"Look for help because there is support and you are not alone." - Paola

Para leer en español, haz click aquí

FOLLOWING HER DREAMS

Paola Alvarado is a Latina entrepreneur who changed her outlook on work and life in the midst of the pandemic, and take control of her own fate. Paola worked as a bartender until the during pandemic she lost her job and she decided to start her own mobile bar business Pao Craft Cocktails in East Palo Alto, California.

Paola comes from a family of entrepreneurs, with her parents owning a small shoe business in Mexico. Thanks to the experience with her family, she discovered at a young age that she wanted to have her own business one day.

LEAPING INTO ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Although she dreamed about begining an entrepreneur, making the decision in the middle of the pandemic was a challenge for Paola, due to doubts about capital and administrative issues. Paola had 4 years of experience as a bartender so she had a lot of knowledge in the industry, but no business experience. Thanks to a friend’s recommendation, she decided to take Centro’s Basic Entrepreneurship Program.

"The program helped me get a clearer sense of my business: to understand the operations a little bit better, where each operation breaks down and how to work in each one of them. I have already implemented in my business a lot of what I learned in the Programs."

During the 9-week basic program, Paola created Pao Craft Cocktails' first Business Plan and consolidated the foundation to start her business. She also received one-on-one Business Coaching that helped her overcome her doubts and create goals for her business. Paola was aware that she needed capital to take her business to the next level with her business and buy a van that would help her work at events. With the help of the Centro Capital Hub she decided to create her Kiva fundraising campaign. Paola raised the $15,000 from her campaign and just bought the van for her business to transport more equipment and hold larger events.

Paola's strength and ability to overcome challenges and take a big leap with her business motivated her to take the Advanced Entrepreneurship Program while running her Kiva campaign. Thanks to this program, Paola worked alongside with entrepreneurs who were in her same situation and with whom she created important friendships and networks to support each other's businesses.

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

Pao Craft Cocktails is a craft cocktail business that focuses on creating fun and different environments with a delicious drink tailored to the needs of its customers. Pao Craft Cocktails is a mobile bar and they serve their customers at the location of their choice. 

One of Paola's biggest challenges as a Latina immigrant has been the language barrier since she arrived in the United States at the age of 21. This has been an especially big challenge while creating her business, and it is one that she continues to face on a daily basis. 

When she began her journey as an entrepreneur, Paola had to trade in her bartender’s hat for a business owner’s, and it wasn't easy: "Another big challenge was figuring out how to sell my product and make the packages. I had to research everything that goes into making a bar because it's a lot of calculations and all that cost me months of research." In addition, she had to get special alcohol licenses and learn how to manage documentation and taxes.

Thanks to the daily support of her husband and her 9-year-old daughter, she has fought for her dream of being an entrepreneur and owning her own business. For her daughter, she is a great example of strength and sacrifice, as she sees how hard she works to train and establish her business. She is also an example of success for her Latina community and in the Facebook group, where she started writing posts to promote her business. No

THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OF A GREAT SUCCESS

Her main goal in the coming months is to promote her business and build customer loyalty. She is also working on her prices and on improving her operations. She has 3 people working for her as contractors and is considering hiring them as full-time employees, due to her rapid growth and success.

"To entrepreneurs I would say look for help because there is support and you are not alone. Now thanks to Centro and Kiva I know, and I can tell you that."
If you want to enjoy her wonderful handcrafted cocktails in the Bay Area and support Paola Alvarado's business, visit her website Pao Craft Cocktails. You can also support her business on her social media Instagram and Facebook.

“Busca ayuda porque hay apoyo y no estás sol@” - Paola

To read in English, click here

SIGUIENDO SUS SUEÑOS

Paola Alvarado es una emprendedora Latina que cambió su visión del trabajo y vida en plena pandemia, y tomó las riendas de su propio destino. Paola trabajaba como camarera hasta que durante la pandemia perdió su trabajo y decidió emprender su propio negocio de barras móviles Pao Craft Cocktails en East Palo Alto.

Paola viene de una familia de emprendedores, con padres dueños de un negocio de calzado en México. Gracias a la experiencia de su familia, descubrió desde pequeña junto a sus 3 hermanas que en el futuro ella también quería tener su propio negocio.

SALTANDO HACIA EL EMPRENDIMIENTO

A pesar de estar convencida de que algún día tendría su propio negocio, tomar la decisión en plena pandemia fue un reto para Paola por las dudas sobre capital y temas administrativos. Paola tenía 4 años de experiencia como camarera por lo que tenía mucha experiencia en la industria, pero no tenía experiencia en negocios. Gracias a la recomendación de una amiga, decidió tomar el Programa Básico de Emprendimiento de Centro.

“El programa me ayudaró a tener un sentido más claro del negocio: a entender un poquito mejor las operaciones, en que se rompe cada operación y cómo trabajar en cada una de ellas. Ya he implementado en mi negocio mucho de lo que aprendí en los programas.”

Durante las 9 semanas que duro el programa básico, Paola creó el primer Plan de Negocio de Pao Craft Cocktails y consolidó la base para comenzar su negocio. También recibió Asesorías de Negocio uno a uno que le ayudaron a clarificar sus dudas y crear objetivos para su negocio. Paola era consciente de que necesitaba capital para llevar su negocio al siguiente nivel y comprar una camioneta que le ayudaría a trabajar en eventos. Con la ayuda de Centro Capital Hub decidió crear su campaña de fundraising de Kiva. Paola consiguió los $15,000 de su campaña y acaba de comprarse la camioneta para para transportar más equipos y realizar eventos más grandes.

La fuerza y capacidad de superación de Paola para dar un gran salto con su negocio, la motivó a realizar el Programa Avanzado de Emprendimiento mientras realizaba su campaña de Kiva. Gracias a este programa, Paola trabajó con otros emprendedores que estaban en su misma situación y con los que creó importantes amistades y redes de contactos para apoyarse mutuamente con sus negocios.

SUPERANDO DESAFÍOS

Pao Craft Cocktails es un negocio de coctelería artesanal, y se enfoca en crear ambientes divertidos y diferentes con una deliciosa bebida hecha a medida de las necesidades de sus clientes. Se trata de un bar móvil y atienden a sus clientes en el lugar que elijan.

