SAN DIEGO (KGTV) - Accessity, a local non-profit, is stepping in to diversify small businesses around San Diego offering financial support and educational opportunities.
A program that helped one local man who migrated from Vietnam and through the network of resources made his dream come true.
“The same with all immigrants, in the beginning, we struggle financially and with the language barrier… it was a tough process,” says Kevin La the owner of Jasmine Beauty School in Redwood Village.
Despite the financial and language barriers faced, Kevin La jumped on an opportunity when he noticed a trend in the nearby businesses.
“My wife and I, we saw some beauty schools owned by Vietnamese that were shut down for different reasons,” said Kevin.
As a result, Kevin adds, it became almost impossible for Vietnamese immigrants in San Diego to complete the courses needed for their cosmetology licenses.
“They either had to take a class in a beauty school in English or drive all the way to Orange County,” explains Kevin.
An opportunity that inspired the entrepreneur to open Jasmine Beauty School in 2019. Yet, months later, was forced to close his business due to the pandemic.
“You know I didn’t want to lay off all of my employees because I knew they were depending on the school,” says Kevin.
In response to the barriers many minority entrepreneurs face, Accessity, a local non-profit organization is offering a helping hand.
“We help businesses start and expand with tools and resources that will ultimately help them with the success and contributions to the local community,” said CEO of Accessity Elizabeth Schott.
Offering a network of educational and financial connections, helping train more than five thousand business owners. “We have a loan program, we start off as little as 300 dollars and as much as 100 thousand dollars, we also have webinars and educational events,” explains Schott.
Program that saved Kevin Las’ business, “we were able to obtain a loan from them and paid payroll and overhead expenses, and to be honest, without a loan we were going to close.”
