Studies show that more Latinos are becoming business owners in Nebraska.

The number of Latino-owned businesses grew at a faster pace than businesses owned by whites, blacks and Asians between the years 2002 and 2007, according to a study on Latino Businesses in Nebraska by Lissette Aliaga Linares, Ph.D.

Aliaga's study focuses on the growth of Latino-owned businesses in the state and their contributions. She believes that numbers have gone up since her study recorded a total of nearly 3,000 businesses in 2007, although Aliaga acknowledges that more research has to be done.

The report found that much of the Latino-owned businesses are from health care and assistance agency firms. Administrative support, waste management, construction industries and remediation services have also contributed to the massive growth.

Some successful business owners in the U.S. came equipped with experience from their homeland.

Cesar Arza, a 51-year-old Bolivia native, studied business management in his home country, managed hotels and owned a restaurant and a beauty salon. He is the owner of a Latino bakery called Pan Dulce, which has a second store recently opened by his family.

Cesar's 25-year-old son Andy recently started his own business called Three Tigers Construction.

Aliaga's study showed that more than half of Latino-owned businesses in Nebraska were home-based and 17 percent were family-owned.

"They [Latino-owned businesses] are an important asset of their community, channeling upward mobility," Aliaga said.

Yet, it is not easy for an immigrant to maintain a business in the U.S. Some immigrants who come to America on a work visa could only invest in a business and not work there.

"It's going to be difficult for any person coming to the U.S. as a legal worker to open a business," Aliaga said.

Her study suggested many recommendations to continue growth including increasing bilingual and bicultural staff in government offices that serve Latino-owned businesses.