Uno de los grandes retos de Paola como inmigrante latina ha sido la barrera del idioma, desde que llegó con 21 años a Estados Unidos. Este ha sido un desafío especialmente grande al crear su negocio, y es uno que continúa enfrentando a diario.

Cuando comenzó su trayectoría como emprendedora, Paola tuvo que cambiar su sombrero de camarera al de dueña de un negocio, y no fue sencillo. “Otro gran reto fue descubrir cómo vender mi producto y hacer los paquetes. Tuve que investigar todo lo que era todo lo que conlleva hacer una barra porque son muchos cálculos y todo eso me costó meses meses meses de investigación.” Además, tuvo que conseguir licencias especiales de alcohol y aprender a gestionar documentación e impuestos.

Gracias al apoyo diario de su marido y su hija de 9 años, ha luchado por su sueño de ser emprendedora y tener su propio negocio. Para su hija es un gran ejemplo de lucha y sacrificio, ya que ve lo duro que trabaja for formarse y establecer su negocio. También es un ejemplo de éxito para su comunidad Latina y el grupo de Facebook de su comunidad, donde comenzó escribiendo publicaciones para promocionar su negocio, y ahora otras latinas ven en ella un modelo a seguir y una motivación para seguir sus pasos como emprendedoras.

ESTO ES SOLO EL COMIENZO DE UN GRAN ÉXITO

Su objetivo principal en los próximos meses es promover suy negocio y fidelizar a sus clientes. También está trabajando en sus precios y mejorar sus operaciones. Cuenta con 3 personas que trabajan para ella como contractors y está considerando contratarlos a tiempo completo como empleados por su rápido crecimiento y éxito.

“A los emprendedores les diría que busquen ayuda porque la hay y no están solos. Ahora gracias a Centro y Kiva yo lo sé, y se lo puedo decir.”

Si quieres disfrutar de sus maravillosos cocktails arteranales  y apoyar el negocio de Paola Alvarado, visita su página web Pao Craft Cocktails. También puedes apoyar su negocio en sus redes sociales Instagram y Facebook.

Centro selected as one of MIT Solve X Truist Foundation Inspire Awards semi-finalists

We are honored to share that we have been chosen among the 15 semi-finalists of MIT Solve X Truist Foundation Inspire Awards. 

The Truist Foundation and MIT Solve partner in launching the inaugural Inspire Awards to identify innovative nonprofit-driven solutions that provide support to grow, develop, and sustain racially diverse and/or women-led small businesses in the United States. The Challenge is seeking organizations driving a new frontier for entrepreneurship across the United States. 

Centro Business Planning App project is supported by Solve, an initiative from MIT, and we are excited for the steps ahead. Finalists will be announced on the 1st of July.

With the Centro Business Planning App, we have successfully tested and deployed a scalable solution that can be used to promote entrepreneurship as a pathway towards employment, build economic resilience in local communities, catalyze growth of small businesses, facilitate access to capital, create jobs and grow household income.

You can learn more about the MIT Solve X Truist Foundation Inspire Awards here.

Centro Awarded with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation Grant

We're excited to share that we received a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to invest in our technological infrastructure and scale our capacity to empower underserved entrepreneurs and families to have equal access to economic opportunity. We are grateful to Kellogg Foundation for supporting our mission and investing in us with a two-year $300,000 grant.

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), founded in 1930 as an independent, private foundation by breakfast cereal innovator and entrepreneur Will Keith Kellogg, is among the largest philanthropic foundations in the United States. Guided by the belief that all children should have an equal opportunity to thrive, WKKF works with communities to create conditions for vulnerable children so they can realize their full potential in school, work and life.

Thanks to this grant, Centro will be able to develop our Learning Management System to scale our programs and services, offering access to underserved entrepreneurs regardless of their location. We will also be able to integrate impact surveys onto the Centro Business Planning App to measure an entrepreneur’s progress in real time and gauge how many entrepreneurs are positively impacted by the app. Finally, we will connect underserved entrepreneurs with more local resources by integrating more microlenders, Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and business service organizations onto the app.

Quarterly Capital Hub Update

In this quarterly Capital Hub update we’ll share some of our accomplishments, and share the stories of two entrepreneurs who finished their Kiva campaigns and share their stories.

$1.5 MILLION IN KIVA LOANS!

In January 2020 we launched the Centro Capital Hub to connect Centro graduates and local entrepreneurs with different capital providers. We are excited to share that since Centro became a Kiva Hub in 2020, we have already helped 159 entrepreneurs access over $1.5 Million in Kiva loans through our Alameda and San Francisco Hubs!

Join us in supporting more entrepreneurs raising money through Kiva.

QUARTERLY UPDATE

Since the start of 2022, we have helped 35 entrepreneurs access a total of $336,000 in Kiva loans. We also helped 5 entrepreneurs access $40,000 in grants, as well as 3 entrepreneurs access $645,000 in larger small business loans.

ANDREA AND TRACY, ARE SET FOR SUCCESS AFTER GETTING THEIR KIVA LOAN!

Meet Andrea and Tracy, two amazing entrepreneurs who each received a $15,000 Kiva loan to grow their businesses in the Bay Area:

TRACY GHO, OWNER OF DAMANSARA RESTAURANT

Tracy was born and raised in Malaysia and she is the owner of Damansara, an upcoming Malaysian restaurant in San Francisco. 

“It started in 2013 as a series of small dinner parties in my one-bedroom apartment, which quickly expanded into larger dinner pop-ups at rented commercial venues. After serving a few thousand local guests at over 500 events in San Francisco, I continued to deliver nostalgic meals while homesick Malaysians were unable to visit home during the pandemic. Damansara has recently found its permanent location at Church St, San Francisco. The 1100 sqft restaurant is set to open in Spring-Summer 2022.” - Tracy

This Kiva loan was to help Tracy employ and train her three key employees in the opening team. Tracy hopes to join industry leaders in promoting equitable pay and good staff retention practices.

Watch Tracy’s video here.

ANDREA BARKLEY, OWNER OF THE HEART OF ART

Andrea recently founded a coaching business called "The Heart of Art: Coaching for Creatives."

“My passion for serving the Arts community came out of my lived experience as a creative. I have been a professional musician for over 20 years. Although I have had a life blessed with personal success, I struggled as many artists do along the way. The demands of creative life took their toll. Finding time to take care of my heart, body, and mind became more and more challenging as the years went by. Finally, after a period of deep reflection and education, I found a new calling to help my fellow artists in need through coaching.” - Andrea.

