Rocío Ghattas de Simán

Rocío Ghattas de Simán is the Founder of Yohago, a remarkable entrepreneur empowering artisans, artists and entrepreneurs alike. Yohago focuses on coaching, training and promoting entrepreneurship while emphasizing identity, culture and national pride. Born in El Salvador to immigrant parents, Rocio's upbringing instilled in her the values of sacrifice, determination and resilience. These values, along with her passion for helping others, led her to start her own businesses.

She shared with us, "My parents were immigrants who started their own business, and with sacrifice and determination, provided for us. But due to the civil war, we had to flee the country when I was very young and returned when I was a teenager. I had to overcome adversities as I faced many challenges in my life. These same challenges helped shape my character and resilience. Also, strengthened my faith and developed a passion for helping others. "

In 2010, Rocío launched her handmade candy business, Guiste, followed by Chio, a wooden handcraft and home furnishing business in 2016. Not stopping there, she also introduced Café El Rocio, a coffee brand sold in stores throughout El Salvador. Recently, she started a shoe business called Mambo's Bite, aimed at supporting dog shelters.

In 2018, driven by her desire to aid single mothers and women exposed to violence, she established Yohago. The initiative has already benefited over 3,000 small entrepreneurs in El Salvador.

Recognized for her exceptional work, Rocío received the prestigious "Human Rights Leader, Faces for Equality" award from the Embassy of Canada in El Salvador in 2019. She is frequently sought after for her expertise in entrepreneurship among artisans and artists.

Rockville | MD

FOUNDER, YOHAGO

• Lauren Bates, Director, Member Experience at Sky’s the Limit
• Ashley Skyrme, Senior Managing Director at Accenture
• Amanda Huber, Senior Strategy Consultant at Accenture
• Prasannan Krishnasharma, Business Process Architect Manager at Accenture Federal
• Shayna Michel, Marketing Transformation Manager at Accenture

Rocío worked as a team with a talented group of mentors on her pitch for Sky's the Limit Rise Up! pitch competition. They played a crucial role in her journey towards success. She shared with us how her experience was incredible and that she really enjoyed their coaching. The mentoring experience not only enhanced Rocío's pitch, but also instilled a renewed sense of excitement for Yohago's future.

With a shared passion for helping entrepreneurs with established businesses, Amanda Huber, a Senior Strategy Consultant at Accenture, brought her extensive experience in consulting and coaching to support Rocío in taking her pitch to the next level.

Prasannan Krishnasharma, a Business Process Architect Manager at Accenture Federal, lent his expertise as an award-winning Business Intelligence and Analytics leader, and drew from his vast experience in various industries, driving strategy and implementing enterprise-level analytics solutions to advise Rocío on her pitch giving her solid insights to strengthen it.

Ashley Skyrme, the Senior Managing Director at Accenture, led the Global Cloud First Strategy and Consulting business provided invaluable support to Rocío that made a significant difference in her presentation.

With her eight years of experience in Communications & Brand, Digital Marketing & Content Strategy,  Shayna Michel, a Marketing Transformation Manager at Accenture, gave her recommendations to make it even better.

In addition to her mentors from Accenture, Lauren Chin Bates, the Director of Member Experience at Sky's the Limit, offered her support and guidance. Rocío was so grateful for her help along her entrepreneurial journey!

With the support of her mentors, she was able to complete two key milestones: funding and becoming profitable. "The milestones has helped me become more organized, focused and strategic in my approach. It was a reminder to celebrate the victories both small and large. It was definitely a boost for Yohago and I'm excited to see where it takes me next," she told us.

With the support of her mentors and the vibrant community at Sky's the Limit, Rocío is confident in the continued success and growth of Yohago. She's so  grateful for all the support and guidance the mentors and entrepreneurs at Sky's the Limit provided. They have been instrumental in securing funding for Yohago.