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Exploring barriers to growth for Latina entrepreneurs

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Exploring barriers to growth for Latina entrepreneurs

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Latina Entrepreneurs ’ Barriers to Growth

Rocio Angelica Flores

Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California
A dissertation submitted to the faculty
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Education

May 2023

© Copyright by Rocio Angelica Flores 2023
All Rights Reserved

The Committee for Rocio Angelica Flores certifies the approval of this Dissertation

Themistocles Sparangis
Sandra Kaplan
Eugenia Mora-Flores, Committee Chair

Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California
2023

iv
Abstract
This study focuses on the barriers to growth for Latina entrepreneurs. Various findings emerged
from the three research questions posed. The findings aligned with the first research question
focusing on Latina entrepreneurs’ success were mentorship and support systems, relationships,
and self-efficacy. The findings related to the second research question about the impact of small
business resources were education and training, time, lack of knowledge and financial capital.
The third and final research question focused on challenges. The findings that emerged were
financial capital, burnout, and capacity. The recommendations posed included comprehensive
micro-financing options, building strong support systems, and expanding education and
resources for Latina entrepreneurs.

v
Dedication
To my god, whom I thank for guiding me through this journey.
To my parents, Maria and Alfredo Flores, who deserve this accomplishment just as much as I do.
To my three beautiful children, Olivia, Cristian, and Daniel Mojica, who inspire me every day.
To my husband, Peter Mojica and family for their encouragement and support.
To my mentors who have meant so much to me, including Earl Paysinger, who is now in heaven.
To all the little girls out there who are dreaming big.
To all the Latina entrepreneurs involved in this study, thank you for sharing your story.
To all the Latina entrepreneurs working hard to live their entrepreneurial dreams.

vi
Acknowledgements
I thank my committee chair Dr. Eugenia Mora-Flores for keeping me on track and
encouraging me, for my committee, Dr. Themistocles Sparangis and Dr. Sandra Kaplan for
embracing this journey with me and for sharing their knowledge, time, and wisdom. For Dr.
Carol Geffner and Dr. Patrick Cates for their mentorship, and Dr. Erin Marsano. To my friends
and classmates who have always shared words of encouragement and support.

vii
Table of Contents
Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... iv
Dedication ....................................................................................................................................... v
Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ vi
List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. ix
List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. x
Chapter One: Overview of the Study .............................................................................................. 1
Context and Background of the Problem ............................................................................ 1
Purpose of the Project and Research Questions .................................................................. 2
Importance of the Study ...................................................................................................... 3
Overview of Theoretical Framework and Methodology .................................................... 3
Definitions........................................................................................................................... 4
Organization of the Dissertation ......................................................................................... 4
Chapter Two: Literature Review .................................................................................................... 6
Background ......................................................................................................................... 6
Social Connections and Social Networks ......................................................................... 11
Problems Underlying the Problem of Practice .................................................................. 16
Past Research Utilizing Social Cognitive Theory ............................................................. 29
Conceptual Framework ..................................................................................................... 30
Summary ........................................................................................................................... 32
Chapter Three: Methodology ........................................................................................................ 34
Research Questions ........................................................................................................... 34
Overview of Design .......................................................................................................... 34
Research Setting................................................................................................................ 35
The Researcher.................................................................................................................. 35
viii
Data Sources ..................................................................................................................... 36
Data Collection Procedures ............................................................................................... 38
Data Analysis .................................................................................................................... 38
Validity and Reliability ..................................................................................................... 39
Ethics................................................................................................................................. 39
Limitations and Delimitations ........................................................................................... 40
Chapter Four: Findings ................................................................................................................. 41
Participant Demographics ................................................................................................. 41
Research Question 1: What Factors Contribute to the Success of Latina
Entrepreneurs? .................................................................................................................. 42
Research Question 3: What Are the Challenges Facing Latina Entrepreneurs? ............... 50
Summary ........................................................................................................................... 54
Chapter Five: Recommendations .................................................................................................. 55
Discussion of Findings ...................................................................................................... 55
Recommendations for Practice ......................................................................................... 58
Limitations and Delimitations ........................................................................................... 62
Recommendations for Future Research ............................................................................ 62
Conclusion ........................................................................................................................ 63
References ..................................................................................................................................... 65
Appendix A: Interview Questions and Protocol ........................................................................... 81
Introduction to the Interview ............................................................................................ 82
Conclusion to the Interview .............................................................................................. 83
Appendix B: Coding Table ........................................................................................................... 84

ix
List of Tables
Table 1: Participant Demographics 42

x
List of Figures
Figure 1: Conceptual Framework 31
Figure 2: Factors Contributing to Latina Entrepreneurs’ Success 46
Figure 3: Impact of Community-Based Small Business Resources 50
Figure 4: Challenges Facing Latina Entrepreneurs 54
Figure 5: Recommendations for Serving Latina Entrepreneurs 58

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Chapter One: Overview of the Study
This dissertation will address the important factors that persist for many women of color
in this country. Particularly, the research outlined in the following chapter focuses on the
entrepreneurial ecosystem and what barriers, challenges and gaps in opportunities exist for
Latina entrepreneurs. The U.S. population of Hispanics has grown over 23% over the last decade
(Passel et al., 2022) and, although Hispanics show an average of 12% of overall small business
ownership across the United States (Pew Research Center, 2015), very little data is captured on
Latina owned businesses. Aside from the need for more research, it is important to uncover the
barriers and challenges that Latina business owners encounter.
This dissertation addresses the barriers and challenges Latina entrepreneurs face in
growing their business. There is a current gap in scholarly literature specifically addressing the
challenges and barriers for Latina entrepreneurs and small business owners. More particularly,
Latinas face financial challenges that inhibit their business growth. One of the most challenging
barriers to Latino business start-ups is the lack of funding that helps individuals cover necessary
costs and operations (Siles & Martinez, 2021). Latinas struggled with access to capital to help
fund their business and relied more on family support for their success (Newman et al., 2023). It
is the intent of this dissertation to bring to light the importance, relevance and need to focus on
these issues.
Context and Background of the Problem
Rather than research a specific business or business industry, this dissertation aims to
provide a comprehensive and holistic picture of the challenges faced by Latinas from different
sectors, industries, and social and ethnic identities. Latinas are multi-cultural and innovate in a
variety of industries. Rather than limit or narrow the focus, the intent is to broaden the scope and
2

provide a macro lens for which to explore the problem of practice. Entrepreneurship in this
context refers to small businesses that are often in early stages of business ownership and are
looking to scale.
There are several challenges that Latina entrepreneurs face while growing their business.
In Chapter Two of this dissertation, various areas are explored, including social connections,
problems underlying the problem of practice and barriers to entrepreneurship. A deep dive into
the literature will uncover the underlying financial barriers that lead into this dissertation and
study.
Purpose of the Project and Research Questions
The purpose of the study was to address barriers to growth and find potential solutions
for Latina entrepreneurs. Latinas are the single largest subgroup to start new businesses in the
country and yet encounter various barriers such as language, digital, familial, and access to
capital at large. Addressing problems and solutions will provide knowledge and insight to inform
policy making, mindset shifts, education efforts and access for Latina entrepreneurs. By
improving learning opportunities and outcomes for Latina women entrepreneurs, we can ensure
that our communities as a whole remain vibrant and reduce existing disparities. The research
questions that guided the study are as follows:
1. What factors contribute to success for Latina entrepreneurs?
2. What impact do community-based small business resources have on Latina
entrepreneurs?
3. What are the challenges facing Latina entrepreneurs?
3

Importance of the Study
In a recent survey administered by the media giant, Telemundo and in collaboration with
Hispanics Organized for Political Equality (HOPE, 2021), Latinas were found to be hard hit by
the COVID pandemic, yet their resilience and determination continue to guide their path
forward. As will be demonstrated throughout the review of the literature, the population growth
of Latinas over the next decade will lead to incredible amounts of buying power, political
representation and wealth building for families and communities (HOPE, 2021). Latinas led the
way with $2 trillion in purchasing power. Foreign born Latinas are twice as likely as non-Latinas
to own a business (Selig Center for Economic Growth, 2021). This data is important and relevant
in guiding recommendations for resolving the problem of practice.
Overview of Theoretical Framework and Methodology
Social cognitive theory focuses on the study of self, our behaviors, and the environment
in which we live, work and play (Bandura, 1986). When Latina entrepreneurs are facing
challenges to business growth such as access to capital, there are various elements at play that
may include imposter syndrome, lack of access to information, language barriers or other. The
conceptual framework will aim to learn more about the relationship between the individual
business owner and the community/environment in which the business operates. The focus is to
determine how access to resources and information help or hinder business growth, create
barriers and challenges or opportunities and success for the business owner.
The focus of the study centered on Latina entrepreneurs in California through a
qualitative interview method for data collection which explored barriers through the lens of
Latina business owners themselves. Semi-structured interview questions were used to gather data
and include a robust set of questions connected to the stated research questions. The use of semi-
4

structured interview questions allowed for flexibility in the use of questions as well as to gather
specific data from each participant (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016, p. 110).
Definitions
The following terms are used throughout the dissertation. They are identified below so as
to provide consistency and clarity.
Small business owner is used interchangeably with entrepreneur throughout the
dissertation to describe the same individual. A small business owner and is the legal owner of an
independent business having less than 500 employees (U.S. Small Business Administration,
2016).
Hispanic and Latino/a is used to describe someone of Latin American heritage or
descent, “Cuban, Mexican, Puerto Rican, South or Central American, or other Spanish culture or
origin regardless of race,” as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget
(Census.gov, 2022, p. 1). Used interchangeably throughout this dissertation referring to the
demographic population focus of the study in reference to Latina women. In differing empirical
research, sometimes the word Hispanic is used and sometimes the word Latino/a is used. The
focus of our study is Latina women, however very few studies have focused on this specific
demographic group.
Capital is another word that means funding for small businesses and entrepreneurs, often
referenced in empirical studies or secondary data. Assets that add to long-term wealth or network
(Merriam-Webster, n.d.).
Organization of the Dissertation
The dissertation will begin with describing the problem of practice in depth, exploring the
purpose of the study and introduction to the conceptual framework and methodology. Chapter
5

Two will provide an extensive review of the literature found on the relevant topic. Chapter Three
will focus on the methodology to be used including the protocols, research questions and actual
qualitative semi-structured interview questions. Chapter Four shares the data collected and
analyzed. Finally, Chapter Five provides recommendations and solutions based on the literature
and data collected and analyzed, as well as implications for future research.
6

