Who We Are
We Help Small Businesses Overcome Challenges, Achieve Business Goals, and Grow
Starting Your Business
Do you have a creative idea for a new business but don’t know where to start? Let one of our Business Advisors walk you through the necessary steps to get started on the right path. We specialize in helping start businesses in the State of Washington.
Growing Your Business
It is our mission to empower entrepreneurs and small business owners by connecting you to the right tools, resources, and information. Our Business Advisors will be able to help you overcome business challenges and increase sales.
Providing Connections
Join our community of entrepreneurs and small business owners working towards building an ecosystem of business support and collective thriving. We are bringing together ancestral wisdom with innovative approaches to create opportunities for building generational wealth for our BIPOC and immigrant communities.
Our Story
Growing Contigo, LLC was established in 2022 with a mission to build bridges and strong foundations for the work that is needed to empower our community. With over 15 years of experience managing economic empowerment programs and initiatives, our CEO has dedicated his life to creating opportunities for building generational wealth for BIPOC communities. We grow together by investing knowledge, resources, and relationships in a way that works best for our community. We lift each other up and empower each other to achieve our economic and personal goals.
Our company is dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs and small business owners by sharing culturally relevant tools, resources, and knowledge. We work across industries to bring together businesses, nonprofits, and government agencies to design, implement, and manage economic empowerment programs and initiatives to help build a stronger local economy. Together we are building a sustainable and strong business support ecosystem.
Our Approach
As a first-generation immigrant and multi-generational entrepreneur, our CEO understands firsthand the lived experiences of many of our local small businesses. Using community-driven strategies, we try to find the best solution to tackle the challenges that businesses face every day.
Over the years, we have established strong partnerships and relationships with local nonprofits and government sector leaders to bring culturally and linguistically relevant programs and initiatives to help build a strong economy. We don’t need to do this alone. Together we can build a strong community, sharing knowledge and resources with each other, and building a stronger economy for generations to come.
Our Values
Client Focus
We know that each business is unique and full of opportunities. Our Business Analysts take the time to truly understand you and your business needs. Together we can find the right solution to your business challenges.
Trust and Integrity
Trust and integrity are some of our most fundamental core values. Our greatest strength is our relationships with our community. Even if we don’t have the right solution for you right away, we will work with you to ensure that you are connected to the right person or resource.
Excellence
With over 15 years of experience leading Economic Empowerment programs across the state of Washington, our team strives to deliver best-of-class solutions to complex business needs. We are constantly learning new skills and tools to bring the most modern approaches to our work.
Our Team
José Manuel was born in Mexico and raised in South Seattle. He graduated from the University of Washington – Foster School of Business with a dual concentration in Marketing and Entrepreneurship. José Manuel spent a decade leading non-profits and community initiatives across the state through the Latino Community Fund of Washington State. From there he spent almost 4 years working as a civil servant in the City of Seattle helping build bridges and break down barriers for communities most impacted by racial, economic, and environmental inequities through the Office of Immigrant and Refugee Affairs and the Office of Sustainability and Environment. He is an avid Sounders fan and enjoys connecting with nature and community.
Kenneth holds a degree in Finance from the University of Washington and has vast experience managing finances and developing budgets and reports for small businesses. He holds certifications in Small Business and SME Consulting from the Association of Accredited Small Business Consultants (AASBC), Business Analysis from the International Institute of Business Analysis (IBA), and Project Management from the Project Management Institute (PMI). He is passionate about helping small businesses succeed.
Daisy Baez was born and raised in the South Seattle area with P’urhepecha roots from Michoacan, Mexico. Having spent many years volunteering and working closely alongside communities of Seattle and South King County, she developed a deep connection to her community while gaining experience in advocacy, operations, and entrepreneurship while also bringing with her a diverse background in the legal, nonprofit, and business sectors. As a daughter of immigrants, she has helped her family and loved ones start and grow businesses while also managing her own ventures. With strong marketing and social media expertise, Daisy excels at driving brand growth and engagement, making her a valuable asset in any business endeavor.