This loan was to help Andrea dedicate her energy and time to producing ad campaigns and organic content that will help her business attract high-quality leads, generate more business, and expand her brand.

Watch Andrea’s video here.

Please let us know if you or someone you know is interested in accessing a Kiva loan or have any questions. Verónica Gutiérrez, Capital Access Manager: KivaUS@centrocommunity.org.

Organización aliada destacada de E-Suite: Prospera

To read in English, click here

Hoy queremos destacar a una de nuestras organizaciones afiliadas de la Suite de Emprendimiento (E-Suite), Prospera. Prospera se alía con emprendedoras latinas en el Área de la Bahía para lanzar negocios que fomenten la cooperación, la independencia económica y el bienestar en las comunidades de inmigrantes. 

A través de sus programas con base cultural, las latinas acceden a las redes, las herramientas y el capital que necesitan para convertirse en propietarias de negocios exitosos y líderes de la comunidad.

PLANTANDO LAS SEMILLAS DEL ÉXITO

Comenzamos nuestra colaboración con Prospera en 2018, con nuestro primer Bootcamp de Plan de Negocios dentro de su programa Explora. Un año después, tras el éxito del primer programa, realizamos juntos nuestro segundo Bootcamp. En 2020, cuando se produjo la pandemia de Covid-19, impartimos otros tres Bootcamps. 

Gracias al éxito de los programas durante los tres primeros años, Prospera se convirtió en organización asociada de nuestro programa E-Suite. En mayo de 2021, hicimos cuatro Bootcamps y formamos a tres de sus facilitadoras.

TRABAJAR JUNTOS PARA LOGRAR MAYORES OBJETIVOS                                                    

El equipo de Prospera

Algunos de los principales objetivos de su organización antes de unirse al E-Suite de Centro eran apoyar a sus participantes en la creación de su modelo de negocio y formarse para entrenar a emprendedores y compañeras en la creación de sus planes de negocio.

Gracias al programa de Entrenamiento-a-Entrenadores que ofrecemos a los aliados de E-Suite, obtuvieron las herramientas y la formación que necesitaban para formar a las participantes de sus programas. Centro impartió esta formación en español, ya que Prospera se centra en las emprendedoras latinas.   

COOPERACIÓN COMO UNO DE NUESTROS PRINCIPALES OBJETIVOS

El equipo de Prospera valora mucho el apoyo personalizado que han recibido de Centro para ayudarles a implementar y adaptar los recursos de Centro a sus programas. “Me encanta la camaradería entre los entrenadores de Centro y espacio que hay para personalizar nuestro desempeño, además de que dan una retroalimentación muy honesta de los detalles en que podríamos mejorar”, comparten.

“La colaboración con Centro nos ha permitido fortalecer el acompañamiento a nuestras participantes. Uno de los valores que nos guían en Prospera es la cooperación, colaborar con Centro hace eco a este valor y nos recuerda que para hacer cambios estructurales es necesario la colaboración con organizaciones aliadas. Utilizando el app de Centro ha simplificado el proceso para que nuestras participantes puedan desarrollar de forma sencilla y rápida un primer borrador de su Plan de Negocios.¡Trabajar en conjunto en beneficio de nuestra comunidad!” - Claudia Arroyo, Directora Ejecutiva de Prospera

JUNTOS PODEMOS CREAR UN MAYOR IMPACTO

En Centro, estamos muy agradecidos por el nivel de compromiso de Prospera, tanto con las comunidades a las que sirven como con la construcción de una sólida alianza.

La confianza y la transparencia han sido los pilares de nuestra relación, la retroalimentación constante nos ha ayudado a mejorar nuestro plan de estudios, y ambas organizaciones nos hemos beneficiado enormemente del compromiso bidireccional.
Si quieres saber más sobre cómo podemos ayudar también a tu organización, ponte en contacto con nosotros en esuite@centrocommunity.org. Estaremos encantados de responder a cualquier pregunta sobre nuestro plan de estudios actual, las herramientas de aprendizaje y enseñanza, y el apoyo que ofrecemos a las organizaciones.

Featured E-Suite Partner: Prospera

Para leer en español, haz click aquí

Today we want to highlight one of our Featured E-Suite Affiliates, Prospera. Prospera partners with Latina entrepreneurs in the Bay Area to launch businesses that foster cooperation, economic independence and well-being in immigrant communities.

Through their culturally-based programs, Latinas access the networks, tools and capital they need to become successful business owners and powerful community leaders.

PLANTING THE SEEDS TO SUCCESS

We started our partnership with Prospera in 2018, with our first Business Plan Bootcamp as part of their Explora program. A year later, following the success of the first program, we did our second Bootcamp together. In 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic hit, we provided three additional Bootcamps.

Thanks to the success of the programs during the first 3 years, Prospera became an Entrepreneurship Suite (E-Suite) partner in May 2021, and we did four Bootcamps and trained three of their trainers by September.

WORKING TOGETHER TO ACHIEVE GREATER GOALS

Prospera’s team

Some of their organization's main goals before joining Centro’s E-Suite were to support their participants to create their business model and to train themselves to coach entrepreneurs and colleagues on how to create their business plans.

Thanks to the train-the-trainer program we offer E-Suite partners, they got the tools and training they needed to coach their programs’ participants. Centro provided this training in Spanish as they’re focussed on Latina entrepreneurs.        

COOPERATION AS ONE OF OUR MAIN GOALS

Prospera’s team highly values the personalized support they have received from Centro to help them implement and adapt Centro’s resources to their programs. “I love the camaraderie among the Centro trainers and the availability to customize our performance Plus they give very honest feedback on details where we could improve" they share.

“Collaborating with Centro has helped us work hand-in-hand with our participants. One of the values that guide us at Prospera is cooperation, collaborating with Centro echoes this value and reminds us that in order to make structural changes it is necessary to collaborate with partner organizations. Using the Centro app has simplified the process so that our participants can easily and quickly develop a first draft of their Business Plan, working together for the benefit of our community!” - Claudia Arroyo, Prospra’s Executive Director

TOGETHER WE CAN CREATE A BIGGER IMPACT

At Centro, we are super grateful for Prospera’s level of engagement and commitment, both to the communities they serve and to building a strong partnership.

