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The influence of Latinas in business has expanded exponentially in the last decade. Hispanic women from all walks of life are opening businesses, increasing their influence in the corporate world and attaining major strides in government and the non-profit sector. However, just a few make it to the top, breaking the infamous glass ceiling that prevents brilliant Hispanic women from sitting in corporate boardrooms.

These five most influential Latinas board directors sit at the big table in high ranking Fortune 100 companies (HACR data 2012). They have had their fair share of trouble, failures and controversy but evidently they have managed to climb the ladder and be considered as prominent leaders in the corporate world. READ MORE

With a name like Chiqui Cartagena, you can't escape the fact that you're different from your classmates in school. From the first grade on, I was constantly looked down upon and treated differently -- and sometimes not so nicely.
I'm an Army brat. My father was a decorated veteran of the Puerto Rican 65th Infantry Regiment that bravely fought in the Korean War. When he left the armed forces, he became a corporate executive for General Electric in Spain, which is where I grew up from the age of 6 until I was 21 years old.

When I came to the U.S. to finish my education and became a journalist, I was fascinated by how little people really understood Latinos. So I have spent my whole professional life helping my fellow Americans understand who we are. READ MORE

An estimated 1.4 million or 4.3 percent of Latino/a adults identify as LGBT and 29 percent of Latino/a same-sex couples are raising children, according to a report released this week by the Williams Institute at the University of California Los Angeles.

The estimated 146,100 Latino/a individuals in same-sex couples tend to live in areas where there are higher proportions of Latinos/as. A third of Latino/a same-sex couples live in New Mexico, California, and Texas.

Nationally, Latino/a individuals in same-sex couples are faring better than Latinos/as in different-sex couples. Twenty-six percent of all Latinos/as in same-sex couples have completed a college degree or more, compared to 14 percent of Latinos/as in different-sex couples.

But the data evidence that there are subgroups within the Latino/a LGBT community that are more socioeconomically vulnerable. READ MORE

Elgin Area School District U-46 is the state's second-largest, and one of the most diverse — 68 percent of its more than 40,000 students are ethnic minorities.

But they're being taught by mostly white teachers. That's reflected in a 45.7 percentage point gap between the portion of minority students and that of minority teachers.

While that makes U-46 near the top of suburban school districts with the biggest gaps in diversity between students and teachers, the district is hardly alone, a Daily Herald analysis of statewide school data shows.

Among suburban school districts, these diversity gaps range from a 10 to 75-percentage-point difference. READ MORE

Madison has had a chamber of commerce for Latinos for 10 years, but a spinoff group with a narrowed mission was launched formally Wednesday night.

While the existing Latino chamber has primarily focused on the needs of entrepreneurs, the new group is aimed at helping Latino professionals connect and develop their careers.

The Latino Professionals Association of Greater Madison kicked off at the Monona Terrace Convention Center with an extensive program before a crowd of more than 200.

Claudio Diaz, president of the new association, has helped lead it and spoke at the event. Diaz is chief human capital officer for Wipfli, a large accounting and business-consulting company. Here are excerpts from an interview prior to Wednesday night’s gathering: READ MORE

As we continue to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and commemorate the Hispanics who are making history and opening doors for the community, I thought it was important to take a closer look at those mujeres who are using social media to empower, mentor, and improve the life of other Latinas.

For those of us who are building our businesses with social media platforms, there are a few women who stand out. Thanks to their hard work and the belief that together we can go places, these leaders have helped develop a community of Latinos and Latinas that is constantly growing and thriving.

There are also the women who advocate for important causes, using their platforms to educate about special needs and other conditions that are surrounded by myth, lack of information, and stigma. Each one of these women have touched me, taught me, and empowered me in more ways than I could imagine. That’s the reason I want to recognize them here, even if in a small way.

As you can imagine, these seven women are not the only Latinas making an impact using online platforms; there are many others who are continuously improving and touching people’s lives. I’m sure you probably know other Latinas and Latinos that are making a difference in your own community — those heroes touching lives “behind the scenes” that you rarely see on TV or anywhere else. READ MORE

Poor is the business man who hires for staff uniformity or the business woman who wishes she could clone herself in order to maintain quality control. Not only would they be poor in spirit but they would likely be short on profitability as well. This is because workplace diversity is no longer some touchy feely initiative that is ‘good to have’. It has become a business imperative with hard evidence proving that the world’s most profitable companies are businesses who have made diversity core to their operations and philosophy.

