Small Business Administration to Honor Leading Businesses May 3
Apr 26, 2012 | Posted by in Small Business | 0 Comments
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By David Burge, El Paso Times, Texas
April 26–Melodya Salaices believes that getting a Small Business Week Award validates the help she’s given her fellow women business owners.
“It means that I’m making a dent in the lives of women who dream of entrepreneurship because I’m one of them,” said Salaices, owner and chief executive officer of View From the Top Inc.
“It was a very scary step to start my own business and go from full-time employment with a very good salary to launching my own business,” she added.
Salaices has been named the Small Business Administration’s El Paso District winner as the Women in Business Champion of the Year. The district consists of El Paso County and nine other West Texas counties.
She will be honored along with nine other business owners or advocates at a luncheon May 3 at the Wyndham El Paso Airport Hotel, 2027 Airway.
The luncheon will be part of National Small Business Week, during May 20-26. The local event is organized by the SBA, SCORE, the Greater El Paso Chamber of Commerce and the El Paso Small Business Consortium.
Salaices started her company in 2007. It provides business services, business management and communication services to other businesses, mostly other small one.
Four years ago her company launched the IFem Network, which is free business mentoring, networking and online resources for women in partnership with SCORE and the Greater Chamber. That effort is what might have garnered this award for her, Salaices said.
Events like this luncheon are important to recognize the achievements of small businesses, she added.
“We are the fastest growing sector, especially Latina small-business owners,” Salaices said. “We are a growing sector and will continue to make incredible strides. Our contributions to the economy are huge, and we’ll continue to grow.
“It’s important to provide small businesses with the tools and resources they need to succeed,” she continued.
Phillip C. Silva, the SBA’s El Paso district director, said it’s important to recognize small-business owners because they “work so hard and encounter so many different challenges.”
“When they survive and have a positive impact on the economy, they deserve to be recognized for their accomplishments,” he said.