Linda Torres-Winters - A Migrant Worker's Dream Comes True

The daughter of migrant workers, Linda Torres-Winters grew up picking tomatoes in the Midwest. "We lived in one big room, side by side - seven children," says Linda. She picked her first tomatoes in the field at the age of 6. Then, when Linda was 16, her father was disabled in a work-related accident. Linda left school and took on a second job to help support her family.

What she couldn't know then was that it was tomatoes - stirred together with determination and seasoned with inspiration - that would lead to entrepreneurial success. But early on, the drive was there. "I always wanted to do something for my family and be somebody," she says.
At the age of 17, Linda earned her high school equivalency diploma. She then became the first person in her family to attend college, enrolling in the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. While there, she worked with the High School Equivalency Program, helping others earn their high school diplomas.

Linda married and had two children, all the while fostering an entrepreneurial dream. Eventually, she decided to make her dream come true - and she wanted to do it by developing something that would honor her Hispanic heritage. That's where the tomatoes come in.

" I can remember my mother making the best salsa," Linda says. Starting with that inspiration, she created a salsa mix with a twist: it's dry, based on the dehydrated spices and vegetables Linda used on family camping trips. You just add fresh or canned tomatoes for "homemade" salsa, any time, anywhere. What's more, you can have it either hot or mild.
To market her unique product, Linda turned to Mi Casa Resource Center for Women http://www.micasadenver.org, the SBA women's business center in Denver. Five years ago, they helped her launch her business,
Lindita'shttp://www.linditassalsa.com. A year later, Linda signed a contract with Safeway - and Lindita's took off. The company's products are now available in over 500 stores in eight states.

Today, Linda is on the board of directors Mi Casa. She hosts a local television talk show, Hispanos Americanos, writes a food column, and serves on numerous boards that benefit children and families. She was named the Business Woman of the Year by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in 1997 and nominated for the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in 1999. Not bad for a girl who started picking tomatoes at the tender age of 6.

For more information on starting and growing a business, visit the SBA's home page at www.sba.gov. For information about financing, click on www.sba.gov/financing and to learn more about resources in your area.