Launching a Food Business During COVID-19

Para leer en español, haz click aquí

Meet Elidia, Founder of Carnicería el Toro

View fullsize

Elidia Mendoza has always had a dream of having her own business and working for herself. “I am very passionate about cooking,” she says. “I’ve had the opportunity to try delicious dishes and that inspired me to do the same – to bring delicious Mexican food to people.” The only thing holding her back was a lack of confidence in her ability to successfully launch a business, and the fear that she would spend all of her savings to invest in it, only to lose everything. 

“I thought that the entrepreneurship program would be difficult to understand and that it was only a program for people with advanced knowledge,” Mendoza says of Centro's entrepreneurship program. Yet she decided to take a leap and participate, with the goal to learn as much as she could about business and marketing strategies. “I wanted to learn how to place my products in a small market to experiment and learn during the process.” She also needed to learn about the process of applying for permits and licenses to sell food and how to choose the best insurance for her business.

Mendoza praises her Centro trainer, Lupita, for her thoughtful guidance during the program to make the best decisions regarding the operation of her business. While she feels that the community always had trust in her business, Centro's entrepreneurship program taught her how to utilize new technological tools such as Yelp, Square and other social media platforms to promote her business, as well as helping her design a logo. With the confidence and knowledge gained from the Centro Entrepreneurship program, Mendoza become more confident that her business would succeed. With new resources and information to help her connect with and have a presence in her community, she was able to quickly increase her number of clients.

Surviving During a Crisis

The current public health emergency has been challenging for many small business owners, especially in the restaurant industry. Luckily, through Centro’s Entrepreneurship program, Mendoza had recently improved the way she managed her finances. “I learned to better distribute my income and to be able to separate personal and business finances, which helped me improve my savings and invest efficiently in my business,” she says. This has made surviving the pandemic a little bit easier, even as business has slowed. “Before COVID-19 my business was growing very fast – the community, our friends, and family have supported us a lot and thanks to them the business has had good sales.” Despite increased restrictions, Carnicería el Toro continues to operate Monday through Saturday, while being sure to take food safety measures and follow government issued Guidance for Restaurants. Having the opportunity to offer to-go service and promote the business on Facebook has been very helpful and, although sales have decreased, customers in the community have not stopped supporting them and have even recommended the food to friends and others. Friends, family, and other customers have also helped boost the name recognition and popularity of Carnicería el Toro by reviewing the business on its Yelp page, which Mendoza set up with the help of her training from Centro. 

Something else that has helped keep their business sales steady during COVID-19 restrictions has been offering a special menu from Thursday to Saturday, asking clients what dish they would like to try that is different from offerings on the regular menu. Learning to adapt to challenges, develop additional services, and figure out how to continue marketing their product during uncertain times is one of the many skills that Mendoza gained through her Entrepreneurship program. “I believe that giving the customer the freedom to choose a particular dish helps to maintain trust and create a special relationship, especially in these difficult times when we need to be together and support each other,” she says. She also tries to buy food from other local restaurants whenever possible, supporting other small businesses that are struggling the same way she is. Their continued support, she says, has helped Carnicería el Toro to continue operating during these challenging times.

Growth and Inspiration

Over the next year, Mendoza wants to expand her business and continue to increase the number of clients. She is also hoping to buy more equipment and hire at least two employees to help them tackle running a growing business. “I'd also like to apply for a $10K loan with Kiva,” she says, which would help her to fund these goals.

“I remember that my biggest dream when I came to this country was to have a business and now I can proudly say that I have achieved it,” Mendoza says. “I would like to inspire people who want to open their first business. I know it is not an easy path, but in the process there are people and organizations that offer their support to achieve it.” She encourages people to never give up and to not stop believing in themselves.

… And if they are looking to develop a solid strategy or come up with new ideas to improve their business, and want to be part of a community of entrepreneurs who are always looking to learn and grow, then Mendoza suggests participating in one of Centro’s entrepreneurship programs. 

If you happen to find yourself in Stockton, be sure to check out Carnicería el Toro is located at 1005 W Acacia Street. You can follow along with Elidia and her husband’s delicious creations on their Facebook page.

Centro Responding to COVID-19

Haga click para leerlo en español

Dear Centro Community,

We hope that you and your family are healthy and safe. Our hearts go to those who are struggling the most and who have lost loved ones. We believe that the human spirit is strong and courageous, and that we must act collectively to help each other through the COVID-19 pandemic that is affecting each and every one of us in some way. It is a time to reflect, adjust our actions, and move forward with intention. This is a defining moment in our lives.

