Editor's note: Este artículo está traducido al español.
A new initiative from the Las Vegas Latin Chamber of Commerce aims to create global opportunities for local businesses and vice versa.
Through the recently announced LCC-UN, or United Nevada, foreign dignitaries coming to Las Vegas will now have a formal opportunity to visit the Latin Chamber and discuss conducting more business locally, or for local companies to do more business with them, said Peter Guzman, president of the Latin Chamber of Commerce.
“It’s a back and forth,” Guzman emphasized. “It’s not a one way trip.”
He’s hopeful members of the Latin Chamber and others will benefit from LCC-UN and it will give them access to international markets to enhance their business, said Guzman, who said LCC-UN will not just be about Hispanic-owned businesses or dealing with Hispanic countries.
It’s a natural next step for an international destination like Las Vegas, Guzman said.
“We just thought it was time to formalize the ability to talk about expanding your business into international circles and globally,” he said. “And also giving those opportunities for those that are coming here from international countries and globally — give them an opportunity to look at Vegas as a place to maybe park their dollars and do business here as well.”
The initiative has the potential to prompt companies to open offices in Las Vegas and ultimately affect the city’s economy in a positive way, Guzman said.
“The exchange of goods and services and the selling and trading — I think is a win-win for both my members and for our state,” he said.
The core of LCC-UN is not just connecting chamber members with international buyers, educational opportunities and potential investment of capital, but also with the United Nations, said Iris Jones, board member at the Latin Chamber of Commerce who is heading up the initiative.
The chamber has always been about connecting the Hispanic community to opportunities both local and global, Ramos Jones said.
“But this definitely will … escalate those opportunities for our members,” she said.
The LCC-UN’s relationship with the United Nations is in its infancy, Guzman said, however he anticipated it will expand and even grow to have UN speakers coming to Las Vegas and engaging in the organization’s conversations.
“This is extremely unique and has not been done yet anywhere we’ve seen in the United States,” Guzman said. “And I’ve gotten calls from other chambers that have gotten wind of this and are trying to pick my brain now.”
Many of the organization’s members are ready to take their next step, perhaps like exporting their goods and services, and the chamber’s job is to provide them the tools to do so, Ramos Jones said.
That could look like workshops and classes, and positioning chamber members to engage in relationships with international delegations, worldwide development and trade discussions.
“We are going to support them step by step,” Ramos Jones said. “The idea of the chamber is to support them and not let them figure it out by themselves. So we will help them to navigate the global trade. And we already have some global partners that we will be putting them in contact with.”
LCC-UN has already taken off, and is partnering with the USA Gymnastics American Cup to promote the event, which is coming to Lee’s Family Forum in Henderson on Saturday.
“The enthusiasm has been through the roof, especially (among) those that are trying to expand their products, goods and services to a broader market, which is what we’re always trying to do at the Latin Chamber,” Guzman said. “We certainly encourage Hispanic businesses to do business with Hispanics. But, we are always emphasizing that in order to grow and expand, you’ve got to get outside that comfort zone. And this is the way to do it.”
The chamber has a proven record of helping small businesses, especially Hispanic- and minority-owned businesses in Nevada, Ramos Jones said. Its many initiatives have been successful, she said, and LCC-UN should be no exception.
“The Latin Chamber of Commerce does believe in Latino entrepreneurs, and the world is open for them,” Ramos Jones said. “We are building that bridge to get them there.”