Trust and transparency have been pillars in our relationship, and the constant feedback has helped us improve our curriculum, and both organizations have benefited enormously from the 2-way commitment.

If you want to learn more about how we can also help your organization, please contact us at esuite@centrocommunity.org. We are also happy to answer any questions about our current curriculum, learning and teaching tools, and the support we provide to organizations!

2022 Q1 Update & $1.5M in Kiva Loans!

We are excited to share some big milestones we achieved during the first quarter of 2022! In addition to updates about entrepreneurs served, the Centro Business Planning App, access to capital, and one-on-one assistance, you can also see our latest impact statistics on our Overview page.

ENTREPRENEURS SERVED

In the first quarter of 2022, we served 325 entrepreneurs, and 61 of them graduated from our programs. Through our programs, capital hub, and app, we are on track to help more than 1,500 entrepreneurs by the end of this year. Here are two amazing women entrepreneurs who went through our programs: Misty L. Franklyn and Jessica Muñoz.

ACCESS TO CAPITAL

We are thrilled to share that since Centro became a Kiva Hub in 2020, we have already helped 159 entrepreneurs reach over $1.5 Million in Kiva loans to overcome their challenges as small business owners!

During the first quarter of 2022, we helped provide access to 25 Kiva loans for a total of $255,000. We also helped three entrepreneurs access $15,000 in grants, as well as three entrepreneurs access $645,000 in larger small business loans with local CDFIs (Community Development Financial Institutions).

ONE-ON-ONE ASSISTANCE

In Q1 2022 we provided 219 hours of 1-on-1 assistance to 67 entrepreneurs. Since 2021, we have provided 1-on-1 assistance to entrepreneurs in many locations, with most of them located in Oakland, San Jose, Santa Clara, Stockton and other Bay Area counties.

CENTRO BUSINESS PLANNING APP

We continue our work on improving the Centro Business Planning App, and we have recently released an App Demo video. With this video, entrepreneurs and organizations can see how easy it is to use the app and all the features it offers, from helping entrepreneurs create their Business Plans to connect with local organizations that can help with funding and business resources.

"My brand is inspired by Latina women" - Jessica Muñoz

Para leer en español, haz click aquí

TRANSFORMING A CRISIS INTO A NEW DREAM

Jessica Muñoz is a Latina designer, entrepreneur and creator of 2QTooCute. Her business grew out of the pandemic when she had to stay home with her children and together they started doing creative activities to cope with this hard time and overcome depression. They painted colorful designs of butterflies and hearts and one day decided to put their designs on her shoes. After getting positive feedback from family and friends, she saw an opportunity. So she researched how she could make her own shoes and began her journey as an entrepreneur, transforming a hard time into a new dream.

Jessica had no business experience but that didn't stop her. Inspirational stories from other women pushed her to believe in herself and trust that she could also achieve her dream of owning her own brand. "The inspiration of other women I read about in magazines saying when you have a dream you can achieve it was a big push for me. To think that I am here in my house, and I can do it too. I started researching and designing, and when other people liked my designs, I started to feel that there was something great here that I could inspire with."

After designing her first sneakers, she wanted other women and mothers to also be able to enjoy the comfort and original designs she couldn't find in other stores. She looked for suppliers and resources to start her small business and began working with a factory in Colombia.

CONNECTIONS WITH OTHER ENTREPRENEURS

While visiting a bazaar, Jessica met Raysa Veras, a Centro graduate and founder of Rouge Hoops. They had a great connection and after learning about Jessica's brand, Raysa recommended Centro's programs to establish her business. Soon after, she contacted Centro and attended the Basic Entrepreneurship Program and Advanced Entrepreneurship Program.

Before joining Centro, Jessica didn’t know how to establish her business, and she was worried about the unknown and failure. Thanks to the programs she attended, she was able to learn about the areas of business that she did not know about, such as the mission and objectives of her business and its financial status. It has also been very important for her to gain confidence in talking about her brand to others, especially on camera.

"What fascinates me is also the networking and meeting other entrepreneurs, knowing that you are not alone and sharing experiences of our businesses. It's a really nice community and I feel accompanied." says Jessica.

DIVERSIFYING AND EXPANDING HER BUSINESS

With her business established, Jessica is now raising awareness of her 2QTooCute brand. In addition to her shoe line, Jessica has also launched a line of handbags. "My 100% Latina shoes are inspired by Latina women, giving it the color and flair that we put into everything. I also have leather bags where I use a lot of our essence, transmitting the strong colors that we as Latinas like so we don't go unnoticed."

Jessica pays a lot of attention to every detail of her brand. Her espadrilles have colorful butterfly designs that represent freedom and are named after people who inspired her and helped her in her life. She also wants to inspire and empower other women. "In my handbag designs, I convey how I feel about them. By naming one Brave, I pick it up and I feel brave and that's how I want other women to feel with it too."

She currently works with her sister-in-law, who is in Colombia and manages the factory they work with there. Jessica makes the designs and chooses the leather and materials for the manufacture of her bags and shoes. In her day-to-day work, she faces challenges that she overcomes by working together with the factory's employees. "That teamwork is what excites me, I listen to them and they listen to me. It's a chain, we work hand-in-hand, if I design, they work, and that's how we share."

POST-PANDEMIC GOALS

Because of the pandemic, Jessica has not been able to attend many fairs and events to showcase and sell her products. So, as the situation improves, one of her goals for this year is to have more presence at these events to make her brand more known. Another goal is to increase her sales and increase the variety of designs to continue expanding her brand.

To see all her wonderful designs and support Jessica Muñoz's business, visit her website 2QTooCute. You can also support her business on her social networks Instagram and Facebook.

"Mi marca está inspirada en mujeres Latinas" - Jessica Muñoz

To read in English, click here

TRANSFORMANDO UNA CRISIS EN UN NUEVO SUEÑO

Jessica Muñoz es una diseñadora y emprendedora latina, creadora de la marca 2QTooCute. Su negocio surgió de la pandemia, cuando tuvo que quedarse en casa junto a sus hijos y juntos comenzaron a realizar actividades creativas para hacer frente a este duro momento y superar una depresión. Pintaban diseños de mariposas y corazones llenos de color y un día decidieron poner sus diseños en unos zapatos para ella. Tras recibir comentarios positivos de familiares y amigos, vio una oportunidad de negocio. Comenzó a investigar cómo podría hacer esto posible y ahí comenzó su camino como emprendedora, transformando un duro momento en un nuevo sueño.