At Centro, we stand together. Our entire team is working from home to do our part to flatten the curve and we are making necessary adjustments that allow us to continue to offer support to small business entrepreneurs in our community. By shifting all of our programming online, Centro is able to continue its vital work during these challenging times.

Our team has already begun to support existing small businesses that need assistance accessing emergency government loans, and we are expanding our business advisory team to better help connect small business owners to available resources. Centro will be also providing entrepreneurship training online throughout the year and we are continuing to build our online capacity to better serve our entrepreneurs. I invite you to review (and share) our webpage with resources for business owners impacted by COVID-19.

I have learned that, in challenging times, we fall back on our values and the love we have for our family and our community. Only love can cast out fear, and the time for strong love is now. We will persevere together as a family, team, and community and will continue to build a better future for all of us.

If there is anything our team at Centro can do to help you, please let us know. We are inviting Centro’s entrepreneurs to fill out our COVID-19 Response Form. You can also email us at help@centrocommunity.org or call us at (510) 556-4249 to talk with our advisors in English or Spanish.

If you are able to support Centro please donate to our Emergency Fund to Support Businesses Impacted by COVID-19.

Sincerely,

Arturo A. Noriega

Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Centro is hosting the Kiva Hub in Oakland

This alliance between Centro and Kiva US is a new initiative to support the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Oakland. With the new Kiva Hub, entrepreneurs and organizations will have a single point of contact to help them access interest-free microloans.

What is Kiva US?

With a $10,000 Kiva loan, Reem was able to buy a utility truck and hire staff to grow my business, eventually opening her first location in Oakland’s Fruitvale District.

Kiva US is an online crowdfunding platform that provides entrepreneurs with 0% interest loans of up to $10,000. To qualify for a loan, applicants must be over 18 years old, not currently in bankruptcy, have a business located in the US, and the loan must be used for business purposes.

After the success of its international model, Kiva recognized the need to support local entrepreneurs in the United States and started the Kiva US program in 2011. Since then, Kiva US has provided over $3.5 million to 6,076 people throughout the country, including nearly $3.4 million to over 700 borrowers in Oakland.

What is Kiva Hub?

A local connection that guides borrowers and trustees through the Kiva process by providing on the ground support and personalized assistance.

Luis received a $10,000 Kiva loan to help purchase a commercial ice-cream maker for his new location, allowing to produce more ice-cream, more efficiently and hire local people from the community.

Kiva Hubs are local organizations committed to the success of small business owners that agree to take responsibility for Kiva’s loan activity in a specific region. These organizations hire a Kiva-trained Capital Access Manager to guide borrowers through the loan process and assist the organizations (Trustees) supporting them with access to Kiva loans. Centro is honored to have been selected as the Kiva Hub for Oakland. In the near future, we will be supporting borrowers and their Trustees for all of Alameda County, as well as participants in all of the programs we provide.

What does this mean for local entrepreneurs and organizations?

We are excited to welcome Verónica Gutiérrez to join Centro as our Capital Access Manager. She will serve as the main point of contact for all borrowers looking for Kiva loans, as well as organizations looking to provide their communities with access to capital within Alameda County. With a Capital Access Manager on hand, Centro will ensure that borrowers and organizations have a positive and successful experience with Kiva.

Entrepreneurs

Read more about the eligibility requirements and application process on Kiva’s website. Please let us know if you’re interested in accessing a Kiva loan or have any questions.

Organizations

Learn more about becoming a Trustee on Kiva’s website. Please let us know if you would like to join as a Kiva Trustee or have any questions.

We’re here for you, so please reach out to us:

Verónica Gutiérrez, Capital Access Manager: KivaUS@centrocommunity.org

We understand that capital access is a permanent challenge for entrepreneurs. For this reason, we want to be a welcoming option to support and build successful businesses in Oakland. Be part of this initiative!

Meet Wanda Blake, Founder of Wanda's Cooking

Wanda Blake’s cooking apprenticeship started in her mother’s kitchen and continued in the kitchens of great aunts, aunties, grandmas, and cousins. In 1981, Wanda attended City College of San Francisco to study hotel and restaurant management. In 2015, she launched Wanda’s Cooking as a pop-up restaurant event in Oakland and San Francisco, California. The reason? She is passionate about providing for her community through food and culture. Wanda’s pop-up events provided a food service experience that gathered people around a family memory or a new food experience. Wanda’s Cooking first Popup “Sunday Supper”, was in memory of Sunday dinners at grandma’s house. Wanda’s Cooking is a family of food passionate Chefs and friends who have touched people in the Bay Area and beyond. It is the result of hard work, dedication to others, and perseverance. “I launched Wanda’s Cooking because it gives me the opportunity to express my culture through food” said Wanda “as well as being able to provide jobs to my own community.”