Chapter Two: Literature Review
Latina entrepreneurship and business ownership in the United States are multifaceted and
complex. When exploring barriers to growth with a focus on financial access and acquisition,
several factors come into play. This chapter discusses multiple topics that emerged while
reviewing current literature related to the problem of practice. It will begin with a discussion of
characteristics of the population, historical context, including the role of formal education in the
Latina entrepreneurial journey. Subsequently, it explores social connections, best practices to
solve the problem of practice, as well as challenges and barriers within the context. The chapter
closes with a brief description of Bandura’s (1986) social cognitive theoretical framework and
then examines its application within the study in the conceptual framework.
This study addresses the problem of barriers to business growth for Latina entrepreneurs.
Evidence suggests that Latina entrepreneurs lack access to capital and face many barriers to
entering business markets, which ultimately, contributes to limited business growth and financial
challenges. These obstacles include fear, lack of financial knowledge, and discrimination (Cho et
al., 2019). Lofstrom and Bates (2009) found that Latina entrepreneurs have, on average, lower
mean earnings when compared to White female entrepreneurs. This problem is critical because,
as seen in Wang (2013), many women entrepreneurs of color perceived they were at a
disadvantage.
Background
In order to understand the role of entrepreneurship and emerging economies, it is
important to look at some relevant historical background. Historically, immigration has strongly
contributed to whether or not Latina entrepreneurs succeed in business. The rise of Latino
businesses continues to grow as the population increases over time (Durán, 2020). There has
7

been an increase of 23% over the last decade, as identified by the Pew Research Center (Passel et
al., 2022). Research shows there are three significant reasons identified for Hispanic and Latino
growth populations. These include continued immigration from Latin America, higher fertility
rates, and rapid aging of other demographics, aside from non-White Latinos (Durán, 2020). As it
relates to population growth, a closer look is needed regarding immigration from Latin America.
Immigration has impacted Latino-owned businesses and the communities in which they
are located. California as a whole has changed over the past decade and has seen a two thirds
growth rate since 2020 (NALEO Educational Fund, 2021). According to the Stanford Latino
Entrepreneurship Initiative (Orozco et al., 2021), Latino businesses in the United States
contribute to 4% of total U.S. business revenue. Although there has been an increase in Latino-
owned business and significant changes in communities, Duncan and Trejo (2017) found that
levels of ethnic attrition occur among third-generation immigrants. Ethnic attrition can be
defined as the time where descendants of immigrants no longer identify as descendants of
immigrants (Duncan & Trejo, 2017). This can lead to biased or skewed data reporting on ethnic
information, mainly when ethnicity originates from only one parent (Duncan & Trejo, 2017).
This may impact socioeconomic findings from self-reported data. This study revealed that there
may be higher rates of Latinos and Hispanics that are not being reported. Self-identification is
important to consider as it impacts the needs of Latino/as in specific industries.
Latinos are concentrated in specific industries, including food services. Wang (2013)
found that Latino businesses dominate retail, construction, and food services. The author also
found a high density of Latino businesses in Latino enclaves or communities, suggesting that
predominantly Latino communities can serve as incubators for Latino businesses. An increase in
Hispanic-owned businesses is correlated with an increase in population in the workforce.
8

Data reveals that a large percentage of the Latino workforce comes from other countries.
Coincidently, those who come from foreign countries have higher business ownership rates than
Latinos born in the United States (Wang, 2015). Although immigrants from Latin American
countries including Mexico are slowly declining, there is a natural increase in the population
from U.S.-born Hispanics in the country. There is an overrepresentation of Latinos in the
younger demographic segments of the population (Johnson & Lichter, 2016). While the
population of Latinos and Latino businesses continues to rise, several characteristics that make
up strong Latino business owners come to light.
Characteristics of a Population
There are several characteristics that emerged as salient factors driving Latina
entrepreneurs’ business success. These factors include differences in business trends, creativity,
innovation, and leadership traits (Albuquerque et al., 2016; Ngoasong & Kimbu, 2019; Setini et
al., 2020). It has also been found that lower levels of wealth and education among Latinos and
Blacks contribute to low business income (Fairlie, 2018). Individual factors such as past
experience, behaviors and habits may inhibit business performance. Past performance alone is
not always a good indicator of future success (Gottschalk et al., 2017). This section will provide
an overview of these characteristics and will outline current business trends seen in Latino-
owned businesses.
Current Business Trends and Practices
Over the last several years, Latinos/Hispanics have reported growing concerns over
business stability. According to survey data taken by the U.S. Census on financial health
concerns in 2021, over 68% Hispanic businesses were somewhat or very concerned about their
business. During the pandemic, over 65% Hispanic businesses reported that COVID had shown a
9

decrease in business sales in 2020 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2021). Further, during the pandemic
over 60% of Hispanic businesses sought out financial support to meet basic operational
expenses, with a majority of these individuals reporting receiving less than $100k in government
assistance (U.S. Census Bureau, 2021). However, despite some of the reported challenges
Latinos face in business ownership, research also shows us that negative and positive influences
vary depending on the life cycle of the business (Albuquerque et al., 2016). This is important to
note within the problem of practice because it highlights the disparities that exist for
entrepreneurs of color. Despite these trends, resiliency exists among Latino-owned firms and
more specifically within women and Latina entrepreneurs.
Creativity and Innovation
Creativity and innovation are among the attributes and characteristics of women
entrepreneurs and business owners. Studies completed by Setini et al. (2020) and Wut et al.
(2021) found that creativity and innovation were strong aspects of women entrepreneurs.
Although both authors noted the importance of these factors in success of business, both noted
that women entrepreneurs had other significant challenges. Creativity and innovation were
studied by Setini et al. (2020) to determine how social capital factors contribute to women’s
entrepreneurship. Surveying 200 women, the study found that although women entrepreneurs are
creative and innovative, opportunities were limited due to lack of access to capital and lack of
technical skills. Various reasons, however, were found to motivate women in the study to pursue
businesses and varied from difficulty in finding jobs to making additional income (Setini et al.,
2020). Wut et al. (2021) found that women handicraft entrepreneurs were creative and innovative
but lacked basic business skills and were less knowledgeable. Additionally, the challenges
women from the study shared were that their market was geographically tiny, and people didn’t
10

generally want to pay higher prices for hand-crafted items. They struggled with effective social
media consumer engagement, and the time and cost of product development were high. It is the
ability to innovate, particularly during challenging times, which makes the difference between
success and failure.
Creativity and innovation are connected positively with a business owner’s experience.
Researchers collected data from 496 completed surveys of participants, and it was found that
business owners have a solid ability to utilize innovation in their products and business work
practices (Robson et al., 2012). However, despite the ability to innovate and create, minority
women experience additional barriers to economic growth, mobility, and wealth building. In
addition to creativity and innovation, leadership also contributes to business growth.
Leadership
Latina entrepreneurs lack access to learning practical leadership skills that drive business
growth. Women entrepreneurs can experience roadblocks that hinder their growth (Ngoasong &
Kimbu, 2019). The evidence highlights that entrepreneurship success depends on addressing
individual challenges (D’Intino et al., 2007). This problem is critical to address because
entrepreneurs need specific leadership skills to be successful (Gupta et al., 2004). Without key
leadership abilities, businesses may fail.
Characteristics such as being innovative and strong mental health also contribute to
women’s overall business success. A study conducted by Acevedo-Duque et al. (2021),
demonstrated that out of the 383 respondents, the majority shared that innovation, collaboration,
and self-awareness contributed to their business success. Furthermore, when women’s
knowledge about new market opportunities increases, innovation is also found to increase (Yan
& Yan, 2016). In addition to knowledge, mental well-being also contributes to entrepreneurial
11

success. Entrepreneurial leaders focus on active engagement and connection with others to take
advantage of opportunities (Gupta et al., 2004). Therefore, it is important to provide practical,
accessible pathways for Latina entrepreneurs to participate in leadership skill-building and
learning opportunities.
Motivation
Self-efficacy is known to impact motivation. Self-efficacy can be described as the belief
in oneself abilities (Bandura, 1986). Self-efficacy as it relates to entrepreneurship can be viewed
as does the entrepreneur has the confidence and the practical knowledge to operate and grow a
business (Piperopoulos & Dimov, 2015). Okolie et al. (2021) found that self-efficacy helps
women in their enterprises, despite low earnings or underdeveloped markets. Researchers
focused on how entrepreneurship alleviates poverty in Nigeria. They found that entrepreneurs’
success potential relied heavily on their deep community roots. Moreover, Conroy and Weiler
(2015) found that family played a vital role in personal influence and motivation, thus leading to
the growth of women-owned businesses. Furthermore, by way of a survey with over 200
respondents, Gupta and Mirchandani (2018) discovered that several factors lead to successful
entrepreneurship, this includes their characteristics and behaviors, education level, their
commitment and motivation, funding for start-up, government resources, family encouragement,
and their access in the business ecosystem. Motivation is tied to deep community roots and
connection.
Social Connections and Social Networks
The following sections explore how social networks, family, and community play a
significant role in developing and sustainability of entrepreneurship and small business. Fairlie
and Fossen (2019) found in their research that there is a difference between opportunity and
12

necessity entrepreneurs. Opportunity entrepreneurs seek entrepreneurship and business
ownership because of desire and will. In contrast, necessity entrepreneurs seek business
opportunities due to reductions in wages and salaries or out of necessity to provide for their
families (Fairlie & Fossen, 2019). Researchers found that 80-90% were defined as opportunity
entrepreneurs and that those in this category tend to see tremendous success in growing their
businesses over time (Fairlie & Fossen, 2019). Research found that social networks and support
systems lead to increased entrepreneurial success (Fairlie & Fossen, 2019).
It is essential to understand the behaviors of Latino business owners and entrepreneurs
and how social support networks impact their behavior and success as will be highlighted in the
following section. Women business owners possess the most potent ability to grow their business
because they form a close support network and maintain individual solid aspirations and goals
(Bullough et al., 2017). Through their study using qualitative and qualitative data, researchers
were able to triangulate and find that the collective community was a significant contributor to
business development. Despite a negative societal view of women in business, immediate family
support contributed significantly to their business success (Bullough et al., 2017). Researchers
have studied a variety of business contexts, including family and what role it plays in business,
state-business relations, and the impact of capital investment (Dávila, 2013). Although these
factors impact business positively, Canedo et al. (2014) found that Hispanics are more likely to
start businesses but fail to sustain their business. It was found that cultural values and social
networks impact motivation. Therefore, it is essential to recognize that distinct factors contribute
to Hispanic businesses’ success. In another study, Smith-Hunter and Venezio (2011) found that
human capital and social networks positively influenced Latina entrepreneurs’ financial position
and success. Social networks exist in a variety of settings.
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Social networks are all-encompassing and include faith-based institutions and spirituality
in general. Gbadamosi (2019) explored the role of spirituality in entrepreneurship. Gbadamosi
interviewed 11 women through purposive sampling and conducted a focus group with another
six. Business experiences varied over the years; however, the researcher found that several
factors contribute to challenges, including capital, societal pressures, and discrimination.
However, the study found that religion plays a substantial role in supporting women in
entrepreneurship, including increasing sales and profits (Gbadamosi, 2019).
Furthermore, places of worship provide robust support systems for individuals and
communities. Quagrainie et al. (2018) found from a study of 38 women entrepreneurs that
church engagement contributes to a woman’s entrepreneurship development by promoting
women’s growth. The study also found that embeddedness plays a critical role in why the church
has significant impacts. Churches often provide technical assistance and support networks that
contribute to self-esteem and confidence. Additionally, Hoogendoorn et al. (2016) found that
internal aspects of religiosity positively correlate with business ownership. In addition to places
of worship, family and community contribute to business success.
Female students report that solid family connections and their support impact pursuing
entrepreneurship opportunities. Cochran (2019) studied undergraduate students in
entrepreneurship programs. Through interviews, focus groups, observation, and artifacts, similar
struggles are found across the board, including the feeling of being treated differently from men
and having to prove themselves. Community and relationships strengthen women’s self-efficacy
and make entrepreneurship less intimidating (Cochran, 2019). Latina entrepreneurs experience
interconnected factors, including responsibility to family, managing family and work obligations,
14

and building generational wealth and wealth-building opportunities for their families (Cochran,
2019).
One of the biggest challenges Latinas face is managing household and family obligations,
which they are primarily responsible for. Therefore, the flexibility of owning a business has to do
more with helping to secure economic wealth for the family and less with personal gains (Laguir
et al., 2016). However, family small and medium-sized businesses have been found to have a
social focus; this means strong ties to the community, support, and more significant social impact
(Laguir et al., 2016). Furthermore, Latina entrepreneurs generally have small support systems,
yet this does not mean that their support systems are any less effective. Small networks are easier
and quicker to access and, therefore, can profoundly impact the amount of timely support
received. The number of time entrepreneurs spend accessing their contacts is directly related to
the growth of Latino-owned businesses (Ortiz-Walters et al., 2015).
Latinas enter into entrepreneurship more readily when they have the support of their
family. They are more likely to start a business to meet family needs rather than solely for self-
fulfillment or an increase in income (Newman et al., 2023). Furthermore, the family provides a
strong sense of social capital and may drive the success of women entrepreneurs (Newman et al.,
2023). On the contrary, it may also be a limiting factor if women do not have family support,
primarily when they rely solely on their families for support (Lindvert et al., 2017). In
democracies like the United States, worldwide studies have demonstrated a strong correlation
between family-owned and involved businesses and business performance (Lindvert et al.,
2017). Moreover, stable, long-term strategies for growth are correlated strongly with family-
owned dynamic firms (Lohwasser et al., 2022). In addition to spiritual and familial connections
and support, mental health and well-being also impact Latina entrepreneurs.
15

