People often tend to feel that they live during one of the most significant times in history. However, today really is one of the most exciting and important times for Latinos in the history of the United States. With the boom in the U.S. Hispanic population and buying power having been so dramatically assessed by the 2000 Census, as well as the forecast that Hispanics are currently the largest minority and will make up 25% of the population by 2025, they have arrived -- and done so in typical fashion: with a bang. In short, they have become a specialty market to be reckoned with.

As a proud Latina, I consider this incredibly exciting. Culturally, we are living in an era when so many interesting things are happening due to the forced combination of two worlds. Hispanic "crossover" musical acts are thriving, and Hispanic fare has made its way into America's fast-food outlets. In addition, titans such as NBC (NBC ) are making long-term investments in the market with purchases such as Telemundo, the Hispanic network, and Big Business in general is allotting huge budgets in recognition of this budding demographic. Corporate America's attention to the sleeping giant is long overdue.

HISTORY'S GUIDE.  When I began in this business, things were altogether different. It was extremely difficult, simply because the world was not ready for women or Latino entrepreneurs. I left Cuba with no more than a secretarial degree. The situation grew difficult fairly quickly, as my husband's attempt at starting a small business failed, and we agreed that I should get secretarial work.

My first job in the industry was for advertising powerhouse McCann Marschalk. I had absolutely no credentials, and during the interview, when asked questions about whether or not I could perform certain tasks, I was forced to respond with a consistent, "No, but I can learn!" I have remained faithful to this attitude to this day. Even in the face of adversity, one must always maintain a belief in oneself and a level of determination to succeed.

After this experience, I left to work for one of my clients, EHG Enterprises, a real estate developer. It was at this time that I really earned my wings, so to speak, learning every aspect of the business. This turned into a highly lucrative and somewhat glamorous position, with business trips to Puerto Rico and many added perks. Eventually, the workload and frequent travel left me wanting to spend more time with my family.

STARTING OVER.  Therefore, I decided in 1976 to open up my own shop, Zubi Advertising, with the help of some friends in the industry who loaned me a spare room in their offices. My friends were kind enough to lend me a table and a typewriter, and they even designed my logo. I merely had to pay the phone company a deposit and retain an answering service.

I began this career working exclusively on real estate advertising, creating the copy for print campaigns for new buildings, and helping companies design their logos. Although I got into this business during Miami's real estate boom of the early 1970s, the run of luck eventually evaporated and I was left with a tremendous amount of bills and debt owed to me by many of my clients. This was a true turning point in my life.

In December, 1975, Time magazine ran a cover story regarding the fact that Hispanics would be the largest U.S. minority by the 1990s. I decided to reevaluate my business and focus exclusively on advertising to this rapidly growing market -- my market. My first client was The Miami Herald's newly formed Hispanic paper, then called El Miami Herald. This obviously helped me a great deal in gaining credibility for future pitches for MY new business. The rest, as they say, is historia!

MISTAKES TO AVOID.  What was once a one-woman show is now the largest independent Hispanic advertising firm in the U.S. With clients such as American Airlines (AMR ), Americatel, Ford (F ), MasterFoods and SC Johnson, we have a front-row seat for the incredibly exciting time we live in. There is no better industry in which to analyze the traits and needs of the U.S. Hispanic population than advertising. We are in a unique position to study closely the factors that differentiate U.S. Hispanics from the rest of the country, and develop strategies to cater to their unique wants and sensibilities.

The most important thing to remember about marketing to Hispanics is to think like a Hispanic. This is where many clients make their biggest mistakes. Clients have come to us expecting that we are going to merely translate a document, or even dub Spanish over the English version of things. Not only would this be a huge problem with any demographic, but Hispanics are so different in many ways that they get offended by a product whose marketing does not at least attempt to speak to them on a personal level. We all get up in the morning and out of bed the same way, but cultural traits are what we feel passionate about -- and the things differentiate us.

The second mistake made when marketing to Hispanics is the all-too-common practice of talking down to them, instead of with them. I call this the "Carmen Miranda/Pancho Villa" syndrome. When I first entered the business, companies portrayed Hispanics the same way in every commercial and for every brand, stereotypes of the uneducated and poor. For this reason, the motto that we live and work by at Zubi Advertising is Erase Stereotypes. We attempt to remove the boundaries that impact Hispanics and enhance the image of our culture and profession through our actions and our work.

LESSONS THAT COUNT.  Lastly, the key to success in any business is service. If an agency gives the client excellent, genuine service, and is accountable for its actions at all times, powerful and lasting relationships can be built that can last a lifetime.

In sum, marketing to Hispanics is a matter of learning from one's personal experiences, understanding the impact of this substantial demographic, and avoiding the missteps that could quash opportunities. These are valuable lessons for all entrepreneurs selling niche products or services to this burgeoning specialty market.

Tere Zubizarreta, a native of Cuba, founded Zubi Advertising Services in 1976 and currently serves as president and chief executive officer. Based in Coral Gables, Fla., Zubi is the largest independent full-service Hispanic agency in the U.S.. With offices in Miami, Detroit, Los Angeles, Dallas, and San Antonio, and more than 100 employees, the firm posted billings of $147 million in 2003.

Entrepreneur's Byline comes to BusinessWeek Online readers courtesy of EntreWorld.org, a resource for entrepreneurs that is sponsored by the nonprofit Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.


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