After he married, he landed in Chicago, where he worked for Polo Ralph Lauren and opened his own small business called Chicago Custom Tailor Shop. “Our experience has been that financial literacy is one of the most important key elements that a small business needs to start and grow their business,” Barrera said. “In the traditional way, in Latino families, they know their product. The financial literacy part has not been added to the equation.”Through its programs, Liftfund offers training that can later help a small business approach a traditional bank. Liftfund is also working with the city and county to help struggling small business owners secure grants or very low-interest loans.