Verizon announces opportunity for entrepreneurs to open local specialty stores

NEW YORK – Today Verizon announced it has launched a new program aimed at providing multicultural entrepreneurs an opportunity to collaborate with Verizon by opening specialty stores throughout the United States. The specialty stores will deliver a unique experience to both current and future Verizon customers in communities with the most growth potential and provide a turnkey opportunity to aspiring business owners. Verizon will support these budding entrepreneurs through strategic funding, marketing initiatives and strong marketing support. Verizon will make a formal presentation directly to potential business owners during the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce National Convention (USHCC) National Convention on October 10, 2016; additional presentations will be held throughout the country.

“We are fueling Hispanics’ entrepreneurial spirit with a turnkey business opportunity with a known, trusted brand,” said Walter Rodriguez, Multicultural Marketing Director at Verizon. “Now is the chance for those interested in self-employment to own a business in areas they know well and in their own communities.”

The launch of these new specialty stores is the direct result of two other recent launches by Verizon: The new Verizon plan and the Bienvenido a lo Mejor campaign, both of which offer customers simple pricing, access to America’s largest and fastest 4G LTE network ever and targeted promotional offers for the Hispanic segment, respectively.

Hispanic-owned businesses continue to grow in comparison to other minority groups and U.S. companies. According to the United States Census Bureau, there are 27.6 million businesses in the United States, with 3.3 million of those being Hispanic-owned. The Hispanic purchasing power was $1.3 trillion in 2015, with a projected reach of $1.7 trillion by 2020. As part of this initiative, Verizon will be hosting a series of informational specialty store presentations and webinars throughout the year.

“This new multicultural store model offers many benefits to entrepreneurs like my partner and me. It truly is a turnkey approach when you factor in the support Verizon offers with the floor plan, fixture designs and the marketing support,” said Harpreet Katari, co-owner of United Telecom USA Inc., a Verizon Indirect Agent.