It is crucial for Latina women business owners to focus on mental health and well-being.
Women tend to do additional tasks outside the regular workday. Long work hours coupled with
business-related administrative tasks and balancing family time and self-care can create stressors
that serve as barriers to business development (Visentin et al., 2020). Women face multiple
challenges in maintaining a healthy balance.
Business owners often rely on their families to support and help with business
development, yet this can also cause emotional conflicts (Randerson & Radu-Lefebvre, 2021).
Researchers found that emotional uncertainty occurs from managing simultaneous roles within
the context of family and business, thus making it essential to focus on mental health and well-
being as a business owner (Randerson & Radu-Lefebvre, 2021). Furthermore, Sardeshmukh et
al. (2021) found that emotional exhaustion is connected to work family conflict. Hardships are
also found to diminish business performance due to the emotional exhaustion that is associated
with managing through experienced hardships (De Clercq et al., 2022). Technology is also
known to impact Latina business growth.
Social media continues to play a significant role in social networks and developing social
connections. In their study, Gavino et al. (2019) found that Latino entrepreneurs use their social
media for advertising for business purposes. However, they don’t necessarily have a social media
platform focused solely on their business, concluding that business owners would benefit from
training and understanding the benefits of technology tools for their business. Personal social
media platforms also indicate a strong sense of community and relying on personal contacts to
support business ventures (Gavino et al., 2019). Despite community ties and connections, various
factors and challenges remain.
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Problems Underlying the Problem of Practice
There are several problems underlying the problem of practice. Research demonstrates
that education, race, equity, inclusion, policy, and gender play a significant role in why Latina
entrepreneurs encounter barriers to growth (Gemelas, 2021; Hero & Levy, 2016; Raghuvanshi et
al., 2017). In addition, there are several issues that impact minority-owned businesses. Barriers to
building wealth for communities of color include accessing capital and finding ways to increase
educational attainment and advancement (Fairlie, 2018). During times of nationwide challenges,
the disparities become unquestionable. The following sections will explore these factors and
discuss how they play a part in business growth.
Formal Education
Education has played a significant role in Latina entrepreneurs’ success. Education and
access to training opportunities is the most vital barrier, which includes lack of access to
educational resources (Raghuvanshi et al., 2017). Education can be accessed through various
vehicles and includes both informal and formal education tracks. Formal education can be
defined as obtaining a degree in business at a university or local government training program,
whereas informal education can be defined as learning through watching videos online
(Raghuvanshi et al., 2017). As demonstrated by Raghuvanshi et al. (2017), there are strong
advantages to receiving formal training.
There is evidence to suggest that formal education contributes in some ways to business
growth. However, there are various factors that contribute to women’s motivation, and how a
traditional university education contributes to what a woman will pursue (Laudano et al., 2019).
According to researchers, there is a high likelihood that women who engage in entrepreneurial
studies pursue entrepreneurship, yet there are often roadblocks when they attempt to enter the
17

labor market. Using a 48-item online survey, anonymous data from 350 students in Italy were
collected. It was found that entrepreneurship attitudes included the need for independence, risk-
taking, the desire for achievement, and the need for control. Findings suggest that formal
education can influence entrepreneurial intent, however, education alone is not the salutation as
it has been found that economic stability brought forth by engaging in business ventures and
entrepreneurship can contribute to social mobility (Durán, 2019). Williams et al. (2012)
examined the training preferences of Latina and non-Latina business owners as they relate to
affective and cognitive learning. Effectiveness included learning about diversity, the motivation
of employees, and hiring practices. Mental items included learning about unemployment laws,
finance, and marketing. The findings of this study conclude that Latina business owners prefer
both effective and cognitive-focused training opportunities (Williams et al., 2012). In the next
section, race, equity, and inclusion is explored as a problem underlying the problem of practice.
Race, Equity, and Inclusion
Injustices exist in education, employment, and wealth-building opportunities, practices,
and policies. In their research, Hero and Levy (2016) found that racial inequality directly
affected income inequality. Less skilled workers often turned to trade jobs that often lead to job
insecurity and lower wages (Hero & Levy, 2016). More recently, researchers found that during
COVID, more significant declines in employment exist among Latinos/Hispanics, Black, and
Asian Americans (Gemelas et al., 2021). As injustices prevail, there is a growing need for
exploring how that impacts other areas of our economy, including business ownership.
Current research suggests that not enough emphasis is placed on persistent inequalities.
Kraus et al. (2019) found that the inequality that historically minoritized groups experience is
highly underestimated. Using a rating scale, Black and White participants of this study were
18

