Many people know that there are always opportunities for business or work, even in difficult economic times. It can be hard, though, for people to continue to believe in opportunities when newspapers and other media constantly post disaster headlines about the economy. While thousands of

people have lost their jobs and consumer spending has dropped, there are still many Bay Area companies that are doing strong business and hiring people. Manuel Alvarez of Latino Tax Software in Oakland has hired nearly fifty people in the last month. The new team of tax analysts, software developers, and quality assurance people are working to finalize the tax preparation software that Manuel and his business partner developed.  The company also plans to hire technical support staff and sales people early next year.  Manuel says that most of the new hires are recent college graduates. “For them it’s not just an opportunity to make money but to learn and get experience,” says Manuel. “They are learning cutting edge technology that will help them down the road in their career,” he adds.

Manuel was recently honored with an award from the San Francisco Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for his entrepreneurial efforts. His story is a great local example of how entrepreneurs create new opportunities for themselves and many other people. “I saw the opportunity in the marketplace to serve more people in the Latino community,” he says. The company is currently seeking additional funding to bring its MultiTax product to market. Manuel says that it hasn’t been easy in the current financial situation to get funding. “It’s a tougher environment but the opportunities are still out there and I’m pursuing it,” he concludes.

United Fence Contractors (UFC) is a national fencing company that is headquartered in San Lorenzo. The company is currently looking to hire fence erectors and a shop foreman to help with the large commercial fencing projects it does across the country. Lisa Mackie, Human Resources Director for the company, says that business in California is strong and that they are hiring throughout the state. “It’s hard to find candidates with prior experience, but we are willing to train if they have some experience in a trade or the construction industry,” she says.

Lisa says that one thing the company has done to keep business strong is thinking “outside of the box”, or fence. Artists who have been commissioned to do an art installation in a park, for example, are using UFC for their material skills in metal, concrete, and welding.

Shelley Horwitz, administrator of Bay Valley Medical Group in Hayward, says they are currently hiring for doctors, nurses, medical assistants and other staff with a strong preference for employees with bilingual skills. They are also continually looking for Spanish speaking doctors, which has been difficult because there is a real shortage. “We’re also very careful in choosing doctors to hire because we know that patients, especially Hispanic patients, get attached to their doctor,” says Shelley. She adds that if Bay Valley Medical could hire a few additional Spanish speaking doctors, it would allow them to more proactively reach out to the local Hispanic community.

Bay Valley Medical has five Spanish speaking doctors, though only two of them are Hispanic. The larger ratio of non-Hispanic doctors represents the national trend of doctors from many ethnic groups who have learned to speak Spanish. Horwitz says that their Hispanic patients have good experiences with the non-Hispanic doctors, even though the ideal for many Hispanics is to have a Hispanic doctor.

Lisa Mackie of United Fence Contractors reinforces the fact that companies are always looking for good employees. “With our company it’s all about execution - if we get the job and then you can’t execute, you can’t make the numbers,” she says. “The only thing that keeps us going is good employees,” she concludes.