Hispanic Heritage Month: The Hispanic Entrepreneurs Driving America Forward
By Rebecca Contreras, President & CEO, AvantGarde LLC
As we prepare to recognize Hispanic Heritage Month, I find myself reflecting not only on the tremendous growth of the Hispanic community in America, but on what is driving it. Behind the businesses being built, the jobs being created and the economic impact being generated are values many of us know well: family, faith, hard work, resilience, service and a whole lot of grit.
For me, those values are personal.
My Hispanic culture is woven into every aspect of how I lead. Although my upbringing was highly dysfunctional, my grandmother Keta, who raised me, instilled in me a deep respect for family, hard work, resilience and service to others. The lessons of hardship learned along the way, combined with a deep commitment to transform through faith, became deeply rooted values in me. Those values shaped my leadership philosophy long before I ever launched AvantGarde.
Growing up, I learned that success is rarely an individual achievement. It is built through community, relationships and lifting others along the way. I also learned that difficult circumstances do not have to dictate your future.
Those lessons followed me throughout my government career and, eventually, into entrepreneurship.
Building a Pathway Where None Existed
There were many moments in my career when being a Hispanic woman meant I had to work harder, prove myself differently or create an opportunity that simply wasn't there.
I entered rooms where there were few women and even fewer Hispanic women represented in leadership.
When I served at the U.S. Department of the Treasury, I was one of only two top Hispanic executives serving across the entire department on the Secretary's management team.
Early in my career, I often felt the need to prove my credibility, expertise and value before others were willing to extend the same assumptions of competence some leaders receive automatically.
And I carried another insecurity with me. I did not have a formal college degree.
That created an imposter syndrome in me that I had to work very hard to overcome. Over time, I learned to stop defining my value by what I did not have and recognize what I did bring to the table: experience, results, relationships, a willingness to learn and an incredible work ethic.
Rather than allowing those experiences to discourage me, I used them to build resilience and create pathways where none existed. When doors didn't open, I learned how to build my own pathway to open them. That mindset ultimately led me to create AvantGarde.
Before launching AG, I was part of the leadership of a company where I was bringing in millions of dollars per year in revenue, yet I had no ownership or profit sharing. I wanted skin in the game. I believed it was fundamentally unfair to be at the core of developing that revenue without an opportunity to participate in what I was helping build.
When I approached the owner about ownership, he told me he had none to give. Ultimately, he understood it wasn't fair to hold me back and released me from my agreement to go build something of my own.
So I did.
Those experiences taught me something I carry with me today. Leadership is not about waiting for permission. It is about having the courage to act, deliver results and create opportunities, not only for yourself, but for others who may face similar barriers.
And when I look at what Hispanic entrepreneurs are doing across America today, I see that same determination at work on an extraordinary scale.
A Present Day American Economic Force
The numbers tell a powerful story.
According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau demographic business owner data available, 496,000 Hispanic owned employer firms operate in the United States, representing 8.4% of all U.S. employer businesses. Together, those businesses generate approximately $730.3 billion in annual receipts.
Beyond employer firms, there are approximately 5.3 million Hispanic owned nonemployer businesses across the country, representing 17.5% of all U.S. nonemployer businesses and generating another $244.2 billion in receipts.
The growth is equally significant. Research released in January 2026 found that Latinos accounted for 38.8% of overall U.S. business growth from 2007 to 2023. The same research found Latino owned employer firms grew at a rate more than seven percentage points per year faster than non Latino owned employer businesses over the period studied.
And we are significant job creators. In 2022, Hispanic owned employer businesses employed approximately 3.6 million people and generated about $143.2 billion in annual payroll.
Think about the impact behind those numbers.
Businesses being created. Millions of jobs. Families being supported. Communities being strengthened. Hundreds of billions of dollars moving through the American economy.
As a Latina entrepreneur who built AvantGarde from the ground up, these numbers represent far more than economic statistics to me. They represent courage, innovation, opportunity and the determination of millions of Hispanic entrepreneurs who are helping shape America's future.
Hispanic owned businesses are not emerging contributors to our economy. We are a driving force behind its growth and competitiveness.
The Values Behind the Growth
What the numbers cannot fully capture is how many Hispanic entrepreneurs got there.
We are proven. We work hard, we have skin in the game and we don't give up easily. We know how to mobilize and get things done. If we don't have a skill, we go acquire it and learn it. When resources are limited, we become resourceful. We find a way, even if it means bootstrapping along the way. We figure it out, and we get it done.
That resilience, adaptability and willingness to figure it out are not simply cultural characteristics.
They are business strengths.
I also believe Hispanic leaders often carry a strong orientation toward people and relationships. We understand that success is built on trust, collaboration and investing in others. Throughout my career, whether leading organizational transformation or building high performing teams, I have seen again and again that lasting impact comes from putting people at the center of strategy.
