La Paz Chattanooga is celebrating the graduation of its inaugural business fundamentals cohort. The 12-week course was taught by Prospera Strategies Partner Marco Pérez and included 18 classmates.
“Earlier this year, we released our 2024 Community Needs Assessment, and based on survey responses, it was very clear there is a strong desire among our area’s Latino population about how to successfully start and grow a business,” said Stacy Johnson, CEO at La Paz. “We’ve always let community needs steer our services, so we have been excited to partner with Prospera Strategies to offer this inaugural course.
I couldn’t be more proud of the graduates.”
The course covered topics including branding, strategy, business financials and team development, licensing, accounting, staffing practices and more. Free to participants, the course was made possible by generous funding from Hamilton County and the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development’s DSEW (Digital Skills, Education and Workforce Development) program.
“Entrepreneurs and business owners are problem solvers who are used to finding solutions on their own. As exciting as this can be, it can also be very lonely. Even more so when there are language barriers and cultural differences that require delicate navigation,” said Marco Perez, founder and partner at Prospera Strategies. “This course allowed for 18 business owners to come together from different industries and find in each other, and La Paz, the resources needed for further success. It was an honor for us at Prospera Strategies to be a trusted partner in this crucial work.”