asked several questions related to work benefits, wealth, and income in the context of racial
equality. In addition, participants of this study answered questions based on how they currently
viewed equality compared to 30 to 50 years ago. The data collected from these surveys were
analyzed and compared to actual economic disparities using U.S. government population and
consumer surveys. The data in this study revealed that participants felt our country had made
significant progress towards an equitable financial system (Kraus et al., 2019). However, this
contradicts what others may feel.
The Kraus et al. (2019) study reveals an apparent misperception on behalf of the
American public. Americans believe that economic equality has improved over time and that
enough progress exists. This mindset can be detrimental to supporting the work for a more just
and equitable financial ecosystem where communities of color can thrive. Although many have
varying perceptions of equality in our country, data reveals that barriers to wealth exist even
within entrepreneurship (Kraus et al., 2019). Furthermore, Latinos have demonstrated more
hopefulness and optimism with economic laws favoring minorities (McKenzie, 2014). However,
despite policy creation in favor of minorities, there is still much to uncover.
In relation to inequities, other barriers exist. In their study, Fairlie (2018) found that many
barriers to growth exist for minority-owned business owners and negatively impact their ability
to generate income and wealth. Fairlie uses the decomposition technique to examine patterns of
African Americans, Latinos, Asians, and non-Latino Whites and their potential barriers to
business ownership and income. This was completed by reviewing and analyzing U.S. census
survey data from 2011 to 2015. Fairlie and Fosen (2019) found that low remuneration levels of
Blacks and Latinos directly impact business ownership. In addition, the study reveals that low
business ownership rates are partly a result of lower overall educational attainment. Age is also a
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significant factor contributing to common business ownership, as Latinos tend to be younger
than their non-Latino White counterparts.
Barriers to access are impacted by intersectionality. The intersectional dimensions of
ethnic entrepreneurs heavily influence business outcomes, as Valdez (2016) found.
Intersectionality in this context means the intersection of identifying as a woman, a Latina, and a
business owner. Long and Buzzanell (2022) found that power relations of culture, race, ethnicity,
and gender, among other factors, contributed to a diminished sense of agency for women
entrepreneurs. It is essential to study and analyze the intersectionality and positionality of women
in business to understand the complexity of women’s entrepreneurship (Croce, 2020).
Specifically, wealth inequalities persist in our Black and Latino business communities, and that
wealth is the most critical determinant of business ownership. Policy and gender have a direct
correlation to wealth building.
Policy and Gender
Government policy and gender play a significant role in the areas of equity and inclusion
and how they either provide formal opportunities or barriers to growth. This includes guided
misperceptions, lack of knowledge or lack of confidence in challenging existing structures. One
example is that of women’s business networks and associations. Networks such as these strive to
empower women into entrepreneurship yet may exacerbate the marginalization of women
entrepreneurs (Harrison et al., 2020). In their study, Harrison et al. (2020) conducted semi-
structured interviews with 14 women from established network business associations. Networks
focused on potential solid start-ups rather than those just starting out. As a result, women tend to
underestimate their abilities and pride in business ownership (Harrison et al., 2020). This mental
challenge can spill over into other areas as well.
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Women face a wide variety of obstacles, including familial challenges as well. For
example, Díaz-García and Brush (2012) used both quantitative and qualitative methods in their
research and found that women tend to spend more time caring for family versus their time for
their business, thus contributing to lower income generated from their business. Women’
networks were also smaller and lacked diversity, which contributed to having less financial and
business administration knowledge and access.
Government efforts aim to support women in business. Although there has been a
significant push to encourage women-owned businesses over the last several decades, there is no
evidence that changes in government policies have impacted increasing women’s business
ownership success and growth (Pandey & Amezcua, 2018). In their study, Ahl and Marlow
(2021) discovered that post-feminism offers insight into analyzing the actual reasons for
overcoming barriers for women entrepreneurs. Rather than focusing on providing more training,
mentorship, or direction, their study discovers that challenges such as caregiving responsibilities,
earnings, and funding persist (Ahl & Marlow, 2021).
Systemic gender-related inequities and inequalities persist in a male-dominated business
and entrepreneurship environment. Frequently women are expected and encouraged to minimize
the seriousness of this flawed system so as to offer continued hope that women can prevail in a
male-dominated business ecosystem (Gill et al., 2017). Pisani et al. (2017) administered a survey
to 298 small business Latino owners in English and Spanish and uncovered that businesses with
more growth opportunities were owned by men and had access to financial resources. The
gender gap continues to grow and is seen widely throughout the country.
The gender gap exists beyond the nation and may contribute to additional misperceptions
and barriers. The gender gap is defined as how much more men make in relation to women.
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According to the Pew Research Center (2020), women only earned 84% of what men earned and
has remained relatively steady over the last decade. In Latin America, we see a wide gender gap
related to business start-ups and women engaging in entrepreneurship. According to several
studies, Latinas are more likely to enter into entrepreneurship when they have parents who are
also entrepreneurs, pursuing economic goals and personal satisfaction (Bernat et al., 2017). This
exacerbates the challenges and barriers that Latina’s may face in entrepreneurship and business
operations.
Barriers for Entrepreneurship
There are several barriers that inhibit Latinas from thriving when building their business,
these include business structure, push and push factors, access to capital, and individual beliefs
and perceptions.
Push-Pull Factors
Reasons underlying business ownership can be attributed to either push or pull factors.
Push and pull factors contribute to entrepreneurship success for Latinos in the United States.
(Fisher & Lewin, 2018). Barriers such as low income and employment opportunities push
Latinos including immigrants, into self-employment. Pull factors foster entrepreneurship by
giving entrepreneurs access to flexible work schedules and increased autonomy. These factors
will be explored in the following sections.
Push and pull factors are defined as those things that contribute entrepreneurs into action.
Are they being pushed into entrepreneurship due to need, or are they being pulled into
entrepreneurship because of personal aspirations (Akehurst et al., 2012). Akehurst et al. (2012)
explained motivators and barriers to business creation for women businesses and why they may
succeed. Their study found that financial barriers and access play a vital role in business success.
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Loans and subsidies help women start their businesses, while business expansion and growth
affect dissatisfaction with their current employment situation.
It is essential to assess the strengths and weaknesses to get a clearer picture of the
direction to pursue. Researchers Stefan et al. (2021) explored what factors enforce barriers for
women entrepreneurs by conducting a focus group with 12 women and 10 women who
completed a questionnaire. A strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, also known as a
SWOT analysis, method was used to evaluate the data. Participants shared that strengths and
weaknesses have the most significant impact on whether a business is sustainable. Examples of
strengths included things such as local institutions supporting the growth of businesses and
weaknesses included factors such as lack of networking opportunities (Stefan et al., 2021). This
can impact push-pull factors as entrepreneurs find the support they need to pursue
entrepreneurship and explore opportunities.
Push-pull factors also contribute to goal attainment and motivation. In their interviews
with 272 immigrant-owned family businesses, Lee and Lee (2019) found that individual goals
and motivation contributed to business ownership. Mexican and Korean research participants
reported that financial security was the most important motivator for building a business. In
addition, participants reported higher perceived success in alignment with their reported goals.
Self-held beliefs and perceptions also play a factor in business success. There are many strategies
that can impact Latina entrepreneurs’ motivation. These include Latina entrepreneurs who are
highly motivated by past or present parent business ownership and yet feel that the most
substantial barrier to starting or wanting to start a business is fear, including lack of financial
management knowledge (Cho et al., 2019). In addition to fear, lack of knowledge is also found to
correlate with business ownership.
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Belief and perceptions can impact how entrepreneurship helps women build wealth.
Unfortunately, some beliefs and perceptions exist in which women entrepreneurs are viewed as
incapable and weak (Ahl & Marlow, 2012). As a result, research on women entrepreneurs
remains gender biased. Furthermore, women face barriers outside of their control. In their
qualitative study, Panda (2018) found that several limitations exist for women entrepreneurs,
including challenges in acquiring funding for their business, family conflicts, and lack of
business acumen and development. These barriers inhibit business growth.
Personal barriers also inhibit growth. Canedo et al. (2014) found that many barriers
constrain Hispanic business owners from surviving business ownership, though they start
businesses at a high growth rate. According to researchers, both individual factors and processes
deliver the outcome of entrepreneurial behavior. Personal factors include education, networks,
and cultural values. Furthermore, awareness of opportunities, motivational factors, and securing
funding remains challenging (Canedo et al., 2014). In addition to several push-pull factors,
business structure can also contribute to determining the growth potential of a business.
Business Structure
It is unclear whether the size of a business contributes to economic performance.
However, Rupasingha (2017) found evidence that owning a smaller local company positively
correlates with financial performance when compared to owning a company in larger economic
communities. Specifically, smaller firms are associated with income growth within the local
economy. However, women in small to medium-sized businesses demonstrate firm beliefs in
their success when they have a strong sense of self-efficacy. Self-efficacy includes the ability to
respond to external factors and influences, such as market changes. They are also more
innovative (Nassar et al., 2020). Businesses are structured in different ways.
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Some businesses are formed into specific entities, while others are classified as sole
proprietors or self-employed. Various factors contribute to Hispanic self-employment, including
increased household income and owning a home. Therefore, it is essential to acknowledge that
Hispanics have multiple identities, and the need to design policies that impact groups differently
is strong (Torres et al., 2021). In addition to exploring internal factors, external factors such as
financing play a role in business ownership and success.
Financial Constraints and Challenges
Financial access is a key determinant of success for Latina entrepreneurs. One of the
most challenging barriers to Latino business start-ups is the lack of funding that helps individuals
cover necessary costs and operations (Siles & Martinez, 2021). Latinas struggled with access to
capital to help fund their business and relied more on family support for their success (Newman
et al., 2023). Latinos do not use formal lenders due to not wanting to take on financial risks, nor
do they have access to credit markets based on discriminatory practices Latino’s often
experience (Siles & Martinez, 2021). Furthermore, since women businesses tend to be smaller
enterprises, they are likely to generate less revenue and low growth rates (Knight, 2016).
Researchers draw from qualitative studies of 53 women and find that bureaucratic hierarchies
and financial institutions reject funding opportunities for women of color due to time in business,
lack of experience, and perceived lack of leadership and risk-taking propensity. This is a major
challenge for most women of color. Women entrepreneurs seeking funding for business ventures
had a challenging time, often facing obstacles due to a lack of access to capital. Shkodra et al.
(2021) found that microfinance institutions may be one of the only entities helping women,
particularly those from low income and previous poor financial performance. Surveying 200
women, the study found that women entrepreneurs fare better when getting support from micro-
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lending institutions and can raise their assets (Shkodra et al., 2021). Women encounter a lack of
diverse financial access.
During COVID, financial barriers were magnified. Santellano (2021) found in their study
that the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), most recently established by the U.S. government,
favored well-established businesses for support rather than small businesses owned by people of
color. This PPP experience exacerbated a negative impact not only on companies but in the
communities in which they operate (Santellano, 2021). The lack of access to capital intensifies
the challenges not only for entrepreneurs, but for all communities.
Particularly for women, this lack of capital access diversity intensifies. Maden (2015)
found that finding funding was the most significant problem for women entrepreneurs. Women
in the study demonstrated resilience, determination, and patience in building their businesses,
despite challenges confronted when accessing capital to fund their businesses. Funding is
accessed through non-governmental sources, family, and friends. Social benefit and
independence were contributing motivators and sources of enjoyment (Maden, 2015). Lack of
access to capital not only contributes to business operations and growth but also the road to reach
growth goals.
It is important to note that Hispanic’s perceptions and decision making towards financial
planning and management underpin their decisions as business owners for their enterprises.
Researchers found that both objective and subjective knowledge influenced decisions and
perceptions of financial management in a study of 158 participants (Weisfeld-Spolter et al.,
2018). The lack of access to formal capital often leads entrepreneurs to find other means to fund
their endeavors.
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Latino entrepreneurs often use whatever money they have to fund their own start-ups.
Carpenter and Loveridge (2019) conducted research by studying 127,000 observations of census
microdata. Latino-owned is among the categories found to decrease the likelihood of sustainable
business development. However, mainly using one’s capital to start a business increased
survival. In response to a loss of employment or low wages, Latinas turn to entrepreneurship as a
solution. Specifically, León-Ross et al. (2013) found that migrant Latina workers distrust or are
reluctant to access services, often confirming they cannot access resources to help them. This
barrier perpetuates the inability for Latina entrepreneurs to grow despite their desire, skills, and
knowledge.
When external influences inhibit progress, Latina entrepreneurs are those that suffer the
most in sustaining and growing their business. A study by Stanford University titled the State of
Latino Entrepreneurship (Orozco et al., 2021) shows that Latinos are starting businesses more
quickly than any other group, particularly in the construction, finance, transportation, and real
estate industries. However, researchers also found that Latinos face challenges when accessing
capital and building credit (Orozco et al., 2021). Specifically, Latina business owners,
representing 40% of all Latino-owned businesses, have suffered the most due to the COVID
pandemic, citing significant financial setbacks and losses. Latinas are forced to look for other
means to raise funds.
One way Latinas raise funds is through family; families can contribute significantly to
growth by way of access to capital. Conversely, Welsh et al. (2018) also discovered in their
study of 147 women entrepreneurs that financial support from family can be a benefit for success
or a barrier to growth. Typically, family support is related to better business performance in more
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developed countries with stronger economies. Findings suggest that there is a need to look at
internal and external factors to get a complete picture of women’s entrepreneurial success.
Furthermore, procurement opportunities can also be a way for Latina entrepreneurs to
accelerate their business. Unfortunately, procurement opportunities are not always available nor
easily accessed by women business owners (Shelton & Minniti, 2018). However, programs that
intentionally encourage women-owned businesses and prefer those firms over others, allow
companies to expand their market access beyond what may have been planned initially (Shelton
& Minniti, 2018). It is important for Latinas to gain knowledge about what other resources and
opportunities may be available.
It is not only important to get funding from a wide diversity of resources, but it is first
essential to know where to get started. In their study, Khan and Quaddus (2020) found that
businesses must have more than access to financial resources. They must also understand how to
search, identify, and understand systems in the economic environment to enhance performance
and overall financial business health. Since financial support varies, the micro-enterprise needs
to understand its needs and limitations and make informed decisions about what capital to access
(Khan & Quaddus, 2020). Access to microcredit programs is essential to entrepreneurs and is
how rural women-owned enterprises increase wealth (Mahmud et al., 2019). In order for Latina
women to access capital, they must prove that they have the necessary credit.
Business Loan Challenges
There are several challenges that contribute to financial access. First, entrepreneurs can
sometimes overestimate their financial needs, thus contributing to barriers to small business
loans (Dalla Pellegrina et al., 2017). Furthermore, small minority businesses may be
undercapitalized, have less liquidity, and thus are forced to shut down (Robb & Robinson, 2018).
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Loans that minority businesses tend to access charge large amounts in interest rates, thus making
it difficult for business owners to see profit growth (Mutsonziwa & Fanta, 2021). Where Latinas
operate their business may also influence their ability to acquire business loans.
Sometimes geographic location also matters when accessing adequate and fair credit. For
example, Kärnä and Stephan (2022) found that businesses in larger cities have a higher chance of
obtaining business loans than businesses in rural areas. Additionally, women business owners
face further scrutiny and a more significant number of denials for business loans. Since women
are approved at a lower rate than men, women tend to apply for loans and access loans at lower
speeds (Mijid & Bernasek, 2013). This inhibits women from being able to fully fund their
businesses.
Women do not always turn to accurate sources for counsel on business capital. Business
owners tend to make sense of the decision to access loans mainly through what they learn
through social interactions and the networks, organizations, and communities in which they
partake (Hartt & Jones, 2013). Huang and Stephens (2015) found that when mortgage lending
suffers, small business lending also takes a hit. This illustrates that indirect economic challenges
can also impact small businesses in unrelenting ways.
COVID Implications
The challenges of the COVID pandemic profoundly affected small businesses all over the
nation. Starting a new business venture during the pandemic stemmed from opportunity rather
than necessity (Vazirani & Bhattacharjee, 2022). Furthermore, the need for social distancing and
other requirements instilled by health and government mandates that lead to small business
closures further exacerbated mental health issues such as anxiety and depression (Park & Kim,
2021). Sullivan et al., 2021 found that businesses were unclear about the requirements imposed,
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and companies continued to remain open despite their accurate classification of essential versus
non-essential, particularly in the early months of the pandemic. Additionally, researchers found
that businesses failed to communicate effectively with customers about such restrictions or
COVID requirements, often neglecting mediums such as social media. This lack of
communication created a ripple effect that impacted whole communities.
Most communities hard hit were communities of color. Ultimately Black and Brown-
owned businesses were disproportionately affected by the pandemic and did not only suffer from
making profits but also experienced closures at alarming rates (Fairlie, 2020). According to the
Pew Research Center (Noe Bustamante et al., 2021), about half of all Latinos have experienced
job or wage loss during the pandemic. Latino immigrants faced hardship in paying their day-to-
day bills, 45% immigrants versus 26% naturalized citizens. Furthermore, Park (2021) found that
Black and Hispanics experienced small business closures and faced other economic hardships
and insecurities such as loss of income as a result. Additionally, research demonstrates that small
business leaders who prevail through crises and pandemics such as COVID show resilience
characteristics focused on cash flow and critical relationships (Childs et al., 2022). Several other
factors contribute to barriers to entrepreneurship, including motivation.
Past Research Utilizing Social Cognitive Theory
Very few studies analyze the complexity of Latina women’s entrepreneurship within
particular cultural spheres and social diversity as demonstrated through the lens of social
cognitive theory. There is also a gap in the existing literature that lacks theoretical framework
alignment to studies (Bastian et al., 2018). However, there was found to be one study that takes
social and environmental issues into account within the context of economic structures.
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Economic structures impact business creation opportunities. An increase in the ethnic
composition of the greater labor market has a significant correlation to the rise in ethnic business
communities, thus demonstrating the entrepreneurial relationship between individuals and their
environment, attributing to opportunities (Wang, 2015). Entrepreneurship encompasses the will
and desire of the individual and the factors at play in the environment in which they operate. This
is illustrated by using social cognitive theory as a framework for the problem of practice
presented.
Conceptual Framework
The conceptual framework used to address the problem of practice is social cognitive
theory (Bandura, 1986). Social cognitive theory illustrates the intersectionality of learning
between self and the environment (Bandura, 1986). Bandura’s theory states that their
surroundings impact people’s learning and what they learn from others. Social cognitive theory
is embedded in the thought that the self is affected by mental factors, including motivation and
knowledge, and is also influenced by external factors such as social support or barriers. This all
comes together to inform behaviors. Individuals need to feel that they can impact and influence
their path forward. The power of shared beliefs affects the collective (Bandura, 1986).
Reciprocal determinism demonstrates how a person’s behavior can influence their environment
and likewise is also influenced by that same environment. Personal behavioral factors such as
leadership capabilities and accessing direct capital influences are influenced by characteristics
and cultural factors such as creativity and innovation. Likewise behavioral factors also influence
and are influenced by external factors such as governmental policy, immigration policies and
system injustices that impact opportunities for education, access to social networks and family
connections.
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Various concepts have been presented throughout the literature review; these include
family, culture, race and inclusion, policy, gender, social networks, formal and informal
education, push-pull factors, motivators, and barriers. Figure 1 shows the conceptual framework
applied.

