By Suzanne Schmidt
Staff Writer
Recently, Rocio Paulsen of Land O’ Lakes decided to start a Hispanic chamber of commerce because she thinks Hispanic business owners have a different way of doing things.
“The purpose of the chamber is to encourage, promote and educate each other in a business friendly environment,” said Paulsen, founding president of the Pasco/Hernando Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “Hispanics have a different way of relating to each other. We are relationship people. If we meet with someone and they do something good for us, to us that is very important. We will not only become your client but we will get all of our family to become your client as well.”
Currently the group has nine members with one coming from as far as Hernando County. Many of the other members are from Wesley Chapel with a few coming from New Tampa.
There is a Hispanic Chamber already in Tampa, but Paulsen said it is not convenient for Hispanic business owners from this area to attend.
“It all started when I wanted to have a Spanish group at the Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce,” Paulsen said. “We started the Latino Entrepreneur Group with five people. The people were coming from everywhere. I saw that we had a bigger need for a Hispanic Chamber.”
Paulsen started the Latino Entrepreneur Group (L.E.G.) in September. She had about six meetings before she decided to start the Hispanic chamber in January.
Currently Paulsen is working with the Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce to see if she can continue with L.E.G.
David West, executive director of the Wesley Chapel Chamber, said he would like to see L.E.G. continue to be a part of the chamber, but one question needs to be answered by the chamber’s board of directors at the next meeting April 1.
“The question is if the members of the group need to join the chamber,” West said. “A traditional networking group in the chamber is made up of all chamber members. The purpose of the chamber is for fellowship and partnership among business owners and we welcome Hispanic business members to become a part of our chamber.”
Paulsen is still deciding how to run the chamber and who to let become a member. She said she is taking it one step at a time.
“In the beginning, I was planning on having it only for Hispanic business owners of Latino descent,” Paulsen said. “We don’t want to turn away anyone. We just want to make sure we are open to Latinos and to people who want to reach the Spanish community. We just hope people coming to the meeting will understand there are business owners that do not speak English.”
One of the main reasons Paulsen wanted to have a Hispanic Chamber is to offer workshops and meetings where Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs can come together to learn.
The first workshop the chamber will have will teach people how to give a successful presentation in English. The workshop will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Wesley Chapel. In order to find out the address and to register, visit www.pilarortiz.com. The workshop will be $30.
“This workshop will help them to sharpen their public speaking skills,” Paulsen said. “We will have Spanish and English workshops so people will be able to speak in whatever language they feel comfortable.”
The inauguration celebration will be 7 p.m. April 29 at the Tampa Bay Golf and Country Club, 10641 Old Tampa Bay Drive in San Antonio.
“We are hoping to get about 200 small business owners for the kick-off celebration,” Paulsen said. “
The next meeting for the Hispanic Chamber will be 1 p.m. March 18 at the Best Western Summer Crest, 5639 Oakley Blvd.
For more information, e-mail Paulsen at or call (813) 909-6965.
