Small Business in Oakland Celebrate Self-determination and Community with Kiva

Hope Lehman from Fresh to Def Collective and Naldo Peliks, Centro Community Partners Chief Operations Officer.

Last week, Kiva and Mayor Libby Schaaf celebrated the Oakland community of entrepreneurs with a party and marketplace where small businesses in the area had the opportunity to sample and sell their products to the public. The atmosphere was vibrant, full of up-and-coming as well as existing entrepreneurs of myriad paths and craftsmanships.

The range of creativity in the businesses emerging in Oakland is extraordinary, and speaks to the incredible talent of the people in our community. The diversity in food, fashion, beauty and wellness products made the evening the more interesting and fun - one thing uniting it all: environmental sustainability, community, and self determination. Each entrepreneur I spoke with came from a place of passion and with a fearless spirit.  Together, they are pursuing their dreams while making a difference in job equality, product and service quality, and the local economy of the community. 

What's more, is the overwhelming support new small business are getting on Kiva Zip. For instance, entrepreneurs like Reem, a Centro Advanced Training Program graduate, are getting crowdfunded for loans of up to $10,000 within a week through the online platform. I was also able to find other Centro graduates like Feleciai's All-natural skincare line, Dustin's Platinum Dirt, Hope's Fresh to Def Collective, and Bilal's Delightful Foods.

Overall, this event channeled hope and the human spirit behind the efforts of community building through entrepreneurship. We were delighted to be acknowledged among those making a difference and working to rebuild a more sustainable, economically sound, stable, fair, and inclusive community from the ground up!

Do you want to start a small business?

Centro Community Partners offers basic and advanced entrepreneurship training programs in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Learn more about our offerings and our Business Planning App - the first app to help you write a business plan.

Contributed by: Irina Kurtsevaya, Entrepreneurship Trainer at Centro. 

Teaching Entrepreneurship in Colombia Using Centro’s Business Planning App

For the past two years, Centro has been partnering with numerous organizations throughout Colombia, such as Impact Hub Medellín, the Universidad Javeriana de Cali and the Ministry of Development of Envigado, with the goal to reach small business entrepreneurs where they are, and provide them with more guidance to launch or grow their ventures.  As a result, hundreds of entrepreneurs from Bogotá, Cali, Tuluá, La Ceja, Medellín, and other cities around the country have taken part in quality business planning and leadership development programs led by local Centro-trained facilitators.

This month, through a partnership with the Municipality of La Ceja, Antioquia, a group of eight women graduated from our entrepreneurship program at Casa de la Mujer. For eight weeks, they worked on their business plans using Centro’s Business Planning App guided by Estefania Cardona y Johanna Trejos, two local facilitators who built on the content we provided with additional marketing, finance and motivational workshops.

By the end of the program, the women were so pleased that they took it upon themselves to start recruiting other women for the next intake of the entrepreneurship program, and plan a surprise celebratory meal for their facilitators.

We share this with joy and a warm heart because this is an example of how a small group, once empowered, can take concrete steps to bring about social and economic changes and build community around them.     

Want to Learn More About Centro's Work in LATAM?

We'd love to chat and find more ways to partner with organizations in the region. Please contact Elena Restrepo at elena@centrocommunity.org.

Centro Advisor Takes First Place at USF's Tech4Good StartUp Weekend

This year, the University of San Francisco (USF) launched its first Social Entrepreneurship & Innovation Conference + StartUp Weekend. The event was organized by students in the Graduate Student Senate Net Impact club and the Entrepreneurship club, with the help of professor Jennifer Walske, Director of the School of Management’s Conscious Leadership and Social Innovation Program and a panel moderator.

The conference gathered tech leaders, social investors and students for a greater good, and included keynotes covering topics from MedTech and EdTech, to Consumer Activism and Corporate Transparency in Purchasing. 

The conference also kicked off USF’s Tech4Good Startup Weekend, a three-day social innovation-themed competition that challenges students and local entrepreneurs to develop the best business proposals.

The first-place team included Centro's MBA Advisor, Ryan Bright. Their platform CrowdHero, proposed a method for companies to partner with local charities by using social media. Congratulations Ryan! 

What is a Centro MBA Advisor?

Centro MBA Advisors are volunteer business graduate students who are matched with a small business entrepreneur by Centro. Together, they work to develop and execute a fundable business plan. Through the process, they learn from one another and build their experience. 

