Negocios Now

www.negociosnow.com Agosto 2023 19 By David Steinkraus W hen you step off the plane for this year's conference in Orlan- do, you'll notice the entertain- ment, of course — Walt Dis- ney World, Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando, and so on. But there is so much more to this central Florida economic powerhouse, said Gaby Ortigoni, president and CEO of the Hispanic Chamber of Metro Orlando. "Although well known for our incredible tourism, cen- tral Florida is among the top two regions in the nation for small business growth," she said. Hospitality and leisure account for only 20% of the local economy, she added. The rest is a diverse mix of businesses such as technolo- gy, financial technology, and construction. In June, the Orlando Busi- ness Journal reported that metropolitan Orlando ranked fifth in the nation for month- over-month increases in new technology job postings. On top of that, Ortigoni said, the Lake Nona area is southeast of Orlando, one of the city's fastest-growing and most technologically advan- ced parts. Also, many local small businesses also hold contracts with the U.S. Defen- se Department and other federal agencies. CHALLENGES With growth has come obsta- cles like those that other com- munities face. "We have a major challen- ge with affordable housing, and I think it's because of how popular this area has beco- me," Ortigoni said. The Orlando region does not have the salaries of Cali- fornia or New York, she said. So people coming into the area, or investors from other countries, bring greater resou- rces and buy homes for cash, sometimes for thousands of dollars over the listed price, she said, making it difficult for working-class people to find housing. Reliable public transpor- tation is also an issue; it's not uncommon for a person without a vehicle to have a four-hour one-way commute. She said that a county pro- posal to invest in transpor- tation failed, and she added that she hopes the commu- nity will eventually realize the long-term benefit beyond the immediate tax impacts of such proposals. SUPPORT FOR BUSINESS During the past 20 years, Orlando's local governments and private entities have cooperated strategically to support small businesses, Ortigoni said, especially minority-owned businesses. In 1997, the chamber helped found an organization called Prospera to provide bilin- gual assistance to Hispanic entrepreneurs who want to start or expand a business. Prospera has expanded its services beyond Florida to include Georgia and North Carolina. "When it comes to immi- gration, we know we're going through some tough chan- ges right now," Ortigoni said. "We have stricter legislation at the state level. However, in central Florida, we have about 1,000 people moving here every week to become residents of our region. Many of them come from other countries." She said that the Hispa- nic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando helps the international business com- munity by giving it access to commerce, coaching, and community development opportunities. The cham- ber is also part of the Natio- nal Entrepreneur Center in Orlando, she said. This ini- tiative houses 14 small busi- ness resource partners under one roof. Each participating organization offers low-cost or free programming to help local business owners pros- per. A NEW CHAMBER As a result of the COVID pan- demic, the Hispanic Cham- ber reinvented many of its programs and services. When the pandemic came, Ortigo- ni said, all chambers of com- merce faced a crisis. Histori- cally, they were the best way to network, she said. But the pandemic and the technolo- gical changes that came with it showed that chambers were not the only option for net- working. As the pandemic took hold in 2020, membership began decreasing, she said. "Luc- kily, we were really able to change our business model." In the confusion of the early pandemic, she said, cham- ber leaders decided the best solution for the moment was to provide business owners with information from relia- ble sources. So the cham- ber presented programs, This year's conference host: a vibrant, thriving, friendly central Florida region Negocios Now exclusive interview with Gaby Ortigoni, president and CEO of the Hispanic Chamber of Metro Orlando, on the eve of the celebration of the 44th edition of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) National Conference in Orlando, Florida, at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort from September 24-26. NegociosNow NegociosNow Latinas in Business

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