Jessica no tenía experiencia en negocios pero esto no le frenó. Historias inspiradoras de otras mujeres la empujaron a creer en ella y confiar en que ella también podía lograr su sueño de tener su propia marca. "La inspiración de otras mujeres que leí en las revistas diciendo que cuando se tiene un sueño se puede conseguir fue un gran empujón para mí. Pensar que yo estoy aquí en mi casa, y lo puedo hacer también. Me puse a buscar y diseñar, y cuando a otras personas les gustaron mis diseños, empecé a sentir que aquí había algo algo grande con lo que yo podía inspirar”. 

Tras diseñarse sus primeras zapatillas, quiso que otras mujeres y madres pudieran disfrutar también de la comodidad y originales diseños que no encontraba en otras tiendas. Buscó proveedores y recursos para comenzar su pequeño negocio y comenzó a trabajar con una fabrica en Colombia.

CONEXIONES CON OTRAS EMPRENDEDORAS

Visitando un bazar, Jessica conoció a Raysa Veras, graduada de Centro y fundadora de Rouge Hoops. Entre ellas hubo una bonita conexión y tras conocer la marca de Jessica, Raysa le recomendó los programas de Centro para establecer su negocio. Al poco tiempo, se puso en contacto con Centro y cursó el Programa de Emprendimiento Básico y posteriormente, el Programa de Emprendimiento Avanzado.

Antes de unirse a Centro, Jessica no sabía cómo establecer su negocio, y le preocupaba lo desconocido y fracasar. Gracias a los programas que ha cursado, ha podido formarse en las áreas de negocio que desconocía, cómo la misión y objetivos de su negocio y su estado financiero. También ha sido muy importante para ella conseguir seguridad al hablar sobre su marca con otras personas, especialmente en cámara.

“Lo que me fascina también es el networking y conocer otras emprendedoras, sabiendo que tú no estás sola y compartimos experiencias de nuestros negocios. Es una comunidad muy bonita y me siento acompañada”.

DIVERSIFICANDO Y EXPANDIENDO SU NEGOCIO

Con su negocio establecido, Jessica ahora está dando a conocer su negocio 2QTooCute. Además de su línea de zapatos, Jessica ha lanzado también una línea de bolsos. “Mis alpargatas 100% latinas están inspiradas en mujeres latinas, dándole el color y el brillo que nosotras ponemos en cada cosa. También tengo bolsos de cuero donde también utilizo mucho nuestra esencia, transmitiendo los colores fuertes que a nosotras las latinas nos gustan para no pasar desapercibidas”.

Jessica presta mucha atención a cada detalle de su marca. Sus alpargatas llevan diseños de mariposas de colores que representan libertad y tienen nombres de personas que le inspiraron y ayudaron en su vida. Con sus bolsos también quiere inspirar y empoderar a otras mujeres. “En mis diseños de carteras transmito lo que siento con ellas. Al ponerle a una el nombre de Valiente, la cojo y me siento valiente y es como quiero que otras mujeres se sientan con ella también.” 

Actualmente trabaja con su cuñada, quien está en Colombia y se encarga de gestionar la fábrica con la que trabajan allí. Jessica realiza los diseños y escoge el cuero y materiales para la fabricación de sus bolsos y zapatos. En su día a día se enfrenta a retos que supera trabajando conjuntamente con los empleados de la fábrica. “Ese trabajo en equipo es el que me emociona, yo los escucho a ellos y ellos me escuchan a mí. Es una cadena, todos nos damos la mano, si yo diseño ellos trabajan y así vamos compartiendo.”

OBJETIVOS TRAS LA PANDEMIA

A causa de la pandemia, Jessica no ha podido asistir a muchas ferias y eventos donde mostrar y vender sus productos. Por eso, a medida que la situación mejora, uno de sus objetivos para este año es tener más presencia en estos eventos para darse a conocer más. Otro de sus objetivos es aumentar sus ventas y aumentar la variedad de diseños para seguir expandiendo su marca.

Para ver todos sus maravillosos diseños y apoyar el negocio de Jessica Muñoz, visite su página web 2QTooCute. También puedes apoyar su negocio en sus redes sociales Instagram y Facebook.

Making a positive impact in the community with Centro’s Advisor Program

Para leer en español, haz click aquí

“Hello, I’m Anie de la Rosa Clark, and I became involved in Centro as a volunteer advisor, while pursuing my MBA with San Jose State University—this was a very unique opportunity that had a big impact on my perspective.

When I first heard of Centro Community Partners' Small Business Advisor Program for the Spanish-speaking community in San Jose, I was immediately attracted to contribute to its mission.

While I had a busy schedule with a full-time job, MBA classes and my personal consulting endeavors, I was eager to collaborate with Centro to empower Hispanic entrepreneurs to launch their businesses. I arranged my agenda to commit one evening every week to Centro for nine weeks. Little did I know that I was going to walk away with more than what I was giving.

I was inspired and moved by the passion, dedication, and grit of the entrepreneurs who were pursuing their goal to launch their own businesses with limited knowledge and resources. These entrepreneurs turned to Centro’s program for guidance and support. Many of them had full-time jobs while launching their businesses, or they had launched their businesses while learning the ropes of entrepreneurship on the go.

As a volunteer Small Business Advisor, I learned about the entrepreneurs’ ideas, strategies, and goals and had the opportunity to put into practice many of the business concepts and advising skills I had learned in my past experience and in the classroom.

I cannot stress enough the unique value of the hands-on approach that Centro offers. Centro is a one-of-a-kind opportunity not only for rising entrepreneurs but also for like-minded professionals who want to positively impact the community.”

Watch our featured entrepreneur’s videos to learn more about the impact of Centro’s Entrepreneurship Programs and how you can support them as a Small Business Advisor.

If you resonate with Anie’s testimony and would like to be part of our community as a volunteer Small Business Advisor, explore how you can get involved here, we offer programs in English and Spanish. We’re looking forward to meeting you!

