Building Bridges: How Conexión, Puente, and Lazos Global Work Together to Empower Communities
September 30, 2025
Category: Training
Chelas con Contratistas 4.Oct.2022
October 3, 2022
This was one of our most successful events since we launched Business Alianzas (post-COVID).
Almost 60 attendees joined us for Cheers! and Chelas on October 4th, 2022 from 5-7:30pm + after party! The Puente Team registered 17 Immigrant contractors for our upcoming Bilingual Lead Abatement Training in November.
The Bilingual Panel: Resources & Opportunities (Recursos y Oportunidades) was very well received.
We broadcast the panel live on Puente Facebook. You can watch the video here:
Bridget Espinosa, Puente CEO was the moderator:
- Steve Cato, City of Detroit HRD – Chief Compliance Inspector
- Sonia Alvarado, City of Detroit HRD – Lead Inspector
- Patrick Beal, Detroit Training Center – CEO
- Melissa Rios, Detroit Land Bank – Procurement Manager
In addition, we were featured on the front page of El Central Hispanic News on Thursday October 6, 2022.
Un artículo bilingüe fue publicado en la portada de El Central Hispanic News el jueves 6 de octubre, 2022.
El equipo de Puente actualmente está inscribiendo para sus próximos cursos bilingües que se llevarán a cabo del 7 al 11 de noviembre del 2022 y nuevamente en febrero. La fecha límite para inscribirse es el 17 de octubre. Todos los trabajadores de habla hispana en Metro Detroit son elegibles para presentar una solicitud.
Se puede encontrar más información en businessalianzas.org/events
o comunicándose con
la Gerente General de Puente
Yazmin Payan, al 313-349-0089 o por correo electrónico a team@puenteci.com.
Original Invitation:
Únase a nosotros con una merecida bebida después del trabajo el martes 4 de octubre. 🍻🍸🍹 Tendremos Cheers con Business Alianzas seguido por Chelas con Contratistas
📍 La Palapa (1633 Lawndale St, Detroit, MI 48209)
Agenda:
- 5:00-6:00 pm Cheers! con Business Alianzas
- 6:00-7:00 pm Chelas con Contratistas
- Panel Bilingüe: “Recursos y oportunidades”
Expertos hablarán sobre los recursos y oportunidades disponibles para aquellos que están certificados en reducción de plomo. - Registro para la reducción de plomo noviembre de 2022
- Panel Bilingüe: “Recursos y oportunidades”
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Contractors, don’t miss out on this networking event!
Join us for a well-deserved drink after work on Tuesday, October 4th. 🍻🍸🍹 We will be hosting Cheers with Business Alianzas followed by Chelas con Contratistas (Beers with Builders)
📍 La Palapa (1633 Lawndale St, Detroit, MI 48209)
Agenda:
- 5:00-6:00 pm Cheers with Business Alianzas
- 6:00-7:30 pm Chelas con Contratistas
- 6:30-7:15 pm Panel Bilingüe: “Recursos y Oportunidades”
Experts will talk about the resources and opportunities available to those who are certified in Lead Abatement. - Registration for Lead Abatement Nov 2022
- 6:30-7:15 pm Panel Bilingüe: “Recursos y Oportunidades”
Recap: Cheers! with Business Alianzas, Chelas con Contratistas and 1 Year Anniversary
February 18, 2022
So far we’ve had two big events this year, Cheers with Business Alianzas and Chelas con Contratistas which took place on January 18th at La Posada restaurant. During both events, besides networking with everyone present, our priority was to register as many contractors as possible for Lead Abatement, a course that explains how to safely work with lead and asbestos. There’s still availability for those interested in this free program.
By the end of the event we registered approximately 10 contractors! Additionally, they were able to exchange contact information between each other. Huge thank you to La Posada Restaurant for allowing us to host this event at their business and to their employees for their attention with us.
Lastly, we want to thank each and every member of the 150 small businesses that form part of Business Alianzas. Our 1 year celebration would not have been possible without all of you! Thank you for allowing us to help you every step of the way. We look forward to continuing working with all of you this year. We enjoyed celebrating with all those who joined us at Los Altos Restaurant, via zoom, and in Puerto Morelos. Thank you to Los Altos for hosting this afternoon with many shared conversations and laughs. Here’s to many more years of assisting entrepreneurs.
Visit our Business Alianzas website to stay up to date with our upcoming events. We hope to see you at our next event!
Business Alianzas – Celebrating One Year!
February 7, 2022
We are thrilled that Business Alianzas has had such a successful first year! We launched on February 7th, 2021 and we currently have 150 members of Business Alianzas as we head into renewals. If you are not a current member, you can register on our membership page.
www.businessalianzas.org/membership
Continued from a previous post: Reflection 2021: Changes & Challenges
Our clients kept calling. On day 2 and 3, we had six clients needing long-term consulting for growth. We let them know that we were still figuring it out and that our services were no longer pro bono. Every one of our clients supported us and let us know that we were worth whatever we needed to charge – they needed our help. That Friday I met with two colleagues/ mentors to brainstorm next steps. It was agreed that for now I would not fight to keep the MI Hispanic Contractors Association, but the need for an organization for ALL entrepreneurs was needed.
