Oakland Grown is a nonprofit membership organization that services Oakland’s independent businesses, artists, and makers. They promote buying, investing, and giving locally to build a sustain a more just and vibrant Oakland economy. Oakland Grown’s members receive significant benefits (click here for their membership kit): Promote Oakland Grown members Provide workshops and events to…
With her parents’ values instilled in her as a very young child, Diana Wong has grown to model a similar successful business style when creating iCAFE San Francisco, located in the heart of San Francisco’s Chinatown. She wanted to create a “warm, caring, sense of coming home,” continuing to cater to loyal patrons, in addition…
Click here to download the press release. MAIN STREET LAUNCH Selected by Citi Foundation’s Community Progress Makers Fund to Accelerate Economic Opportunity in THE BAY aREA $500,000 Investment in core operating support will enable Main Street Launch to address the racial wealth gap through launching an African American Entrepreneurship Institute. April 26, 2018,…
Freedom Makers provides virtual assistant services to small business owners, with the services performed by military spouses. Freedom Makers is providing exceptional service to two audiences: business owners who need help managing their bookkeeping, marketing, and client communications (and more!) and military spouses who lack other work opportunities that are as mobile as they are.…
Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) support local economies by investing in under-invested areas. Main Street Launch is proud to be a CDFI serving low-to-moderate income communities in Oakland and San Francisco. The CDFI Fund identifies counties across the country that experience “persistent poverty” (defined as any county that has had 20% or more of…
Before they started their business, Christopher McMichael and Maurion Gaines came together over their shared passion for music. In 2012, Chris was working security and kept hitting ceilings as he tried to advance in his career, so he decided to pursue his clothing line full time. “My clothing line had already had some success. I…
In 2004 Chef Ron’s Pastries started like many business: doing small orders here and there for family and friends. In 2015 brother and sister Ron and Rhonda Persons officially launched Chef Ron’s Pastries when an opportunity to work with the Golden State Warriors came to them. Since then, the business has been steadily growing, all…
Main Street Launch is proud to introduce Shop Oakland Now, an online directory of Oakland small businesses. The site is still in development, and we invite you to use it, share it, and send us your feedback. Our goal is to ensure that all operating Oakland small businesses have an online presence to help new customers…
For Parle Innovation, innovation drives them and is at the core of their company . In 2013, Mary Parle Shulenberger and her husband Art sought out a loan from Main Street Launch to support and grow their business. “Technology is a way to advance people’s lives, and while sometimes it has the potential to…
The City of Oakland will mark National Small Business Week (April 29-May 5) with an an exciting week of community events and over 80 educational workshops for Oakland small businesses. The 2018 Small Business Week theme is “Helping Oakland’s Diverse Business Community Thrive.” Entrepreneurs and business owners may choose from sessions at Oakland City Hall…
