DIANA When she was studying microbiology in her native Colombia, Diana Loaiza dreamed of working in an environmental lab, protecting the oceans and caring for her natural surroundings. Diana took the LAA’s “Planifica tu Negocio” entrepreneurship course for Latina immigrants and she never looked back. Today she has an online business where she sells hand-crafted jewelry and accessories inspired by indigenous people in Colombia who live in the Putumayo region of the Amazon rainforest and other rural areas. “My target is women who like jewelry that is exclusive and exotic,” says Diana, who is a former model. “They want accessories that nobody else has.” One of the most valuable lessons from the “Planifica tu Negocio” course was how to calculate the value of each of the products she sells. She also learned how to compile and list her inventory. And she defined her target market. Diana spent hours on the Internet doing research to set up her business. She started selling on Etsy and she created her own website. Check out Diana Loaiza’s accessories at www.amazonianspirit.com Facebook: @AmazonianSpirit  Instagram: @amazonianspirit

REINA Reina Fierro’s flower shop has gone through many ups and downs since she acquired it in 2008. During a period of slow sales about a year ago, Reina, who had studied business administration in her native Venezuela, considered closing the shop. But then a friend told her about the LAA’s “Planifica tu Negocio” course for Latina entrepreneurs. Reina enrolled. The class changed everything for her. She became aware of resources at her disposal, including chambers of commerce, credit counseling agencies and other organizations that help small businesses. She switched to the QuickBooks software to keep track of her sales, inventory and expenses. She got better at managing her time better so she could focus more on social media and email marketing. But, most importantly, Reina concedes, the course made her feel better about herself, giving her the motivation to keep her shop open. “It’s time for me to do things differently,” she says. “I am not afraid to fail anymore.” Check out Reina Fierro’s flower shop at www.flowergardenatl.com

MARISOL A native of Puerto Rico, makes bar soap from scratch. In the fall 2015, she enrolled in the “Planifica tu Negocio” entrepreneurship course at the LAA and learned things she didn’t know about: market segmentation, a business budget, business plan and marketing with social media. The course, Marisol says, taught her step-by-step what to do and that allowed her to prioritize her expenses. “I changed my concept from beautiful soaps to salutary soaps,” says Marisol, who holds a 40-hour-a-week job to pay her bills. Marisol’s dream is to open a brick-and-mortar store together with her 20-year-old daughter. Together, the mother-daughter duo envisions a wellness venture where clients can get massages and spa-like treatments with their all-natural, homemade goods. “Creating things with my hands makes me happy,” Marisol says. “I’m totally loving making soaps.” Facebook: @humectasoaps Instagram: @humecta_soaps