There's an Application for That : Assisting Latino Businesses in Navigating the Permit Process

Presentation made at Latinos in the Heartland (13th : 2015 : Columbia, Mo.) and published in the annual conference proceedings.The majority of Hispanic-owned businesses in the US are classified as "nonemployer," meaning that they are firms without paid employees, generally run by sole proprietors and partners. Emblematic of "nonemployer" businesses are family-owned and operated retail establishments, auto repair shops, restaurants, and cleaning businesses. Such retail and service industries require special permits to operate (such as health department permits and liquor licenses) or require building permits to expand or renovate business spaces. Building codes, health codes, and other forms of regulation are difficult to access, navigate and understand for many Latino business owners because of lack of English fluency, knowledge of existing regulation, or access to technology. Personal investment and assumption of risk is exceptionally high in immigrant-owned businesses. The cost of business failure, then, is also extremely high on individual families and on the community as a whole. Failure to file the necessary paperwork or receive adequate permission for operation can be financially disastrous and force business closure. This paper presents several best practices in addressing the knowledge gap about business regulation among Latino entrepreneurs. Keywords: Latino, immigrant entrepreneurship, community and economic development, Extensio