Spring 2017 Newsletter

In this newsletter

• Letter from Our CEO
• Credit Tip
• Advising Corner: Love Your Cash
• Welcome to our Second Cohort of Entrepreneurs in Residence
• Meet Our Clients: Mister Jiu’s
• Get To Know Our Staff: Mike McGrane of Veteran Launch
• Expanded Services in San Francisco
• Upcoming Events for Your Small Business
• Get Connected to Resources
• Welcome Our Newest Clients
• Welcome Our Newest Team Members

Advising Corner:
Love Your Cash

Just last month we celebrated Valentine’s Day. During this time of love and relationships, I began to wonder, how many entrepreneurs know what it means to be in love and in a healthy relationship with their business’ cash?

When an entrepreneur first gets a loan or secures financing, they are often quite happy and feeling proud with the cash they have in the bank. I think the same is true at the start of a new relationship – we feel happy, proud, and secure. After a bit we start to wonder, how can I make sure this relationship stays strong and healthy over the long term? I think we should ask ourselves the same question regarding our business’ cash.

Click here to read the full article.

Welcome to our Second Cohort of Entrepreneurs in Residence

In January 2016, funded in part by Wells Fargo’s Diverse Community Capital program, Main Street Launch created an Entrepreneur in Residence program. Our first cohort was comprised of pre-revenue startup companies owned by young African American entrepreneurs. Our second cohort, running now, includes two existing companies owned by African American women who are looking to grow their business to the next level. Wellington Studio, owned by Chamaine Woffard, is an Oakland-based boutique studio of graphic designers and web developers with a special emphasis in serving nonprofits, the bereavement industry, and the hospitality industry. Click here to learn more about Wellington Studio. Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement, owned by Fernay McPherson, is a San Francisco-based corporate and special event catering company. You can find them at Wing Wings for a pop-up on the first Monday of each month. Click here to learn more about Minnie Bell’s. Check out our blog to learn more about our clients and programs.

Chamaine Woffard, Wellington Studio Fernay McPherson, Minnie Bells Soul Movement

Meet Our Clients: Mister Jiu’s

After dedicating 15 years of his life to cooking, Brandon Jew felt conflicted about his love for Chinese food and his frustration with how Americans view Chinese food. Mister Jiu’s was born to preserve the tradition of Chinese cuisine and to showcase a contemporary take with San Francisco food values: small farm, organic, and seasonal ingredients. Now with 55 employees, Mister Jiu’s is a Chinese American restaurant that highlights the best of both cultures. Brandon built his career in kitchens, so the details about developing and running the business were new to him. “The process of trying to raise money really shaped me as an entrepreneur and as the owner of this business,” he reflects. “I had to educate myself about leases, construction, and the other parts of the business so I could answer any question that a potential funder might have.”

Get to Know Mike McGrane of Veteran Launch

Expanded Services in San Francisco

Upcoming Events & Opportunities

Click here to view more upcoming events to support your business this fall.

We welcome our partners and community to share upcoming events.
We post them on social media and on our website.
Send any upcoming events to katie@mainstreetlaunch.org.

BusinessAdvising.org connects free expert advisors and mentors to entrepreneurs for tailored, hands-on assistance to grow businesses and create new quality jobs in their communities. Click here to sign up at no cost to you.

Townsqd is a closed social network that connects neighborhood small businesses to each other. This platform fosters collaboration among businesses and offers a place to share resources and information. Click here to join at no cost to you.

Localwise connects local people to jobs at local businesses. As small businesses are ready to make their first hire or grow their team, Localwise offers a local job community focused on building talent in small businesses. Click here to post a job.

Welcome to our Newest Clients

For more information about shopping with our clients, please check out our map.

Welcome Our Newest Team Members

We’d like to welcome back Karolyn Wong, joining our team as Assistant Vice President – San Francisco Relationship Manager, focusing on serving small businesses in Chinatown and other projects that support our corridor development goals. Click here to learn more about Karolyn’s background.

We are also thrilled to welcome Tanik Joshipura as our Intern – Impact Evaluation. Tanik will support our annual survey and other data and impact projects. Click here to learn more about Tanik’s background.