Founding and Leading a Hispanic Business Community with Liliam Lopez [Video]

Liliam Lopez, President of the South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (SFLHCC) and the SFLHCC Foundation, joins the pod in beautiful Miami to talk about growing one of the biggest Hispanic Chambers in the nation. Established in 1994, South Florida Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit organization that promotes business leadership, creates economic prospects and provides legislative advocacy for the Hispanic business community in South Florida. Talking points include taking advantage of what the Chamber offers, elevating underprivileged Hispanic youth, and advocating for diverse board positions at corporations.

Timecoded Guide:

[00:00] Podcast begins – Founding and Leading a Hispanic Business Community with Lili Lopez

[02:45] Creating one of the top five Hispanic Chambers in the nation in Miami

[07:32] Growing the Chamber & advocating for better support from corporate America

[12:22] Supporting low-income Hispanic students with the SFLHCC Foundation

[20:11] Closing the cost of living gap in Miami for Hispanic & Latino workers

[26:14] Dreaming about a bigger, better Hispanic Chamber

What are your goals for the Hispanic Chamber?

A big goal for the Hispanic Chamber for Lili is getting more support from corporate America. Hispanic professionals make up a huge portion of the workforce, and the next generation will be even more vital to the corporate success of these large companies. Lili is disappointed in the lack of corporate involvement in the Hispanic community, but she hopes to change that by advocating for more involvement and investment from these companies, especially for their student-focused programs at the SFLHCC Foundation.

“We’re not taken into account and the only reason we’re not taken into account is because we don’t talk, we don’t voice. In reality, we’re not on the corporate boards that we should be on. Even here in Miami, I see some big companies that are not members of the South Florida Hispanic Chamber when they have clients and the majority are Hispanics.”

How can we advance our community and close the gap?

Closing the gap for Hispanic Americans starts with tackling wealth disparity and financial insecurity within the community. For Lili, this means that SFLHCC focuses the majority of its events on educational workshop opportunities that tackle topics like financial literacy. When Hispanic professionals feel empowered about their money, they’re able to succeed not only for themselves but for their families and children.

“At Viva Miami, we incorporate some workshops on financial literacy to empower the community, especially women. The records show that Hispanic women are way up there when it comes to being business owners. So, that’s something that’s improving slowly, but at the same time, if you don’t have that support, if you don’t have that system, you’re not going to be able to make it.”

What are you dreaming bigger about?

When asked about next, Lili is honest about her passion to stay where she is, making an impact for Hispanic business owners, students, and families as the CEO. Watching the Chamber grow has been incredibly rewarding for Lili, but she sees so much potential in the health and wellness of Hispanic and Latino children and families living below the poverty line in South Florida. Addressing the needs of this community is a massive motivation for Lili moving forward.

“Everybody always asks me, what’s next? And I always say, but I’m happy where I am. It’s an interesting ride. I’m happy where I am just doing what I do. I want to see the organization grow bigger, to grow more, and to be able to, at least, help not only our businesses but our families.”