Find a Seat at the Table in Tyler, TX

Tyler Hispanic Business Alliance opens doors and supports growth.

By Rebecca Deurlein on June 14, 2023

Lourdes Esparza

The Hispanic population is one of the fastest-growing demographics in the Tyler region. Hispanics make up over 21% of the population of Smith County, which includes Tyler.

Thanks to a consortium of business, civic, educational and government entities coming together in the mid-2000s, the region’s Hispanic business community has had access to resources to help them grow and thrive.

The Tyler Hispanic Business Alliance (HBA) promotes the growth and competitiveness of new and existing Hispanic businesses.

Nancy A. Rangel, the HBA’s president and CEO, shares that the organization was established in 2007, but its story began in fall 2005, when representatives from a variety of business and educational interests came together to develop a platform that would serve the growing Hispanic business sector within the Tyler region. 

Those entities included the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce, City of Tyler, the University of Texas at Tyler, Tyler Junior College, the Tyler Morning Telegraph, Fourth Partner Foundation and members of the Hispanic community and business leadership. 

Nearly 20 years later, the Tyler HBA continues to serve as the leading advocate for economic and community affairs and interests of the Hispanic community within the region.

Through effective outreach, the HBA offers entrepreneurship and small business training efforts, business workshops and seminars, individual business coaching and consultations, and support from the first steps of a business through growth and expansion.

Helping Companies Succeed

Juan Martinez, founder and CEO of Martinez CPA Corp., started his accounting business in 2009. He credits the HBA for being instrumental in the success of his firm.

“The Tyler HBA helped me grow my business by providing a number of referrals, helping me get connected to the community and encouraging me to serve on various committees,” Martinez says.

“I eventually became chairman of the Tyler HBA board, and that’s when my business truly took off.”

Martinez CPA Corp. has grown to eight employees, and Martinez says that the Tyler HBA continuously provides referrals and is making a huge difference within the community.

“The community in Tyler has definitely been a blessing for us since it embraced us and our practice early on,” he says. “We currently serve clients not only in East Texas but, with the help of technology, we can now work with clients all over the U.S.”

Lourdes Esparza

Dream to Reality

Jewelry lover-turned-entrepreneur Lourdes Esparza could not agree more that the Tyler HBA and the Tyler community play a crucial role in the creation and growth of local companies.

In 2018, Esparza was dreaming of starting her own business when she attended the first Latina Women Entrepreneurs Conference & Business Expo in East Texas, hosted and organized by the Tyler HBA.

That’s where she realized her dream could become reality.

“The Tyler HBA is the reason why I finally launched myself as an entrepreneur in Tyler,” says Esparza, founder of Jewelev, a business in Tyler that sells handcrafted silver jewelry made by artisans in Mexico.

Esparza says the Latina Women Entrepreneurs Conference provided her with the knowledge, tools and empowerment to establish her business. She credits Rangel for encouraging her to showcase her business idea to the other women attending the conference.

“It was so well received by the other female entrepreneurs that following the conference, I launched my business, Jewelev,” she says. “The last three letters encompass the initials of my name.”

Esparza has since served as business vendor at the Tyler HBA’s Women Entrepreneurs Conference, and in 2021, she was a guest speaker and panelist at the conference.

“The Tyler HBA gave me the confidence to start my business, and they continue to support my business by providing opportunities for growth and learning,” she says. “In 2020, my business expanded, and I was able to open a physical business location, allowing for business sales to grow even more.” 

Then, in 2022, the Tyler Hispanic Business Alliance recognized Esparza as Woman Business Owner of the Year at the Hispanic Achiever’s and Business Leaders Awards ceremony.

Others who were honored for their contributions to the Hispanic community include RC Masonry, Mita Artisan Shoppe, Diana’s Boutique & Artesanias, Ruby’s Mexican Restaurant, Hand Up Network, City of Tyler, Olivia Coffman, and Jesus Vera.

Rangel takes pride in the success of the entrepreneurs her organization has helped.

“The Tyler HBA gives the local Hispanic community a ‘seat at the table.’ Our impact is seen throughout the city of Tyler through the strong and local Hispanic business economy, the growth of our community and business leadership, and strong network and partnerships we have developed,” Rangel says.