In 2018, Wanda recognized her business needed a better foundation in order to be able to, eventually, scale it. Wanda started Centro’s Basic Entrepreneurship Program in April 2019 and learned how to establish the business’ foundational needs (mission, vision, marketing plan). “Centro provides entrepreneurs with the basic tools in a unique way that is easy to complete a business plan,” said Wanda “Centro’s Business Planning App guided me through every step that my business needed in order to scale it.” Wanda was further supported by Centro’s trainers throughout each class, and by her advisor outside of class. 

Throughout Centro’s Basic Entrepreneurship Program, Wanda identified her target market, established a mission, vision, marketing plan, and projected potential earnings. Six months after graduating from Centro, Wanda’s Cooking has launched a pantry on her website to sell ‘Pepper Chowchow’ – a traditional Southern condiment made from Sweet and Hot seasonal peppers. Pepper Chowchow has been shipped as far south as Tasmania, Australia and as far north as Juno, Alaska.

Today, Wanda feels empowered with how her business is performing. “It is growing at a steady pace that allows me to keep learning from other entrepreneurs, my community and my own mistakes” said Wanda. “Having established my business plan clearly has left me with a peace of mind, I did not have before.”

Within the next year, Wanda hopes to scale her business by having her products tested and approved for retail shelf storage throughout the state, and potentially the nation. As a result, she plans on securing a retail space to produce, manufacture and sell her products in one place. “Thanks to Centro, I am aware that in order to grow as an entrepreneur, I have to stay open to feedback and constructive criticism, one never stops learning”. 

Join Wanda Blake in her food journey, as she travels and explores all the flavors of food. When you follow Wanda’s Cooking on social media, you join in her excitement of recipe development, travel and what she sees happening in the Bay Area food arena.

Visit Wanda’s Cooking website to learn more about her business and take a moment to watch this video where Wanda opens up about her entrepreneurial journey!

Tejidos Ancestrales

To read in English, click here

Conoce a Cinthya Flores y su Marca, UTZ Threads

Los fundadores exitosos de startups y pequeños negocios a menudo son aclamados como superhumanos, pero la realidad es que son personas como cualquiera de nosotros. Conoce a Cinthya Flores, una orgullosa emprendedora del Área de la Bahía. Ella es la exitosa propietaria de Utz Threads en Oakland, California. El nombre “Utz” significa “bueno” en la lengua Maya Quiché, el idioma hablado por las tejedoras de Chichicastenango, Guatemala, creadoras de los productos de la marca de Cinthya. Siendo una marca textil inspirada en los colores vivos y en las referencias culturales de los indígenas quiché, Cinthya se esfuerza por conectar las prácticas ancestrales de tejido con esta cultura viva.

Cinthya es una emprendedora impulsada por su pasión por ayudar a las mujeres guatemaltecas a obtener independencia financiera. A través de su negocio, ha podido crear un espacio que permite a las mujeres contar sus propias historias. Cuando compras los productos de Utz Threads, tienes la oportunidad de aprender acerca de los elementos de la vida cotidiana en Guatemala. En retribución, estás contribuyendo a la continuación de una tradición ancestral.

Cinthya se unió al programa de emprendimiento de Centro porque estaba buscando claridad sobre cómo hacer crecer su negocio con éxito y continuar apoyando a sus socios guatemaltecos. La cantidad infinita de posibilidades era abrumadora, y su falta de conocimiento en contabilidad  era intimidante. Cinthya necesitaba dirección y tutoría.

En el Programa de Emprendimiento Avanzado de Centro, Cinthya trabajó individualmente con su asesor MBA, colaboró ​​con sus compañeros de clase y desarrolló su plan de negocios y su presentación empresarial. A medida que avanzaba el programa, Cinthya pudo identificar las fortalezas y debilidades de sus negocios. Como resultado, pudo concentrarse en las áreas donde carecía de conocimiento y se convirtió en una emprendedora más fuerte. La exclusiva Aplicación de Planificación de Negocios de Centro la ayudó a construir la base que le faltaba a su negocio. A lo largo del programa de 14 semanas, el equipo de Centro la vio evolucionar hacia la exitosa emprendedora que es hoy.

Hoy, Cinthya ha ampliado su alianzas empresariales  con más mujeres y socias guatemaltecas, ha establecido pedidos al por mayor y sus productos se pueden encontrar en diferentes tiendas alrededor de la ciudad de Oakland. Ella espera triplicar sus ganancias el próximo año y ampliar la presencia de su marca en tiendas en todo el estado de California a través de sus productos. Por medio de asociaciones locales y nacionales, Cinthya espera expandir el reconocimiento de su Utz Threads. Únete a nosotros para felicitar a la sorprendente superhumana de Oakland, Cinthya Flores.