Figure 1
Conceptual Framework: Social Cognitive Theory

Note. From “The Explanatory and Predictive Scope of Self-Efficacy Theory,” by A. Bandura,
1986, Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 4(3), 359–373.
(https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.1986.4.3.359)

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Latina entrepreneurs are innovative and creative individuals. Their businesses exist out of
necessity, opportunity or both, and there are several factors that push and pull Latinas into
various types of enterprises, industries and lead them to access social support networks such as
family, formal memberships and associations and/or other support systems. Personal
characteristics, beliefs and values guide decision making. Whether or not opportunities are
available to these individuals depends on the external factors and the environment in which they
find themselves. Policies and financial systems also contribute to the rise and fall of the Latina
business owner and have a direct impact on the access and acquisition of capital to support them
in their business journey and growth.
Summary
The problem of practice is informed by the aforementioned literature review. Common
themes that resulted from this extensive study included the lack of financial accessibility and the
role that economic systems and policies play in the lives of Latina entrepreneurs, which present
challenges and impede their growth and sustainability. In order for Latina entrepreneurs to thrive
in the United States, there are a variety of factors that contribute; those include, but are not
limited to gender and racial inequities, immigration, family, and social networks. It is important
to take a look at the internal and external environment as well as the Latina entrepreneurs’
attitudes, beliefs and behaviors that guide decision making and drive outcomes and expectations.
Using social cognitive theory as our theoretical framework throughout the study allows us to
expand on the drivers and influencers challenging Latinas and creating barriers to business
growth.
Through qualitative interviews, this dissertation will explore the experiences of 15 Latina
business owners in California in order to get a better understanding of the specific challenges and
33

needs that address the problem of practice. The following chapter will describe the methodology
we used and why it was relevant and important for this study.

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Chapter Three: Methodology
This section will review the methodology to be used for the study. The goal of the study
is to identify barriers and identify potential solutions to Latina small business growth. Chapter
Three reviews the research questions that guide the study and begins by reviewing the research
questions related to the problem of practice, then explaining the overview of the design along
with the research setting, methods used and how positionality impacts the study. A reference to
limitations for the study will be made, as well as addressing institutional review board and
validity and reliability implications.
Research Questions
The goal of this research study is to identify barriers and challenges to business growth
for Latina entrepreneurs and small business owners and identify potential opportunities and
recommendations to address the problem. The study will apply Bandura’s (1986) social
cognitive theory to determine what internal and external influences and barriers inhibit changes
in behavior and overall business growth. The following research questions are aligned to the
conceptual framework and will guide the study:
1. What factors contribute to success for Latina entrepreneurs?
2. What impact do community -based small business resources have on Latina
entrepreneurs?
3. What are the challenges facing Latina entrepreneurs?
Overview of Design
In order to address the problem of practice, this study will utilize qualitative methodology
in the form of semi-structured interviews. The use of qualitative data will allow researchers the
ability to gather information about specific Latina business owner data and make correlations to
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my research questions. Also, the business experience is very personal, and interviews will give
the researchers the opportunity to ask open-ended questions and get deeper, more detailed
responses by creating a trust-based environment for interviewees to share their genuine
experiences. Finally, interviews will afford researchers the opportunity to segregate data by
acquiring situational experiences that vary across communities in order to give a wider scope of
the problem. All research questions will be addressed through the semi-structured interview
process.
Research Setting
The research setting will take place virtually through recorded Zoom interviews. This
will allow the flexibility to reach a wider audience throughout the state of California as well as
flexibility for scheduling of days and times when respondents may be available. Zoom meetings
will be hosted utilizing a USC account. All interviews will take place within a 2-week time
frame. Recruiting participants will come from several different sources including community-
based organizations serving Latina entrepreneurs and small business owners such as Mission
Asset Fund, CAMEO, Inclusive Action for the City and SBDC Los Angeles. Participants will
also be recruited organically through social media connections and referrals.
The Researcher
Identifying as Latina puts me at the center of the need to research this problem and to
identify potential recommendations for moving forward. My parents are long-time business
owners, immigrants, and have encountered several challenges in their business growth journey,
facing fear, language barriers, and discrimination. The wisdom I carry reflects my personal
experiences growing up working with my parents and talking daily with Latina entrepreneurs
about their struggles, challenges, and successes. Currently, I have my own consulting business
36

and social impact project, with a focus on elevating the Latina entrepreneurial voice.
Unfortunately, being so close to the topic may also create roadblocks to fully understanding the
matter’s scope, breadth, and depth due to my positionality and bias. As Harper (2012) noted in
his analysis on positionality, sometimes the way we perceive our own bias impacts our research.
I will mitigate potential assumptions and biases by using probes to gather additional evidence
from respondents. I will eliminate providing personal stories or examples during the interview
and simply ask the questions to learn more about the participants’ experiences.
Data Sources
Interviews are the source of gathering qualitative data. Interviews will gather basic
information and demographics about the person being interviewed and allow for open-ended
questions and prompts to capture a fuller picture.
Semi-structured interviews will be used as the protocol, which mixes questions that are
more directive in nature with questions that are fluid and allow for flexibility (Merriam &
Tisdell, 2016). I will provide an information sheet to all participants before the interview that
explains that the interview is voluntary and confidential and may be stopped at any time. I will
also remind each interview at the beginning of the interview. Each information sheet will provide
the IRB approval number as well as my contact information and that of my chair and faculty
advisor’s name. I will log and record all raw data through transcribing of the interview and
analyze the data through coding to identify themes that come out of the interview. The themes
will be shared and discussed in the findings portion of the dissertation.
Participants
Participants will be Latina entrepreneurs and business owners from California and will
represent industries such as service based, food based, and retail in California. I will use
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purposive sampling and work with existing network associations to identify potential
participants. The target sample size is 10 interviewees and will not be interviewing anyone that is
within an affiliated business, nor do I hold any position of power of interviewees. They are
encouraged and invited to respond through their own free will and share whatever they would
like to share, with no pressure or force. Participants will self-identify as Latina business owners
or entrepreneurs. Participants will be 18 years or older and operate their business within
California. This information will be identified through verbal communication as participants
agree to the interview and will be followed up with a confirmation email with instructions and
protocols related to the study and interview taking place. Purposeful sampling will take place as
it reflects the average person of interest for the study (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016, p. 911).
Instrumentation
Semi-structured interview questions will be used to gather data and will include a robust
set of questions connected to the research questions shown in Appendix A. The use of semi-
structured interview questions will allow for flexibility in the use of questions as well as gather
specific data from each participant (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016, p. 110). Participants will be given
information prior to the interview taking place and then interview protocols will be reviewed
with them again at the time of the interview before getting started. Appendix A illustrates details
of the interview protocol, questions and how they connect to the research questions. There is a
blend of questions that focus on both external and internal influences, connecting them to the
different research questions. The graph below aligns each interview question to the research
question and key concept addressed. The key concept is in alignment with external and internal
influences and illustrated by the conceptual framework.
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Data Collection Procedures
Each interview will take 45–60 minutes and include open-ended questions and prompts
that will guide the respondent to share information. Probes will be used tactfully and for deeper
exploration purposes (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). The interviews will be conducted via Zoom and
will be recorded and transcribed for accuracy, since it may be difficult to capture everything if
solely written (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016). I will also be taking written notes as the interview is
taking place and will inform the respondent of such protocol. Instructions and an information
sheet will be provided to the respondent both in writing and verbally. The written information
will be emailed to the potential interviewee within 1 week of the interview taking place.
Data Analysis
I will code my data by using the interview transcription to systematically categorize and
create themes through open coding. As Merriam and Tisdell (2016) shared, qualitative data such
as interviewing is both inductive and comparative. First, I will read the interviews thoroughly
and categorize them by annotating the transcripts. Categories will then be synthesized and
ordered into sub-categories if necessary. Categorizing data is an inductive process (Merriam &
Tisdell, 2016, p. 210). Categories will relate to one another, and all data collected will fit into
one of the categories identified. Categories derived will also always relate back to the research
questions and conceptual framework (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016, p. 231). The type of qualitative
research used derives from narrative inquiry, as respondents to the interview will share their
unique personal business journey and experiences during our data collection. (Merriam &
Tisdell, 2016, p. 231).
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Validity and Reliability
In order to ensure credibility and trustworthiness, the three strategies used will be
member checks in order to obtain feedback from others to inform the questions and process, peer
review which will include sharing with colleagues and peers about the process of the study to
gain insight about what needs to be changed, and reflexivity, by challenging assumptions to
ensure there is an objective approach to the study (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016, p. 259). Member
checks support validity and reliability by enhancing the understanding of the data collected and
to ensure that there is nothing left to interpretation or assumption. Peer review supports validity
and reliability by providing an accountability mechanism for the process of the study and data
collection methods. Reflexivity supports validity and reliability through reflection on biases that
may exist and how that has the potential to influence the data to make intentional effort to avoid
such issues transparently.
Ethics
The IRB process and ethical consideration for treatment of participants is of utmost
importance in this research study. Issues related to consent are to be addressed by creating a
document that outlines all potential risks for participation in the study, the purpose and how the
data will be used. This document will include a clause of confidentiality, ensuring that private
information of all participants will not be shared with anyone other than the research team and
the study is completely voluntary. There will be no compensation or incentives attributed to
participants for their participation in the study and participation is clearly voluntary. In order to
ensure that there is no risk of coercion or power dynamics at play, objective open-ended
questions will be included. We will also include options for not applicable. Data will be coded
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accordingly. We will ensure compliance of all IRB requirements and make clear to all
participants that we have passed all necessary IRB requirements.
I will ensure that all participants are treated with the respect and dignity they deserve in
the study. According to Aliyu et al. (2015), the agency of the individuals participating in the
study is highly valued and respected. They are experts in their own experiences. We come from a
stance of curiosity and try to find responses to problems openly and without disregard of
participants’ experiences. Their answers will be respected, recorded, and included as viable data
and evidence without alteration. Responses will be quoted, synthesized, and summarized.
Limitations and Delimitations
Anticipated limitations include factors I cannot control. One possible limitation includes
the respondents current state of mind. As a business owner, there are constant bumps in the road
throughout the business life cycle. If the interviews taking place happen to revolve around a time
of great stress or contrarily during a time of great success, it may impact the data and information
the respondent is sharing at that given point in time. Also, certain topics may be difficult for the
respondent to share about, so there may be some information that is not captured.
Some delimitations may include the number and type of questions I ask may not be
reflective of that persons’ experience and so may delineate the responses I receive. As an
example, the interview may not capture the full picture or story of the respondent in a way that
brings forth deep rich data. There may also be time limitations and time constraints that don’t
afford us the time to expand on certain questions, thus missing important data.
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Chapter Four: Findings
In the following sections, the findings from 10 semi-structured qualitative interviews with
Latina entrepreneurs are shared. Findings are aligned to the research questions found in Chapter
Three. Overall, the evidence demonstrates several challenges and strengths communicated by
participants. Challenges include a lack of access to training, resources, and funding. Strengths
include family support and affiliation to a network of like-minded women in a professional
setting.
The Latina entrepreneurs interviewed for this study shared an unyielding passion and
commitment to their business, their communities, and their personal and professional growth. As
demonstrated in the findings, interviewees have a deep sense of purpose, a desire for financial
independence, and a gift to create not only products and services that are meaningful, but also to
connect personally with their clients and communities. The following section begins with a brief
demographic overview of participants then moves into a deeper analysis of the findings. Findings
are organized by research questions and include evidence from interviews. Key findings aligned
to the research questions arise through the thematic analysis of the interviews.
Participant Demographics
Ten participants were interviewed in this study. The women, all self-identify as Latina
women, are over the age of 18 and operate their small business within the state of California.
Businesses encompassed a wide range of industries including retail, food service, hospitality, and
service-based disciplines, such as coaching and counseling services. To maintain their privacy
and confidentiality, participants in this study are described throughout Chapter Four as
respondents and with the capital letter R followed by an identifying number (e.g., R1, R2, R3,
etc.). Table 1 provides a summary of participant’s industries and years in business.
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Table 1
Participant Demographics
Industry Years in business Identifier
Real estate services Did not disclose R1
Retail 6 years R2
Online shop and market shop;
handmade items
Did not disclose
R3
Coaching 10 years R4
Service-doula/life and career coach 9 years doula/2 years coach
R5
Beauty 15 years R6
Janitorial 14 years R7
Digital marketing 6 years R8
Tourism 2 years R9
Emotional wellness service 4 years R10

