Posted: Monday, September 6, 2010 10:17 pm

Green	Miller

Taking Care of Business: Caliente Consulting's Allen

Cristina O. Allen founded Caliente Consulting more than 10 years ago to specialize in Hispanic and multicultural marketing, communications and sales strategies.  Allen’s company provides businesses, government agencies and non-profits with a broad range of communication tools targeted to the growing diverse community.

Cristina O. Allen, principal and owner Company Profile Company:  Caliente Consulting, LLC Position: Principal and Owner Company Address: 909 Brancaster Lane, Nashville TN 37211 Phone: 615.337.0624 Website: www.calienteconsulting.com Year Founded: 1999

She serves in many non-profit leadership roles, along with being a business owner, wife and mother of three young girls. Caliente Consulting’s goal is to help clients foster a culture of inclusion and diversity so they can embrace and enrich their new clients, the workforce and communities.

Teresa Miller interviewed Allen for this column.

Describe your business model? 
Caliente Consulting has personal and business relationships in the Hispanic and multi-cultural communities.  These relationships afford us access when implementing our clients’ marketing campaigns.  We are trusted and welcomed in these niche communities because we not only market to them, but we also educate and bring positive opportunities to enrich their lives.  We provide multi-cultural strategies, applying multi-lingual and multi-generational approaches with diverse perspectives to needs and challenges.

Who is your ideal customer?
Companies with a corporate-wide integrated multicultural approach that desire to acquire and retain diverse customers.

What does it take to be successful in your industry?
Trust.

What does diversity mean to you? Why does it matter? 
Diversity is fostering an environment where inclusion is part of the work force culture; where people are valued for the skills and talents they bring to the environment and appreciated for their uniqueness. Business leaders have a responsibility to use the diversity of the workforce to respond to opportunities and changes in their respective business environments.

A diverse management is a competitive advantage. As people at the management level age, we need to have younger talent in the pipeline. Having employees from emerging markets and other growth regions will bring in new ideas, and it will help to increase their presence and attract new business. With some of the innovations they may want to pursue, they’ll need local know-how.  Caliente Consulting is a great resource.

Why is it advantageous for businesses to consider multi-cultural marketing programs?
More people now live in urban cities and the composition of these towns and cities are becoming increasingly multicultural, resulting in more sophisticated, well-networked and demanding consumers who value service, experiences and attention. If brands can’t communicate effectively to this changing demographic, they will find themselves losing market share. I have discovered this niche, and have since invested in the commitment to build a unique reputation in breaking barriers and conquering new ground, targeting diverse communities.

What is the best piece of business advice you ever received? 
Work to be known for delivering excellence. It speaks for itself and it opens doors.

What would you do now if you had to start over in your business career? 
My career path has gone from promoting touring Broadway shows and concerts to marketing footwear and beer.  It has been so diverse (and fun) and has allowed me to become an expert in branding different products. 

I grew up in New Mexico in a Hispanic family.  My marketing career brought me to Nashville.  After many years I realized there was a need for professionals to help companies reach the area’s growing diverse communities.  So I focused my marketing expertise where my passion was and where I feel most accomplished. I’m living my passion!

What is the greatest business challenge you have faced? How did you handle it?
My greatest business challenge is dealing with companies that lack a definition of how they view diversity.  My solution is to define to leaders that diversity is now central to increasing the competitiveness and innovation of a company, as well as how to better serve their clientele (consumers, patients, staff, etc.).

What one business tip would you give to a Brentwood business entrepreneur? 
Get involved in your community’s non-profit organizations.  Volunteering with your talent, time and/or treasures allows you to listen and learn about your community first hand and to create lasting relationships. 

Is there one thing you wish you’d known when you first started your company?
Que sería tan feliz trabajando, usando mi cultura, mi lengua y mi pasión.  (That I would be having so much fun using my culture, language and passion for this type of work.)