Aprende más sobre Cinthya y Utz Threads

Señorita Vegerita, Feeding with Love, Passion and Culture

As a young girl, Claudia Rivas remembers helping her grandmother make fresh tortillas at home. Her grandma would wake up early everyday to make them for the family to enjoy fresh every morning and for her grandfather to sell in the streets of Mexico. Today, Claudia continues to make fresh tortillas and opened Señorita Vegerita in Oakland, CA to share Mexico’s rich food heritage. 

There’s guacamole, corn and quinoa enchiladas, sweet and spicy mole negro, soyrizo and tempe tacos, among many other delicious food that Señorita Vegerita cooks for her clients. Claudia has been a vegetarian for 15 years and is passionate about bringing awareness to the negative environmental impact that meat and meat production has on our planet. She also loves to cook traditional Mexican dishes with a health conscious flair that feeds and nourishes her clients’ soul with love, passion and CULTURE.

In 2018, Claudia needed better direction in how to continue to grow her small business. Claudia started Centro’s Basic Entrepreneurship Program and improved her understanding of operational processes, accounting, marketing and customer acquisition. Centro’s unique Business Planning App assisted her in building the foundation her business had been lacking. Claudia collaborated with her fellow classmates and developed her business plan and presentation deck. As the program progressed, Claudia was also able to identify her business’s strengths and weaknesses. 

The combination between Claudia’s passion for food and her culture, and her learned knowledge from Centro’s program has launched her to become the successful entrepreneur she is today. Claudia has hired 3 part-time employees to work at Señorita Vegerita since her graduation and continues to strive for new goals. Within the next year, Claudia hopes to scale her business to the next level by participating at Oakland’s Farmer’s Market & 3 other Oakland festivals.

Join us in congratulating Claudia Rivas, one of many Centro’s stars. Follow @SenoritaVegeritas next steps and keep an eye out for her at the next Oakland Farmers Market. To learn more about Señorita Vegerita, click below. 

Meet Latisha Baker, Founder of Latisha Baker Artworks

Latisha Baker is not your average person. Latisha is an ambitious artist who taught herself a primitive technique called pyrography to create high quality handmade jewelry and accessories. She uses a variety of recycled and purchased wood, including birch, cherry and walnut to create pyrographic designs and artwork. After 20 years of making jewelry at home as a simple hobby, Latisha decided to launch Latisha Baker Artworks in Oakland, California in 2017. 

While you can never understate the value of Latisha’s hard work, much of her success stems from the ongoing experiments and experience ventures that she undertakes to create new ways to grow and sustainably expand her artistry and business. As an entrepreneur, Latisha’s passion is to create the life she wants and build her business on her own terms. In 2018, Latisha knew she needed to fully understand and learn how to run a business successfully. 

As a participant of Centro’s Advanced Entrepreneurship Program, Latisha stepped outside of her world of artistry to learn more in depth about business. During the program, Latisha analyzed each aspect of her business and developed a fundable business plan, created a budget and income statement, and accessed her creditworthiness to apply for a business loan. After figuring out how she could earn a living wage through her business, Latisha quit her job to pursue her passion for artistry full-time. “I wouldn’t have been able to quit my job without Centro’s business program,” said Latisha “my business is now growing steadily, and I have doubled my revenue this year, giving me the peace of mind that I am doing something right.”

Latisha worked one-on-one with Centro’s business trainers giving her personalized advice and training. “Centro’s business coaches are passionate about helping others become successful entrepreneurs. They made sure I fully understood every business practice being taught.” This included learning developing financial projections, creating a strong marketing strategy and developing her sales skills. Latisha Baker Artworks launched a new website this year and sells at every public event she can in Oakland. Latisha has started to spread her brand throughout the city and hopes to start exhibiting her art in local galleries soon. 

“Every entrepreneur has the fear of failure. However, you’re already failing yourself if you don’t step out of your comfort zone, and get educated to close your knowledge gap,” says Latisha “Centro pushed me to be bolder and bigger.”

If you want to learn about her entrepreneurial journey and business, make sure to watch this video below!

Please join us in supporting Latisha Baker by following her business on Facebook, and Instagram. Check out Latisha Baker Artwork website.

Meet Rosa Guerrero, Co-Founder of California Vegan Food Company

Para leer en español, haz click aquí

Rosa Guerrero Contreras had a dream of launching her own plant-based food business for the last five years. What started as a hobby soon became a passion, but Guerrero wasn’t quite sure of how to convert that passion into a business. Last spring, Guerrero joined Centro’s Basic Entrepreneurship Program to launch California Vegan Food Company (CVFC). CVFC’s mission is to satisfy the needs of their customers while contributing to a more sustainable planet. They do this by keeping the familiarity of the foods Latin@s grow up with.

