Growing up, David Benton, the owner of Sugarsweet Cookie and Cake Studio, was not exposed to baking. He went on to California Culinary School to become a chef. During his studies there, he took an introductory baking class and immediately fell in love with it. After the 2008 recession, he lost his job and started…
This post was written by Steve Nicastro and originally appeared on NerdWallet on September 6, 2017. It is reposted here with permission. More people are trading in commutes and cubicles for couches and coffee shops: As of 2016, 43% of employees worked remotely at least part of the time, up from 39% in 2012, according…
Centro Community Partners fosters socioeconomic change by providing business advisory services and leadership programs to rising yet underserved entrepreneurs who want to launch or grow their businesses and create jobs in their communities. Centro offers a Basic Entrepreneurship Program, an Advanced Entrepreneurship Program, and a Small Business Advisor Program. In the basic program, entrepreneurs…
The Federal Reserve Banks are conducting a national survey of existing and pre-start small business owners/managers. This survey is a platform through which small businesses can be heard. It is designed to track small business financing conditions and bring them to the attention of service providers, lenders, and policy makers. Individual responses are confidential. Summary…
The majority of people who live and work in Oakland and San Francisco work for small companies and organizations. It’s important as we get closer to a big shopping season to make active choices about where you put your dollars. Small businesses are the backbone of our local economies, but they also invest heavily…
Main Street Launch’s Intern – Impact Evaluation & Marketing Linda Ho offers information about CDFIs. This article was originally posted on January 10, 2018. WHAT IS CDFI? Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) provide access to financial services for local residents and businesses, sharing a common goal of expanding economic opportunity in low income communities.…
Main Street Launch is proud to partner with the City of Oakland, Oakland Grown, the Oakland Chamber, and Visit Oakland to celebrate small businesses and shopping locally this holiday season. The deadline for small businesses to sign up for free marketing by Oakland Grown is October 31, 2018. Oakland Grown’s holiday campaign kicks off…
As the end of the year gets closer, we are reflecting about the innovation that our clients, staff, and partners bring to their work. From business owners like Mandy Harper, owner of Wholesome Bakery, who wanted delicious food for people with restrictive food allergies and created a business to support her community, to our partners…
Vita is a boutique fitness studio specializing in yoga, pilates, and barre. They offer classes that range from gentle to power to intense cardio. Vita is a great place to pursue your fitness goals and build community. Katy Winter opened Vita in 2017 after changing careers. “I was working in finance, but I knew…
Coworking can be a viable alternative to dedicated brick and mortar space for some entrepreneurs. In the Bay Area and beyond, coworking as a model continues to grow, becoming more customized and accessible more more small business owners. Especially for new businesses, online businesses, consultants, and other service businesses, office space might be a large…