That belief is embedded in how we lead at AvantGarde.
And those same values become even more important when business gets hard, because it will.
Throughout my entrepreneurial journey, I have experienced setbacks, obstacles and seasons when circumstances outside of my control threatened years of hard work.
Most recently, federal budget reductions, DOGE driven spending changes and the historic government shutdown environment created significant challenges for companies serving the federal sector, including AvantGarde. Like many businesses, we experienced the loss of millions of dollars in revenue and faced difficult decisions that tested every aspect of leadership.
What those experiences reinforced for me is that leaders cannot control every external event, but we can control how we respond.
Resilience is not built during easy times. It is revealed when the plan changes, the contract ends, revenue is lost or circumstances force you to make decisions you never wanted to make.
You adapt. You innovate. You make the hard decisions. And you keep moving.
The resilience I rely on today as a CEO is rooted in many of the same values I learned long before I ever stepped into a boardroom.
That is the power of heritage. We don't simply celebrate where we came from. We carry those values forward in how we lead.
Opportunity Creates Impact
There is another reason the growth of Hispanic entrepreneurship matters.
Every successful Hispanic entrepreneur expands the perception of what leadership and business ownership can look like.
I know what it is like to enter rooms and see very few people who look like me. That is why representation matters. When young people see leaders who share their backgrounds and experiences, new possibilities become real.
But representation should lead to something bigger: Opportunity.
The opportunity to build. To lead. To create jobs. To develop people. To build wealth. To strengthen communities. And then to open another door for the person coming behind you.
At AvantGarde, we have seen firsthand what happens when people are given an opportunity to contribute, grow and lead. Our business has always been rooted in people because organizations are ultimately only as strong as the people behind them.
I know firsthand the transformative power of being seen, believed in and given an opportunity.
People did that for me throughout my journey.
Now it is our responsibility to do it for others.
Investing in America's Future
Business and government leaders should recognize that Hispanic entrepreneurs are not a future opportunity.
We are a present day economic force already helping shape America's growth and competitiveness.
Our community represents tremendous entrepreneurial energy, talent and leadership potential. Continued investment in education, workforce development, supplier diversity, capital access and entrepreneurship programs can have a multiplying effect across the economy.
When barriers are removed and opportunities are expanded, America gains innovation, talent, jobs and new perspectives. We unlock human potential and build a workforce and business community that better reflects the country we serve.
This isn't simply about investing in Hispanic entrepreneurs.
It is about investing in America's competitiveness.
And for those of us who have already had opportunities to build, lead and succeed, there is another responsibility: preparing the generation coming behind us.
Five Action Steps for Future Hispanic Leaders and Entrepreneurs
If you are a young Hispanic professional or entrepreneur coming from humble beginnings, I want you to remember this first:
Never let where you started determine where you can go.
Your story may shape you, but it does not have to limit you. The obstacles you overcome today may become the very experiences that prepare you to lead others tomorrow.
Here are five lessons I would challenge you to carry forward:
1. Invest in yourself before you ask others to invest in you. Make continuous learning a lifelong commitment. Pursue education, certifications, mentorship, leadership development and experiences that expand your capabilities. Your greatest asset will always be the knowledge, skills and mindset you bring to the table.
2. Build relationships, not just networks. Success is built through trust. Focus on creating meaningful relationships with mentors, peers, clients and community leaders. Some of your greatest opportunities will come from the strength of your reputation and the people who believe in your character and capabilities.
3. Don't wait for permission to lead. If an opportunity doesn't exist, create it. Too often, aspiring leaders wait until they feel fully ready. Leadership begins the moment you decide to take ownership, solve problems and create value, regardless of your title or circumstances.
4. Develop resilience before you need it. Challenges are inevitable. Markets change. Contracts end. Revenue is lost. Economic conditions shift. Build the mindset and discipline to adapt, innovate and persevere when circumstances become difficult.
5. Measure success by the impact you create. Financial success matters, but lasting leadership is measured by the people you develop, the opportunities you create and the lives you positively influence. Build something bigger than yourself. Leave people, organizations and communities better than you found them.
As we prepare to recognize Hispanic Heritage Month, I am proud of the extraordinary impact Hispanic entrepreneurs and leaders are already making across this country.
But I believe we are just getting started.
Our faith grounds us. Our families remind us why we work. Our experiences give us perspective. Our resilience keeps us moving. And our grit gives us the courage to keep building, even when the pathway isn't clear.
Dream beyond your circumstances. Bet on yourself. Lead with courage. Invest in people. And never forget that true success is not defined by what you achieve alone, but by the opportunities and impact you create for others.
When you rise, bring others with you.
Sources: Latest U.S. Census Bureau Business Owner Data; UCLA and Cal Lutheran 2026 Latino Business Growth Research.
To learn more about AvantGarde's capabilities and experience, visit avantgarde4usa.com and follow us on LinkedInand Facebook.
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