In 2018, Guerrero found herself unclear of exactly how to build the foundational pieces of her business. “Before Centro, my business was just a concept,” Guerrero said. “I needed to put my ideas into action and Centro empowered me to do so.” As she participated in Centro’s program, Guerrero evaluated every part of her business, from its mission and vision to its marketing strategy and finances. She also created her business plan, using Centro’s Business Planning App. The program provided Guerrero with access to local entrepreneurs that also serve as mentors. 

Since completing the program, her company, has begun manufacturing two products, launched its first line of vegan protein creations, and received a $10,000 interest-free loan from Kiva. She used the loan to expand to pop-up and community events, and will soon have a presence at her local farmer’s market in San Jose. Guerrero credits Centro with empowering her to get to the next level as an entrepreneur. “Our advancement as a business since finishing Centro’s entrepreneurship program gave me and my co-founder affirmation that we have been doing something right, something good,” Guerrero said. “I look forward to further growing California Vegan Food Company this upcoming year.”

Today, Guerrero continues to communicate with her Centro trainers who have helped her through the everyday challenges entrepreneurs face. She currently still working full-time outside of CVFC to pay the bills and dedicates herself to planting the seeds that will allow CVFC to grow. Guerrero empowers herself and her community as a result of her passion for plant-based products. “I believe that business is one of the best ways to create lasting positive change in this world,” she says. “For future entrepreneurs, patience will be your best teacher throughout your journey, however let your passion be your guide.”

Over the next year, CVFC hopes to acquire a van to facilitate their logistics and storage. CVFC will also continue to expand the variety of products they offer. Join us in congratulating San Jose’s rising star, Rosa Guerrero Contreras!

To support Rosa and California Vegan Food Company click below:

• www.californiaveganfoodcompany.com

• Facebook for @ca.veganfood.co

• Instagram for @ca.veganfood.co

Ancestral Weaving

Para leer en español, haz click aquí

Meet Cinthya Flores, Owner of Utz Threads

Successful startup founders are often hailed as superhuman, the reality is they are regular people like you and us. Meet Cinthya Flores, a proud Bay Area entrepreneur. She is the successful owner of Utz Threads in Oakland, CA. Utz Threads is named after the word good in Maya Quiché; the language spoken by the women weavers that create their product in Chichicastenango, Guatemala. Being a textile brand that's inspired by the lively colors and cultural markers of the indigenous Quiché people, Cinthya strives to connect the ancestral weaving practices to this living culture. 

Cinthya is an entrepreneur driven by her passion to help Guatemalan women gain financial independence. Through her business, she has been able to create a space empowering women to tell their own stories. When you purchase from Utz Threads you are gaining an opportunity to learn the elements of everyday life in Guatemala. In return, you support the continuation of an ancestral tradition.

Cinthya joined Centro’s entrepreneurship program because she was seeking clarity on how to successfully grow her business and continue to support her Guatemalan partners. The infinite amount of possibilities was overwhelming, and her lack of accounting knowledge was intimidating. Cinthya needed direction and mentorship. 

In Centro’s Advanced Entrepreneurship Program, Cinthya worked one-on-one with her MBA Advisor, collaborated with her fellow classmates and developed her business plan and presentation deck. As the program progressed, Cinthya was able to identify her business’s strengths and weaknesses. As a result, she was able to focus on the areas where she lacked knowledge and became a stronger entrepreneur. Centro’s unique Business Planning App assisted her in building the foundation her business had been lacking. Throughout the 14-week program, the Centro team saw her evolve into the successful entrepreneur she is today. 

Today, Cinthya has expanded her reach with more Guatemalan women/partners, has established a wholesale order and is placed in a few shops throughout Oakland. She is expected to triple her earnings next year and be placed in more stores throughout the state. Through local and national partnerships, Cinthya hopes to expand her brand recognition. Join us in congratulating Oakland’s own superhuman, Cinthya Flores.

Learn more about Cinthya and Utz Threads

Centro Interviewed on NBC Bay Area

We are excited to share our interview with Damian Trujillo on NBC Bay Area's Comunidad Del Valle. Thanks, Damian!

The Bay Area’s Flipped Classroom for Small Business Entrepreneurs

What if there is a better way to teach entrepreneurship to new small business owners? What would it look like? These were the questions we dared to ask ourselves 8 years ago. And since then we keep finding new and better answers for them in an effort to create the best learning for busy women, recent immigrants, veterans and other new small business entrepreneurs in our programs.