New Pilates Studio Launched by Centro Entrepreneur, Ayanna Makalani

We’re excited to share the official opening of HEAL Pilates Studio, a brand new pilates studio in Albany, California led by Ayanna Makalani, a young and very talented Centro entrepreneur who started her journey with us by simply downloading our Business Planning App in the summer of 2014!

“I heard about Centro from a dear friend that was an MBA advisor for the Entrepreneurship Readiness Program. Centro helped me gain confidence, vision, and prepare a workable business plan. They connected me with many great resources that helped me in securing my space and opening my doors. Now that my business is open, I feel empowered, and look forward to a future with financial stability.”

— Ayanna Makalani

Ayanna joined Centro's advanced training for small business entrepreneurs in the fall of 2015. Shortly after, she applied and received a loan from Working Solutions, and in June 2015, she was also funding a $10,000 loan on Kiva Zip with Centro as her community trustee! Five months later, her pilates studio became a reality.

More about HEAL Pilates Studio

HEAL Pilates Studio offers reformer classes for small groups of up to four people and specialized private instruction where quality of movement is valued over quantity of repetitions. Our services are therapeutic, accessible, and tailored to the needs of the individual client.

We believe that the key to our success is focusing on personal improvement, client trust, appreciation, and creating a community that is accepting and empowering.

• Website: http://healpilates.com

• Address: 1053 Solano Ave., Albany, CA 94706

• Phone number: (510) 679-5055

• Yelp page: http://yelp.com/biz/heal-pilates-albany

 

Call today and take advantage of their intro special:

3 private sessions for $180!

More About Ayanna

Ayanna is a passionate, form-based instructor that treats her classes like workshops. She believes that there is always something new and deeper that one can discover from their Pilates practice, and it's this type of training that creates body awareness, heals, and yields results

Ayanna holds a B.A. in Theater from UCLA, and is a certified instructor on Mat and Apparatus through BASI-Body Arts and Science International. Along with knee and hip rehabilitation, she also specializes in fitness and full-body toning.

3 Bay Area Women Entrepreneurs Ask You to Help Grow Their Businesses

This month we have three women small business entrepreneurs funding loans at 0% interest through Kiva Zip. They are the first Centro entrepreneurs to request loans this year, and we’re proud to be their loan trustee!

We vouch for these inspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners who are taking every step to ensure their continued success. Click below to get to know their businesses and personal stories, and lend them $25 or more today! We guarantee it will be a rewarding and empowering experience for you and them.

Lend $25 to a Woman Small Business Owner

Feleciai Favroth

Skincare by Feleciai | All Natural Beauty Line  

We manufacture and sell natural, luxury skin care products including soaps, creams, body butters and sugar scrubs. Our goal is to celebrate diversity in beauty and our target consumer is the professional woman, 30+ who appreciates and needs high quality products for her skin.

“Growing up, I struggled with "fitting into the mold" of what others considered beautiful. I have now made it my mission to celebrate diversity and the beauty of all women with my handcrafted, all natural beauty line!” Says Feleciai.

Purpose of loan: to purchase new, upgraded packaging; revamp website with new template and photos: conduct two photo shoots and purchase new labels; purchase raw ingredients.

***Current status: loan fully funded.

Reem Assil

Reem’s | Arab Street Food

Classic Arab street foods combining traditional flavors with high quality locally-sourced ingredients, all made with California love. We specialize in the man'oushe (pronounced Man-OOO-shay) a snack emblem of the Arab world enjoyed in the Levant.

Reem’s vision is to create an anchor establishment that will build and nurture strong and vibrant communities through the rich experience of Arab food and culture.

Purpose of the loan: to purchase a utility truck to transport my food and equipment to different locations, and hire part-time staff to help me produce more in the kitchen.

***Current status: loan fully funded.

Nellie Stokeld

The Pie Shop | Authentic British Pies, Pasties, Teas & Treats

The Pie Shop is a second generation offering from the Stokeld family beginning with Chris Stokeld, an immigrant hailing from North Yorkshire in England. Fifty years later, the emphasis of our shop is still on whole food, made with integrity and served with love.

Purpose of the loan: To hire a new employee, purchase new equipment, and improve online retail services.

***Current status: loan fully funded.

---

Want a loan to launch or grow your small business?

