About Us

Our History

International Hartford was founded in 2013 to stimulate economic mobility, job creation, and household stability through small business development. While the organization originally focused on supporting immigrant entrepreneurs, IH’s mission and reach have evolved significantly over the past decade. Today, International Hartford serves a much broader community of minority groups, women, and under-resourced entrepreneurs across the Greater Hartford region who face cultural, financial, linguistic, and systemic barriers to successful business ownership.

From its inception, IH helped entrepreneurs navigate complex U.S. systems—business licensing, financial literacy, tax readiness, permits, marketing, banking, and access to micro-capital. IH quickly gained a reputation for hands-on, personalized support that met entrepreneurs where they were, in their own language and cultural context. The organization became widely known for its on-the-ground guidance, multilingual accessibility, and deep relationships within Hartford’s diverse neighborhoods.

As demand grew, IH expanded from individual technical assistance into structured education, seasonal cohorts, food-vendor placement, and marketplace access. Over the years, IH supported hundreds of small businesses representing communities across the Caribbean, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and the African-American population of Greater Hartford. These entrepreneurs represented a wide range of industries—including food trucks, consulting firms, retail concepts, home-based businesses, online shops, service businesses, and sole proprietorships.

IH’s legacy portfolio includes businesses such as:

  • Angry Papa’s Fresh Foods (Burmese market on Franklin Ave)
  • Dental America (bilingual practice serving under-insured families)
  • Shev’s Quality Wear (Indian-owned formal wear store)
  • Yolanda’s Products (Latino sofrito manufacturer)
  • Williams Realty & Professional Services (West Indian-owned realty firm)
  • My Sensor Cane (Puerto Rican inventor developing adaptive technology)

As IH grew, so did the complexity of needs among Greater Hartford entrepreneurs. Many faced persistent barriers that limited business stability—including:

  • Limited English proficiency
  • Low credit or no credit
  • Minimal bookkeeping or pricing knowledge
  • Lack of business licensing familiarity
  • No access to traditional capital or loans
  • Multiple jobs and childcare responsibilities
  • Limited support systems
  • Need for culturally attuned coaching and accountability

These challenges made clear that entrepreneurs required structured education, consistent coaching, accountability systems, and verifiable pathways to capital—not one-time or ad-hoc support.

Recognizing these realities, IH began a comprehensive organizational transformation in 2025 under new leadership. This transformation introduced a multi-semester business education model, embedded coaching into every phase, established strict micro-grant verification standards, and implemented data-driven oversight systems. IH also modernized its curriculum, broadened its regional footprint, strengthened community partnerships, and expanded its mission to explicitly serve minority entrepreneurs, women business owners, and culturally diverse small businesses from across Greater Hartford—not only immigrant communities.

Today, International Hartford is a modern, equity-centered, performance-driven economic development organization headquartered at 151 New Park Avenue, Suite 5A, Hartford, CT. With a team of dedicated staff, a growing network of specialized coaches, and a clear regional vision, IH remains committed to helping entrepreneurs overcome systemic barriers, build sustainable businesses, and contribute to the long-term economic vitality of the Greater Hartford region.