When we first started developing the Centro Business Planning App, we knew that we wanted to use it to help improve our entrepreneurship-training program. However, initially, we struggled with the question of how mobile technology could be used in a classroom environment.

Our inspiration came from what was, at the time, a revolutionary approach to education that had been pioneered by the Khan Academy: The Flipped Classroom. The fundamental idea behind the Flipped Classroom methodology is that instead of listening to a lecture in class and doing homework assignments afterwards, students should watch a video of the lecture before coming to class and they should do their homework in the classroom, so that their teacher is actually available to help them when they have questions.

We took our own spin on this amazing idea and designed our app with the idea that entrepreneurs could complete a few app activities before class that would introduce the entrepreneurs to the topic and help them prepare for discussion.

This simple idea gave us a clear understanding of how we could use the Centro Business Planning App to enhance our training program. It was the spark that set off a chain-reaction of discovery and innovation at Centro. Our app is the main student tool used in our Basic Entrepreneurship Program, and right now, an average of 70% of the participants of the program are able to launch their business within 9 weeks of completion. Among them, 82% report an increase in their income and 76% report an increase in their savings.

“We are excited to innovate in the classroom and see the impact outside the classroom as these new entrepreneurs experience a boost in their morale and their personal finance. Setting them up for success is what we thrive to do best!”

— DJ Healy, Senior Program Manager

Learn More

Próximo Bootcamp para Emprendedores en Oakland

Ven y dedica seis horas de tu semana para diseñar con nuestro apoyo el plan de negocio que necesitas para formar la pequeña empresa con la que sueñas.

El programa será guiado usando la aplicación móvil Centro Business Planning App y junto con nuestro facilitador, verás como sencillas actividades te ayudarán a desarrollar todas las partes de tu plan de negocio, incluyendo visión, misión y valores, finanzas personales, análisis de mercado, propuesta de valor, operaciones, estrategia de marketing y finanzas.

Detalles del Evento

• Fechas: Martes 11 y miércoles 12 de diciembre, 2018

• Hora: Ambos días de 5:30 - 8:00 pm

• Idioma: Español

• Lugar: Centro Community Partners (825 Washington St, Suite 228, Downtown Oakland, CA 94607)

• Costo: $10 por persona

No importa la naturaleza o tipo de negocio al que aspires, esta es tu oportunidad de recibir ayuda de un formador experto en trabajar con personas exáctamente como tu.

Preguntas

No dudes en escribirnos a info@centrocommunity.org. Y si estas listo para registrarte, inscríbete online aquí.

Seeking Lenders and Assistance Providers for Small Business Owners

As many of you know, the Business Planning App walks small business entrepreneurs through the process of creating a business plan and their financials. Now we're ready to guide these entrepreneurs to the best local business assistance and funding options for their needs.

Despite the myriad options available to entrepreneurs, this is often times a space complicated to navigate for them. We also hope to connect lenders, Microenterprise Development Organizations and any other organization supporting small business entrepreneurs with pre-qualified leads. 

ENROLL TODAY TO JOIN THE NETWORK

To prepare the launch of this new feature and successfully connect small business entrepreneurs with local business/legal assistance providers and microlenders, we need you to enroll by providing us basic information about your products and services.

Please fill out the enrollment form most fitting for your organization: 

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email our Customer Success and Partnership Lead, Estefania Cardona at estefania@centrocommunity.org. 

SHARE WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS

This network of support will work best when we reach a critical mass of organizations in the Business Planning App, so please share this with other organizations in the space so that we can include them as an option as well, and send potential entrepreneurs their way.

Revamp Your Entrepreneurship Program and Gain a Partner for Your Mission

The Los Angeles Community Development Corporation, Bethel LA, was one of the first organizations to train in the Centro Entrepreneurship Methodology, and implement our Entrepreneurship Suite.  

Bethel LA began using Centro's entrepreneurship resources in 2015, so they have been true trailblazers and early adopters of our entrepreneurship tools. For us, they are a case-study example of how we are helping others realize their mission, while supporting our goal of empowering small business entrepreneurs everywhere.

To share Bethel LA's experience, we interviewed their Co-founder and Entrepreneurship Program Lead, Frank Stokes. 

We hope these short five questions and answers help you understand what Centro's Entrepreneurship Suite accomplishes for other organizations or independent business coaches who train and work with small business entrepreneurs. 

1. What did your programs look like before implementing the Entrepreneurship Suite? 

In 2014, my colleague Moses McCutcheon Jr Ed.D. and I were working together with West Los Angeles College, providing workforce development programs every year. The programs were eight weeks long and 20 hours per week.