If you’d like to start or grow a small business with a free loan, download Centro's Business Planning App on your phone. Once all the activities in the app are completed, request Centro's endorsement for a Kiva loan right there on the app.

We are Kiva's top 10 Trustee for 2015 and we'd love to help you!

Start a Business: Sign Up for a Basic 9-Week Entrepreneurship Program in SF

Have you always wanted to start a small business? To be your own boss? To offer something unique to others? To play a bigger part in your community? If you are not afraid to work hard for your dreams, join us!

Centro is partnering with Urban Solutions to offer a 9-week Basic Entrepreneurship program in San Francisco. Our missions of building communities through thriving businesses is at the heart of the workshop series, as is Centro's Business Planning App.

The coursework will be a guided, step-by-step process to create a business plan through simple and fun activities, in addition to interactive workshops that will help you analyze and develop further the concepts you put in paper. We will also cover Basic Strategy (i.e. vision, mission and values), Personal Finance, Market Analysis, Value Proposition, Operations, Marketing Strategy and Business Finance.

Program Details:

• 9 consecutive Thursdays from 4 - 7 pm, beginning April 28

• Cost: $99 (Scholarships available for low-income entrepreneurs)

For more information about the program and the scholarships available, please email: info@urbansolutionssf.org. They will be happy to chat and reserve a spot for you!

The program will take place in San Francisco in central Market St. - exact location to be confirmed soon.

Kiva Celebrates Oakland Small Businesses at a Special Party and Marketplace

Join us for an evening of camaraderie, networking and success stories from small business owners in Oakland, CA. This special party is organized by the person-to-person lending site Kiva and the City of Oakland. Their goal is to bring the community together and show everyone what's possible when we work hand in hand. 

If you are a small business owner yourself, this might be a very inspiring event as you explore the work and efforts of other small businesses in town. Come discover what Kiva can do for you too!

Event Details

Date: Wednesday, March 16th 2016

Time: 6 - 9 PM

Place: The historic Oakland Museum of California (1000 Oak St, Oakland, CA 94607. Directions and parking) 

Cost: $25 (Will go towards supporting a small business owner)

8 Hand-picked Bay Area Small Business Owners Train with Centro this Spring

Illustrator and storyteller Dania Frink from Fluffy Jo

Last week, eight Bay Area small business owners began Centro's Entrepreneur Readiness Program. For 14 weeks, they will work hand-in-hand with Centro's entrepreneurship trainers and their MBA advisors. Together, they will develop in-depth studies of the businesses, re-write business plans, create sustainable business models, prioritize marketing campaigns, and more.

We chose these incredibly passionate group of individuals who we are confident have everything it takes to move forward with the dream job they created for themselves, and succeed. We are also excited to share that 75% of them are women in a second or third career at 40+ years old!

Meet our Spring 2016 Entrepreneur Readiness Program Candidates

Melanie Tom

Hawthorn Flower Studio | Oakland, CA

hawthornflowerstudio.com

Kai Neptune-Salisbury

KaiLight Creations | San Leandro, CA

kailightcreations.com is under construction.

Tighe O'Sullivan

Viaports International | San Francisco, CA

proambeachsoccer.net

Abdul Wahid Taha

Papa's bean pie | Oakland, CA

papasbeanpies.com

Dionne Knox

Zella's Soulful Kitchen | Oakland, CA

zellassoulfulkitchen.com

Claire Fung

GUAVA, The Caribbean Food Company | Oakland, CA

guavafoods.com

Dania Frink

Fluffly Jo - Illustrations and Storytelling | Hayward, CA

fluffyjo.com

Lucia Heat

Radical Designs | Oakland, CA

radicaldesigns.org

Do you have a small business too?

If you too have a small business in the Bay Area, and would like to make it bigger and better, check out the requirements for Centro's Entrepreneurship Readiness program. You might be eligible to take part on our next session.

You can also use Centro's Business Planning App to structure your business plan right on your phone.

 

785 Business Plans Created with Centro's Business Planning App

We are excited to share that in 2015, Centro's Business Planning App helped 785 small business entrepreneurs complete a professional digest of their business plans using just their smartphones. Here's an overview of who they are and what they are saying!

Our goal for 2016 is to launch a domestic and international campaign to re-double the reach of the Business Planning App in the US, Canada and Latin America, putting more small business owners on a path to independence and success.

