Naldo Peliks, Centro Community Partners Chief Operations Officer and Michael Wray, Mentor at Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship, Santa Clara University.
Last winter, we were extremely humbled to have been the only US-based organization selected by the Global Social Benefit Institute (GSBI) to take part in their 2016 online incubator program for social enterprises. Today, we are proud and energized by the outcomes of this truly one-of-a-kind mentorship program.
As an organization dedicated to entrepreneurship development in underserved communities, we spend a lot of time working on other people's business plans. The GSBI program has allowed us to reverse the roles and be mentees at a new phase of our organizational growth.
We spent the last six months revisiting our own business model and our plans to escalate the reach of our work with small business entrepreneurs. We are so grateful for our mentors Michael Wray and Doug Wheeler who always asked us the right questions at the right time. Thank you for your expertise, consistent presence and guidance.
“I have worked very closely with Arturo Noriega and his executive team at Centro Community Partners during the past six months as part of the Santa Clara University GSBI Online Incubator Program. During this time, Arturo worked closely with another mentor and me to continue to develop a business strategy and plan to expand his social entrepreneurship model and to work towards more private financing.
At all times, I was extremely impressed by his business model, their mission statement and the willingness of Arturo and his team to continue to explore new business opportunities, streamlined processes and financing ventures. Centro Community Partners has already displayed great success, and I am confident that they will continue on a path of continued success.”
The completion of this program is a milestone in itself for Centro Community Partners as we develop and move forward with new go-to-market strategies for our entrepreneurship programming. We now also have under our belts a powerful pitch deck with which we can share our story, and our theory of change for economic development with potential funders.
“Congratulations, Arturo, on graduating from the the Santa Clara University Miller Center Social Entrepreneur On-Line Program. During the three month intensive program Arturo and his team refined Centro’s strategy, business plan and financial forecast, and positioned the Company for investment and expansion.
The concept is solid and the team is awesome!”
Thanks again to the Miller Center for Social Entrepreneurship for this incredible opportunity to feel challenged and inspired once more by our mission. We are thrilled to join the family of GSBI alumni!