The small business landscape in the United States has changed significantly, especially over the past decade, as diverse communities and minorities have grown into both managerial and executive positions, as well as the operation of small and medium-sized businesses. Only the Hispanic American sector, which today represents 18.5% of the current population of the United States, is expected to increase to 25% by 2025, which is just a small sample of a future that is shaping up to be much more diverse and equitable. on business.

However, despite these projections, independent businesses led by minorities such as Hispanics still face a series of structural, cultural and financial obstacles and disadvantages, which make them more vulnerable to their competitors. We saw an example of this in last January 2021, where small and medium-sized companies owned and operated by minorities were the first to receive assistance from the government, within the economic aid package that Congress approved at the end of 2020. to cope with the effects of covid-19.

In recognition and awareness of this landscape, even before the days of the pandemic, some large, leading and larger-scale companies have come to understand that more and more minority-owned companies are entering the market. In this sense, for larger leading companies like UPS, the customers they serve are also the businesses of the present and the future, an essential part of economic dynamism and an important source of mutual success and growth.

That is why for this winter of 2021, the American carrier has announced its most recent collaboration in dumbbell with The Lonely Entrepreneur, the first in a series of partnerships launching in January 2022. These programs represent another important step toward consolidating full inclusion and equity for UPS.

“There are many talented entrepreneurs in our underserved communities,” says Michael Dermer, CEO of Lonely Entrepreneur, adding, “But many of them lack access to the knowledge and tools they need to turn their passion into a successful small business. UPS is delivering on its promise to unlock this talent by putting these tools in their hands to give them the best opportunity to be all that they can be. “

This project forms a fundamental piece within the company’s commitment, which has the mission not only to increase access to more business opportunities for these small and medium-sized companies, but also to increase the threshold of knowledge and resources that help companies. businesses to prosper. This is how this partnership with The Lonely Entrepreneur allows UPS to provide focused learning modules, weekly group coaching sessions, individual business coaching and networking with thousands of other entrepreneurs, such as the cases of Maria, Maryann and Gabriella.

Through initiatives like this, connected leaders will be better supported to strengthen their business-related skills and their ability to address business challenges. For more information and to apply for one of the 100 sponsored memberships of The Lonely Entrepreneur and UPS virtual community, visit: https://solutions.ups.com/DCS-LE-program-ussp-page.html