Hispanic Heritage Month is upon us, making it the perfect time to show your support to businesses begun by people with Hispanic heritage.
Many Hispanic-owned startups are bringing great products and amazing causes together. You’ve likely heard of some of them but not realized they were Hispanic-owned. Now is the perfect time to try out one of their products.
While supporting minority-owned businesses is always essential, it’s especially significant to keep Hispanic-owned companies in mind during this month of acknowledgment and celebration.
Hispanic Heritage Month
Mid-September begins Hispanic Heritage Month in the United States, making it an excellent time for everyone to appreciate the contributions of Hispanic heritage and culture to the country.
People of Hispanic heritage had lived in the United States before the country existed and profoundly influenced the nation, from food and music to politics and social movements.
President Lyndon B. Johnson first implemented a Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968 to acknowledge the people from various Hispanic and Latinx nations and how they positively impact the country.
President Ronald Reagan later expanded the celebration for a month, beginning mid-September and ending mid-October.
September is the perfect time to begin trying products from Hispanic-owned startups.
The rich culture of Hispanic Americans shapes the foundation of these businesses. Here are five to look into this Hispanic Heritage Month.
BetterUp
BetterUp is a leadership development platform co-founded by Eduardo Medina that uses the latest scientific and technological advancements to deliver coaching for businesses. The company has statistical evidence for its success, helping business leaders improve their metrics and achieve their goals. Their clients include Airbnb and Seimens.
The company has over 3,000 coaches who are either licensed therapists or have executive coaching status.
Aside from his work at BetterUp, Medina also works as a leader for various schools and educational programs.
Honest Company
You may have heard of Honest Company but might not know about its origins. The company began with actress Jessica Alba, who has Mexican roots.
Honest Company focuses on transparency with ingredients and putting health first. They have a variety of products, ranging from diapers to makeup.
Aside from creating products, Honest Company dedicates itself to educating its customers about product ingredients and how to choose what’s right for your family.
Duolingo
Duolingo is one of the country’s top language-learning platforms. If you’re not familiar with the platform, you’re likely familiar with its adorable green owl mascot.
Luis von Ahn was born in Guatemala before moving to the United States for college. He earned early recognition for his significant role in the creation of CAPTCHAs.
Ahn and his graduate student, Severin Hacker, created Duolingo with the goal of providing free language learning software. As of 2022, the company has a near $3 billion value.
The application offers courses in dozens of languages, including Spanish, French, and Arabic. Ahn has since joined the Partnership for Central America, which focuses on improving education, health care, and other challenges faced in that part of the world.
Muchacha Coffee
Diana Hoyos is from Colombia and founded her coffee brand with women. The brand supports women in business and uses women-owned companies throughout its supply chain.
They offer a variety of Colombian coffee options and a subscription option to satisfy your caffeine needs. Muchacha also works to empower women entrepreneurs around the world.
Besamé Cosmetics
Gabriela Hernandez founded Besamé after a lifetime of love for cosmetics. Growing up in Argentina, Hernandez loved watching her grandmother apply makeup. She later emigrated to the United States and studied cosmetology, becoming an expert in the field.
The company puts much thought and research into each product it makes, focusing on how to cater to every woman’s preferences and create formulas that are as consistent as they are beautiful.
Hernandez is also a cosmetic historian and has authored a book on the history of makeup.
Supporting Hispanic-Owned Businesses
While it’s essential to look into minority-owned businesses throughout the year, Hispanic Heritage Month is a great time to try out Hispanic-owned companies you may not have experienced yet.
Many wonderful products stem from strong Hispanic business leaders, from coffee to technology. As we honor the Hispanic people who enriched this country, let’s support the Hispanic business owners continuing to make an impact.
About the Author: Devin Partida writes about startups, business and innovation. Her work has been featured on Entrepreneur, AOL and Yahoo! Finance. She is also the Editor-in-Chief of the tech publication ReHack.com.