The Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is helping women launch into the world of being entrepreneurs thanks to their DreamBuilder program.
"The dream builders go through the eight-week boot camp training. They get their, you know, certificate. They get their actual membership. They get everything else, the funding, the laptop. It's very thought-provoking. It's very... you better listen in and you know, fill out the information that's being requested because, at the very end, they will have a business plan," explained Kaaren-Lyn Graves, executive director at the AZHCC.
Graves says the DreamBuilder program offers women ways to build a solid business foundation. They cover things like legal structure, marketing, and even financing options. This results in a fresh start with confidence for budding business owners like Anna Dempsey.
"It took you step by step, teaching you how to put together a business plan to execute, and then also get funding?" asked ABC15's Kaley O'Kelley.
"Yes, they actually walk you through what makes you start the business. How did it start? Did it start as a need, as an idea? How did you come up with this? They really walk you through how to put the business together and why," said Dempsey.
Dempsey is a retired corrections worker, and through her business, AmeriaScan Fingerprint Services, she's helped make employee background checks easier by offering digital fingerprinting services in the Sun City area.
"Being in Sun City, there's so much need for fingerprinting because of the local businesses that support assisted living. There's a lot of caregivers, a lot of nurses. Even though these services already exist at a larger level, as a small business, I saw the need to help those small businesses that don't really want to have a large account with a corporate office," said Dempsey.
She says the business opportunities have been life-changing and wouldn't have happened without the guidance and support from the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
"Every time I turn around, they had a new program pushing me, pushing me and (challenging) me to move forward," Dempsey added.
"Where do you think you'd be right now had this opportunity not come?" asked O'Kelley.
"Probably still sitting at home wondering, you know, asking myself if I should have done it," Dempsey replied.
To learn more about the DreamBuilder program and other resources available for current and aspiring business owners visit the AZHCC website.
