Ethnic Entrepreneurship Without Ethnicity: Latino Entrepreneurs in Northern Utah

Abstract

Over the past two decades, Latinos have been making their way to new destinations in the US South, Midwest, and Intermountain West. Although most are flocking to jobs in agriculture and manufacturing, a number are starting businesses. To better understand Latino entrepreneurs in these new destinations, we present a case study of northern Utah, where the Latino population has skyrocketed in recent decades. Findings from surveys and interviews with Latino entrepreneurs suggest that they rely less on ethnic networks than their counterparts in established destinations due to differences in national origin. In the process of running their businesses, however, Latino entrepreneurs in this and other new destinations may be laying the groundwork for an ethnic community to emerge. Their recruitment of Latino workers, their visible presence in the community, and the space for intra-ethnic interaction they provide may help Latinos in this community overcome internal differences to forge an ethnic identity. In this case, the relationship between ethnic entrepreneurship and the ethnic community moves in the opposite direction, with entrepreneurs helping to establish rather than exploit intra-ethnic ties.