Research Question 1: What Factors Contribute to the Success of Latina Entrepreneurs?
The findings that contribute to the success of Latina entrepreneurs include the importance
of mentorship and support systems as well as the role of personal motivation and relationships.
These key factors ultimately impacted the participant’s decisions and behaviors in business. The
factors described below will provide a deeper analysis of this interconnectedness.
Mentorship and Support Systems
Mentorship and support systems are among the key findings from the study. Personal
growth is heavily influenced by positive mentorship and guidance. For the purpose of this study,
mentorship is defined as women who received direct guidance and support on their personal
business journey. Eight of the women interviewed in this study shared that coaching and
experienced mentor made a difference in their personal growth journey. R2 contributed, “Follow
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women that are successful, and see what they do, what they’re doing, because sometimes just
seeing their experiences will help you.” And R6 shared, “What I have is the business coaches
that I follow now, and the main one is in my industry.” There is a lot of learning that takes place
when there is focused support. Learning can translate into action with the right direction from
trusted individuals. R10 shared, “I started getting coaching, and that’s really where I learned the
most of it.” Respondents shared that mentorship is important. In addition to individual support
and mentorship, group settings are also found to be helpful.
Support systems including personal and professional networks are critical for the success
of Latina entrepreneurs in more ways than one. Support systems for the purposes of this study
are identified as formal or informal supports that have influenced your entrepreneurial journey.
All 10 respondents shared that support systems have positively influenced their business success.
One respondent (R8) shared, “Not having somebody that supports your business can add a lot of
pressure to your relationship and just personal life.” It is important for Latina entrepreneurs to
feel supported and have a strong network. Personal support is also important. One respondent
(R6) shared, “And so my entire family is yeah supportive of me, like they all help every time I
need something.” When entrepreneurs cannot find it anywhere else, they take the initiative. One
respondent (R10) even started her own support system, “I started a CEO master class, and it’s
just for us to come in and talk about, you know, the struggles that we’re having.” Feeling
supported is powerful. R2 shared, “Formal groups for Latina women evokes a sense of
belonging.” Having a strong support system can help strengthen self-efficacy. R2 also shared
with me that “formal groups for Latina women; evoke a sense of belonging.” The power of
belonging creates a space for women to feel empowered to address the many challenges they
may encounter.
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Relationships
Relationships are an important building block for Latina entrepreneurs. Five participants
shared that relationships are important for their personal growth and that it directly impacted
their business success. For the purpose of this study, relationships are defined as both personal
and professional relationships and includes who they interact with on a regular basis. These are
defined not as formal or informal support or network groups, but rather are defined as one-on-
one relationships developed over time. As R7 shared about a relationship that helped her get her
business going: “She gave me an opportunity, and for the record I didn’t even want a business. It
was more like I called a friend of mine, who already had a business and told me what was going
on.” R3 shared her connection with her customers, “We have many customers that go buy from
us, and they connect with us. So, they connect with our business, and they start chatting about
our culture, and like, there’s this special connection.” Eight out of 10 women interviewed shared
that helping others is key for motivation. As one respondent (R3) shared, “I want to share more
about our culture through clothing through art, so our customers could feel that love we have.”
Another respondent (R4) shared, “What I wanted to do was to help. To help lots of women in a
very specific way.” R9 shared the importance of her relationship with businesses she is working
with to move her business forward: “One of the things we really have been doing a lot of is
building relationships. on the ground in these countries.” R10 also shared the importance of her
client relationships to keep a successful business. Developing and building relationships is
important. The following section illustrates how self-efficacy is also a contributing factor for
business success.
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Self-Efficacy
Self-efficacy was found to be a strong element identified by nine respondents. For the
purposes of this study, self-efficacy is defined as the respondent’s belief in her ability to reach
her desired outcomes. As one respondent (R1) shared, “I really wanted it to be something that is
coming from within myself.” When participants experienced things that were beyond their
immediate control, their strength and resiliency became evident, as R2 shared, “I needed
something to keep me busy and to bring in extra income now that I was going to be on my own.”
R9 offered how much her business journey has impacted her self-efficacy through her cultural
pride:
I think healing for me, and like you said, just really has put me more in touch with you
know, like I said, what it means to be a Latino entrepreneur, and what that means in terms
of my culture, and you know and where I come from.
R4 shared how hard it is to maintain that level of confidence in herself, as she shared that during
her business transition, she felt like she was doing something wrong, as opposed to accepting
that running a “business is hard.” Self-efficacy was also impacted by community resources
accessed by the respondents.
Figure 2 illustrates the key findings aligned to research question one. In summary,
participants shared that mentorship, support systems, relationships and self-efficacy contributed
to their success. The following section explores how community resources impact Latina
entrepreneurs.
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Figure 2
Factors Contributing to Latina Entrepreneurs’ Success

Research Question 2: What Impact Do Community-Based Small Business Resources Have
on Latina Entrepreneurs?
Through the data collection process, it was found that resources play an important role in
the success of Latina entrepreneurs. However, several challenges were identified by the research
regarding resources and Latina entrepreneurs. The following sections provide evidence
participants experience with the following small business resources, including access to small
business education and training, lack of knowledge of where to find small business resources,
and lack of funding resources.
Accessing Small Business Education and Training
All 10 respondents shared that they have participated in small business education and
training programs or workshops, including webinars and YouTube videos. Small business
education and training is defined by formal or informal training received to help support the
business, such as operations, finances, and leadership capacity. R1 shared she participated in
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“training on how to run your business from an accounting perspective.” R4 shared her
experience with different types of training: “I’ve taken classes on launches like I just watched the
Webinar last week, also on launch strategy. I’ve taken classes on what else on sales.” However,
four of the 10 still felt there was more that they wanted to learn. One respondent shared her
experience as a first-gen Latina: “Especially as a first-generation Latina. We don’t. I didn’t come
from that background, so I had to learn everything on my own, and so nobody really set me up
for success.” R3 shared, “None of us studied business, so we don’t know we didn’t know what
we were getting into. But again, we’re learning as we go.” Not being able to access small
business education and resources limits the ability to operate and grow their small business.
Time presents another challenge.
Time
Although the women interviewed had experienced some type of small business education
or training, nine out of 10 women interviewed shared that time was one thing they felt impacted
their ability to access information and resources. R3 shared with us, “I know there are many
resources out there again. We don’t just have the time to attend. We wish we had more time.” R4
shared,
I have bled money over and over along the way, like I have known of things
intellectually, but didn’t like it didn’t have a bandwidth to um to implement along the
way, and so there were things that I could learn and implement. And then there were a lot
of things that I learned, and back pocket for like 1 day I’ll put this in play.
R9 shared, “Wearing all the hats is really a challenge. I primarily take care of social media, but
it’s a full-time job, and it’s not the only thing I do. So, it doesn’t get the attention it should.” Not
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having the time for their small business also limits their ability to acquire the knowledge they
need to operate and grow their business.
Lack of Knowledge
There is a lack of knowledge of where to find resources. Eight out of 10 respondents
identified there is a lack of access to small business resources, which contributes to their lack of
knowledge. Lack of knowledge, for the purpose of this study, is defined as being uninformed as
to the small business resources that exist. As one respondent contributed, “I’m going to assume
they’re out there. I have no idea where they are.” Resources cannot always be found so readily,
as one respondent shared with us when it came to accessing information about financial
management like managing her budget and taxes, “So those are just things that I’ve learned
along the way that I’m doing myself.” R2 shared,
There’s a lot of aspects in business that we are not really aware of. We like, I say, people
just being called you Open, up you go! You’re going to go to a pop up and sell and make
money, but that’s not what a business is.
Not knowing what permits and licenses are required to operate a business was another
example of the lack of knowledge of where to go or who to ask for information. Language access
can impact acquiring the appropriate knowledge, as R1 shared that one of her small business
clients had trouble in accessing information due to her language barrier, “They do have a small
business, and she doesn’t really speak English, she feels like she’s kind of on her own on this
deserted island in the small business world.” The inability to access knowledge also impacts the
access of financial capital for participants.
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Small Business Financial Capital
At the time of my interviews, only three respondents secured grant dollars to help sustain
and grow their business and one obtained a business loan. Small business financial capital is
defined in this study as the funding provided to small businesses for everyday operations or
reserves. R6 was able to secure funding for her business: “The EIDL Grant. That was pretty easy
to get. And then there was a loan that was pretty easy to get. And now I’m paying it back.” The
EIDL stands for the Economic Injury Disaster Loan, which was a grant made available by the
federal government in response to the economic impact of the COVID pandemic on small
businesses (U.S. Small Business Administration, 2021). The other two respondents secured
government loans through an online application process found online through SBA.gov.
Securing funding for their business helped them with the daily operations of their business.
Figure 3 demonstrates the findings related to RQ2, which included small business
education and training, lack of time, access and knowledge of resources, and lack of financial
capital resources. Resources such as access to financial capital are helpful for small business
owners. In the following section, I will share the key challenges identified by respondents of this
study.