Business Alianzas was branded that Friday afternoon sitting at El Salpicón over a couple rounds of Modelo Especial. I bought the domains, registered the Facebook page, and registered with the State of Michigan. Lots of brainstorming, dozens of text messages over the weekend with my staff and partners led to the first iteration of what is now BusinessAlianzas.org – a small business membership organization and referral network that specializes in connecting Latinx businesses to resources and opportunities. Puente Cultural Integration, LLC is the umbrella company and continues to provide direct connections, consulting, coaching, and technical assistance to small businesses, nonprofits, banks, and governmental agencies. We relaunched multiple events and workshops series that had been halted including morning networking (Cafecito with Business Alianzas), Happy Hours (Cheers! with Business Alianzas), and reconnected with past partner sponsors such as Alliance Catholic Credit Union, Comerica Bank, Flagstar Bank, and Fifth Third Bank all of whom we hope to work with again in 2022.
We are proud of all we accomplished in 2021. Below you will find our Annual Report for Puente Cultural Integration and Business Alianzas.
Integrating Businesses in Farmington Hills
May 29, 2019
We so excited for the BRIDGE Bilingual Business Expo & Networking Event today 5:30-7:30 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel – Farmington Hills!
Here is our line-up:
| Business Expo |
| Accounting Aid Society |
| Clean Up Time, LLC |
| Young Living |
| Artesanía Textíl |
| Hola Google |
| National Microloan Conference |
| Better Business Bureau |
| Michigan Healthy |
| Perk Pros LLC |
| KDG SWEET DELITE LLC |
| Salsas Mexia |
| B Intentional |
| CVG MARKETING, LLC |
| Bilingual Communications Solutions LLC |
| Raymond James |
| AproMex |
| Centro Cultural Hispano |
| NUMU Softoys |
| Latino Pres |
| Explosiva 1430 |
| Marma G Creation |
| Featherstone Moments |
| Blue Order |
| Emmy’s Creations |
| Tequila Cabresto |
| Latino Press |
| Alliance Catholic Credit Union |
| Puente Cultural |
| New Metro Construction LLC |
| Greater Farmington Area Chamber of Commerce |
| Orange Theory Fitness |
We are so grateful to our partners at the Greater Farmington Area Chamber of Commerce, Red Global MX – Capítulo Detroit, Latino Press, the Farmington Voice, and La Explosiva Radio 1480 AM who will be transmitting live from the Expo!
Check out our Press Mention:
Farmington Hills Event Provides Networking Bridge, Farmington Voice
See you at the Crowne Plaza Farmington Hills at 5:30pm for networking and a sample of a Tequila Cabresto margarita!
If you haven’t bought your ticket, use Promo Code BRIDGE for $5 off your ticket! Price is $20 at the door so save by pre-registering! may29networkingexpo.eventbrite.com
Networking Workshop is Full!
The PCI BRIDGE Model – Bilingual Entrepreneurship Series
February 10, 2019
We’re excited to launch a the PCI BRIDGE Model program in collaboration with other immigrant and small business support groups.
The Bilingual Entrepreneurship Series will launch at the Greater Farmington Area Chamber of Commerce in both Spanish and English (Se lanza el programa de emprendimiento bilingüe en español e inglés.)
Business Model Canvas (Modelo de Negocio)
Resources (Recursos)
Interactive (Interactivo)
Discovery (Descubrimiento)
Growth (Crecimiento)
Entrepreneurship (Emprendimiento)
Find out more about the content of the small business series and register on the eventbrite links below:
REGISTER TODAY!
businessworkshopseries2.eventbrite.com
En español:
¡Reserva tu lugar HOY!
Haz Clic Aquí: emprendedores-serie1.eventbrite.com
El Modelo BRIDGE, impulsado por Puente Cultural Integration, fue diseñado para estabilizar o hacer crecer un negocio establecido o para lanzar una idea de negocio. Todo tipo de negocio es bienvenido: locales, tiendas con ventas al público, restaurantes, artesanos o contratistas, negocios de servicios o asesores. El emprendimiento no es para todo el mundo, pero los que desembarcan en esta aventura tienen que prepararse. Diferente a los cursos tradicionales de planificación de negocio, esta serie de talleres ayudará a que los propietarios identifiquen su “¿por qué?” y aún más importante, saldrán con un análisis financiero completo para saber cuál es el punto de salir al ras para que aseguren un negocio rentable. Cada semana tendrán un Plan de Acción para adelantar su negocio, paso a paso, mientras cruzamos el PUENTE hacia el Emprendimiento.
Los expertos presentarán temas:
- mercadeo
- análisis financiero
- contabilidad
- responsabilidades legales
- impuestos
- asesoría individual por parte de mentor / asesor(a) de negocio.
El resultado de esta primera etapa del programa BRIDGE será un Modelo de Negocio completo y un entendimiento de su estado financiero para que puedan tomar decisiones informadas en cuestión del futuro de su negocio. Más importante, les proveeremos las herramientas y recursos para que sus ideas se realicen – comenzando el primer día. ¡Empecemos!
Somos miembros orgullosos y agradecemos el apoyo de
la Red Global Mx – Capítulo Detroit y de la Cámara de Comercio de Farmington.
We are appreciative of the support and we’re proud members of
Red Global Mx and the Greater Farmington Area Chamber of Commerce.
© 2019 Puente Cultural Integration, LLC. All rights reserved
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