True corporate diversity is more than simply the workforce profile; it also refers to a company’s customers and business partners. You can determine a company’s commitment to workplace diversity by measuring the value it places on differences rather than fitting in. While you may assume that I am referring to differences in ethnicity when I refer to diversity, it is important to recognize that diversity in the workplace encompasses all of the following: gender, sexual orientation, national origin, education, marital status, primary language, religion, disability, social-economic status and age. READ MORE

How is it that, in a time where total marketing and economies of scale are all the rage, you can still find Good Housekeeping, Women's Day and Family Circle magazines targeting… mothers? Aren't all mothers the same? Why not just one magazine targeting them all?

Because publishers, like marketers, know that in segmentation exists a kind of magic. We can talk to consumers generally, but with messages that can make individuals feel as if the material were crafted just for them. "OMG," they'll say, "that's so me!"

Total-market approaches are less effective in some segments than others, and "mothers" is one of those segments. READ MORE

Latinos are some of the biggest consumers of social media in the U.S., but when it comes to developing the technology, the numbers aren't very high. Host Michel Martin speaks with Oscar G. Torres, who is hosting hackathons to encourage Latino innovation. READ MORE

CBS Interactive’s CNET launched a Spanish-language tech news site – CNET en Español – aimed at Hispanic consumers in the U.S. in partnership with Sofia Vergara’s Latin World Entertainment.

Latin World Entertainment, the Hispanic talent management and entertainment-marketing firm Vergara founded with Luis Balaguer, will work with CNET on sales, distribution and marketing efforts, along with talent acquisition. Wireless carrier T-Mobile USA has signed on as a year-long charter sponsor for the website.

“CNET is a pioneer in web publishing, and CNET en Español marks the most significant extension of the brand since our founding 18 years ago,” CNET general manager Mark Larkin said in a statement. READ MORE

Developing good personal and professional habits can help us go through tough times with less stress and more productivity. Maybe we need to make decisions about our lives or careers, or simply be motivated at staying on track. Those are times when tension and pressure mount.

Two highly influential Latinas, Dr. Maria Hernandez, PhD, co-founder of LatinaVIDA™, and Yvonne Garcia, National President of ALPFA, shared their best habits that help them keep on top of their best game.

Four good habits to keep in mind

Dr. Hernandez, a worldwide consultant to Fortune 100, public entities and non-profits for almost 20 years, believes the first and foremost good habit is to take care of oneself.

“When we are worried or stressed out, we tend to overwork ourselves thinking that putting more hours will make a difference. So we end up tired, unable to think straight and be productive. My advice is to exercise and get the necessary sleep,” she said to VOXXI. “Without feeling well, it is difficult to stay motivated.” READ MORE

Despite recent outflows of capital from emerging markets, private equity and venture capital in Latin America expanded by all measures in the first half of 2013, with an increase in fundraising, investments and exits as compared to the same period in 2012, according to data released this month by the Latin American Private Equity and Venture Capital Association ( LAVCA). In the first half of 2013, firms raised $3.8 billion with final or partial closings for 36 separate funds, representing a 100 percent increase compared to the same period last year when $1.89 billion was committed through 10 final or partial closings.

Other findings: Overall, private equity and venture capital fund managers invested a total of $2.9 billion through 108 transactions. Information technology deals in Latin America were up 21 percent; consumer retail saw a 44 percent increase; and the energy sector also rose, READ MORE

It's no secret that more and more people are speaking español in the United States, but what you probably didn't know is that in the future more of those Spanish speakers will not be Hispanic.

That's right -- as immigrant families become more established here, future generations will follow the pattern of previous immigrants from Europe and Asia and stop using their native language.
But at the same time, non-Latinos will be learning Spanish and helping their kids to grow up bilingual because they want to pass on what they learned in school, take advantage of business opportunities or even because they have a Spanish-speaking spouse.

"On the one hand, the number of Spanish speakers is projected to grow to about 40 million by 2020 (from 37 million in 2011.) This reflects Hispanic population growth and a large number of non-Hispanics who will also speak Spanish," said Mark Hugo Lopez, director of Hispanic Research at the Pew Research Center. READ MORE

When it comes to assessing market trends and identifying growing contingencies of potential fans, the NFL is on top of its game. From September 15 through October 15, the NFL will recognize Hispanic Heritage Month by engaging in league-wide and team-sponsored initiatives focused upon the Hispanic community.