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Figure 3
Impact of Community-Based Small Business Resources

Research Question 3: What Are the Challenges Facing Latina Entrepreneurs?
A major finding of the data collected was the lack of acquiring small business financial
capital. These factors included qualifying for such things as financial assistance by means of
loans or grants. Outlined here are challenges identified by respondents, which included lack of
financial support, lack of business capacity and burnout.
Financial Capital
Acquiring financial capital is a huge challenge for seven of the women interviewed
through this study. Financial capital is defined as funding to support the operations and
infrastructure of the small business. Only three of the respondents shared that they had acquired a
small business grant, and only one of those same respondents shared that she had received a loan.
One respondent shared how she had to turn to her own finances to help her out. R2 shared, “I
was putting a lot of money from my own pocket, so I was mixing it until I realized when I was
becoming an LLC, how important it was for me to have the business separate from my personal.”
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Using personal funds was difficult for this respondent to keep her business sustainable over the
long term. As an additional or alternative to using personal funds to fund a small business, there
are grants or loans available to small businesses.
In some cases, women may not qualify or meet the requirements of the grant or loan.
Seven of the 10 women reported feeling that accessing financial capital is restrictive or that they
did not qualify, such as the perception that it would be too much paperwork and they would not
have the correct documentation necessary and would not meet minimum requirements to be
eligible. R10 shared, “I have applied to over 22 grants and have not gotten one.” Latina women
who own small or micro-businesses may feel excluded from a system that was not built with
them in mind, as R4 shared, “They create the system to intentionally leave out small businesses.”
This respondent found it difficult to obtain financial capital for their business, such that loan and
grant applications are unnecessarily complicated and that they are not available to businesses that
are not storefronts like her service-based coaching business. Furthermore, only three respondents
shared receiving small business grant funding.
I researched the EIDL through the U.S. Small Business Administration website to cross-
reference the data collected and found that as of January 2022, the government stopped taking
applications for this loan. Recipients of this loan are required to meet certain criteria such
meeting credit score minimums and having a formalized business entity, thus possibly presenting
a challenge to those seeking the loan opportunity (U.S. Small Business Administration, YEAR)
There are various other loan programs that I found for California small businesses when doing a
Google search. In addition to the lack of financial capital access, business capacity is another
challenge identified throughout the data collection process.
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Business Capacity
Business capacity is defined by what can be accomplished in a certain time based on
resources and staff. Four interviewees shared that there is a need to hire more people to support
the growth of their business and that they are experts in areas they need support with, such as
marketing and social media. Lack of capacity can be frustrating, as illustrated by R1, “I think it
was just kind of like a fire, a water hose that was on full blast.” There is also a desire to expand
services, as identified by seven of the women interviewed, such as hiring additional staff,
opening a brick and mortar, serving more clients, and introducing more products. One
respondent (R3) shared, “We felt alone, like we had to do everything ourselves, because we felt
there was no help.” Five women who were interviewed expressed their need and interest in
expanding their business by hiring additional staff. R6 shared that she “added a couple of girls,
and most recently I am planning to add a mentorship program, so that when I do bring in new
people, they are in my mentorship program.” Six respondents shared that they hope to expand
their services and help more people, such as providing them with additional products and
services they need in a timely manner. This can only happen by acquiring additional funds and
increasing the budget. The lack of capacity and support can oftentimes leave entrepreneurs
feeling burned out.
Burnout
Burnout is something that the women interviewed experience throughout their
entrepreneurial journey. Burnout for the purpose of this study is defined as feeling mentally or
physically exhausted due to running a small business. During this interview, four respondents
shared feelings of burnout, such as, “I would get burned out” and that they were “exhausted” and
“didn’t know how to manage my energy.” Another respondent shared, “A lot of times it was just
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survival.” And the feeling that “wearing all the hats is really a challenge.” And yet the Latina
entrepreneurs we interviewed continue to find their strength. As one respondent (R4) shared,
“It’s just like the ability to get back up over and over and over again.” When burnout exists, it
may be difficult for Latina women to continue business operations or grow their capacity.
Three of the women who were interviewed, however, experienced an increase in
developing perseverance and adaptability as a result of owning a business. R10 shared that she
felt very proud of being able to help families and how that has helped her keep going, “okay,
we’re going to stay in it 1 more year. We’re going to make this work.” R9 shared that seeing her
business grow and the interest customers have expressed has helped her, “There is a business
here and it’s more like on us to make sure that it continues to grow. I think that’s liberating and
frightening but like I said, I’m just really glad.” Two out of the 10 women were negatively
impacted by the lack of acknowledgement and recognition they felt for all of their hard work,
such that they felt unappreciated or that their business is not perceived as a legit business. Three
of the women shared that they felt they lacked the capacity to grow their business beyond where
they were at the current moment. One respondent shared, “I think it was just kind of like a fire, a
water hose that was on full blast.” There could be a sense of feeling overwhelmed by the
responsibilities of the business, such that R8 also shared that “not having somebody that supports
your business can add a lot of pressure to your relationship and personal life.” It is evident that
the women who were interviewed experience challenges throughout their business journey.
As illustrated in Figure 4, the challenges respondents faced included a lack of financial
capital, lack of business capacity and burnout. In the following section, I will summarize the
findings of this study. Thereafter, I will provide some recommendations to consider for
addressing the factors identified.
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Figure 4
Challenges Facing Latina Entrepreneurs

Summary
Various factors contribute to the challenges and successes of the Latina entrepreneurs
interviewed throughout this study. Also, important to note is the interconnectedness of the
factors identified and how they influence each other. The three research questions are closely
aligned. Latina entrepreneurs in this study faced overall challenges and struggles related to
financial capital, burnout, capacity, small business education and training. In addition, they were
also directly impacted by community related resources, mostly in a positive way. They
experienced success as a result of support networks, relationships, and their own feelings of self-
efficacy. In the following chapter, I will outline several recommendations based on the findings
of this study and how we can move forward in addressing the problem of practice.
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Chapter Five: Recommendations
The purpose of the study is to address barriers to growth and find potential solutions for
Latina entrepreneurs. The following recommendations are based on findings from the study and
draw from peer reviewed literature with a focus on Latina entrepreneurship. The three
recommendations presented include providing micro-financing resources, ensuring a strong
support system, and providing access to education.
Discussion of Findings
The conceptual framework of social cognitive theory outlined by Bandura (2000)
emerges throughout our findings. In this study, I look at the environmental factors as well as the
unique personal factors and the behavioral changes that contribute to the experience of Latina
entrepreneurs interviewed in this study. The social cognitive lens helps us to better understand
the complex systems and factors at play that contribute to the challenges and opportunities for
Latina entrepreneurs. Findings address the problem of practice by exploring the various
challenges faced by Latina entrepreneurs today. It also addresses what has been helpful for
Latina entrepreneurs to succeed in their business.
The findings outlined in Chapter Four are aligned to the literature review in a variety of
ways. The first finding revealed that support systems and networks such as family are extremely
important to the success of women in business and entrepreneurship. As stated in the literature
review, women business owners possess the most potent ability to grow their business because
they form a close support network and maintain individual solid aspirations and goals (Bullough
et al., 2017). This clearly aligns to the findings on the importance of social and professional
relationships and networks.
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However, an unexpected finding was that of one respondent who shared that she does not
believe participating only in Latina focused entrepreneurship or small business support groups or
programs is always a good idea. She shared that she has found pronounced success in
participating in multiple different types of small business networks and groups, including those
that are non-Latino. To expand opportunities, creativity, and innovation, it is important to expand
beyond your immediate network and look for diverse learning opportunities. As referenced in
Creativity Inc. (Catmull & Wallace, 2014), groups often don’t let go of existing plans and ways
of doing things, and that impedes them from seeing what’s possible and creating change.
In addition, in alignment to the literature review, it was found that financial barriers are a
significant contributing factor that inhibit or help entrepreneurs grow and succeed. Maden (2015)
found that finding funding was the most significant problem for women entrepreneurs due to a
lack of being able to compete with male business owners for funding capital. Additionally, Khan
and Quaddus (2020) found that businesses must have more than access to financial resources.
They must also understand how to search, identify, and understand systems in the economic
environment to enhance performance and overall financial business health. This is critical as we
take a look at the lack of access and knowledge identified throughout the interview process of
this study.
The need for learning and development of small business operations is also a key factor.
Raghuvanshi et al.’s research (2017) found that education and access to training opportunities is
the most vital barrier for small business success, which includes lack of access to educational
resources. It was evident in my study that the women felt the need to learn from successful
women, as seven of the women shared, they worked about business from an expert or coach. All
10 women had experienced some form of business training throughout their journey in building
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and sustaining their business, which is indicative of how important and helpful learning and
development is.
The recommendations for practice are directly connected to the findings of the study. The
study outlines how Latina entrepreneurs rely heavily on their formal, informal, and familial
support systems in order to pursue, strengthen and thrive in their business. Their network will
either help them elevate their business or contribute to their decision to stop operations. In
addition, without a solid foundation in business management and operations and access to
resources, entrepreneurs also find it difficult to reach their business goals. Without this
knowledge, access and awareness, entrepreneurs find it difficult to access financial capital and
financing opportunities. I see these needs as an interconnected continuum. Thus, my
recommendations are based on these findings. The relationship is illustrated in Figure 5. Each
recommendation addresses a specific factor that was prevalent throughout the research. Details
are described in order to illustrate not just why, but how this can be accomplished.

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Figure 5
Recommendations for Serving Latina Entrepreneurs

