little by little, I was gaining both Latino and local clientele."

Bracho was part of a group of female Latino entrepreneurs who partnered to promote their businesses. This partnership helped them expand their brands and now they have clients in every corner of TT.

Just like them, hundreds of other businesses have started with the support of local people.