The parade of the models with the designs created by the Colombian María Rangel successfully closed the outdoor exhibition of the Women’s Business Center of the non-profit organization, Nueva Economía para Mujeres (NEW-WBC), the weekend in Canoga Park.
Children, young women and women appeared on the red carpet of the catwalk of the event produced by NEW-WBC, an organization that cannot boast big budgets but that compensates their efforts with the desire to succeed in the business field.
In a single event, NEW-WBC leaders presented various programs: they showed to the public the products of 11 small businesses owned by women, micro manufacturers, independent designers and startups.
The Women’s Business Center (WBC) started more than two ago decades and right at the start of the covid pandemic – 19 was born NEW.
“The idea was to help women entrepreneurs in the midst of the situation we were experiencing” said Maria Rangel, NEW-WBC business manager. “In that year we opened the program in Spanish, restaurant management, mod, loans and grants.”
The challenge of NEW is to connect people with their own sense of power and economic mobility for women and families through entrepreneurship, housing, wealth creation and education.
“We do not function as a business, but through virtual support to women entrepreneurs with webinars. Ours is business education; if necessary, we have one-to-one consultancies, ”explains María. “Our website is where we have the webinars.”
To be part of NEW-WBC and receive full support and counseling services all year round, women only have to live in the county of the Angels.
If someone wants to start a business, they can access programs to make, precisely, a business plan, know the strategies necessary to be successful, develop a growth process for your company and consider a marketing process, among other important steps.
Success or failure will depend on what is go to make, be it jewelry, accessories, beauty products, clothing or others.
“To start, at least $ 2 is needed, 000 in order to comply with the legal part of the business, but there are loans and grants to which they can apply ”, said María Rangel.
“ Besides that, there are than having the desire and attitude of an entrepreneurial woman and the resilience to get ahead in a business.
Overcome adversity
In fact, María Rangel is a woman who overcame traumatic circumstances to get to where you are.
At 21 years, suffered from Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare autoimmune disorder in the that a person’s own immune system damages the nerves, causing muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis.
A doctor in her native Colombia told her that she would never walk again.
That news never discouraged her. It had the opposite effect on his mind. He recovered and overcame intensive care when his body became paralyzed and disconnected from the brain.
With $ 368 in her pocket and a two-month-old son, this single mother of 25 years came to the United States in 2016.
“ In this short time I have worked very hard, I met NEW where they helped me with diapers for my son and I was already able to buy my house ”, said the businesswoman.
She says that making dreams come true through NEW-WBC is possible, depending on the internal strength of the person “and a faith 100% in God ”.
“ You have to find the right people, not because they are going to may your dream come true, but because they will help you make it come true for yourself, and that’s what we do at NEW, ”she said. “You have to learn to know how to walk alone.”
Made in Los Angeles, business excellence
The NEW-WBC Fashion Show helps women, primarily women of color, plan, start and create a business through of their MADE IN LA (Made in Los Angeles) program.
“Our fashion industry program attracts entrepreneurs with good eye for aesthetics, a taste for diversity of colors and a spirit full of style “, said Ruth García-Corrales, director of NEW-WBC.
” Even though they are sometimes small In formal business training, we offer all of our free programs to help you in this area; it is events like these that allow us to continue helping to fulfill big dreams. ”
Viridiana Díaz is another successful small businesswoman. When she moved to London with her husband Jamie Robinson, she missed her native Nayarit, Mexico, and began to reconnect with her roots.
She did through manually weaving the art of beading and his company Peiote , an art of the Wixarika (Huichol) culture where their designs of multicolored earrings, necklaces or bracelets are unique and unrepeatable.
“I was just getting to know myself in London when we moved to Los Angeles for my husband’s job, “said the mother of three.
” I named my business Peiote because it is a cactus that grows on the Nayarit plateau, “she says. “For the Huichol, its flower is sacred and is used in ceremonies, cures, for communication between the earthly and divine world; It is the physical body of the spirit of the blue deer. ”
Viridiana pointed out that, although she is not yet generating earnings to retire, through ANE-WBC she has had the opportunity to train as a businesswoman, she has attended virtual seminars and has been able to attend events where she can teach the world her art.
For her part, + -Nita Márquez, owner from OnTheMarqUNeDITEd , a jumpsuit business or, monkeys, versatile pieces of clothing for any occasion announced that, as the creator of its models, what it aspires is that “any woman, from size 0 to 20 feels sexy anytime she dons one of my jumpsuits ”.
Nita commented that she started her business with just $ 20. It all started when she went to a fabric store in downtown Los Angeles and learned by herself how to make her creations; later his idea became a reality when he presented his models to a seamstress.
“My sales have improved and I hope they continue to improve,” said the woman, who is also a professional physical trainer, nutritionist, life coach, choreographer and saleswoman.
The model Cynthia Ramírez also participated in the parade on the red carpet, who did the catwalk in her wheelchair and was applauded by those attending the event.
“I am in charge of organizing the NEW website,” Cynthia told Real America News. “Women should know that there are great possibilities of success in their lives, as has happened with me.”
Indeed, NEW-WBC, an initiative of New Economics for Women (NEW), in collaboration with the United States Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Go-Biz Business and Economic Development Office, California , aims to help women entrepreneurs and business owners plan, start and create a business and grow existing businesses successfully.