Business Communities for Latina Entrepreneurs: Why the Wrong One is Costing You [Ep. 24]

You've probably joined a group that promised connection and delivered… silence. Posts with no replies. A chat full of people just pitching. 

For Latina entrepreneurs especially, the right room matters more than most people realize. Many of us aren't building from a network of business owners. We don't have easy access to mentorship. We're building something while carrying family, culture, and responsibility all at once. When you finally land in the right community, you stop guessing — you ask a question and get an answer from someone who's already done it. That alone can save you months, sometimes years.

I also share a short message for anyone thinking of building their own: people don't need another group — they need a space that was actually designed for them.

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Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hola amigas, this podcast is for Latina entrepreneurs building businesses while navigating faith, culture, and yes, motherhood. We unpack how your story shapes your leadership and build real-life systems that help you grow without burning down. This is where Kugura meets strategy. So let's go.

SPEAKER_01 0:20

Today we're talking about the importance of being in the right group. And I'm talking about community groups. So we know that there's a bunch and bunch of community groups out there. So we know that everybody wants to be part of something. There's groups that are only for people that have Cavalier King Charles. I have one, so I would totally want to be part of that group. But I want to make sure that we go a little bit deeper. And most of us, when we're building businesses, especially as in the Latina community, we want to make sure that we are in the right groups. It matters because a lot of us don't come from networks of business owners. We don't always have easy access to mentorship and are often building something while also carrying your family, culture, and responsibility. So when we find the right room, I can tell you that it can accelerate everything for you. It could be one of the tools that can help you catapult your vision, your business. But if you're in the wrong one, it can only drain your time, your energy, and sometimes even your money if there's some of them that are paying communities. So I gotta tell you, I have experienced both. And I started to understand why some communities feel powerful and others feel like a total ghost down. And I'm sure you've experienced those, right? You see the people in the groups, but nobody's talking. There's no engagement, there's like nothing. So today I want to break that down. Why this topic actually matters for your growth and your well-being, what makes a community valuable? Why and what doesn't? And what I've personally experienced from low engagement groups to one that truly made a difference. So let's start. Why should I even care about an online community? Because this is not just about networking. A lot of people think, you know, the communities or the groups are to network. Well, yes and no. Part of it is some of them are open so that they can teach, they can bring people speakers, workshops, programs. It just depends. Some of them are about building community. There's there's some communities out there in person, and then there's some online. And so if you haven't been in the in-person ones and you're only thinking about online communities, I dare you to go out there and look for a in-person community that you think you can belong to. Try them out. See what you feel, what feels right for you. I gotta tell you that I've done both. I've done online communities and I've done in-person communities. And when I'm in the right places, I can totally sense my energy. I feel connected with the women that are there or the people that are there. Um, it just is completely different and I love it. And so you can spend months trying to figure out one on your own. Also, when you're building a business, it's important to understand that given that you're in a community, more than likely, you are able to ask questions that would take you months, maybe years, to figure out on your own. But if you're in the right community, you can ask a question in the right room and you'll get the answers from people who've already done it. And that is the difference between guessing and getting real-time experience based on people that have done it or are doing it right now. The right community can lead to clients, collaborations, speaking opportunities, workshops, referrals, and not because you're pitching, but because people know you and trust you. And that is a beautiful thing. The right communities, I never really had to pitch anything. If anything, I was invited to provide a workshop, given that I was in a certain platform that most of the people in the group are not familiar with. And that gave me that opportunity. It also gave me the opportunity to connect with other women that are doing things that I want to learn about or I want to hire for in the future. And I can ask the questions and they can honestly tell me whether I am the right place to do it or maybe I should wait a little bit more, but what to look for. So when you're surrounded with the right people who are building, struggling, and growing just like you, you stop second guessing every single move and you realize, oh, it's not just me. This person is going through the same thing. And that is powerful. So the next one is pretty big because entrepreneurship can feel very lonely. And for us, Latina entrepreneurs, it can feel even more isolating when you don't see the people who share your background values and experiences. The right community gives you the support, the perspective, and the sense of belonging. So this topic matters because the right community can move your business forward and the wrong one can keep you stuck, disconnected, and discouraged. So now here's where things get real. Not all communities are valuable. And this is where I can save you some time and energy and hopefully money, because I've been in free communities that had zero engagement, paid communities that didn't deliver, and one community that has completely changed how I see what's possible. And one of them is actually online and the other one's in person. And at first, I thought the difference was paid versus free, but it's not, you know, because thinking that if I pay, that community is gonna be valuable for me, I'm gonna be, I'm gonna bring value to the group. And that is not necessarily true. It's purpose, hosting, and structure. That's what's gonna make the difference. Not the platform, not the size, not even the price. So let me share with you what I've seen. Low engagement communities will feel like people are just sitting in the chat, no real conversations, posts going on unanswered, or nobody's even posting a question or anything, and a lot of self-promotion, a lot of pitching out there, a lot of self-promoting, no real connections are to being developed. And when I looked back, they all had the same issues: no clear purpose, no real host presence, no events, no structure, no reason why I should even stay there or even come back. Like it was, it wasn't gathering anybody. It was just a space. Then I experienced something different in a different community. This community worked because you knew exactly who was it for and why it existed. People were being introduced to each other on purpose. The host was very involved, connecting, making sure we all talk to each other, making sure we uh, if we're in in local areas, that we do our best to meet together, to have coffee in person or to jump on Zoom calls if we're not, you know, close to each other. Uh, she also brought some workshops. She brings speakers, she asks us to share our knowledge, like teaching, so that we can all learn what we all do. So there's structure, there's workshops, conversations, opportunities to participate, not just to be there. So this wasn't random. It was designed. You know, she had a purpose, she had a plan, she had a vision. And because of that, I learned so much faster. I built real relationships, found some opportunities, and I felt seriously like I was being supported by people that actually are there to support you in every step of the way. And that's when it clicked. A great community doesn't happen by accident, it is created. So if you're listening and thinking, okay, well, how do I find a good one? Here's what I want you to pay attention to. And there could be more, but just, you know, just to get you something to think about. Is there a clear purpose? Do you feel like these are my people? I want to be here. Like the energy, I feel it, like this is it. You know, that's number one. Are there active hosts? Are people being connected? Or is it just silent? Are there actual experiences, workshops, conversations, opportunities to engage? What's what's going on in there? And do you feel seen or just a number? It's is it something that that they're really trying to pull you into, like help you because you are the important part of this piece? Or we just want to grow our our list because you don't need more communities. You just need the right one. And exit all the ones that are just taking your time. There's no reason to sit in a place where there's nothing happening. So if you're a Latina entrepreneur thinking about building your own community, this is a reminder. People don't need another group. They need a space that actually feels like it's created for them. And start with a clear, specific purpose, intentional connection, and a real hosting, not just posting, real hosting, being there. Because when you do that, you're not just building a community, you're creating a room where people can grow, feel supported, and access opportunities they might never otherwise have had. So we are here to create those experiences and those groups for our people. And if you've ever been in a community that really made a difference for you, I'd love to hear about it. Send me a message and share it with me. And if you're currently in one that feels off, then this might be your sign to find a better room. I'll talk to you in the next episode. Muchas gracias, bendiciones, until next time.