Name tag.

Small talk.

Business card.

Repeat until your pockets surrender.

North County’s Latino Business Group was created with something more practical in mind.

Its next meeting is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 4, from 10:30 a.m. to noon at Union Cowork, 251 North City Drive, Suite 128F, in San Marcos.

The meeting will be conducted primarily in Spanish. But the invitation is broader than the group’s name might suggest.

It is open to everyone interested in supporting the Latino business community. Participants do not have to be Latino.

More Working Group, Less Card-Swapping

The San Marcos Chamber of Commerce describes the gathering as an interactive meeting where business owners and entrepreneurs can connect, exchange ideas, share resources and identify needs and opportunities.

Yes, some networking will probably happen.

But the group’s origin points to a bigger idea.

A launch announcement described the Latino Business Group as a working group—not a membership organization or conventional networking club.

The announcement named the San Marcos and Escondido chambers, Cafecito Business, the San Diego & Imperial Small Business Development Center Network and local business and community professionals as participants. It also credited economic-development representatives from San Marcos and Escondido with participating in the group’s formation.

The point was not merely to collect business cards until everyone’s wallet needed a building permit.

It was to put businesses, community professionals and small-business resources into the same conversation.

No Respect for City Limits

The group does not stop at the San Marcos border.

The Escondido Chamber describes it as a monthly program hosted in partnership with the San Marcos Chamber. Meetings are held on the first Friday, with locations announced monthly.

An Aug. 7 meeting was scheduled at the Escondido Chamber. September’s gathering moves to Union Cowork in San Marcos’ North City development.

The venue and San Marcos Chamber office share the same street address but occupy different suites. Union Cowork is in Suite 128F; the Chamber lists its office in Suite 128G.

One letter can become surprisingly important when the meeting is about to start.

Spanish Isn’t the Footnote

U.S. Census Bureau figures identify 36.8% of San Marcos residents as Hispanic or Latino.

The agency also reports that 35.2% of residents age 5 and older speak a language other than English at home.

That second number includes every non-English language. It does not tell us how many San Marcos residents primarily speak Spanish. The Census figures also do not establish how many local businesses are Latino-owned.

But they do show why business outreach in languages other than English matters here.

At this meeting, Spanish will not be the translated paragraph at the bottom.

It will be the main conversation.

The Chamber lists Daisy Zavala as the contact and provides an online registration link. The official page does not say whether registration is mandatory or whether the September meeting carries a fee.

Questions You May Have About Latino Business 

When is the Latino Business Group meeting?

Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, from 10:30 a.m. to noon.

Where is the meeting?

Union Cowork, 251 North City Drive, Suite 128F, San Marcos.

Do attendees have to be Latino?

No. The meeting is open to everyone interested in supporting the Latino business community.

What language will be used?

The meeting will be conducted primarily in Spanish.

Is there an admission fee?

The official September listing does not state whether there is a fee.