Graduating class of Centro's Basic Entrepreneurship Program in Oakland, CA.
Diversity and inclusion are at the center of equity, and so at Centro, we have made it a priority to bring them to the center of economic prosperity by making entrepreneurship attainable for all.
Our trajectory in this journey is only beginning, but the path we started in 2010 has led us to see and examine the challenging needs of small business entrepreneurs from up close. In response, we have gathered people, partners, hearts and minds, and all the resources available to us to plan, launch and continually enhance the programs we design for underserved small business entrepreneurs near and far.
In the past 12 months, we have run 17 entrepreneurship training programs in three different languages (English, Spanish and Portuguese) across the Bay Area and Stockton. Ten of those programs were aimed at small business entrepreneurs primarily in the idea stage of their business, and who had not been exposed to any formal business education.
So far, our location hubs for these Basic Entrepreneurship Programs and Business Plan Bootcamps are Oakland, Stockton and San Jose - all thanks to the partnership of the Mexican Heritage Center & Gallery, AnewAmerica and San Jose Public Library Works.
Our partners help power our work, but what empowers us to continue doing it is what our entrepreneurs say:
“Physically we are the same people, but mentally we changed by leaps and bounds. We gained confidence. We started believing in ourselves.”
You can read more of Madhu's experience after our Basic Entrepreneurship Program and about the joy of continued learning after our Advanced Entrepreneurship Program.
This month alone, we launched two more Basic Entrepreneurship Programs, one in Spanish in San Jose, and another one in English in Stockton. And our goal is to complete three more before the end of the year.
UPCOMING BASIC ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM
If you or someone you know would like to sign up for our next Basic Entrepreneurship Program, you can learn more about it here, and sign up online.
Our next English cohort will meet in Oakland, starting on September 19th, so share widely and apply by Friday, September 14.
All of our program trainers are alumni of Centro's entrepreneurship programs, and successful entrepreneurs themselves. If you have any questions for them, we would be happy to put you in touch before enrolling.
UPCOMING ADVANCED ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM
Entrepreneurs who have completed a basic entrepreneurship program at Centro or any other organization are eligible for our follow up, advanced training program. You can learn more about the benefits and enrollment requirements here.
The program is 14-weeks-long and the next cohort begins on September 21st.
We are already accepting applications and interviewing candidates.