Business, Tailor-Made
Alejandro missed the sun. He was lucky if he could catch a glimpse of it before he arrived at work, but sometimes he clocked in before the sun ever made it above the horizon. Alejandro worked in a dark, windowless factory, and by the time his shift was finished, the sun was long set.
"I need to see the sun,” he told a coworker. “I need to do something.”
And so, Alejandro decided to start his own tailoring business. Unfortunately, his first attempts at entrepreneurship were unable to get off the ground. With no employees, no clients, and little business expertise, Alejandro had no choice but to sell his equipment and continue working in one of Honduras’ many factories. “I think I was not prepared,” he said.
Finding the Right Partner
Then one day at church, Alejandro saw an advertisement for business training and mentoring offered by Global de Empresarios en Pacto (GEP), the business ministry of the Vida Abundante church and a local partner of Partners Worldwide.
Alejandro eagerly enrolled in PW’s microenterprise training. There, he learned about business management, God’s call to business, and the importance of letting your values lead. He decided to quit his factory job and take a position elsewhere, one that offered more time to dream up his business plan.
Once Alejandro graduated, it was time to get back to work. Equipped with knowledge, three sewing machines, and two employees, Alejandro launched his sewing business, Confección con Excelencia (Crafted with Excellence), where he began to produce a large quantity of school uniforms.
Then Covid hit.
Crisis and Opportunity
With schools closed for a year or more, demand suddenly plummeted. Yet Alejandro refused to leave his employees without an income, especially as he witnessed other businesses shut their doors.
Despite the challenges it presented, the pandemic offered Alejandro an opportunity. Local hospitals needed clothing, and everyone needed face masks. Alejandro organized his employees into a day and night shift so that they could make masks and protective gowns 24 hours a day. Through faith, hard work, and his new business skills, Alejandro’s business grew during this difficult time.
Creating Opportunities for Others
Many of Alejandro’s fifteen employees are single mothers, and not by coincidence. He goes out of his way to provide opportunities to people society otherwise overlooks. “My God-given talent is to create opportunities for my people to have jobs,” Alejandro said.
Beyond providing his employees with salaries, Alejandro seeks to provide them with good working conditions, respect, and training. “I want to give them the opportunity to create their own businesses.”
Leading by Example
Five years since he first opened his doors, Alejandro’s business continues to grow. Soon, he plans to acquire a larger space where he can employ more workers, as the business currently receives more orders than they can fulfill. One day, he hopes to employ one thousand workers.
Key to Alejandro’s success is his hunger for knowledge. At every opportunity, he devours books about business and leadership so that he can continue to grow as an entrepreneur.
Another crucial aspect of Alejandro’s success is his faith. “I want to lead by example to my employees, my providers, my clients,” he said. “I'm testifying what God is doing and I hope that's an example to others.”
Because of you, entrepreneurs like Alejandro have access to the resources they need to live out their calling. Through partnership, Alejandro can serve as an inspiration in his community, no matter what comes his way.
November 14, 2024