Preview: Latina Business Excellence Summit expands in second year
When Tar and Erika Macias, CEO and publisher of Hola America Media Group, opened registration for the first Latina Business Excellence Summit in 2024, they hoped to get 150 participants.
They reached that goal quickly. So they opened up 50 more tickets. Then they reached 200 participants, so they opened up 50 more tickets. Those tickets sold quickly, so they opened up 50 more. They sold those quickly, too.
They’re going even bigger for the 2025 event, aiming for 300-400 people to attend the event at Drake University on Aug. 9.
“It’s been amazing to see the response of Latina women who want to either learn more about the next step in their business or open a new business,” Erika said.
The summit was originally meant as a sort of unveiling party for Jefas magazine, a publication celebrating Latina business owners published by Hola America Media Group. They quickly realized their community wanted more information and resources.
In its second iteration, they hope the event can reach even more women who often feel overlooked and forgotten.
The theme of the 2025 event explores the intersections of financial, physical and mental health. It aims to empower Latina business owners with the information and confidence to realize their dreams of business ownership.
The summit is an extension of their mission with Jefas magazine – to tell the story of Latina women business owners and show the world that they exist.
“We aren’t just moms or wives, staying home and taking care of the family. We have an entrepreneurial spirit. We saw a need for this because sometimes, for Latinas, it’s more difficult to start a business,” Erika said.
The event attracts attendees from all across the region. Folks will travel from Sioux City, Iowa City, the Quad Cities and even Nebraska.
The huge response showed Tar and Erika that Latina business owners are searching for opportunities to learn more and grow their businesses. They hope to encourage more of these women to embrace the term “jefa,” which is the female noun for “boss” in Spanish.
“People call you jefa, you don’t call yourself jefa,” Erika said. “They give you the title. Sometimes, we don’t believe we’re the boss. I tell these women, ‘This is who we are, and we have to show them you are a business owner. You have a story, and I want to hear your story.’”
For the second Latina Business Excellence Summit, Tar and Erika focused on expanding their offerings and improving accessibility. The event will have both English and Spanish panels, while also including translation services through Caracas Language Solutions.
Mentors will be available to share stories and advice. Event sponsors will have vendor booths. Anyone with interest in owning and operating a business or who wants to support Latina-owned businesses is welcome to attend.
Some of the summit speakers and panelists include:
- Rocio Hermosillo, CEO and co-founder, Team ELLLA
- Claudia Schabel, CEO, Schabel Solutions, Inc.
- Miriam De Dios, CEO, De Dios Consulting
- Lily Dueñas, yoga instructor
- Jessica Ramos, mental health counselor
- Victor Oyervides, SBDC
- Bill Adamowski, Drake Business Accelerator Program
- Jacki Boldt, director, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Iowa
Erika and Tar launched Hola America Group in 2000 to share the stories of the Latinx communities across Iowa and the Midwest. They’ve gained a deep understanding, both through their work and their own experiences, of the barriers these communities face.
“When I came to the United States, I saw that if you don’t know the language, that is a barrier. You have to really have connections,” Erika said. “When I see someone that is struggling, I say, ‘Let’s do this. Let’s go here.’ I guide them. My dad always taught me that you have to be humble and respectful and people will follow you. Whatever you do, just do it with dignity and feel proud of yourself.”