Creando Impacto Positivo en la Comunidad con el Programa de Asesores de Centro

To read in English, click here

"Hola, soy Anie de la Rosa Clark, y me involucré en Centro como asesora voluntaria, mientras cursaba mi MBA con la Universidad San Jose State. Esta fue una oportunidad muy única que tuvo un gran impacto en mi perspectiva.

Cuando oí hablar por primera vez del Programa de Asesores de Pequeños Negocios de Centro Community Partners para la comunidad hispanohablante de San José, me sentí atraída a contribuir a su misión.

Aunque tenía una agenda muy ocupada con un trabajo a tiempo completo, clases de MBA y mis servicios de consultoría, estaba emocionada por colaborar con Centro para ayudar a los emprendedores Latinos a lanzar sus negocios. Organicé mi agenda para comprometerme a dedicar una tarde cada semana a Centro durante nueve semanas. No sabía que iba a finalizar esta experiencia con más de lo que estaba dando.

Me inspiró y conmovió la pasión, la dedicación y el valor de los emprendedores que perseguían su objetivo de lanzar sus propios negocios con conocimientos y recursos limitados. Estos emprendedores asistieron al programa de Centro en busca de orientación y apoyo. Muchos de ellos tenían trabajos a tiempo completo mientras lanzaban sus negocios, o habían lanzado sus negocios mientras aprendían sobre la marcha.

Como Asesora Voluntaria de Pequeños Negocios, aprendí sobre las ideas, estrategias y objetivos de los emprendedores y tuve la oportunidad de poner en práctica muchos de los conceptos empresariales y habilidades de asesoramiento que había aprendido en mi experiencia anterior y en las clases.

No puedo dejar de destacar el valor único del enfoque práctico que ofrece Centro. Centro es una oportunidad única, no sólo para los nuevos emprendedores, sino también para los profesionales con ideas afines que quieren tener un impacto positivo en la comunidad".

Ve los vídeos de algunos de nuestros emprendedores para saber más sobre el impacto de los Programas de Emprendimiento de Centro y cómo puedes apoyarlos como Asesor de Pequeños Negocios.

Si te sientes identificado con el testimonio de Anie y te gustaría formar parte de nuestra comunidad como Asesor Voluntario de Pequeños Negocios, explora cómo puedes participar aquí, ofrecemos programas en inglés y español. ¡Estamos deseando conocerte!

Quarterly Capital Hub Update

In this quarterly Capital Hub update we are sharing a recap of 2021 and how 2022 has started, and we’ll introduce you to three of our entrepreneurs who were able to sign or renew their lease thanks to their Kiva loans.

2021 RECAP AND STARTING 2022

In 2021 we helped provide access to 60 Kiva loans for a total of $537,000 through our Alameda and San Francisco Kiva Hubs. We also helped 29 entrepreneurs access $1,419,972 in grants, as well as 16 entrepreneurs access $784,644 in larger small business loans.

The Centro Capital Hub has started 2022 by helping 10 entrepreneurs access a total of $92,000 in interest-free loans through Kiva through January.

KIVA LOANS RECEIVED BY OUR ENTREPRENEURS

With Centro’s support, entrepreneurs have accessed the capital they need to continue their operations and start new projects in their businesses.

Tina, owner of A Girl Named Pinky, got a $15,000 Kiva loan that helped her open a new kiosk in Berkeley after losing her lease in 2020.

Quanisha, owner of Yes Pudding, got a $15,000 Kiva loan that helped her open their first permanent location inside San Francisco's historic Ferry Building.

Imani, owner of Roasted and Raw, got a $7,500 Kiva loan that helped his 100% Plant-based bowl shop expand into its own long-term brick and mortar in Oakland.

4X MATCHING FUNDS FROM UMPQUA

Through the Small Business Empowerment Program, Umpqua Bank is offering 4X matching funds to Centro’s entrepreneurs fundraising on Kiva, enabling women and minority entrepreneurs in Umpqua's footprint to access 0% interest loans.

IF YOU WANT A LOAN

SUPPORT CENTRO ENTREPRENEURS

Please let us know if you or someone you know is interested in accessing a Kiva loan or have any questions. Verónica Gutiérrez, Capital Access Manager: KivaUS@centrocommunity.org

Join us in supporting more entrepreneurs raising money through Kiva.

"Building integrity, empowerment, and community" - Misty

SECOND CHANCES

Misty L. Franklin is a leader within her community and a professional speaker who utilizes her voice to help build integrity, empowerment, and community.

Misty is the daughter of a father that was incarcerated. Then Misty was incarcerated herself. However, against all the odds, she broke the cycle. She was able to integrate back into society, and she did it on her own, without resources or support. She thought to herself “how can I provide resources and support to other women who are in the same situation that I was in?” That’s why she founded Restore 180.

Restore 180 gives people the power to learn techniques to persevere by developing their personal motivation, discovering solutions to obstacles, clarifying the details of the life they want to live and learning how to keep going when the going gets tough.

LAUNCHING RESTORE 180

When Misty launched Restore 180 she wanted to plant the seeds right to get her business off the ground by building a solid foundation, but she didn’t know where to start. 

In the beginning, Misty was overwhelmed with the unknown. Thanks to her incredible resilience she shifted her mindset into a positive one believing in herself and looked for help. She found Centro. 

Misty first started using the Centro Business Planning App and loved how easy it was to create her Business Plan. “I first started with the App, implementing the different phases of my business and giving myself a wealth of knowledge and resources,” said Misty.

Thanks to the Basic Entrepreneurship Program, Misty was able to bring her business idea into reality. One of the things she enjoyed most about the program was the community entrepreneurs created in the classroom. Even being virtual, they created strong relations and grew their businesses together step-by-step. 

“Join the program, jump off the deep end and explore the infinite possibilities that come with learning and entrepreneurship, and with knowing that they are in good hands. You're going to be around a community that believes in accountability, growth and taking your business to the next level.” This is Misty’s advice to entrepreneurs thinking of joining Centro.

Aside from the classes, Misty had one-on-one check-ins to clarify some questions, to get feedback about specific areas of her business plan, and to develop her business. “Having a strong support system is extremely important as an entrepreneur. It’s also important to get feedback and be able to accept that feedback in order for me to sustain and grow my business.”

Misty is very passionate about her business and wants to show representation. Being a formerly incarcerated black woman, she wants to show other black women and young girls with similar backgrounds that they can be successful entrepreneurs too. She has always remained consistent and disciplined, since starting her entrepreneurship journey, even though it has not been easy, she has kept persevering and kept her faith.

