LEDC’s own Rico Duran, Strategic Initiatives Associate, was interviewed by Vicki Adame in a February 2022 MPR News story about how Latino businesses in Minnesota are still struggling two years into the pandemic.
The two businesses profiled – Karla Castro’s Autentica Centro Americana in Oakdale and Manuel Rutiaga’s Gorditas El Durango in St. Paul – have faced numerous challenges and setbacks due to the pandemic and unrest.
That’s where LEDC came in. Rico and his team helped Karla and Manuel with their business challenges, including finding a new home for Gorditas El Durango on the East Side of St. Paul.
“We take the time and sit down and go over the history of their business, how they started it, how they came up with that idea, what they’ve done, how the business has been working in terms of sales, in terms of productivity,” Rico shared.
Read more about Karla, Manuel, and the difference LEDC makes for entrepreneurs and small business owners throughout Minnesota here.
