Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/54008
The Insider: Toni Sikes The Adviser: Julia Arata-Fratta In tough economic times, business is booming at Madison's Latino Chamber of Commerce. Providing free Spanish-language services to local businesses, the past year at the nonprofit has been marked by consid- erable growth—all under the leadership of the organization's president, Julia Arata-Fratta. By day a supervi- sor at Wegner CPAs & Consultants, the native Argentinian isn't just working to support new companies, she's spreading the message that what's good for the Latino business world is good for all. What does the Latino Chamber of Commerce do to help local Latino-owned businesses? If you are a Latino person and you want to start a business, we're your starting point. We provide free information about anything you need to know: education, training, job skills, learning how to establish a business, managing employees, funding sources, loans, you name it. What sectors do you see Latinos moving into in Madison? We have many in the traditional settings like restaurants and cleaning businesses, but we also have more in nontraditional settings, such as dentists, lawyers, graphic designers, accountants and more. Our sectors are diversifying and the Commerce is growing. Our membership doubled this year to about 106 Latino- owned companies or businesses looking to integrate more Latino workers. Our plan for next year is to double again. Why is the work of the Chamber so important? If one sector of the community is doing great, it will propagate to the rest of the community. Our businesses are creating jobs. Not only do we employ Latinos, but also Americans. If we strengthen the Latino business community, we are creating a better community in general. " January 2012 Toni Sikes may have made a name for herself as the savvy entrepreneur behind online art retailer The Guild, Inc. (now Artful Home). But these days she's making a name for others. A venture capitalist funding start-up technology companies with Calumet Venture Fund, Sikes is on the inside track to boosting the local economy. Getting my start with an e- commerce business in the early years of the dot-com boom, it was a natural transition to invest in new technology com- panies. These companies touch a broad spectrum of everything in our society. They could be online retailers or larger companies like Epic Systems. Right now we've got a crop of smart, talented and creative entrepreneurs coming out of the university who are starting companies. To benefit from that, Madison needs to invest in them. What's heartbreak- ing is that [our business] can't invest in all of them. But the companies we can invest in make me incredibly excited about the future of Madison. These companies can spur economic growth. These are the businesses of the future. bravamagazine.com " 49