Q&A with Yolo Vox founder Yolo Lopez DeMarco – Inside INdiana Business

Born in Guadalajara, Mexico, Yolo Lopez DeMarco accidentally became a business owner during the pandemic, not out of desperation but out of sheer necessity. Companies and local governments looking to translate COVID-19 news coverage for Hispanic citizens have asked a former journalist for help.

Raised in Elkhart, he quickly recognized the magnitude of the opportunity and started Goshen-based Yolo Vox, a Hispanic marketing and advertising company that helps companies tap into the Hispanic market.

DeMarco spoke with Inside INdiana Business about how his business has evolved over the past five years, the opportunity for business with the Hispanic community and the importance of cultural context in business negotiations.

This article has been edited for clarity and brevity.

What inspired you to open Yolo Vox?

Interestingly, Yolo Vox wasn’t really in the big picture. I didn’t really plan to be a business owner. I went to college to become a journalist. I studied broadcast communication and that was my first passion. I thought I would work in television or radio or something like that for the rest of my life. However, life throws you through loops and hoops. This pandemic opened up an opportunity for me to explore business because when COVID started, many people asked me if I could help translate documents to make it easier for people to understand. Documents about wearing face masks, washing your hands regularly or what to do if you have COVID-19.

It took off very quickly and I asked my husband if he would like to help me start a business since he had experience as a business owner. I also come from a family of entrepreneurs. Mom has been a business owner for 25 years as a hair stylist. We will be doing our fifth year in March 2025 and it has been a lot of fun.

Have there been any operational changes in the last five years?

When I started the company in 2020, everything was there, so I didn’t need to go anywhere. I can submit my work electronically or have face-to-face meetings. But after this epidemic, it changed to counseling services about Hispanic culture and how the Hispanic community can see other types of services. For example, mental health, how that is seen in Hispanic society, how non-profits are seen and what that means to people.

Out of this epidemic opened up other opportunities. We started offering interpreting services. In retrospect, if a company would like to have interpreters at their event, I had my team there. We also started company events for the public and started doing more voice and camera work.

In terms of the deep cultural understanding that you provide, what does this look like for a company that wants to reach the Hispanic population?

So when a prospective client reaches out and says, ‘Hey, we’ve been thinking about reaching the Hispanic community for a long time, but we’re not sure how to do it,’ that’s where I can go. get in there. with my team or myself, I explain what some of those cultural challenges are. So we offer different seminars, either in person or virtually, for company leaders or maybe just for the marketing team. We can conduct customized training or a discussion session. We have several on our website that people can choose from, depending on what their questions are.

Whatever the purpose, I still like to give an initial 15-20 minute introduction to Spanish culture, so people have a better understanding of the concept and some of the potential challenges. come up with what they can watch.

How has the Hispanic community in the area grown in your view, and what role do Hispanic businesses play in the local economy?

By 2022, more than 26% of Elkhart residents identify as Hispanic; maybe double that now. A report from the United States Department of the Treasury shows that there are more than 5 million Latino/Hispanic businesses nationwide that generate more than $800 billion in annual revenue.

The Hispanic population is growing at a very high rate. It is actually the second fastest growing population according to the Pew Research Center and it has been predicted that within the next three years, the Hispanic population will no longer be the largest. weak. That is why my company has made an effort to help companies, non-profit organizations and financial institutions to prepare, so that there is a better understanding of the culture and better communication.

What unique challenges or opportunities do you see in helping colleges understand Hispanic students and their families?

Working with educational institutions is very interesting to me and has a special place in my heart because it is very difficult for older parents who grew up in Latin America to understand the importance of education. Older Hispanics are more likely to think that working would be a better option than going to school. So one of the ambitions I have as a first generation college student is to host lectures, talks or collaborate with our local colleges to share my ideas. Sometimes I’ll bring my parents along to share how they didn’t know how to go through the college process either, but in the end, it was worth it.

Having businesses in Mexico or Puerto Rico versus coming here, it’s a different lifestyle. There are many opportunities, but because the culture here is so different and there are many steps and procedures to be followed, it can be scary. That’s why often, the easier way seems to be, just go get a job, make money and save compared to spending time going to college.

How do you think companies, educational institutions, and organizations can begin to use Hispanic Awareness Month to build meaningful relationships with Hispanic audiences throughout the year and across the region? ?

As someone who loves my Latino community, not only people from Mexico but people from anywhere in Latin America, I think it’s amazing that companies create Hispanic Heritage festivals or nights Latinos to celebrate this month. I think it’s great. It’s a big step in showing Latino staff or volunteers that you care about them and that you care about learning about their culture. So you understand that we are here, we are here, we are here to help. We are not here to do anything but help and raise our families in a healthy way.

The only thing I would suggest to companies that want to keep celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month is that while festivals are a great way to celebrate, we can often get caught up in the just a celebration of things and not much of an education. part. The Spanish culture is rich in food, customs, education and culture. So there are many things to celebrate and it doesn’t always have to be a celebration. I love what companies and educational institutions are doing with all the celebrations but there are so many different ways to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, it doesn’t always have to be food and a big group of people. music. It could be highlighting employees, giving a small gift to the Employee of the Month, asking them to share the culture of where they come from. So it gives people a chance to share where they’re from, to have a voice during Hispanic Awareness Month.

What is your advice to aspiring Hispanic entrepreneurs?

There are many tips I would like to give to such a person but the first one that comes to mind is to create natural relationships. Create organic demand for the service you want to offer. If it doesn’t sound right, think about it, don’t rush into it. Being a business owner is a big responsibility. It’s not what most people think. There is more demand, in fact, than when you are an employee because you have to make sure that things are working. And there’s just so much responsibility. So I would just say, focus on what is growing organically. Try to provide a solution, whether it’s a social solution, something that will make it easier for someone to connect with something. Just think outside the box and be creative. The possibilities are endless, you don’t have to reinvent or reinvent something that already exists.

What’s your biggest networking tip?

For me, it’s very easy to go to online events. I love meeting people, that’s why being a journalist was perfect for me. But for some people, it is not. It’s easier said than done but once you jump in the cold water, go up to someone, introduce yourself and say, ‘Hey, I want to introduce myself, I just started a new business. If you need me, here’s my card, I don’t just call.’

The first time I went to a networking event, I wrote what I wanted to say on my hand because I wasn’t sure what to say. So write it, read it and go from there. The Internet is like a game; lack of exercise. The more you go to different events and talk to people, the more you will overcome your fear and be able to meet more people.

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