(Editor’s note: This is the 59th installment in a monthly series speaking with minority business owners and leaders. Each will be asked their views on minority-business conditions in the state and for ways to improve those businesses’ chances for success. See previous features here.)
One of the most pivotal moments in a person’s life is when they pass their driver’s test and get their license. It connects one to the open road, where the possibilities seem endless.
Marcelo Mejía helps create those moments at his driving school. The Dominican Republic native, who moved to the United States in 1993, knows how important it is to be a licensed driver.
And since 2008, his school has been helping Ocean State residents learn to drive.
“Learning to drive is more than earning a piece of plastic,” he said. “It can be an intimidating process to go through. But it’s a very, very important one.”
At Mejía’s Driving School LLC in Providence, the business’ namesake and his team run a weeklong schedule. From beginner courses to practical exam preparation and specific skills training, instructors at the school are busy teaching students seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., including holidays.
Most of the students are teenagers, he says. More than 100 enroll in his courses every year, and that’s despite a saturated market.
“Believe it or not, there’s a lot of competition here, lots of driving schools,” Mejía said. “But in this business, you never run out of clients. There’s always a new generation that needs to learn to drive.”
This school has an edge, however. The five bilingual instructors teach students in English or Spanish. Language should be no barrier when it comes to learning the rules of the road in Rhode Island, making local road safety training more inclusive and effective. Mejía says price, too, shouldn’t be a roadblock.
“Our teachers can train you in English and Spanish,” he said. “And we offer payments in installments.”
Mejía’s Driving School offers a wide variety of services to Rhode Island beyond just driving lessons and road test appointments. If one doesn’t have a car to take the test, they can rent one through the school. Students can also take classes in getting their vehicle registered and insured.
Don’t know how to drive a manual transmission? There’s a class for that, too. There’s even a course on buying a new car, and another on how to learn all of the features after purchasing one.
The school is a family-owned-and-operated company, and it is licensed by the R.I. Division of Motor Vehicles, Mejía says.
Feedback from the community regarding the school has been overwhelmingly positive. The school has more than 100 5-star ratings on the Rhode Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce website.
Mejía says he started out using his own car to teach driving on weekends as a side job. Soon, his wife suggested he lease a car specifically to teach student drivers and officially start a driving school.
That was in 2008. “She saw the need for it in the community and said, ‘We have to do this,’ ” Mejía said.
1. Do you believe racism is keeping minorities from starting businesses in the Ocean State or succeeding when they do? Yes, I believe systemic racism still creates barriers for minorities in Rhode Island. From lack of access to capital to fewer networking opportunities to unconscious bias, these obstacles can make it much harder for minority-owned businesses to start and grow.
2. How dependent is your business on the support of other minority groups? Is that a sustainable business model? My business serves a diverse community, including many immigrants and Spanish-speaking residents. While support from other minority groups has been essential, I serve a diverse group. But most of my clients are non-Hispanic Americans.
3. What one thing could Rhode Island do to boost the odds for minority-owned business success? The state could expand educational programs – more education is needed so that people can have the information to start a business, understand how to develop it, and how to grow it.
4. Have you had to turn somewhere other than a bank for a loan? Do you believe the state’s lending institutions generally treat minorities fairly? Well, there are many factors in that. I haven’t done it myself – I haven’t really looked into it, although I’ve been thinking about it recently. I have received offers from non-bank institutions, but since they come through email, it’s hard to tell what’s real and what’s not. Getting a loan through a traditional bank isn’t that easy here. There’s still a lack of trust and transparency in how loan decisions are made. Banks need to provide more information and offer real support. There are a lot of advertisements, but very little useful information.
5. If another minority entrepreneur asked you where they could turn for support for their business, where would you direct them? I would direct them to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Rhode Island, as it is a very important resource. And of course, if it were something related to my business, I would recommend several places – the R.I. Secretary of State’s Office, the R.I. Division of Motor Vehicles, and a required course that is offered at Community College of Rhode Island.