More about Centro's Business Planning App

The Centro Business Planning App was created as a step-by-step guide so that anyone with a smartphone, regardless of their background or business experience, could develop a comprehensive business plan. 

Wether you are starting a new small business or growing an existing one, the Business Planning App will help you organize your business essentials, and enable you to further develop them as your business progresses. 

The App is currently available in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Russian. Try it today!

Spread the Love: Loan $25 to an Amazing Small Business Owner

We were recently named the top 10 Trustee for small business loans on Kiva Zip! We thought the best way to celebrate is by inviting you to check out and support the amazing people starting small businesses around you.  

Actually, we want to dedicate the entire month of February to spreading the love, and encouraging everyone to make a $25 loan to a local small business owner through Kiva Zip.

Once you make your loan, please share widely with friends. A personal Facebook post can go a long way to help #spreadthelove throughout February and on.  

You might also find inspiration to outline your own business plan and become a small business owner yourself!

Helping Small Businesses Stay in Business in Oakland and the Bay Area

Lisa, from Green Girl Bakeshop - endorsed by Centro Community Partners for a Kiva Zip loan.

Every year, Kiva writes a report on the different areas of their work. This year, we are challenged, excited and finally inspired by the encouraging results shared by Kiva Zip in 2015. Here is a brief summary of data shown on their presentation:

Income and wealth inequality are on the rise in the U.S., yet we believe small businesses can reverse that. Unfortunately, more companies are closing than entering the market in great part because it is increasingly hard to access micro and small loans in America. And that’s where Kiva comes in.

In 2015, 39,014 people crowdfunded $4,715,325 in loans to 811 U.S. small businesses owners looking to make a positive impact in their communities. Kiva Zip’s goal is to raise that number to $8.6 million in 2016 through 1,500 loans endorsed by community Trustees.

At this moment, Kiva Zip has over 700 community Trustees, and Centro is one of them. What's more, Kiva Zip has selected us their top 10 Trustee in the U.S. for 2015! In total, we have endorsed $115,800 in loans for 14 small business owners in the Bay Area who have an outstanding repayment rate of 99%.

Kiva Zip makes 0% of these loans thanks to the generosity and trust of thousands of lenders using Kiva Zip as a way to do good in the world. Altogether, this is proof that being a real community and thriving together is possible.

Let’s do more of it

• Want to make a loan to a small business owner near you? Your loan can be as small as $25. Find a business that inspires you.
• Want to be endorsed by Centro for a Kiva Zip small business loan? We’d love to connect with you. First, check our Borrower Due Diligence.

2015 Wins and 2016 Goals in Support of Small Business Entrepreneurs

With pride and excitement, we share some incredible milestones Centro has reached rooting for underserved small business entrepreneurs - our biggest trophies during our 5th year anniversary! In 2015, we:  

• Reported sales of $100K or more from a third of all the small business entrepreneurs who have graduated from our advanced training program.

• Exported our mobile-led entrepreneurship training methodology for low-income women and minorities to Peru, Colombia, Brazil and Ukraine.

• Created a basic entrepreneurship-training curriculum that our partners can adapt for their communities anywhere they are, and use it together with our app.

• Delivered almost 600 business plans through Centro’s Business Planning Mobile App, two thirds of which were created by women.

• Were awarded a Google Impact Challenge grant, which placed us among Google.org’s top 25 non-profit organizations building a better Bay Area.

These incredible milestones set the stage for 2016 as we empower even more small business entrepreneurs around us and beyond.  

This year, we will:

• Provide a Basic Entrepreneurship Training program in English and Spanish and more Continuing Education for Bay Area micro and small business entrepreneurs.

• Launch an international campaign for Centro’s Business Planning App reaching thousands of women and aspiring small business owners in the U.S., Canada and Latin America.

• Supplement our Advanced Entrepreneurship Program by way of developing new online training and small business consulting tools for the students and their MBA Advisors.

We can’t wait to continue sharing, collaborating and walking this walk together.

Please support small business owners by buying and recommending their products and services, and support our work fostering this important and great community of gifted, smart and courageous individuals.

Financial Projections Workshop for Small Business Entrepreneurs

Are you a small business entrepreneur? Would you like to create a realistic financial plan for 2016? We have a workshop for you!