CREATING AN IMPACT

Currently, Restore 180 is performing well, focusing on outreach and building relationships with the community. The most rewarding thing for Misty is watching her business grow, watching it grow from serving 1 - 2 youth in her community to now serving 33 and offering resources, mentoring, advocacy and education.

“I tell other black women not to give up, especially women from the same background that I come from. I tell them that we deserve a second chance and that we are not our worst mistake.”

Due to Covid-19, she has had to shift most of her meetings and programs to virtual platforms. When she’s able to meet in-person she makes sure to follow all protocols and procedures with social distancing, face masks, hand sanitizer, and everything else they need to do to gather and be safe.

NEW GOALS FOR 2022

Misty just incorporated Restore 180 as a 501 c3 Nonprofit Organization, and her next step is to find funding so that she can grow her organization and support even more women by hiring staff and developing partnerships in her community.

Join us in congratulating Misty for her resilience and for creating this amazing nonprofit to support her community. Check out her website.

Looking to start or grow your own small business?

Centro awarded with the Umpqua Impact grant

We're excited to share that we received a grant from Umpqua Bank. The award will help Centro build internal capacity and offer culturally relevant technical assistance programs to support low-income women, entrepreneurs of color, and small businesses.

Thanks to this grant, Centro will be able to invest in critical resources to bring our Entrepreneurship Suite to organizations throughout the United States. Our goal is to provide a complete high-impact enterprise-building resource to other organizations that support aspiring and current small business owners who lack business education or experience.

Centro believes in creating connections that make sense and helping underserved communities access resources that allow them to thrive and energize the local ecosystem. For that reason, in addition to supporting small businesses to apply for loans with Kiva, Centro also helps local organizations connect with the entrepreneurs that need their help.

With this year’s expansion of the Centro’s Capital Hub to San Francisco, Centro supports more entrepreneurs and organizations in San Francisco and parts of San Mateo County to provide access to Kiva’s interest-free microloans.

We are grateful to Umpqua Bank for recognizing our community initiatives and investing in us with a $450,000 grant on a 3-year financial commitment. We are honored for this award and look forward to collaborating with Umpqua Bank to build thriving and inclusive communities.

We are looking for new Entrepreneurship Trainers!

We are excited to grow our team of trainers! If you are in the Bay Area or New York Area, have experience teaching or facilitating workshops and share our same values, we are looking for you! (We’re also considering one remote trainer.)

We are looking for Entrepreneurship trainers to teach our Entrepreneurship Programs and provide Business Advising. We are looking for someone who can explain complex business concepts in simple terms, facilitate workshops using engaging and empowering activities, and guiding participants through the process of developing their business idea into an executable business plan that works for them.

“As a Centro Trainer, I am able to closely work with entrepreneurs that have so much passion for their business ideas. With this passion, coupled with their eagerness to learn, I enjoy watching them and their businesses grow and succeed.” - Monique, Centro Entrepreneurship Trainer

Learn more below and reach out to us if you’re a good fit!

TO APPLY

Please send your resume and a paragraph explanation of why this position is of interest to you to careers@centrocommunity.org.

We are looking forward to meeting you!

2021 Summary Update

We are excited to share a high level summary of our work during 2021.

In addition to summaries of entrepreneurs served, the Centro Business Planning App, access to capital and one-on-one assistance, you can also have an overview look at our infographic here.

ENTREPRENEURS SERVED

In 2021 we served 1,354 entrepreneurs (316 more than the previous year). Over the last two years, we have served 71% of the entrepreneurs through the Centro Business Planning App and 21% through Centro’s programs. Watch some of our entrepreneurs stories here.

ACCESS TO CAPITAL

We are excited to share that in 2021 we helped provide access to 60 Kiva loans for a total of $537,000 through our Alameda and San Francisco Kiva Hubs. We also helped 29 entrepreneurs access $1,419,972 in grants, as well as16 entrepreneurs access $784,644 in larger small business loans.

ONE-ON-ONE ASSISTANCE

Last year we brought a closer connection between our Capital Hub, workshops and 1-on-1 business advising support to address the different challenges faced by small businesses.

In 2021 we provided 879 hours of 1-on-1 assistance to 226 entrepreneurs.

The majority of entrepreneurs were located in Oakland & Alameda County (42%), followed by San Jose and Santa Clara County (19%), and Stockton and San Joaquin County (10%).

CENTRO BUSINESS PLANNING APP

In 2021 we updated the app introducing new features to the Centro Business Planning App. We focused on adding resources in locations where we and our partners offer programs, including the Bay Area, Los Angeles, New York, Michigan, Colorado, Oregon, Florida, and Texas. The Centro Business Planning App connects entrepreneurs to lenders based on location, business stage, how much you need, and industry experience.

New To-Do List added to our Business Planning App

We are excited to share that we have launched a new version of our Centro Business Planning App with a new To-Do List, where you can track your progress and understand the steps ahead! 

Each section of the Business Plan you are creating has its own To-Do List, which can be seen by swiping left and right. We recommend that entrepreneurs go through all of the cards and mark the tasks that have already been completed. 

Every time you complete a new task, you can go to the To-Do List and check that box. Then you will see how the yellow “To-Do” tag becomes a green “Completed” tag. In the upper right corner, we have also added a toggle button where you can easily switch the view from “To Do” tasks, where completed tasks are removed, to “All” tasks, where you can see the full list of tasks.

We have also added an information icon where you can find additional information and clarification of certain tasks.

From time to time, a pop-up will appear to ask if you would like to update your To-Do List and keep it up-to-date to make sure you are on track. You can get easily access the To-Do List whenever you want from the menu to check your progress.

The latest version of the App is available for Apple and Android devices:

Centro selected as part of the Citi Foundation’s Community Progress Makers

We are honored to be selected as part of the newest cohort of Citi Foundation’s Community Progress Makers! The Foundation’s unrestricted grant support & technical assistance from Urban Institute will help scale our work at Centro to increase social & economic opportunity in our community.

The Citi Foundation first launched the Community Progress Makers initiative in 2015 with a vision of empowering community leaders to grow their transformative impact through unrestricted, trust-based funding. In 2021, the Citi Foundation announced a $25 million expansion of Community Progress Makers with an intentional focus to support visionary organizations that are working to connect low-income communities and communities of color to greater social and economic opportunity.

