September is National Workforce Development Month, a time to highlight the importance of strong employment programs.
At Neighbors Link, our Careers and Pathways department offers workforce training programs in high-demand fields, support for entrepreneurship, a business center for community use, individual career guidance and digital literacy classes for adults. Our goal is to support people as they pursue their work and career goals for economic mobility.
Today, we would love to share Katiuska’s Entrepreneurial Journey.
When Katiuska first connected with Neighbors Link in early 2025, she was searching online for English classes in Yonkers. What began as a search for language support soon became the starting point of an inspiring entrepreneurial journey.
After enrolling in Neighbors Link’s ESL program, Katiuska attended the Be Your Own Boss workshop, where she learned about the Women’s Enterprise Development Center (WEDC) Entrepreneur Growth Lab. Motivated to grow her business, she participated in the program from September to December 2025.
For several years, Katiuska has been working on a business that specializes in personalized, healthier desserts designed for people who need to limit their sugar intake or have dietary restrictions.
While she had already begun the process of formalizing her business, Los Postres de Kathiuska, participating in WEDC’s Entrepreneur Growth Lab gave her the guidance and confidence she needed to complete the journey. In December 2025, she officially registered her business as an LLC.
As a graduate of the Entrepreneur Growth Lab, Katiuska was eligible to compete in WEDC’s Business Plan Competition. Katiuska earned second place in the competition and received a $6,000 prize. She plans to use the funding to purchase commercial baking equipment, expand production capacity, and strengthen her marketing efforts.
Looking ahead, Katiuska has ambitious goals for Los Postres de Kathiuska. She hopes to continue growing the business until her products can be distributed and sold through local supermarket chains, making healthy desserts more accessible to a wider community.
Through perseverance, dedication, and a willingness to learn, Katiuska has transformed a dream into a thriving business.
We are thrilled to have amazing partners like the Women’s Enterprise Development Center and to be able to support amazing people like Katiuska in advancing their work and career goals.