Lucas Fonseca & Elise Young – Supporting entrepreneurs and building community through language & communication

Lucas Fonseca Arriagada, local business owner of Language Matters LLC in Winona Lake, and Elise Young of gener8tor business accelerator program, chat with us about supporting entrepreneurs, and bolstering the community by creating more connection through language and communication. 

 

Show Notes

• Lucas Fonseca Arriagada, originally from a large city in the country of Chile, came to Kosciusko County with a scholarship to attend Grace College in Winona Lake.
• After studying several different languages in school while living in Chile, Lucas came to Grace to pursue business, and his passion and support from mentors, helped unfold new opportunities. Lucas founded local small business, Language Matters LLC which offers language services including Spanish, English and French. The company is in the process of offering additional languages, so stay tuned.
• Language Matters partners with individuals, businesses and schools to teach and equip people with language services to remove communication barriers, and increase connection within the community.
• Elise Young, Director, gBETA MainStreet Bloomington–Columbus for the nationally recognized gener8tor program, shared insight about gener8tor and how she connected with Lucas and Language Matters. KEDCO connected Lucas and Elise after hearing of opportunities for a small business accelerator program and partnership between gener8tor and the Indiana Small Business Development Center. Lucas was one of just five chosen for the program, from more than 50 applicants in Indiana.
• Lucas said, “Being able to be in a community where people are willing to receive your ideas and take them to the next level, is really something I value. And I see it as an opportunity for young entrepreneurs in communities like ours to develop their idea, their business, because there is a support system that exists...”
• Language Matters is a program that builds connection, bolsters the community, and increases quality of life for individuals. When people are challenged with language barriers, they’re not able to experience the amazing Kosciusko County we’re all able to experience together.