Centro is offering a 6-hour Financial Projections Workshop in Oakland, Ca on January 28th. This is a rare opportunity, and an ideal time of the year to figure out the most important finance questions and challenges of your business. 

The financial template we'll use, will allow you to:

• Create a month-by-month financial plan to grow their business

• Understand how much their business really needs to sell to earn a profit

• Analyze how effectively you are spending money

• Set realistic expectations for how your business will perform

• Examine the financial implications of your business decisions

• Determine how much capital you need to grow and what you need to do to pay it back

Workshop Details:

• Date: Thursday, January 28th, 2016
• Time: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
• Place: 250 Frank H Ogawa Plaza, 3rd Floor in Computer Lab A Oakland, CA 94612 (12th Street Bart Station)
• Cost: $50 per business 

How to Sign Up

Please contact our Entrepreneurship Trainer and Program Manager, DJ Healy at daniel@centrocommunity.org or (307) 431-8084.

Deadline to Sign Up

Please contact us immediately. The application deadline is Tuesday, January 26th at noon time. 

You shop, Amazon gives to Centro. Here's how easy it is

Do you sometimes shop on Amazon? If you do, please do it through AmazonSmile and Centro will receive a donation of 0.5% of anything you spend! For sure that is a small percentage, but together, we can turn it into a big total number.

We know that sometimes, your local businesses can’t carry quite everything you need, so as you finish up your holiday shopping (or perhaps you’ve just started…), please take advantage of this terrific way of supporting us.

How does it work?

Just make your purchase through AmazonSmile, which has the same exact products and quality service as Amazon.com.

Centro Community Partners

Now go bookmark AmazonSmile on your computer because this generous offer from Amazon is permanent, so every time you shop - whether it is a new bag, hand soap or a new computer, 0.5% of each of your purchases will become automatic donations to Centro Community Partners. 

Setting Up Women for Success in Peru through Microenterprises

In June 2015, Centro traveled to Peru to conduct a Basic Business Training Program for women entrepreneurs. In a month, we trained 53 women in basic entrepreneurship, financial literacy and leadership skills. But our highest achievement was made possible through the use of Centro's signature Business Planning App in the classroom.

The Business Planning App helps us build a breakthrough bridge other local and international organizations working with micro-entrepreneurs haven't been able to tackle successfully - and that is connecting technology, real opportunity and the sense of possibility in women who just a few hours before hesitated themselves using a smartphone, and doubted their potential despite their inherent talent and learned skills.

View how we did it and help us repeat

Our goals in peru 

• Train 100 more women in 2016 in basic entrepreneurship
• Empower them with the support to create or retain their microenterprises
• Measure and track their household income and savings rates

We have committed to set them up for success by preparing them to become self-sustaining entrepreneurs as they build together thriving and prosperous communities for their families.

How you can support

Please make a donation to help us replicate and build on this life-changing experience for low-income women in Peru. Your gift will contribute to:

• Pay for the transportation costs of the women from their local towns
• Prepare and print for every entrepreneur the material in the curriculum
• Pay for the tablets we will loan the entrepreneurs and internet access
• Subsidize our trainer fees and diet 
• Sponsor one-on-one business advising for the entrepreneurs

Every dollar you contribute counts and will help us reach our goals.

Thanksgiving Desserts by Centro Entrepreneurs

Charged with bringing Thanksgiving desserts this year? Look no further! Here are some talented bakers that are sure to make your celebrations delicious and unforgettable.

Order by Friday, November 20th from Centro Entrepreneur:

Charles at Crumble & Whisk Pâtisserie. Get ready to be impressed and visit their online store.

Shawn at Tart! Bakery. You can view his entire list of tarts, pies and other sweets and place your order online.

Victor at Reuschelle's Cheescakes. View the holiday menu and contact him here to order.

Jaynelle at Pietisserie. View her Thanksgiving menu and send her an email with "Centro" on the subject line. 

They will make sure you get it in time for Thanksgiving!

When you order, let them know that you're part of Centro's community. It will put a smile on their face!

50 Free Apps To Make You An Incredibly Productive Person

Curious to find new apps to improve your productivity? Fast Company just published a list of 50 apps that can help make you an incredibly productive person. You'll find apps that handle everything from task lists to conference calls to tracking your mileage ... to creating your business plan.

