PAWTUCKET, R.I. (WPRI) — Fourteen years ago, Carlos Gonzalez had a dream to own a dance studio after taking up salsa dancing as a hobby. "The more I did it, the more I fell in love with it and there was nothing else I wanted to do," Gonzalez said. He's now the proud owner of the Mambo Pa Ti dance studio in Pawtucket. It's a dream he said became a reality thanks to the services and connections he made through the Rhode Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. "I'm so grateful there's a network I can count on — a community, " Gonzalez said. It's a community that seems to be growing. The Small Business Administration said it received 43,400 new business applications in Rhode Island this year. Of those, a record-breaking 17% were from Latinos. Despite the record number of applications, SBA New England regional director Sandra Cano said there are some challenges, specifically with access to capital. "It is evident that after the pandemic a lot of them suffer credit loss," Cano explained. "That's why I'm excited to work with my team to close those gaps that are already existing." The Rhode Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce said it's committed to helping businesses succeed. It will be reinforcing their technical assistance, education and microloan programs while still coming up with new ways to open doors for others. "We will continue to explore opportunities, to create new programs, to create initiatives not just with the government, but with corporations and financial institutions to help and support the growth of the businesses," Executive Director Oscar Mejias said. Gonzalez urges new business owners to take advantage of the resources, adding that all they have to do is reach out. "Follow your dreams," he said. "If there's aw ill, there's a way." The Rhode Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is in the process of moving to its new headquarters off of Broad Street in Providence and will be closed until Jan. 13. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup SIGN UP NOW