As a Community Progress Maker, Centro will receive a multi-year, unrestricted grant of $500,000 and access to technical assistance and a supportive learning community from 2022 – 2023.

This third iteration of Community Progress Makers is a part of Citi and the Citi Foundation’s Action for Racial Equity initiative, which has already invested $1 billion in strategic initiatives to help close the racial wealth gap in the United States.

We are grateful for Citi Foundation for supporting our mission to create thriving communities.

Learn more about Community Progress Makers, here.

"Ya no tengo miedo al emprendimiento” - Karla Salgado

To read in English, click here

Conoce a Karla Salgado, Co-Fundadora de Elgie’s Hot Diggity Dawgs

​​Karla era una profesional de éxito en ventas en su país, pero siempre tuvo ese sueño de ser emprendedora. Cuando se mudó a Pacífica, California, junto a su marido y sus hijos, se enfrentó a grandes retos empezando por el idioma, diferencias culturales y la dificultad para comprender las normativas y requerimientos para emprender.

Cuando comenzó la pandemia, Karla y su marido Larry decidieron que a pesar de la dificultad del momento y la incertidumbre, querían invertir sus recursos en comenzar su propio negocio con el que siempre habían soñado. “Larry tiene un especial cariño y respeto por la comunidad de Pacífica porque ha sido su hogar durante los últimos 50 años, y por ello decidimos comenzar con nuestro negocio aquí”.

Tras comprar un carro y obtener todos los permisos necesarios para vender sus hot-dogs en un aparcamiento local, nació Elgie’s Hot Diggity Dawgs. Elgie's Hot Diggity es un negocio familiar, en el que trabajan Karla, Larry y sus hijos. Cada uno de ellos se encarga de una parte del negocio. “Hemos nombrado a mi hijo gerente de logística, él se encarga de montar y desmontar el carro. Mi hija, como responsable de marketing, se encarga de todas nuestras redes socialesm Mi esposo es el chef y yo la encargada de organizar todo lo necesario para las comidas, cobrar y gestionar las cuentas”. Implicar a todos en el negocio y darles responsabilidades, ha motivado a toda la familia, porque el éxito del negocio es gracias al esfuerzo de todos ellos.

SUPERANDO RETOS DE PLANIFICACIÓN

Como propietaria de un nuevo negocio, Karla se enfrentó a muchos retos cuando se unió al Programa de Emprendimiento Básico. En particular, tuvo que superar su miedo a poder asistir a todas las clases, mientras mantenía su negocio abierto. "Centro entendió mi situación y me animó a solicitar y participar en el Programa Básico de Emprendimiento con su apoyo, pude completar el programa".

Participar en el programa fue una experiencia enriquecedora para Karla, ya que pudo compartir la clase con otros emprendedores, escuchar sus historias y saber que están lidiando con las mismas luchas y miedos al iniciar sus propios negocios. "Nos complementamos, compartimos experiencias e hicimos grandes conexiones aprendiendo de los demás".

Gracias a Centro, Karla aprendió todo lo que necesitaba para reorganizar Elgie's Hot Diggity Dawgs, creando una base sólida y una estrategia más clara para que su negocio fuera más exitoso. "Centro me ayudó tanto que durante el programa empecé a pensar en montar otro negocio, y empezarlo con todos los conocimientos desde el principio". Tras graduarse de su programa en San José en julio de 2021, Karla comenzó a importar productos de su país para venderlos en Estados Unidos, tomando los conocimientos que había adquirido en el programa y comenzó su segundo negocio.

"Ya no tengo miedo a emprender, el miedo ha desaparecido. Si hay una planificación adecuada, estableciendo los recursos que tengo, ya no hay miedo a empezar un negocio, porque ya tienes los conocimientos necesarios."

LA IMPORTANCIA DE CONSTRUIR CONEXIONES CON SUS CLIENTES

El consejo de Karla a otros empresarios es que se enfoquen y que sepan que no hay resultados inmediatos. "Tener la paciencia necesaria para establecer relaciones con los clientes, escuchar siempre los comentarios de los clientes, tener buenos estándares de calidad y ser constante es muy importante".

Para Elgie's Hot Diggity Dawgs, establecer conexiones con los clientes siempre ha sido una prioridad y Karla lo hace a diario para atraer la atención y diferenciarse de otros negocios: "Estamos en una esquina y la gente pasa con sus amigos, con sus perros, tomando cafés... y mi marido les dice '¿Sabes qué va bien con eso? Un perrito caliente' y se paran contentos y dicen 'eso es buena idea' y nos compran". También señala que las personas que pasean a sus perros son sus mejores clientes, por lo que tienen un platito para servir un perrito caliente también para el perro. A los clientes les encanta ese detalle, y lo agradecen mucho.

Para aquellos emprendedores que tienen un negocio familiar, o desean comenzar uno nuevo, Karla nos comparte lo importante que ha sido estar unidos y aprender a comunicarse utilizando el lenguaje de negocios. Con su hijo y su hija, están aprendiendo cómo dar pasos para el futuro y darles un buen ejemplo. "Aprendemos de nuestros errores y aprendizajes, y así construimos el negocio juntos".

METAS PARA EL PRÓXIMO AÑO

​​Elgie's Hot Diggity Dawgs sigue en el mismo aparcamiento de Pacifica donde comenzó, pero ahora tiene nuevos objetivos. El año que viene, Karla quiere fidelizar a sus clientes y aumentar su horario y días de venta. De momento su capacidad es limitada porque sólo tienen un coche, así que están trabajando para comprar otro en un futuro próximo.

Con el tiempo, a Karla le gustaría tener una tienda con mucha más variedad para poder seguir creciendo. "Si tuviéramos una tienda podríamos tener más variedad, tamaños y personal. Tendríamos un lugar para que nuestros clientes se sentaran a disfrutar de su perrito caliente. Eso es lo que nos gustaría conseguir en el futuro".

¡Si estás en Pacifica, puedes encontrar fácilmente Elgie's Hot Diggity Dawg en 1925 Palmetto Ave, Pacifica y dar un paseo por la playa! También puedes apoyar el negocio familiar de Karla y Larry siguiéndolos en Facebook and Instagram.