Front row (left to right): Carmen Alvarez y Hortencia Tamayo (churros), Regina Vega (cleaning), Maricela Cornejo (restaurant), Lidia Sofia Anzaldo Lopez (peeled garlic), Lidia Borrayo (Mexican snacks), Maria Teresa Salazar (desserts), and Leticia Sandoval, WEV en Español Program Coordinator
Back row (left to right): Miguel Godinez (inventor), Angel Cruz (Mexican Bakery), Jose Luis Moreno Chavez (peeled garlic), Efrain Borrayo (Mexican snacks), Armando Sahagun (Instructor). Courtesy photo.
SANTA BARBARA — Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) recently celebrated the accomplishments of 11 women and men who successfully completed WEV’s Ventura County-based Advanced Spanish Self-Employment Training (SSET) course with a graduation ceremony held at National University in Oxnard.
After 14 weeks of training on topics including finances, marketing and sales, public relations and advertising, legal and insurance issues, record keeping, and how to write a business plan, these graduates completed the course with the necessary tools and support needed to start or expand their businesses.
“We are so proud of the dedication and passion these graduates showed in class,” said Leticia Sandoval, WEV Spanish Program Coordinator. “Even though some had to travel or come straight after a long day of work, they committed to doing the work and now have graduated with more confidence and the resources necessary to achieve their dreams. We can’t wait to see how far they can go!”
The graduates range from first-time business owners to those who have turned to WEV to help expand their existing businesses. Graduate businesses and business concepts include an inventor, housecleaning, catering, Mexican snacks, a wholesale food product, and more.
WEV en Español’s Self-Employment Training
WEV en Español, a program of Women’s Economic Ventures, provides two Spanish-language Self Employment Training courses in Ventura County. WEV’s Basics Course is a 4 week business readiness course designed to help women and men learn about the risks and benefits of starting a business and to determine if they are ready to start.
WEV also offers an Advanced 14 week Self Employment Training course for Spanish-speakers who wish to learn step by step how to start, improve, or grow a small business. The course is held once a week for 14 consecutive weeks. The next Advanced Spanish Self-Employment Training (SSET) course in Oxnard begins August 24th. Attending an orientation or setting an individual meeting with Spanish Program Coordinator Leticia Sandoval are required to enroll. Leticia Sandoval can be contacted at (805) 456-2341. The next orientation will take place:
• Thursday, July 14th, from 6:30PM-7:30PM in Ventura
Location will be given at time of RSVP and is subject to change. For more information or to register for the free orientation, call (805) 456-2341 or visit the website at http://www.wevonline.org/orientaciones/.
About Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV): WEV is dedicated to creating an equitable and just society through the economic empowerment of women. Since 1991, WEV has been providing a continuum of comprehensive services – training, consulting and loans – to help entrepreneurs start grow and thrive in business. WEV’s service area includes Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties, with offices in Santa Barbara, Ventura and Santa Maria. WEV provides start-up and expansion loans of up to $50,000 to pre-bankable microenterprises. For more information, visit WEV’s Web site at http://www.wevonline.org.