Hispanics bring entrepreneurial spirit to U.S.

Twelve years ago, Claudia Mirza walked into the Greater Dallas Hispanic Chamber of Commerce as a job applicant.

She walked out as her own boss — or, at least, with the idea of how she could create a business. But her company has far exceeded her original vision.

Akorbi started out doing translations. However, Mirza’s firm has evolved into more than just translating documents.

The Plano-based company regularly works with global corporations looking for ways to perform international transactions.

“We just went to Hong Kong, where a manager in Asia was unable to communicate with a client in India,” Mirza said.

Her company is worth about $25 million, and this month, it was named one of the 50 fastest-growing women-owned/led companies worldwide by the Women Presidents’ Organization.

Three other Dallas-area companies, two of them Latina-owned, also made the list: Nina Vaca, CEO of the Pinnacle Group; Beatriz Manetta, CEO of Argent Associates; and Kay Ivie of Ivie and Associates.

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