On the occasion of Mother's Day, we highlight the stories of two of the participants of the Small Business Incubator and Accelerator Program of the Puerto Rico Community Foundation (PRCF) who stand out because they develop businesses together with their children.
Nikolas is 9 years old and Gustavo is 34 years old. They are separated by more than two decades of life; however, they have something in common: they have an extraordinary working relationship with their parents, María de Lourdes Ortiz and Lourdes LLuberas González, respectively. Both are participants in the Small Business Incubators and Accelerators Program of the Puerto Rico Community Foundation (PRCF), which is administered in conjunction with non-profit organizations, Women of the Islands, OPDH and CMTAS Yauco. On the occasion of Mother's Day, we join the celebration by highlighting this pair of stories that tell the entrepreneurial journey of two mothers who encourage us to continue betting on the economic development of the country, from the community base.
Nikolas & Maria de Lourdes: «We welcomed VelaLuz as an opportunity to create a story together».»
Maria de Lourdes Ortiz, The 46-year-old single mother works full time, so she needs to find space to develop her business, VelaLuz, LLC., It has been challenging, but she is so committed to the project that she continues to promote its development. With the support of Sede de Incubadora Solidaria de Mujeres de Islas, she has managed to create the Business Plan and is now in the stage of experimenting with components for the candles, for example, wax. «We want to make sure that we have natural waxes that do not contain any chemicals and are environmentally friendly. Also, that they can be used in the climate of Puerto Rico. We are also in talks with several companies for the development of the candle fragrances. Each of the VelaLuz fragrances are unique fragrances created exclusively for VelaLuz. So we are in the early stages of developing those fragrances,» he said.
María de Lourdes decided to become an incubator because she has managed projects and programs in non-profit organizations at different levels, so she is aware of the need for processes and stages for things to go well. She wanted to be sure of the steps she needed to take to have a successful and sustainable business. The company specializes, she noted, in the manufacture and sale of handcrafted 100% candles. «We strive to create and offer an exclusive, high-quality product that not only illuminates our customers» homes, but also provides a unique spiritual harmony experience. We seek for our candles to create a cozy atmosphere for our customers," shared the Guaynabo resident.
And that precisely gives a clue to what VelaLuz stands for. «In every space, in every situation, we can always see the light.».
What has been your main challenge?
Maria de Lourdes: Accessing the materials I want for candle making. Considering the quality I expect, finding them has been a process of ups and downs. The time I have to dedicate to the processes that VelaLuz requires has also been a challenge. I am a single mom, I work full time, so finding the spaces to work on this venture has been a challenge. But this has helped me to understand how important it is to keep focused on what I want to achieve through VelaLuz.
Why did you decide to involve your son?
Maria de Lourdes: As a family of two, we have always been a team and this new experience was to be no exception. I can't visualize my projects or ideas without him. In addition to being a very creative child, Nikolas has a natural and innate scientific streak. He loves to experiment, to mix, to observe and these are important qualities to make a candle. I was the one who chose the name VelaLuz, but when I presented it to Nikolas he immediately understood the idea behind the name, there was no need to explain it to him. That let me know that he is part of this project.
What tasks does your child collaborate with?
Maria de Lourdes: Nikolas has been part of this experience from the beginning. He was the first person I told about this venture. He was with me when we received our first box of materials and he was the one who poured our first candles. Right now, he is the one who is thinking about what our logo should look like.
How has this working relationship added value to the mother-child relationship?
Maria de Lourdes: Behind VelaLuz there is a story of inspiration from God that came at the moment we needed it the most, because although I work full time, the economic situation was complicated; I needed to generate additional income.
He also emphasized that both «Nikolas and I have welcomed VelaLuz as an opportunity to create a history together. We both know that VelaLuz is full of blessings, not only for us as a family, but for others».
Maria de Lourdes Ortiz
In the process, both have learned great lessons.
«We have learned to be patient with each other. As a mom it has always been an exercise in remembering that he is a 9-year-old boy. That, although he is part of this project, his interests and expectations are very different from mine and therefore I must recognize him from that reality. For Nikolas it has been a process of how he sees himself being part of VelaLuz, what his role is, and to understand that his opinion is important and that mom expects him to give his opinion and participate», she said.
Gustavo & Lourdes: «This company has brought us even closer together».»
Lourdes Lluberas González, her husband Luis Arroyo and her son Gustavo Arroyo Lluberas decided to convert a farm acquired for recreational purposes into a coffee production and sales business.
The 67-year-old woman, a retired physiatrist, said that when they were cleaning the farm, they began to talk about the possibility of planting coffee... Gustavo told them that he could make a business if they joined him and helped him. «And what doesn't one do for one's children», said Lourdes. So, the adventure began.
They are currently working on the acquisition of a new facility to relocate their company's operations. Rancho Contento Inc., with the support of the CMTAS Yauco incubator. The new facilities will house the wet and dry processing equipment, roasting, storage and packing.
Rancho Contento is focused on producing, processing and elaborating a purely Puerto Rican specialty coffee in a sustainable agroforestry system. Their aspiration is to position themselves in the market as an innovative business, while promoting specialty coffee locally and internationally. Lourdes is currently working on the drafting of the Business Plan. «I decided to incubate with a view to gain knowledge about the documents needed to formalize a business and learn farming techniques,» as the latter are also offered by the incubator, she mentioned.
While Lourdes focuses on the incubation process, Gustavo is involved with other parts of the business and participates in several related projects such as the biodigester, the tree nursery, the planting of coffee trees under shade, and a soil and berry borer study in local coffee plantations.
«This venture has brought us closer together and we have developed patience, solidarity, respect, trust and understanding,» he said. «We have learned, both of us, that we need compromise and tolerance to make things work.».
Lourdes Lluberas González
Among the challenges of getting the business off the ground, he mentioned weather conditions and the limited labor available. He also expressed his desire to develop a more professional logo and brand identity through the services of a graphic artist to be provided by FCPR to SBIA Program participants.
To learn more about the Small Business Incubator and Accelerator Program, visit this link.