After working together for a while, we decided to collaborate in a bigger capacity and decided to launch the Bethel Los Angeles Community Development Corporation. Shortly after, we realized our programs were too long, and that we wanted something more community oriented. So in order to generate the high impact we were aiming for, we decided to scale down our programs. A year later, conversations with Claudia Viek, former Executive Director of the California Association for Micro Enterprise Opportunity (CAMEO), facilitated our partnership with Centro Community Partners, and that was when we trained on how to implement the curriculum and methodology in Centro’s Entrepreneurship Suite.

In addition to our training, Centro provided Business Plan Bootcamps for our community - altogether, a great experience that helped us adapt Centro’s format to out own programs. Today, we continue to lead four cohorts of small business entrepreneurs every year but in a completely different way.

2. What is your reach in terms of number of entrepreneurs and what efficiencies has the Entrepreneurship Suite provided for you so far?

During its first year, Bethel LA trained 29 entrepreneurs. Three years in, we are close to doubling the number of entrepreneurs we train per year, and we have decrease the cost of training in an 86%. That is something we could have never accomplished alone or in such a short period of time.

3. What is the biggest value you get from using Centro’s Entrepreneurship Suite?

The main value is the simplicity and user-friendliness of the Centro Business Planning App. This alone has helped us serve the community a lot - it particularly helps us get rid of many of the barriers our entrepreneurs face when they have an idea, and want to launch a new business.

I know people who have attempted once, twice, even three times to write a business plan and they have never been able to finish, until now! They often tell me “this is the first time I’ve ever had a real business plan done!”

Also, we were always on the lookout for new ways to introduce new concepts to our program. With the app, we receive updates automatically - which is a huge benefit.

The other great value is how the app connects our entrepreneurs with Kiva loans. This gives extra confidence to our community as they realize there is a real pathway to get access to capital.

4. What is the biggest advantage of using Centro’s entrepreneurship resources?

To be able to help entrepreneurs with business integration, launching, expansion and capital formation - all in one. With Centro’s Entrepreneurship Suite we are seeing our mission come true. It really works!

5. What do entrepreneurs say about your program, now that you are using Centro’s entrepreneurship resources?

Their main comment is: “This is worth a lot more than what I paid!” We are excited that not only entrepreneurs experience the benefits of a streamlined entrepreneurship program that works, but it is also an excellent service that is affordable.

We are really happy to advocate for Centro, the Business Planning App, and the entrepreneurship methodology overall. We feel encouraged with this partnership and we hope to keep doing great things together.

We thank Frank Stokes for his strong partnership. We too hope we keep supporting more small business entrepreneurs together! 

CENTRO'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUITE AT-A-GLANCE

• An entrepreneurship methodology and compendium of resources created to support aspiring and current small business owners who lack business education or experience. 
• Designed for business coaches and organizations who lead or want to launch entrepreneurship programs for their constituency.
• Includes lesson plans supported by the Centro Business Planning App, resources for trainers and learning tools for entrepreneurs. 
• Available in English, Spanish, Portuguese and Russian.

Other organizations who have implemented Centro's Entrepreneurship Suite include Mandela MarketPlace, West Angeles Community Development Corporation, Vermont Slauson, Mi Casa, Inland Empire, GlassRoots, BOCNET, Stockton Impact Corps, and the Mexican Heritage Center & Gallery.

More Programs in More Languages for New Small Business Entrepreneurs

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.”

— Madhu Challa, owner of Pretty Pokets and Centro Entrepreneur

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.

Centro is Awarded Innovation Grant by NBC Bay Area

We’d like to share some great news! We are proud to announce that Centro Community Partners was selected by NBCUniversal Foundation as one of the eight winners of the 2018 Project Innovation Grant Challenge. The NBCUniversal Foundation is granting over $5 million through the next two years to non-profits that are strengthening communities through innovation and technology solutions.

Winning this competitive grant is tremendously exciting, because it is indicative that our work with the Centro Business Planning App is being seen, appreciated and elevated!

Naldo Peliks, Chief Operations Officer at Centro

Grant programs like this help us support our local community of small business entrepreneurs with creativity as we encourage them to re-invent themselves as empowered architects of their own future.

With this newly won grant, Centro will provide entrepreneurship training, mentorship and access to capital through a mobile powered enterprise development ecosystem, available to thousands of minority and women entrepreneurs who want to start or grow a small business. 

We will also be able to reinforce digital inclusion and innovative solutions in our neighborhoods as well as setting trends of civic entrepreneurialism for our rising small business community. This grant is more than an award to our program, it is a celebration of our mission and we are very happy to share this exciting opportunity of growth. 