The month-long celebration comes in the wake of significant research depicting the fast and significant growth of the Hispanic population–and associated spending power–in the United States. According to 2010 Census data, between 2000 and 2010, the United States’ Hispanic population increased by 15.2 million. This number represents over half of the United States’ total population growth during the decade. READ MORE

Arizona’s Hispanics spend more than $43 billion on goods and services each year, according to this year’s DATOS: The State of Arizona’s Hispanic Market report published by the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The final report is scheduled for release at a breakfast conference at the Phoenix Convention Center on Sept. 24.

Meanwhile, here’s a little glimpse of what the Hispanic market has been doing in Arizona: 62 percent of Hispanic business owners in Arizona said they planned on expanding their business during the next few years. A higher percentage of U.S. Hispanics than non-Hispanic Whites (69 percent vs. 67 percent) entered college in 2013. READ MORE

They make up a big chunk of the Chicago population and getting bigger all the time.

According to the U.S. Census, there were 784,000 Hispanics in Chicago, which is nearly 29 percent of the population here. CBS 2’s Dorothy Tucker found out more and more are going into business for themselves.

The introduction video for the Chicago Fire was produced a small Chicago firm located in the River North community and owned by Mexican-American, Patricia Aguilar.

Aguilar shows off her work at the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce National Convention where eager owners look for new clients.

“This has been tremendous. To be exposed to Fortune 500 companies in one location is absolutely mind boggling,” said Aguilar. READ MORE

The South Atlantic region in the U.S., which includes Florida, is expected to be one of the fastest growing regions for Hispanic-owned small businesses through the end of this year, according to a study released this week.

The region, which spans from Maryland through Florida along the Atlantic coast, was home to 570,200 Hispanic-owned businesses in 2007, according to the report published by Geoscape, a firm specializing in multicultural business consulting, and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

That number is expected to increase to 866,000 by the end of 2013, growth of more than 52 percent, according to the report.

That’s the second highest rate of growth of the 10 regions identified by Geoscape, behind the East South Central region that encompasses Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Mississippi. The growth there is projected at 59 percent.

Bernal Alvarez, owner of BLAST Auto Service in Cape Coral, said he has witnessed the growth locally since opening his business more than 22 years ago. READ MORE

Many Hollywood celebs know the advantages of being bilingual, especially Latino stars who embrace their Hispanic heritage and proudly speak their native Spanish language.

Salma Hayek, Sofia Vergara, Shakira, Ricky Martin, Penelope Cruz, William Levy, Antonio Banderas, Daisy Fuentes, Thalia and Marc Anthony are some of the approximately 60 mainstream celebs that remain true to their Latino roots by speaking Spanish, according to Latina Magazine.

Are they just following a hot trend? Is it fashionable to be bilingual and speak Spanish? Maybe it is, but this is not the reason why it is good to be bilingual.

The top three spoken languages in the world are: Mandarin Chinese with 882 million speakers; Spanish with 325 million speakers; and English with between 312-380 million speakers. Being bilingual in English and Spanish opens a world of opportunities. READ MORE

Nielsen's report, 'The Latina Power Shift,' unveiled noteworthy data profiling Latinas as an emerging influential group of women in this country. The report highlights their significant strides in educational pursuits, career development, economic power, technology adoption, and cultural retention.

This is certainly exciting news for companies and brands coveting the contemporary Latina consumer, the key driver of the Hispanic market's $1.2 trillion annual buying power. But the data undeniably begs a very important (but often neglected) question Latinas must ask themselves, individually and collectively.

The BIG Question

The implications of the U.S. Latina demographics reaches far and beyond the marketing interests of companies targeting the rising Latina. In essence, the 'Power Shift Report' is a data-driven call to action to Latinas from all corners of this country, to actively engage in a collective think tank around the following question: READ MORE

Hispanic-owned businesses have nearly doubled over the last decade, a rate more than twice than the average national business growth rate during that period, according to a new study released Friday.
The study, commissioned by the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in conjunction with Geoscape, a company that crunches demographic data, analyzed Census stats to project that the count of Hispanic-owned businesses in the country has skyrocketed to 3.2 million, up from nearly 1.7 million in 2002.
The business trend reflects the spike in the country’s Latino population — now up to 53 million. The chamber’s study showed Latino businesses grew on average at nearly 7 percent annually from 2007 to 2013, compared to the average 3 percent overall business growth rate. READ MORE