Lucas Fonseca founded his business in Warsaw with the sole purpose of helping Spanish-speaking people function and thrive in this country. April 23 marked the day when the company first offered their new English digital course, available on Smartphones and laptops. Photo provided by Lucas Fonseca.

By Laurie Lechlitner
InkFreeNews

WINONA LAKE — “I remember when my twin brother Arturo and I were traveling from Chile to the United States to attend Grace College in Winona Lake,” said Lucas Fonseca.

“We landed about an hour away from our destination. When we arrived in the small town, everything was so different from our medium-sized city in Chile. I still remember that feeling of being an outsider as I reach out to others who feel lost.”

That’s part of the reason I started my business, Language Matters, to equip other Spanish-speakers to function and thrive in this country.” The business is located in Warsaw.

Fonseca majored in entrepreneurial management with a minor in Spanish. “Although Spanish is my native language, I wanted to understand all aspects of it to better serve people through my business.”

He marks the stages of arrival in a new country. “The first is the honeymoon stage, where everything is beautiful. Then there’s a crisis stage, where nothing is working. Often there’s a language barrier, and the person no longer knows how to adapt to their new surroundings. For some, this language barrier can last years, or even a lifetime.”

His business provides professional services to individuals who want to better connect with people who speak a different language. “This includes language tutoring; we also offer translation of documents and written materials to Spanish or French.”

The second area he focuses on is equipping organizations. “We start by analyzing the company or city by collecting data. Then we develop solutions that cater to their main needs and those of the Spanish-speaking community they are targeting.”

April 23 marked the day when the company first offered their new English digital course, available on Smartphones and laptops. They unveiled the app at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Warsaw. “I’m excited to be able to combine technology and education. We are providing this app to 150 people who will have access to an entire year of language lessons.”

Part of his job involves meetings in cities across the United States. “I visit companies who are considering partnering with us. One of those organizations is the Greater Fort Wayne YMCA; we’ve launched an exciting initiative with them related to our online course.

“We also have people on the waiting list for access to our app. Because of companies like the YMCA, our partners make it possible to serve more people.”

Fonseca is also busy traveling to conferences. “I’m always learning and traveling gives me the opportunity to network with like-minded individuals.”

Some advice he’d give other entrepreneurs: “Get started on something right away: flyers, business cards, anything. Recognize that nobody is going to do the work for you. You may receive some help, but you’ve got to put in the hard work and long hours to succeed.”

Today, Fonseca feels like somewhat of an outsider when he goes to visit his family in Chile. “I’ve adopted a lot of idioms from the U.S. After a meal, when Mom asks if I want seconds, I’ll respond that I’m full. She’ll correct me, because in Chilean culture, that’s not a great way to word things: ‘You mean you are satisfied.’”

Fonseca’s wife, Bethany, writes bilingual children’s books. His email address: [email protected]