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In 2012, 1 out of every 6 Americans was Hispanic, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. By 2060, the organization predicts, that number will be 1 in 3.

Hispanic-owned U.S. businesses now stand at 3.1 million—boasting a 40 percent growth rate. And with the growth of the Hispanic community, the number of Hispanic entrepreneurs is increasing as well—especially Hispanics who immigrate to the U.S. A recent Kauffman study found that immigrants are almost twice as likely to be entrepreneurs versus native-born Americans. READ MORE AT CNBC

The thought of networking at conferences and industry events makes some entrepreneurs nauseous. If you go into it feeling uncomfortable, your results will be disastrous. Networking is a major part of being a successful entrepreneur, so it’s in your best interest to get good at it -- really, really good at it.

Here is a simple plan to make connections and unlock new opportunities by transforming into a networking beast.

1. Identify your goals before you even arrive at the event.
You should have all of your goals identified before the event.

• What are you looking to get out of the event?
• Are you there to prospect for leads?
• What attendees do you want to target?
• What speakers do you want to target? READ MORE AT ENTREPRENEUR

As an entrepreneur in the tech industry, I don’t want your charity. I want your investment.

To be clear, I have nothing against non-profits. I have been the President of Latino Startup Alliance and on the board of several other great cultural institutions and some of my best friends run great non-profits. But that is not the opportunity I am offering you. I am giving you the chance to make money.

I am asking for investment, which is defined by the all-knowing Google, as the action or process of investing money for profit or material result. If you are a savvy business person, you should be salivating at the opportunity to invest in those who can bring back great economic returns, i.e. material results.

That is why our process at Avion Tech is exacting. Latinas are making great products for mass markets that have traction and meet the needs of their customers. They need capital to scale and make great impact.

Top Four Reasons Why You Need To Be Investing in Latina Startups... READ MORE AT CALIFORNIA ECONOMIC SUMMIT

It’s a myth that people don’t get hired over the summer. Yes, people are on vacation, so hiring typically slows down as interviews are harder to schedule, but people do get hired. As a job seeker, this means that the summer is a great time to rev up your search – your competition may take time off, assuming a hiring slowdown.

Your hard-to-reach networking contacts may have a lighter, summer schedule and actually be reachable. Depending on your search goals, you might even have new opportunities because of the summer season. Here are three ways to tailor your job search activity for the summer... READ MORE AT TIME

“Latinos are actually changing the fabric of our society and the growth of our country,” said Abigail Golden-Vazquez, executive director for the Latinos and Society Program at the Aspen Institute.

Fifty-five million Hispanics live in the United States today, a number that is expected to double by 2050. It was a statistic revealed Saturday during an Aspen Ideas Festival discussion about the Hispanic demographic explosion in the U.S. READ MORE AT ASPEN DAILY NEWS

Hispanics reached a historic milestone in California last week: they are now the Golden State's largest single ethnic group, according to new U.S. Census estimates. The new data confirms projections made last year by California's Department of Finance. But while Hispanics make up 39 percent of the state's population, they still lag when it comes to voter turnout and political clout. READ MORE AT KQED

Everyone wants to reach new heights in their business, and networking is the answer to that. Networking is vital to building your business, and here are some easy tips to take your networking to the next level:

1. Make a good first impression
As most of us already know, the first impression is generally the last impression. So, it is essential you create a positive impression on the person. A handshake says a lot about a person. A firm handshake indicates a strong and confident personality. Also, make sure to remember the person’s name with and use it in the conversation. READ MORE AT TECH IN ASIA

With the United States encompassing the second-largest Hispanic population in the world accounting for 18 percent of the population — trailing only that of Mexico — it makes good business sense for every company's radar to be focused on the growing Hispanic marketplace.

Propelled by a U.S. Hispanic community that has grown 592 percent since 1970 and is expected to comprise nearly a third of the general populace by 2050, restaurant operations from coast to coast are targeting this exploding market in a big way — and hoping to tap into its estimated $1.3 trillion spending power. READ MORE AT RESTAURANT NEWS

Hispanic shoppers like Maria Creamer are a retailer's dream. She goes to the mall at least once a week to either window shop or buy clothes. "We like to shop a lot, and always look good," said the 51-year -old Puerto Rican with a laugh as she winds her way through a department store in downtown Stamford, Connecticut.

Latina women are fast becoming the new majority consumer, and the purchasing power they wield is making retail companies sit up and take notice.

"I don't care if it is from Walmart or Lord and Taylor, if I like it, I'll buy it," said Gembley Lucero, a 33-year-old mom. It does not surprise her to learn that Latinas are spending more than their non-Latina counterparts. READ MORE AN NBC NEWS

You may be tempted to unleash your fury in an email. After all, the format allows you to thoroughly cover your grievances—something that might not happen in the heat of the moment.

While email can allow you to avoid an awkward or heated in-person exchange, the for­­mat does little to re­­solve the conflict and move the relationship forward. Instead of lashing out on email, follow this advice:

• Don’t forget that you are ad­­dressing a person. When you’re hiding behind your computer screen, it is easy to write whatever you want because you don’t have to endure the other person’s confusion, anger or hurt feelings. READ MORE AT BUSINESS MANAGEMENT DAILY

Increased buying power and consumer loyalty are a few reasons to target U.S. Hispanics, but understanding the cultural nuances within this widely diverse market is essential for success.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Hispanic market is the single largest ethnic group in the United States and contributes one trillion dollars in buying power. Although they actively embrace new technology platforms, U.S. Hispanics are very loyal and regularly remain faithful to their roots, especially their native language. This type of behavior is known as acculturating, or incorporating traits from other cultures while also keeping traditional customs and native language close. READ MORE AT O'DWYER'S

The Latina segment of our population, particularly second-generation Latinas, is well positioned to enter the ranks of powerful leaders in the U.S. As the fastest-growing female demographic, Latina women will represent one in six individuals in the U.S. by the year 2050. With increasing college enrollments, often leading to the pursuit of advanced degrees, this ambitious, resourceful, and bilingual segment is offering up many of tomorrow's leaders. Further, Latina entrepreneurs own an estimated 1,033,100 businesses as of 2014, generating $71.1 billion in revenue and employing over 400,000 workers. A powerful force to be reckoned with! READ MORE AT INC.