Find them all here: http://www.fastcompany.com/3052243/app-economy/50-free-apps-to-make-you-an-incredibly-productive-person

Win a Spa Day, a Cabernet Magnum Bottle or a Lagunitas Beer Party Package

To add to the celebration of our 5th year anniversary, we have prepared a special drawing with three prizes - all perfectly selected to make you ever so happy! Get a ticket and help us kick-start Centro's next five years of rising and thriving small business owners in the Bay Area and beyond.   

Enter the drawing Online

A $30 contribution to Centro will make you eligible to win one of these very merry gifts:

Spa Treatment Package

Mio Spa & Salon will welcome you at either of their two Oakland locations for a day of indulgence, beauty and health. The spa package includes:

• Relaxation and stress relief massage
• 30-minute facial
• Manicure
• Pedicure

Magnum bottle of premium cabernet

EmmaLily Vineyards' 2011 premium cabernet can be the feature of your next party!

Celebrate, relax or just indulge with this mega-sized bottle of 100% cabernet, locally produced and named after the producer's love, Laura.  This cabernet sauvignon bottle has enough servings for you, your friends and your friends' friends. 

Lagunitas Beer Party Package

Lagunitas will help you throw a party and send your guests home with some custom goodies. The party package includes:    

• A case of Lagunitas signature IPA
• 20 party coasters and bottle opener
• 20 Lagunitas magnets to gift your guests
• Two custom Mason jars and an official Lagunitas t-shirt for you

The entry period of the drawing has ended. The winners are Emily K., Emilio G. and Hope L. for the three prizes respectively. 

Thank you for the incredible support of everyone who participated!

Centro is a 2015 Google Impact Challenge Finalist

It was truly an honor for us to be named a finalist with the Google Impact Challenge: Bay Area in September 2015. Out of hundreds of applications, Google.org, along with a panel of community-minded advisors, selected 25 of the most innovative ideas for building an even better Bay Area. And they chose to award us $100,000!

““We are excited and grateful that Google.org sees the value of the impact we are making in the community. Now we will be able to scale our mobile enterprise development apps, reaching more underserved, low income entrepreneurs. This will empower them to build their businesses and grow our communities,” said Arturo A. Noriega, Centro’s founder and executive director.”

COLLABORATING WITH THE FINEST MINDS IN TECHNOLOGY

We will use this funding to fine-tune our Business Planning App and develop more apps to provide wraparound support services for underserved, low-income women and minorities who want to start a business. In addition to the funding, Google.org employees (some of the finest minds in technology!) will volunteer their time to help us develop these apps.

We are grateful, honored, and excited for this amazing opportunity to make our beloved Bay Area even better.

TAKE OUR CHALLENGE

If you haven’t already, we invite you to take the challenge of using our Business Planning App to develop your business plan. You might be surprised to see just how easy it is! Check it out on the Apple App Store or Google Play.  

LET’S CELEBRATE

Come celebrate with us on November 4 at our 5th birthday party! It’s time to recognize this great milestone as well as our first five years of training some of the most talented yet underserved entrepreneurs in our Bay Area and beyond. This will be a lovely evening filled with local music and local food, and in the best company of our app users, community partners, MBA advisors and new supporters.

Opening Doors for Small Business Owners in Brazil

Naldo Peliks, Centro's Chief Operation Officer presenting to partner organizations how our Business Planning App can increase the success rate of small business owners.

The last few months produced an incredible number of new experiences and exciting partnerships for Centro. Our time spent in Eastern Europe, then Peru and Colombia resulted in a great deal of learning about entrepreneurship development in diverse cultures - all which we can't wait to apply here at home. But before we shift our focus to the Bay Area again, we'd like to introduce you to our three new partners in Brazil!

• SEBRAE, the Small Business Association (SBA) of Brazil with over 700 locations throughout the country
• EixoRio, institute within Rio de Janeiro's secretary for culture which helps strengthen social entrepreneurs and street artists
• CDL Niterói, t he largest association of store owners in Niterói, the town across the bay from Rio

A generous grant from eBay Foundation allowed us to share our new basic entrepreneurship curriculum with them. They will use it assisted by our signature Business Planning App, now available in Portuguese, to further their commitment to social change through successful small business owners.

We welcome these organizations to our Global Network of Affiliates with a great deal of excitement because by the end of 2015, we will have trained more than 100 underserved entrepreneurs in Brazil through these partnerships – now, that’s a reason to celebrate with a caipirinha!