Latino informal immigrant entrepreneurs in South Texas : Opportunities and challenges for unauthorized new venture creation and persistence

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to shed light on Latino informal immigrant entrepreneurs within a specific border zone in South Texas. Three research questions inform this study: What is the demographic profile of the Latino informal immigrant entrepreneur? What is the occupational profile of the Latino informal immigrant entrepreneur? What is the business profile of the Latino informal immigrant entrepreneur? Design/methodology/approach – In total, 198 Latino informal entrepreneurs in South Texas were interviewed, through a purposive sampling design, between 2005 and 2008. Findings – The major findings establish a benchmark for Latino informal immigrant entrepreneurs. Originality/value – The value of the research is the provision of empirical insights into an otherwise understudied population.