Member Spotlight: Lisa Rodriguez

Meet Lisa Rodriguez, a dedicated individual member of Joliet LEDA and a financial advisor at Edward Jones. Lisa brings her expertise to our community, having facilitated a powerful workshop at LEDA on “The Power of Budgeting.” Beyond her professional work, Lisa volunteers with several nonprofit organizations, making a lasting impact and helping others achieve financial […]

Grant Technical Assistance Support

Meet Jessica Sanchez, one of our Entrepreneur Level members at Joliet LEDA! Jessica recently scheduled an appointment with us to explore grant opportunities, and we were thrilled to help her navigate the process. Together, we reviewed our comprehensive list of grants, updated weekly, and discovered she qualifies for the EmpowHer Grant by the Boundless Futures […]

Member Spotlight – MD Creations

We are spotlighting MD Creations , an Entrepreneur Level Member at Joliet LEDA! Owned by a talented Latina entrepreneur, MD Creations specializes in innovative floral arrangements, elegant linen rentals, and stunning backdrops for all your event needs. Location: 1948 Essington Rd, Joliet, IL 60435 Website: www.mdcreationsjoliet.wixsite.com Thank you, MD Creations, for being a valued part […]

Member Spotlight – Rodolfo Magdaleno

Meet LEDA’s individual member, Rodolfo Magdaleno, the owner of an American Family Insurance agency. Rodolfo is passionate about helping families and businesses protect what matters most. Did You Know? The insurance industry is essential to our economy, contributing over $600 billion to the U.S. GDP annually. Insurance helps individuals and businesses recover from unexpected losses […]

Grundy County – Our first Industry Roundtable!

We partnered with the Grundy County Chamber Of Commerce and City of Morris IL to host our first Latino Small Business Roundtable in Grundy County! We host the Small Business Roundtables to connect our small business owners and the local leadership. We had great representation across the county attend this morning. Thank you Mayor Brown, […]

Latin@ Economic Summit

Attending the Latin@ Economic Summit organized by the IL Dept. of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s Office of Minority and Economic Empowerment was an incredible experience! We loved connecting with various state agencies and participating in workshops featuring outstanding panelists who provided invaluable information. This summit is definitely a must for any Latino entrepreneur! We were […]

All That & A Touch Of Soul

New restaurant alert! Join us in welcoming “All That & A Touch Of Soul” to Joliet. Located on 318 S Chicago St Joliet IL 60432

Meet LEDA’s 2024 Summer Interns

Introducing Our Summer Interns We are thrilled to introduce our dynamic group of summer interns who are ready to bring their unique talents and perspectives to our team. Please join us in welcoming these bright and ambitious students: Anahi Rodriguez is a Junior undergraduate student at the University of St. Francis in Joliet, IL, majoring […]

EBC’s “Celebrating Small Business” Reception

We are grateful to Entrepreneur & Business Center at Joliet Junior College for inviting LEDA to their “Celebrating Small Business” reception. It was a fantastic evening celebrating entrepreneurs dedicated to strategic growth in 2024. Partnering with the EBC is always a joy! We thoroughly enjoyed our time at Rooted Restaurant @rootedminooka Many thanks to Elevate […]

RECAP – Breaking Barriers for Black and Latino Small Businesses

Thank you to everyone who made the “Breaking Barriers for Black and Latino Small Businesses” Small Business Expo a great event. We are grateful to our sponsors: Northern Illinois Community Initiatives, PNC Bank, Edward Jones, and With Purpose Media and Events. A special thanks to our planning team: Joliet Latino Economic Development Association, African American […]