MIAMI, May 18, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — In an effort to uplift Latino-owned small businesses across the United States, Pitbull joined forces with Jeff Hoffman, the Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN), and founders Carolyn Rodz and Elizabeth Gore of Hello Alice to launch the Hispanic Small Business Center to help business owners through COVID-19. In addition to offering invaluable resources, mentorship and step-by-step guides, they are also actively fundraising and deploying $10,000 emergency grants to Latino entrepreneurs. Owners can apply for emergency grants HERE, and chosen applicants are awarded grants on a rolling basis as funds are raised.
“It’s an honor to partner with Jeff Hoffman, The Global Entrepreneurship Network (GEN) and Elizabeth Gore and Carolyn Rodz from Hello Alice to support grants to Latino Small Business owners across the United States,” said Armando Christian Perez (Pitbull). “We are here to help those who need it the most. We’re not here to talk about it, we’re here to be about it.”
The global pandemic has upended and ravaged corporations worldwide. However, its damage, disruption, and decimation of Latino entrepreneurship borders on irrevocable and irreversible. Of the 5,337 Latino business owners who have already applied for help at Hello Alice, 93% are asking for emergency cash assistance. 76% cite declining sales due to social distancing. Even with the recent extension of government PPP loans, the Center for Responsible Lending predicts that 90% of all applicants will or have faced rejection. Given this widespread rejection, statistics show only 9% of Latino small business owners could possibly receive PPP stimulus money. Since the beginning of COVID-19, one-in-four American small businesses have already shuttered and projections predict the closure of another 40% within the next month. Unfortunately, the Latin community’s companies are closing faster than that of any other demographic.
“As a Latina entrepreneur, I know success in business is a direct result of the social capital, financial support and mentorship that amplify our hard work,” says Carolyn Rodz, Co-Founder of Hello Alice. “This is why I am so committed to ensuring that every Latino-led business has the resources they need to give their businesses a fighting chance. Time after time, Hispanic entrepreneurs have proven they can do more with less, but we need to step in and offer them the resources they’ve long deserved.”
Alongside GEN and Hello Alice, a consortium of organizations have come together under the umbrella of the COVID-19 Business Resource Center to provide specific resources, mentorship and guides for support through the Hispanic Small Business Center.
To further uplift the Latino community and raise awareness for the Hispanic Business Center’s resources and emergency grants, GEN Chairman Jeff Hoffman and Pitbull created a PSA that reinforces the shared sentiment that together, we will win. View the PSA HERE.
Pitbull, GEN and Hello Alice are with every entrepreneur to ensure #BusinessForAll #Negocioparatodos during COVID-19. For more information, please visit www.covid19businesscenter.com/ and direct media requests to Christanna Ciabattoni, [email protected].
ABOUT HELLO ALICE:
Hello Alice (helloalice.com) helps businesses launch and grow. A free multi-channel platform powered by machine learning technology, Hello Alice guides business owners by providing access to funding, networks and services. Through a network of more than 100,000 companies in all 50 states and across the globe, Hello Alice is building the largest community of business owners in the country while tracking data and trends to increase owner success rate. Hello Alice partners with enterprise business services, government agencies, and institutions looking to serve small- and – medium-business owners to ensure increased revenues and to provide the best-possible experience for owners who want to start or grow their companies. Founded in 2017 by Elizabeth Gore and Carolyn Rodz, Hello Alice believes in business for all – by providing access to all owners, especially women, people of color, veterans, the LGBTQ+ community and persons with disabilities. Alice exists to serve every American with an entrepreneurial spirit.
ABOUT GLOBAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP NETWORK:
The Global Entrepreneurship Network operates programs in 170 countries aimed at making it easier for anyone, anywhere to start and scale a business. By fostering deeper cross border collaboration and initiatives between entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, policymakers and entrepreneurial support organizations, GEN works to fuel healthier start and scale ecosystems that create more jobs, educate individuals, accelerate innovation and strengthen economic growth. For details on the programs and initiatives that make up GEN, visit genglobal.org.
ABOUT PITBULL:
Pitbull invites disruption on a global scale as a GRAMMY®-winning independent international superstar, education advocate, business entrepreneur and motivational speaker. With countless awards, dozens of international number ones, hundreds of gold and platinum certifications, single sales of over 80 million, and cumulative views in excess of 15 billion, one of the most impressive careers in music history set the stage for him to make true change. Not only did he successfully help establish Sports Leadership Arts and Management (SLAM!) tuition-free public charter schools across the country, he was honored by the United Nations General Assembly on behalf of Clean Water Here; he is a partner in eMerge Americas, the annual tech and innovation summit held in Miami; and he was honored alongside music legends as well as Nobel Peace Prize and Pulitzer Prize winners at the 2019 International Achievement Summit. Pitbull and Horizon Media have partnered to launch 305 Worldwide, a new multicultural marketing agency. The first partnership secured through 305 Worldwide is Pitbull’s multiplatform marketing collaboration with Boost Mobile. Pitbull has performed for millions worldwide and even joined forces with the #1 life and business strategist, Tony Robbins, for numerous engagements around the globe. He maximizes his own creative, entrepreneurial and personal freedom yet again on the Latin album LIBERTAD 548 — his first project released independently under his own Mr. 305 Records on September 27, 2019.
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SOURCE Hello Alice