Recommendations for Practice
The research studies findings indicate that Latina entrepreneurs lack the knowledge and
understanding of where to access financial resources and capital for their business. Women
entrepreneurs fare better when getting support from micro-lending institutions and can raise their
assets (Shkodra et al., 2021). It is in part due to a response to a loss of employment or low wages,
that Latinas turn to entrepreneurship as a solution (León-Ross et al., 2012). This is what makes
micro-financing accessibility and increasing opportunities for Latina entrepreneurs vital and was
also found as a challenge through the qualitative interviews of this study.
Recommendation 1: Provide Direct Micro-Financing Resources and Opportunities for
Latina Entrepreneurs
It is important to meet Latina entrepreneurs where they are. Micro-lending institutions
have a responsibility to organize and coordinate efforts as the organizations who are providing
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direct funding to these businesses. The approach must be holistic and comprehensive in order to
be successful. Outreach strategies must be direct, intentional, and clear. Marketing and outreach
efforts must meet the demand, need and communication style of Latina entrepreneurs and have
an intentional approach to reaching these women in their communities. This includes making
available and providing information in the language familiar to the entrepreneur.
Once entrepreneurs are engaged with the organization, the micro-lending institution
needs to provide education around how financing works, what are the benefits, what is the
process and how to access it. Entrepreneurs who are unfamiliar with this resource should be
provided with one-to-one advising and coaching through the application process and the
managing of the funds and reporting. Furthermore, the products and services developed by the
lending institution should address the needs and challenges of Latina entrepreneurs, including
consideration of character-based lending as opposed to traditional forms of lending.
Furthermore, lending institutions should have a conduit for supporting the sustainability
of the business by way of connections and referrals to other resources that may support the
entrepreneur. Too often we experience institutions that seek out support entrepreneurs, only to
find that they provide a partial solution and are not able to direct clients in a way that is helpful
nor sustainable. I do not recommend nor believe that every lending institution has to provide
everything needed for entrepreneurs to thrive, however I do think that institutions should have
strong relationships with trusted resources where entrepreneurs can find support systems and
other resources that will help them thrive.
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Recommendation 2: Ensure That Latina Entrepreneurs Have a Strong Support System As
They Go Through Their Business Journey in Order to Experience Sustainable Growth
The research findings indicate that family is the biggest influence in the life of a Latina
entrepreneur. Seventy percent of interviewees report that their family has a strong relationship
with their business success. As found through the literature, women business owners possess the
most potent ability to grow their business because they form a close support network and
maintain individual solid aspirations and goals (Bullough et al., 2017). It is essential to study and
analyze the intersectionality and positionality of women in business to understand the complexity
of women’s entrepreneurship (Croce, 2020). Latina entrepreneurs are human beings, and it is
important to gain a holistic understanding as to the complexity of their social and environmental
influences in order to create supportive systems that work.
Creating spaces where Latina entrepreneurs feel that they have a safe space to be
vulnerable, learn and share is extremely important. Those that have supportive families can count
on that network, however it is important to also replicate that environment for women where
women seek guidance, learning and resources to grow their business. Small business serving
organizations need to develop strategies that effectively communicate with Latina entrepreneurs.
Small business serving organizations need to ensure that Latina women feel safe, heard, seen,
and encouraged to pursue their goals. An environment of physiological safety needs to be created
by those who are serving Latina entrepreneurs.
This is accomplished by researching thoroughly not only the trends and regional/national
issues challenging small business owners and entrepreneurs, but also having a pulse on
specifically Latina entrepreneurs’ challenges and opportunities for growth. This knowledge will
ensure that a framework is developed that takes the human element into account. Business
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serving organizations can all collaborate and work with each other to ensure that there is a
continuum and directory of trusted services and resources available to Latina women. And that
they are provided in a culturally relevant way to build trust and longevity.
Recommendation 3: Provide Education, Including Accessible Resources and Tools for
Latina Entrepreneurs to Thrive
Findings from the study indicate that Latina women entrepreneurs have a fear of not
receiving help and have a lack of knowledge or access to information and resources. Education
has played a significant role in Latina entrepreneurs’ success. Education and access to training
opportunities is the most vital barrier, which includes lack of access to educational resources
(Raghuvanshi et al., 2017). Latina business owners prefer both effective and cognitive-focused
training opportunities (Williams et al., 2012). It is also important to bring these resources directly
to the community. Merely existing is not enough.
Latina women need and deserve spaces to learn about how to successfully grow and
operate their business, including financial management, marketing and operations. The following
are ways on how to accomplish this: assess the needs of Latina women entrepreneurs, develop
culturally relevant programming in a way that provides clear step by step processes for how to
operate a business, provide learning and training opportunities by way of easily accessible and
highly marketed workshops that speak to the needs of Latina entrepreneurs, and organizations
who have established trust with Latina entrepreneurial communities need to partner with small
business service providers to ensure women have access to resources.
Educational institutions such as universities, community colleges and other places of
learning can develop business development training programs in collaboration with experts and
professors to ensure that Latina women and women of color have access to the knowledge,
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training, and resources they need to be successful in their industry. These places of learning
create an environment that fosters creativity, encourages, and also celebrates the women who
make up these collective communities of learning. Increasing access by way of in person and
online learning resources in multiple languages can address traditional barriers experienced by
Latina women. Providing multiple opportunities throughout different geographies and addressing
different learning styles and abilities is also a recommendation.
Limitations and Delimitations
Limitations of this study include a limited sample size and area of geographic focus. The
way that Latina entrepreneurs experience small business challenges and successes may differ
from how women in other states experience similar challenges and successes. My research
focused on 10 women building their small business in the state of California. Data was based on
each woman’s personal experience, years in business, and industry.
There is also a need for identifying the deeper issues or challenges experienced by the
women interviewed. Due to the qualitative nature of this study, the data excludes finding
correlations or further information about the challenges identified. An example is what was
found regarding accessing or acquiring financial capital.
Recommendations for Future Research
Recommendations for future research include taking a deeper look into the success and
challenges of Latina business owners across the nation and using a multi-method approach to
include interviews and surveys with larger sample sizes. The need is definitely there as
demonstrated by the lack of scholarly literature found through the research process. Many
scholarly articles either focused on women entrepreneurs or Latinos as a whole subgroup and
those in other countries. Taking sub-groups of Latina entrepreneurs is also important, as first-
63

generation Latinas may encounter different challenges and opportunities than second, third
generation. Another layer to explore are those that immigrate or migrate as well as
undocumented Latina entrepreneurial communities. This is necessary in order to gain a more
holistic and comprehensive understanding of the challenges and opportunities that impact Latina
entrepreneurs in order to respond in a strategic way to create relevant, useful, and sustainable
solutions.
This qualitative study reflects the challenges Latina entrepreneurs face and their barriers
to growth, however there is also an opportunity to learn from the findings and identify what can
be done in a broader context for all business owners all over the country. The findings of this
study, like the recommendations identified and outlined, are not hard to do and yet we continue
to see Latina entrepreneurs and other business owners experience missed opportunities and
access to essential business resources and financial support. This study can be used as a
precursor to create broader coalitions that bring together diverse voices to ensure that all
communities are heard and that sound realistic actions are taken to experience deep meaningful
impact. This problem is not only a personal problem, but also a societal one. When we continue
to see the challenges persist for Latina entrepreneurs and other diverse business owners, we need
to ask ourselves how we get to the root cause of the problem. Operating in silos and looking at
only one side of the problem or focusing on one community is not the answer. There needs to be
policy change, advocacy and real action from leaders and business leaders and community alike
to mobilize so we begin to see the change we want to see.
Conclusion
I want to reiterate that there is a human being behind each business. It is imperative for us
to understand the context, history, and experience of Latina entrepreneurs by asking the experts -
64

the Latinas themselves who are working hard every day to build wealth for their families and
communities and who deserve to be seen and heard. We inject millions of dollars every year into
programs and funding to support business owners and entrepreneurs in this country, $44.8 billion
in funding reported in 2021 according to the Small Business Administration (U.S. Small
Business Administration, 2021), and yet we fail to fully understand the significance and
underlying issues which prevent Latinas from not only accessing these resources, but also
guiding them to leverage these funds to grow their capacity and revenue.
Investing time and resources in Latina entrepreneurs can help build generational wealth;
create healthier families and communities; develop healthier more vibrant economies; promote
inclusion, creativity, and innovation; build stronger communities; and addresses societal
problems. Latina entrepreneurs deserve to be supported. When they are, the broader community
will also benefit. More research and action are needed now. It cannot wait any longer.

65

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81

Appendix A: Interview Questions and Protocol
Interview questions Potential
probes
RQ Key concept
addressed
Q Type (Patton)
What inspired you to
become a business
owner?
How did you
get started?
– Get to know you Background/
demographic
Tell me a little about
your business
industry.
Is it retail,
service based
or other?
– Get to know you Background/
demographic
What is your
perception about
financial access for
small business
owners and
entrepreneurs?
Are you
interested in
pursuing it?
What are the
processes to
get there?
RQ3 Financial Opinions/values
What has been your
business training
experience?
Formal?
Informal?
RQ2 Training Experience/behavior
What are your thoughts
on current resources
available to business
owners?
financial,
operational,
etc.
RQ2 Resources Feelings
What types of financial
management tools
do you use in your
business?
How or where
did you learn
of those
tools?
RQ1 Resources/
access
Knowledge
How can accessing
capital help your
business?

RQ3 Financial Knowledge
What has helped
business owners
grow and succeed?

RQ1 Success Sensory
Tell me about your
current support
systems and
networks.

RQ1 Networks Behavior
82

Interview questions Potential
probes
RQ Key concept
addressed
Q Type (Patton)
How do government
programs and
resources play a role
in your business
journey?
Success?
challenges?
RQ3 Government
resources
knowledge
Tell me about a recent
business success.
Something that
has helped
your
business.
RQ1 Successes Experience
Tell me about a recent
business challenge.
Support,
financial,
operational?
RQ3 Barriers Experience
Anything else you
want to add that we
did not address
during our
interview?
– – – –

Introduction to the Interview
Hello and thank you for engaging in our research study. My name is Rocio Flores, and I
am the primary researcher.
My understanding is that you had the time to read through the interview information prior
to our call today. Do you have any questions before we begin?
How comfortable are you with the Zoom platform we are using today? Do you have any
questions about it?
Okay great, thank you!
I am now going to read a script with some information about the study:
83

The purpose of our study is to identify financial barriers to growth for Latina owned
businesses and to identify potential solutions to recommend. In an effort to ensure we capture
accurate information, we would like to request your permission to record this study. I am
available to answer any questions you may have about the study or interview. This interview will
last approximately 45–60 minutes. You are free to stop at any time during this interview or take a
short break if needed, just let me know. We appreciate your honest, open, and genuine responses
to our questions.
Let’s get started.
Conclusion to the Interview
Thank you so much for your participation in this interview. I truly appreciate your time
today. Your information will help inform our study. I wish you all the best. Please feel free to
reach out if any additional questions arise. Do you have any questions now that I can answer
before we end our time together? Take care, goodbye.
84

Appendix B: Coding Table
Code Description
Motivation
Expertise in the field (2)
Independence (9)
Necessity (3)
Helping others (8)
Personal motivation and inspiration to start a business
Why did you start your business?
How did you start your business?
Financial access perception
Restrictive and do not qualify (7)
Lack of knowledge (4)
Lack of access and clarity (7)
Cultural perceptions (5)
Plenty of opportunities (1)
Are you familiar with the process to seek and obtain
financial support for your business
Training
Formal (10)
Informal (10)
More training (4)
Training you have received to help support your
business operations, finances, leadership capacity
etc.
Knowledge/awareness of resources
Lack of access (8)
Lack of funding (2)
Lack of guidance (3)
Time (2)
Knowledge of resources for Latina owned businesses
specifically
Knowledge of resources for small business owners in
general/entrepreneurs
Financial management tools
Cloud platform (QuickBooks or
Google; 10)
Hired staff/support (3)
Accessibility (4)
Expertise (3)
What tools if any have been used to manage the
finances of the business?
Accessing capital opportunities
Marketing (8)
Hire staff (4)
Technology (5)
Save and invest (1)
What can funding do for your business?
How would you use the money you obtain to support
or grow your business?
Personal growth
Experts and coaching (7)
Events and networking (3)
Personal development (5)
Relationship building (4)
How has being a business owner fostered your own
personal growth and development?
Support systems
Family (7)
Other women business owners (4)
Professional experts (3)
Community (1)
Formal or informal supports that have influenced your
entrepreneurial journey
85

Code Description
Networks
Formal professional women groups
(5)
Collaborations (3)
Mentorship (2)
Formal or informal business/professional networks
that have support your entrepreneurial journey
Government programs
Grants (3)
Pandemic loans (1)
Consultants (3)
Certifications (1)
Participation or beneficiary of any government related
programs or resources and how they have helped
your business
Business success
Relationships (5)
Responding to needs (5)
Perseverance (6)
Brand awareness (2)
Describe business success/es, what are you most
proud of?
Business growth/challenges
Lack of capacity (3)
Burnout (4)
Financial (5)
Legal (4)
Lack of systems (3)
Lack of recognition (2)
Describe business challenges.
Vision/planning ahead
Hiring (5)
Learning (2)
Expanding services (7)
Physical location (4)
Increase revenue (3)
What do you see for yourself in your business in the
future?
What would you need to get there?
Other
Fear (4)
Technology is a challenge for Latinas
entrepreneurship is intrinsic
Entrepreneurship is healing (4)
What else did you want to share that wasn’t covered
in the interview related to Latina
entrepreneurship/study focus

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Asset Metadata

Creator Flores, Rocio Angelica (author)

Core Title Exploring barriers to growth for Latina entrepreneurs

School Rossier School of Education

Degree Doctor of Education

Degree Program Organizational Change and Leadership (On Line)

Degree Conferral Date 2023-05

Publication Date 06/02/2023

Defense Date 04/03/2023

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag Barriers,California,entrepreneur,Finance,Latina,OAI-PMH Harvest,Small business,social cognitive theory

Format theses (aat)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Mora-Flores, Eugenia (committee chair), Kaplan, Sandra (committee member), Sparangis, Themistocles (committee member)

Creator Email rflores.mojica@gmail.com,rocioflo@usc.edu

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-oUC113144534

Unique identifier UC113144534

Identifier etd-FloresRoci-11918.pdf (filename)

Legacy Identifier etd-FloresRoci-11918

Document Type Dissertation

Format theses (aat)

Rights Flores, Rocio Angelica

Internet Media Type application/pdf

Type texts

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