Armando Ehrenzweig’s entrepreneurial spirit soars high, even during challenging times. Back in the mid-2000s, Ehrenzweig was a struggling entrepreneur hoping to expand his creative ventures.
“I remember in the early days, I had this idea to somehow help people with their businesses,” says Ehrenzweig, the executive director and founder of Get in Motion Entrepreneurs. “As a sole entrepreneur struggling to keep afloat, I remember looking for help and I found it through the SBDC [Small Business Development Center], SBA [Small Business Administration], SCORE, and other government organizations. But there was a gap back in 2010, and we didn’t have that many resources like we have now in Spanish. That’s when I decided to do something about it.”
Ehrenzweig did something big, in fact. He launched Get in Motion Entrepreneurs, which has grown into a successful nonprofit organization that creates and assists a new generation of Latino leaders. Working diligently, Ehrenzweig eventually was able to provide educational business offerings that assisted in the development of entrepreneurs and small business owners in the greater Coachella Valley region and Riverside County.
Working with highly underserved small business populations in the language of their preferred language—Spanish—the organization grew.
“As Latinos, we bring our culture with us,” Ehrenzweig says. “Many times, we have a hard time understanding that we have an American culture and business. We don’t quite get it at the beginning. We don’t understand the system- how to register your business, how to be in compliance with the government and the IRS, how to become a corporation, and how to pay
properly to the employees.
“That’s when you start protecting yourself and your people,” he adds. “You can have better ways to grow your business once you understand the system. I remember, for myself, I just wanted to work and get paid, but then you understand that there are several things you need to put in place in order to succeed.”
Get In Motion Podcast
Recently, Get in Motion Entrepreneurs received a grant from the CIELO Fund through IECF. Using the resources to gain support and produce a podcast offering vital information to entrepreneurs, Ehrenzweig is enthusiastic about the road ahead.
“Thanks to the podcast, we’re able to deliver business education in Spanish,” he says. “We’ve reached a lot of people, and we just want to continue growing the podcast.”
Support for the nonprofit is solid thus far. However, even though the organization has synced with several companies, nonprofits, and government programs, Ehrenzweig still notices a significant need for assistance.
“I was taking a look to the numbers, and Latinos are kind of one step ahead when it comes to entrepreneurship,” he shares. “But at the same time, we are falling back in succeeding. We have great numbers saying that Latinos are opening more businesses as a minority, but also we are the ones closing the most because of the lack of understanding of the system. So, I’m excited about reaching as much people as we can so we can provide education for those small entrepreneurs and also big businesses.”
Online Resources
The organization’s podcast for entrepreneurs and directors is available through the group’s website. Other resources abound on the website, too—from newsletter to blog, which houses the latest news and developments within the Latino business community.
Additional resources, such access to a Poverty and Latinos in Coachella Valley report further illuminate matters. For instance, a family of four with an annual household income of $24,000 is considered “below the poverty line” or “living in poverty.”
All these filter into the nonprofit’s overall mission, and thanks to the addition of new board members, a new chair/president, treasurer, and secretary, Get in Motion Entrepreneurs, is in a prime position to make greater impact in the future.
“We just want to become a good source of resources and services to help people expand their business, Ehrenzweig says.
Learn more about Get in Motion Entrepreneurs at gogetinmotion.com.
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