Fellow 2018 Project Innovation Challenge Winners in the Bay Area

About NBCUniversal Foundation

NBCUniversal Foundation works to advance initiatives at the cross-section of societal needs and NBCUniversal’s priorities. The Foundation supports programs and organizations that strive to move communities forward – with a focus on innovation and technology. NBCUniversal is one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal is owned by Comcast Corporation.

Why Wait on Your Dream Business? Start With as Little as $60 and Your Wit

Why wait on your dreams? Start a business in 2018! This winter season Centro is offering two 9-Week Basic Entrepreneurship and Financial Literacy Training Series in Old Oakland.

What will I gain from the program?

• Basic business strategy. This means you will create a vision, mission and values for your business, and understand why it is so important. You will also finish the program with a detailed breakdown of your personal and business finance, a market analysis, your value proposition and marketing strategy, and what's required for your operations.

• A basic business plan and a business plan presentation, so that you can pitch your business to others.

• A network of Bay Area entrepreneurs just like yourself.

• Access to a Kiva micro loan that can help you get started right away if you need seed funding.

Basic program details

Choose the 9-week session that works best for you:

• Session 1 will be on Wednesdays, starting Jan, 31st from 5pm - 8pm. Here is how to register.
• Session 2 will be on Thursdays, starting Feb. 1st from 5pm - 8pm. Here is how to register.
• Where: At Centro Community Partners in Old Oakland (825 Washington Street)
• Cost: A total of $60 only for 9 classes.
• No business experience or training of any kind required. Come and we'll guide you step-by-step.

Secure your spot today by completing the application corresponding to the session in which you are interested, and submit the initial $20 payment.

More information?

If you have any questions, feel free to contact our Oakland trainer, Hope Lehman, at hope@centrocommunity.org or (510) 990-0184.

How A Girl Named Pinky Changed My Life

My name is Cody Fergusson and thanks to Centro, I became the business advisor to Tina Stevens - the Oakland pastry chef who started the bakery shop A Girl Named Pinky - while pursuing my MBA at the University of San Francisco School of Management. This opportunity exposed me to so much practical business experience, and provided me with so much personal growth, leaving me changed and inspired to do more good for small business entrepreneurs in our community. This blog entry is me starting to do just that!

For me, Centro’s MBA Advisor Program made explicit and transparent the stark contrast between the Bay Area’s resourceful technology startups that go from zero to hero in a matter of a few years, and the numerous small businesses created right here every day with a lot less, but with so much heart, talent and wit. Centro offers these small business entrepreneurs a platform to access more resources, including business administration advisors like me.

I went into the program with an open mind, cognizant of the fact that I have some formal business training, but don’t have all the answers nor the personal contextual experience to fully support Tina. I also knew I was backed by the structure and methodology provided by the Centro team, and that with their guidance I could help her prepare for success. After all, I am a small business entrepreneur myself and my coffee business, Caffea, has already established many of the business processes Tina was working towards.

Over the course of 14 weeks and 75+ hours, together we prepared to grow Tina’s business. As a result, she now has a thriving bakery pop-up shop in Oakland. That was real and it felt great!

Centro’s MBA Advisor Program is a true win-win program for entrepreneurs and MBA students. I not only learned and practiced business consulting techniques (ie. how to guide conversations by asking questions, how to be a resource to other people by applying different frameworks of thinking, how to work with someone who may have different personality traits, etc.) but I also learned that as a small business consultant, I am playing a part in growing someone’s dream.

Today, A Girl Named Pinky is a business with a solid foundation and a clear understanding of its financials and marketing next steps. And Tina is both inspired and prepared to continue on a pathway towards bigger, better and more empowering life choices.

On behalf of Centro, myself and the many other entrepreneurs we support, I wholeheartedly invite you to find your pathway to support our local and underserved small business community as well.

9-week Basic Entrepreneurship Program in Oakland begins August 15

Have you always wanted to start a small business? 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 offering a 9-week Basic Entrepreneurship program in Oakland. Our mission 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 Tuesdays from 5 - 8 pm, beginning August 15
• Cost: $60 (payment plan offered)
• Place: The program will take place at Centro Community Partners at 825 Washington Street, Suite 228, Oakland.

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

Ready to Sign Up?

9-week Basic Entrepreneurship Program in Oakland begins May 16

Have you always wanted to start a small business? 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 offering a 9-week Basic Entrepreneurship program in Oakland. Our mission 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 Tuesdays from 5 - 8 pm, beginning May 16
• Cost: $90 (Scholarships available for low-income entrepreneurs)
• Place: The program will take place at Centro Community Partners at 825 Washington Street, Suite 228, Oakland.

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

Ready to Sign Up?