Virtual LATINA Style Business Series
Nick Delgado, President,
Black Pen White Board.
Victoria Guerrero,
District Director, SBA,
South Florida.
On Friday, December 4th, 2020 LATINA Style
hosted the Orlando LATINA Style Business
Series virtual conference from 9 a.m. to 12
p.m. EST. The award-winning conference for Latina
entrepreneurs provided participants the opportunity
to learn about business ownership and partake in
career development seminars designed to benefit
Latina professionals and entrepreneurs. In addition,
participants partook in several workshops aimed to
address the strains placed by the current pandemic.
The virtual audience attentively listened to Janie
Davila-Jalomo, Associate Vice President, Personal
Lines Servicing, Nationwide who provided the title
sponsor remarks. In addition, the audience heard from
Mayor Buddy Dyer, 32nd Mayor of Orlando.
Co-Chair remarks were provided by Lourdes Mola,
President & Founder, Lourdes Mola Solutions and
Karen Vergara, CPA, Fiduciar y Financial Advisor,
AllGen Financial Advisors, Inc.
The first presentation of the program included
a 3-minute meditation session presented by
Nationwide. Facilitator Nick Delgado, President, Black
Pen White Board provided a mindfulness meditation
exercise consisting of a brief instruction, guided sit, and
closing. Mindfulness can be especially beneficial to
entrepreneurs who are seeking clarity, resilience,
and stability.
The Financial Survival Guide: Learn How Orlando
Small Businesses Are Facing COVID-19 brought
together a panel of experts to discuss the current
difficult economic challenges. The panel combined
a unique blend of professionals with extensive
experience in the areas of small business taxes,
government assistance, private equity and accounting.
Moderated by Karen Vergara, CPA, Fiduciary Financial
Advisor, AllGen Financial Advisors, Inc.; speakers
Maritza Rabinowitz,
Stakeholder Liaison, I RS.
included Victoria Guerrero, District
Director, SBA, South Florida; Maritza
Rabinowitz, Stakeholder Liaison, IRS;
Joanne Medeiros, CPA, Manager,
MBAF; Patty Juarez, National Diverse
Segments Director, Wells Fargo, and
Nick Delgado, President, Black Pen
White Board.
The Managing Stress During
Covid-19 Better You by Blue session
presented by Flo rida Blue Community
Specialist Maria Kesti provided
strategies for the audience to handle
stress, the need for cultivating
effective thinking, how to practice
mindfulness, and essential relaxation
techniques. This session provided
tools and resources to help lead
productive and fulfilling lives.
The Big Legacies, Extraordinary
Stories presented by Nationwide
was moderated by Lory Burgos,
Sr. Consultant, Diverse Marketing.
Special guest Cindy Pedraza, Co-
Owner, CocoAndre Chocolatier talked
about her success journey. Today
CocoAndre produces some of the
finest hand-crafted chocolate delights
in the world, selling the delectable
treats from the quaint family-owned
retail store to legions of fans and
scores of businesses throughout
Dallas and across America. Andrea
Pedraza and daughter Cindy
Pedraza, and her staff lovingly
create pure chocolate confections that
Joanne Medeiros, CPA,
Manager, MBAF.
Patty Juarez, National
Diverse Segments
Director, Wells Fargo.
ser ve to make sweet memories to
last lifetimes.
The last session Entrepreneurs
Spotlight: Learning Strategies for
Success was moderated by Lourdes
Mola, President & Founder, Lourdes
Mola Solutions. Speakers included
Marisa Rivera, President & CEO,
Mpowerment Works; Wendy Platon,
CPA, President, WP Accounting
Services; Yanet Herrero, CEO, Kings
Service Solutions, and Diane Sears,
Central Florida Regional Director,
WBEC Florida. Leading successful
Latina entrepreneurs at different
stages of business maturity discuss
lessons learned, and insights
gained through their experiences,
challenges encountered, and ways to
overcome them.
Following the sessions were the
LATINA Style Entrepreneur Award
announcements. Mistress of
Ceremonies, Valezka Gil, EMMY® &
SPJ® Award Winning Journalist,
Investigative & Consumer Reporter,
NBCUniversal Telemundo 31 welcomed
the audience with enthusiasm.
The Lifetime Achievement Award
was given to Dr. Antonia Coello Novello,
MD. MPH. Dr. PH. Dr. Novello, 14th
Surgeon General of the United States,
was born in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. She
graduated from the University of Puerto
Rico with a B.S. degree in 1965 and
an M.D. degree in 1970.
Orlando, FL
By Gloria Romano-Barrera
Florida Blue Community
Specialist Maria Kesti.
Lory Burgos, Sr.
Consultant, Diverse
Marketing, Nationwide.
Cindy Pedraza,
Co-Owner, CocoAndre.
32 LATINAStyle Vol. 27, No. 1, 2021 www.latinastyle.com
/www.latinastyle.com
