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…
Oakland Grown’s 2018 Good Money Guide is available! This year, the guide is digital as well as print, enabling you to evaluate funding options wherever you are. The Good Money Guide reviews types of funding available for your small business, the benefits and drawbacks of each type, and sources to contact to get access…
This article was written by Jackie Zimmermann and originally appeared on Nerdwallet on January 8, 2018. It is shared here with permission. Make it count: NerdWallet is here to help you achieve your goals for the new year. Whether it’s saving for an epic vacation, ditching debt, or launching that side hustle, we’ve got the…
It’s Women’s History Month, and we look forward to celebrating the impact of women entrepreneurs. In this post, we share some basic statistics about women-owned businesses and ways to support women entrepreneurs. Women own more than 7 million businesses in the United States (about 30 percent of all small businesses). Women-owned businesses generate $3…
Main Street Launch’s Intern – Impact Evaluation & Marketing Linda Ho offers information about Alameda County SBDC. Norcal SBDC The Northern California Small Business Development Centers (Norcal SBDC) is a nonprofit network made up of 12 centers that are dedicated to helping small businesses in every aspect, providing entrepreneurs with one-on-one advising and low cost training. …
This article was written by Emily Starbuck Crone and originally appeared on NerdWallet on January 2, 2018. It is shared here with permission. When starting or growing a business, it’s tempting to cut costs by tackling projects yourself. When it comes to legal matters, a DIY approach works sometimes, but it can be risky. Online…
For decades, a wealth gap has persisted between blacks and whites. The racial wealth gap has grown in recent years, with white Americans having 12 times the wealth of black Americans. While a quick fix to trim the gap remains absent, a new report suggests black entrepreneurship perhaps is the answer. African-Americans are looking…
After being a beer salesperson for years, Richard Allen decided to do something different. After careful planning and using his previous knowledge in the beer industry, Degrees Plato was born and started to operate on May 3, 2017. “Opening a restaurant that sells alcohol is not an easy task,” explains Richard. “The biggest obstacle we…
This article was written by JACKIE ZIMMERMANN and originally appeared on Nerdwallet on October 10, 2017. It is shared here with permission. The impact of the Equifax data breach that compromised the personal data of over 145 million individuals has left many confused, frustrated and downright angry. And while massive attacks on large corporations make headlines, small…
