From Garage to Gourmet: How Supporting a Small Business Lead to Youth Economic Empowerment in El Salvador
In the bustling city of San Salvador, El Salvador, one young entrepreneur named Gabriel Flores has turned his passion for cooking into a thriving business that is creating stable employment for young people. Gabriel's journey began with a simple love for food and a curiosity about the different ways people prepare basic dishes. Seven years later, he and his business partner own a popular pizza restaurant called Sivareña Pizza, where they serve delicious pies to the community. Discover Gabriel’s story of success and empowerment, told in his own words.
By Gabriel Flores
Supporting Small Businesses: The Need for Youth Entrepreneurship in El Salvador
In a country where the dreams of young people should plant seeds for future prosperity, too many young Salvadorans find their aspirations stifled by a stagnant economy. In 2023, 7.8% of young people in El Salvador were unemployed, while 21.5% were not pursuing a job, education, or training. Instead of envisioning bright futures, they grapple with limited job opportunities and mismatched skills, forcing them to seek better prospects abroad. In fact, in 2020, 1.6 million people left the country in search of better opportunities. This exodus drains El Salvador of its brightest minds, deepening the cycle of economic challenges. Supporting small businesses by empowering young entrepreneurs is crucial in reversing these trends. Programs like TechnoServe’s Crece Tu Empresa provide essential training and resources, enabling young entrepreneurs to create jobs and stimulate local economies. By fostering entrepreneurship, El Salvador can harness the potential of its youth to drive economic growth and build resilient communities.
The Impact of Supporting Small Businesses: The Rise of Sivareña Pizza
It all started with my love for food. Growing up, I was fascinated by how my mom and grandma would prepare even simple dishes like rice differently. This curiosity led me to cooking school, where I fell in love with the culinary arts. My pizza adventure began when my friend and now business partner, Miguel Alvergue, called me with an exciting recipe idea. We started experimenting in his garage, and before we knew it, the aroma of our pizzas was attracting neighbors. We began selling right there, relying on the kindness of people who had lent us ingredients like cheese, which we would repay after selling our pizzas.
Overcoming Small Business Challenges
Our business began to grow, and soon, we were producing 200 pizzas each day and searching for a larger restaurant space. While I understood how a kitchen worked and knew we had a great product, I realized I lacked knowledge in crucial areas like business growth, organization, management, and finance. One of my biggest concerns was the legal aspect, especially paying taxes. I worried whether our profit margins would be enough to cover these obligations.
TechnoServe’s Crece Tu Empresa: A Game-Changer for Young Entrepreneurs
That’s when I joined TechnoServe’s Crece Tu Empresa program. I’m so grateful for this opportunity. The program helped me understand my business model, identify growth strategies, and learn how to finance and market these strategies. I learned to organize our operations, develop an inventory system, and implement better sales tracking methods through group classes and one-on-one sessions with business advisors.
The impact of my training on our business has been phenomenal. We’ve grown from a garage operation producing 12 – 15 pizzas daily to two thriving restaurants, with our newest one opening a few months ago. While we originally started with a team of three, I’m proud to say we now employ 17 people.
Creating Opportunities for Growth
What makes me even prouder is how we’re making a difference in our employees’ lives. We’ve implemented eight-hour shifts, which is uncommon in El Salvador, allowing our staff a better work-life balance. We also encourage employee growth. Take Patricia Escamilla, for example. She started as a dishwasher in 2019, and her curiosity and eagerness to learn led her to progress through various roles in our restaurant. Now, she manages one of our locations and has even started her own small printing business on the side. Seeing her success makes me incredibly proud.
Building a Supportive Network for Small Businesses
I have also enjoyed staying in touch with my peers from the Crece tu Empresa program. In fact, it has been incredibly beneficial for my business. Through this network, I’ve formed valuable relationships with other young entrepreneurs who own their own businesses.
For instance, I work with Rosembel Pineda, who maintains the air conditioning units in my restaurants. These connections have not only provided me with reliable services but have also fostered a sense of community among us. The TechnoServe program has effectively created an ecosystem of businesses that support each other, all driven by young people eager to make a difference in our local economies. This collaboration enhances our growth and resilience as we navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship together.
I’m grateful for TechnoServe’s support and the Crece Tu Empresa program. They’ve helped me turn my passion into a successful business that creates opportunities for others in my community.
The Future of Youth Entrepreneurship in El Salvador
As a young entrepreneur in El Salvador, I believe we have a crucial role to play in strengthening our local economy and creating jobs. Programs like Crece Tu Empresa are vital in supporting us, providing the skills and knowledge we need to turn our ideas into successful, sustainable businesses.
Looking back, it’s amazing to see how far we’ve come from that small garage operation. It just goes to show what’s possible with passion, hard work, and the right support. I’m excited to see what the future holds for Sivareña Pizza and for other young entrepreneurs in El Salvador and beyond.
FAQs:
- Why is youth unemployment such a critical issue in Latin America? Approximately 30% of Latin America’s youth are unemployed, facing significant challenges in obtaining formal employment and starting successful businesses. The digital economy has further complicated job opportunities, with high rates of informal and precarious work.
- What strategies are being used to address youth unemployment in Latin America? Programs like TechnoServe’s Crece Tu Empresa target young entrepreneurs ages 18-35, providing business training, skills development, and personalized support to help them start and grow small businesses that can create local employment opportunities. These programs have helped young entrepreneurs increase sales by an average of 65-92%, create new employment opportunities, and generate economic growth in their communities.
- What is TechnoServe’s role in empowering small businesses? TechnoServe provides mentorship, training, and resources to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses sustainably.
- Why is it important to support small businesses? They drive local economies, create jobs, and foster innovation and community connections.
- What does supporting small businesses mean? Supporting small businesses involves purchasing their products/services and advocating for local entrepreneurs.
- How can I support small businesses in my community? Buy local, promote them on social media, and share their stories with friends and family.
