First-person testimony from entrepreneur Inaki Muguruza describing how an SBA (Small Business Administration) loan/support made their small business possible, the role of entrepreneurship in revitalizing a formerly depressed Miami-Dade neighborhood, and his view on choosing American citizenship as gratitude and commitment to the country. He also notes benefits of communicating in one’s native language when accessing government services.
Chapters
The SBA was an opportunity that we didn't think it was real at the beginning, not having really dealt with this type of possibilities and the government assisting small firms such as ours, basically two guys that had very little to show for at the time and to be able to be to receive money and trusting that we will commit to what we're doing and that we will have the ability to repay that that was trusted on us was a totally new experience. And you're inspiring the entrepreneurial spirit of our nation. So felicidades, Congratulations. Thank you so much. Thank you so much. Thank you, thank you. Thank you so much. For us, it's very important to support small businesses because that is the backbone of our economy. Most of our residents are employed by small businesses. And without small businesses, then our quality of life would suffer here in Miami Dade County. So I'm very glad to see the administrator, the SBA administrator come to this small business that is not only changing the lives of its employees, but also changing the life of this neighborhood. This neighborhood was a depressed neighborhood 10 years ago, and now it's rebounding and it's one of the coolest, hippest neighborhoods in all of Miami Dade County. All due to really the faith and the willingness to take a chance of entrepreneurs, small businesses, and really, that's what makes us tick. Well, the whole experience of having the head of the SBA from Washington come and see us and inviting the mayor of Miami beach and actually recognizing the efforts and work that Alex and myself have been able to do is, it is mind boggling. It's speechless. It's hard to put in words. When I was handed the award, the document, it made everything that I worked for real. All of a sudden, all the hard work and laboring and all the things, it became actually tangible. I'm an American by choice, not by birth, which actually to me has a lot more meaning. If you're born in this country, you were born, you didn't have a choice. It's something that you were handed at the time of your birth. Whereas citizens like myself, we have chosen this to be our home, which I think it has an extra meaning. Citizenship is the natural step. If you have developed a business and have worked on a business as, as a legal resident or a worker with a legal permit, citizenship is your way to thank the country, to thank that place that has given you the opportunity and to defend it and to actually promote that it is the place where you want to be and the country of opportunity. Having the ability to communicate in your own native tongue does offer numerous benefits that will allow you to better understand the abilities that you have or the benefits that you can get through that are offered through the government.
