News Summary
New York City is witnessing a dynamic transformation in its entrepreneurial scene, led by Latino business owners who are adeptly navigating challenges while honoring their cultural heritage. Entrepreneurs like Kristina Bassingthwaite, founder of New York City Hearing Associates, represent resilience in the face of adversity, growing their businesses while emphasizing community values. Meanwhile, the annual Puerto Rican festival in Rochester highlights local businesses, yet raises safety concerns, prompting city regulations. This collective effort showcases the significant contributions of Latino entrepreneurs to NYC’s vibrant economy.
New York City is experiencing a vibrant shift in its entrepreneurial landscape as Latino business owners are increasingly overcoming challenges while celebrating their cultural heritage. Among them is Kristina Bassingthwaite, a 40-year-old proud Puerto Rican New Yorker from Harlem who is making waves with her successful business, New York City Hearing Associates. Established in 2012 from an apartment in the New York City Housing Authority, the company has grown from humble beginnings to now operate five locations in Manhattan and one in Garden City.
Bassingthwaite, raised by a single mother in public housing, started her business journey alongside two partners without any outside investors. They relied solely on their personal savings to launch the company aimed at helping patients with hearing issues. Their story exemplifies the resilience and determination prevalent among Latino and immigrant communities, a sentiment echoed in the Brookings Institution report which states that Latino or Hispanic-owned businesses are growing at an average annual rate of 7.7%, far surpassing the 0.46% growth rate for all employer businesses.
The challenges faced by Bassingthwaite and her co-founders included finding patients, managing business growth, and navigating employee relations while starting from scratch without a roadmap. Despite these obstacles, Bassingthwaite’s commitment to providing culturally sensitive care by communicating with patients in Spanish has been a cornerstone of their success.
Meanwhile, Rochester, NY, is currently hosting its annual Puerto Rican festival, a celebration of culture that is also bringing attention to local businesses like Sobrinos restaurant. However, the festival has triggered a response from the city regarding safety concerns, leading to an order mandating businesses along North Clinton Avenue to close early after 4 p.m. on the festival’s final night. This regulation has prompted frustration from local business owners, including Ramon Martinez, co-owner of Sobrinos, who believes early closure negatively impacts both his enterprise and the local community.
The city’s decision comes amidst previous incidents of violence during the festival, underscoring the need for enhanced safety measures that have reportedly led to a decrease in violence due to preemptive actions taken by officials. Failure for businesses to comply with the early closure order could result in criminal charges, reflecting the government’s focus on maintaining safety during community events.
In addition, Brandon Ivan Peña’s business, 787 Coffee, represents another success story within the Latino entrepreneurial community. Co-founded to promote Puerto Rican coffee culture, the company sources all its coffee exclusively from Puerto Rico with plans to expand its partnerships with Latina farmers in Colombia and Mexico. The commitment to sustainability and cultural representation is apparent, especially after Hurricane Maria devastated their farm. Rather than shrinking back, Peña opted for a mission shift that emphasized empowerment and community building through their business operations.
787 Coffee has not only recovered from the hurricane but has expanded its footprint, with more locations than before, embodying the strength and resilience of the Puerto Rican culture. The company’s focus on cultural representation and employee development exemplifies the rich fabric of the Latino business community and its role in New York’s diverse economic landscape.
As these entrepreneurial ventures gain traction, they highlight the contributions of Latino business owners to both the local and national economy, showcasing the importance of hard work and cultural persistence in overcoming barriers and achieving success.
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Additional Resources
- The New York Times: Bad Bunny and the Puerto Rico Economy
- RochesterFirst: NC Clinton Businesses Criticize Order
- ABC7NY: 787 Coffee Brings Authentic Taste
- Wikipedia: Latino Entrepreneurship in the United States
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Puerto Rico
Author: STAFF HERE NEW YORK WRITER
The NEW YORK STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HERENewYork.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in New York, the five boroughs, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as New York Fashion Week, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and Tribeca Film Festival. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce and United Way of New York, plus leading businesses in finance and media that power the local economy such as JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs, and Bloomberg. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREBuffalo.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into New York's dynamic landscape.
