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With the goal of empowering and educating minority contractors, Claudia Cardenas established United Link Consulting about six months ago.鈥淭he Latino community and minority contractors need to know their options and understand the most-needed areas in their businesses,鈥� she said, adding her company provides educational resources that include technical support.

鈥淚 provide a safe environment and somebody they trust to educate them about how to manage their business and be more efficient and collaborative,鈥� Cardenas said. 鈥淭hey know how to do the job but not how to operate their business, and the most challenging area is how to charge for their work, estimating and reading plans.鈥�
Cardenas has listened to the Latino and other minority communities for the past four years while working for the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce and the Hispanic Metropolitan Chamber. She saw the need for a consultant who could help contractors in those communities find tools and networking connections.

Among the challenges Cardenas has faced in establishing her business is the male-dominated nature of the construction industry.

鈥淲e have a language barrier, so for me it鈥檚 hard to be in the construction side of the business because I鈥檓 a woman but at the same time I want them to understand that women in this industry don鈥檛 have to just do the physical work. It can be other areas and we can be united in growing their business,鈥� she said.

Cardenas said she also has learned valuable lessons that she shares with her clients and other small business owners when the opportunity arises. Among them, it鈥檚 important to educate themselves and look to more established organizations for advice.

鈥淢entoring is huge because we are very segregated and we need to unite in order for us to be able to move up,鈥� she said.

Her membership in NAMC-Oregon has been essential to her own networking and mentorship, and Cardenas said she appreciates that the association鈥檚 values, vision and mission align with her own. She said she also is excited to have her own business helping others meet their goals.

鈥淚 like waking up every morning and changing people鈥檚 lives and helping them to understand that their business is more than just going to work. It鈥檚 about managing their business and striving to have a good, stable future for themselves and their families,鈥� she said.

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