Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month: Research on and for Latino Entrepreneurs
- Strong & Starlike Admin
- Sep 21, 2025
- 2 min read
According to the 100 Stanford Business, “Latino entrepreneurs are creators – really focused on employee growth and benefits and showing growth across all industries.” Researchers now have a decade of data that points to both strength and continuing challenges for Latino-owned businesses. The research highlights that, “[t]he decade of research points to both strength and continuing challenges for Latino-owned businesses. “Latino-owned businesses have continued to grow in number in the U.S. at much higher rates than white-owned businesses,” says Deborah Whitman, director of the Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at Stanford GSB. “But in general, Latino-owned businesses tend to remain smaller than white-owned businesses. They’re less likely to get over $1 million in sales.””
In a research article entitled, “Charting the surge in Latino or Hispanic-owned businesses in the US“ shared by Brookings in April of this year, it highlights the growth of Latinx-owned businesses between 2017-2022, as well as continued challenges. Some highlights on the growth during that period include:
Between 2017 and 2022, Latino or Hispanic-owned businesses grew in 204 of 227 (89.9%) U.S. metro areas.
Just between 2021 and 2022, the number of Latino or Hispanic employers increased by 14.6%, to a total of 465,202 employer businesses nationally. This growth eclipses overall employer business creation, which grew by just 0.46% annually and 2.3% overall during this period.
In 2022, Latino or Hispanic-owned businesses employed 3,550,230 people and generated over $653 billion in total revenue—an increase of 14.1% and 18.9%, respectively, since 2021.
In a year where pivoting and shifting has become essential for most small businesses, the Forbes article, “How Latino Entrepreneurs Are Paving The Way Forward In An Unprecedented Year” also highlights insights for strategies for Latino entrepreneurs during this time. For example, the article ends by noting, “Critical to staying ahead, however, is staying informed and prepared. Roman recommends employers have clear protocols in place, designate a point person for agency visits, and stay connected to legal resources like Lawyers for Civil Rights or the MIRA Coalition. “Staying informed isn’t about fear — it’s about being ready to lead with confidence,” she said.”