The summer offers enormous potential to network and to build professional relationships.

The weather is generally kinder, and more people are inclined to be out and about. People tend to be happier, and happy people tend to be available and generous with their time.

The goal in networking is to establish strategic career-focused relationships. READ MORE AT THE STREET

Our thesis is that Hispanic students perform academically better when taught by Hispanics and that, therefore, Lone Star College must actively search for more qualified Hispanic teachers.

There is appreciable empirical evidence to document that Hispanics learn better from their own kind. We cite some of these sources. An NBER Working Paper reports: “The results of the test score evaluations indicate that exposure to an own-race teacher did generate substantive gains in student achievement for both black and white students. More specifically, these results suggest that a year with an own-race teacher increased math and reading scores by three to four percentile points ... for nearly all groups of students defined by race and gender.” Read more at The Courier

A new study found that nearly half of the Hispanics living in the United States aren't aware that they have high cholesterol. However, awareness might not even help because only a third of those who are aware take medications.

High cholesterol is known to increase one's risk of heart disease and stroke due to the fatty deposits or plaque that builds up in the walls of the arteries. Eventually, this build up can cause a blood clot that could block an artery to the heart leading to a heart attack.

Dr. Carlos Rodriguez of Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C., worked with his colleagues in reviewing the data of more than 16,000 Hispanics between ages 18 to 74 who visited clinics in San Diego, Chicago, New York and Miami from 2008 to 2011. READ MORE AT HNGN

More Latinos are now graduating with postsecondary degrees in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), but they continue to be significantly underrepresented in the total number of STEM credentials earned.

A new report released Wednesday by Excelencia in Education found that Latinos earned more STEM credentials across all academic levels—including associate, bachelor and graduate degrees—over the last few years. However, only 9 percent of STEM degrees and certificates went to Latinos in 2013.

The report lists the top 25 colleges and universities that are graduating Latinos in STEM. Those schools are primarily located in three states—California, Florida, Texas—and Puerto Rico. The majority of them are Hispanic-Serving Institutions, which means over a quarter of their student body is Hispanic. READ MORE AT NBC NEWS

Diligence and hard work, keeping your nose to the grindstone, will always pay off when seeking to land your next promotion or job opportunity, right? Actually, no.

This is not to suggest that such attributes are unimportant, but they are only components of success — not the end itself. Self-promotion is key, said Sharon Ranson, founder and president of the Ranson Group, at the recent Women in Investment Management Conference. Ranson moderated a discussion titled “Promote Yourself: Raise Your Visibility and Land Your Next Opportunity,” with Deb Brown of Russell Reynolds Associates and Tanya van Biesen of Spencer Stuart.

Self-promotion does not come as easily to women as it does to men, Ranson noted, so she created the acronym “PROMOTE” as a guide:

Purpose: You need to define what you want to achieve and what success looks like for you. READ MORE AT CFA INSTITUTE

Two recently released reports provide an enlightening picture of the state of higher education for Latinos in the United States. While there have been encouraging developments over the past 10 years, Latinos remain underrepresented and underserved across virtually all post-secondary education sectors, with many barriers to Latino higher education attainment -- and the accompanying life-long, generation-spanning benefits that could accrue -- remaining stubbornly in place.

The first report is a 2015 fact book, "The Condition of Latinos in Education," prepared by Excelencia in Education (EIE), which contains a wealth of information from early childhood education through graduate studies and into employment.

Data make it clear that Latinos will represent a greater and greater percentage of our students -- and thus our workers -- in the future. READ MORE AT HUFFINGTON POST

Most small businesses have no budget or marketing strategy. If you fall in this category, don’t worry there are ways to market effectively with little to no cost to you. However, once you get some money in, it is important to put together a marketing budget and a strategy so you may get greater results.

Here are 10 Small Business Marketing Tips to Help you Get Some Results.

1. Give Your Stuff Away

If you have the type of product or service, that once people try it, they will have to have more, then give it away, at the right places and the right times, to the right audience. Giving stuff away can be expensive, but if you have a strategy of where, when and who you want to do this for, along with a way for them to get more and for you to follow up, there could be not better way to have your prospects experience your product or service. READ MORE AT HUDSON VALLEY NEWS NETWORK

Latin America is a modern marketer’s dream, and not just because of its size. By 2020, nearly one out of every 10 dollars in the world economy will come from Latin America. The region will soon represent 10% of the global population and 9% of global GDP, with 640 million customers. It also has the fourth-largest mobile market in the world, with social media adoption even surpassing that of the United States. Positioned at the forefront of digital and mobile adoption, Latin America provides an interesting look into how new marketing trends are taking hold on a global scale.

At HubSpot, we conduct an annual global survey on the state of inbound marketing, which involves capturing customers’ attention with valuable content discoverable through social media and organic search — a more efficient approach to lead generation in the internet era than traditional “push” marketing efforts. READ MORE AT HARVARD BUSINESS REVIEW