Hispanic Women Business Owners on the Rise

Hispanic women are opening up businesses across America faster than any other ethnic group, according to statistics from the Center for Women's Business Research. They sign paychecks for more than 418,000 U.S. workers and generate sales of nearly $67 billion nationwide.

No one keeps statistics on how many Latino women own businesses in individual Illinois counties, said Alma Martinez, president of the Latino Business Association (LBA) in Joliet, Illinois. But she does know that when the LBA originated in 1995, only a couple of women showed up for meetings.

Today, Morales said, more than half of the 40 or so who attend monthly meetings are female.

Facts on Hispanic Women owned businesses

Spike in businesses owned by Hispanic woman in the past decade - 121 percent

Number of businesses nationwide owned 50 percent or more by Hispanic women in 2006 - 856,782

Spike in employees paid by Hispanic women over the past decade - 18.6 percent

Number of workers on payrolls of business owned by Hispanic women in 2006 - 418,518

Spike in sales at Hispanic women-owned businesses in U.S. over past decade - 33.3 percent

Sales from businesses owned by Hispanic women in 2006 - $67 billion
Source: The Center for Women’s Business Research