LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — It's Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage month. The AAPI community is one of the fastest growing here in southern Nevada, bringing with them their customs, traditions and lots of jobs.
Channel 13's Joe Moeller had a chance to speak with the AAPI Chamber of Commerce, which is here to help when it comes to starting and growing a business.
Dr. Mandy Yip is a dentist who has lived in Las Vegas since 2018. She owns a dental office, but that isn't her only business.
"I obtained the lease for the nail salon in 2022," she said. "Had to learn a whole new business that, you know, is not related to dentistry."
She said it wasn't originally a goal of hers, but the business opportunity presented itself and she found herself with two busy locations.
"If you are really determined to do something, you can inspire people around you to follow," she said.
Yip came from Kansas, and said one of the reasons she came to Las Vegas was the bigger Asian American population.
"What we do is focus on the AANHPI communities of our business owners here in southern Nevada," said Catherine Francisco, president of the local AAPI Chamber of Commerce.
Some organizations are here to help people like Yip in the Asian American and Pacific Islander community when it comes to business, like the AAPI Chamber of Commerce.
"Our main purpose is for representation, also for a resource as we are the largest business owners and fast growing in Southern Nevada," Francisco said. "We wanted to make sure they all had support."
From licensing to funding, they help small businesses get off the ground and grow. Francisco estimates that 10-13% of our population here is of Asian descent, and that is only growing. She knows more businesses will come with a more business-friendly environment in comparison to other states.
"One of our challenges is really access to language, so the AAPI community has so many dialects, so many languages," Francisco said. "So those are the things we work with corporations, government entities, with municipalities as well."
She said the goal is to improve the AAPI business landscape for future owners.
"I do think Henderson and Vegas is becoming a lot more diverse, so I haven't had to face a lot of challenges of, 'oh you are Asian, I don't like that,'" Yip said.
Despite some challenges, Yip said southern Nevada has has been a good place for her, and she even has plans to grow.
"We are going to expand into esthetician work, I still want to do the Medspa work," she said. "In terms of my dental practice, may another location, but I think that only time will tell," she said.
