Winter 2014 Newsletter

Dear Friends,

We love watching the way the Bay Area community is supporting small businesses during the holiday season. Many OBDC-funded businesses participated in Plaid Friday and Small Business Saturday. If you’re interested in supporting local businesses with your purchases this month, check out this map showing our small business borrowers. If you’re a business owner please share your sales and events with us on Facebook and Twitter, we want to help you spread the word!

Here at OBDC, 2015 already looks busy and bright. We will be moving to a new office space early in the year, our commercial corridor development model is leading to deeper work in Oakland and San Francisco, and we’re excited to launch FastTrac, a small business training program, starting in January with United States veterans. This is only a sampling of what’s to come. We look forward to keeping you updated throughout the year.

Happy holidays to all of our clients and supporters!

Jacob Singer, CEO

Special Offer for OBDC Borrowers

Credit Builders Alliance is offering free credit report phone consultations to the first 1000 people who call.

CBA’s flyer announces, “This isn’t like other ‘free’ credit offers – you won’t be charged a fee or have to provide a credit card. Nothing is being sold to you. The entire cost, which can retail up to $50, has been paid on your behalf. However, there is a limited number of people who may participate.”

Thanks to our partners at Credit Builders Alliance for offering this opportunity to our borrowers!

Borrower Resources: Business Consultant Tips by Paula

Growing Your Business Without Losing Money

If I ask a small business owner, “Do you want to grow?” They say, “Yes, of course!” If I ask, “Do you know how to grow your business without losing money?” They often look a little dumbstruck.

Most of the successful entrepreneurs that I work with have developed ways to spend money on marketing that result in profitable customers, i.e. customers who make purchases in excess of the cost of the marketing. Here are three tricks they use:

Calculate the customer acquisition cost
Keep track of the buyer conversions
Test before you invest

Read more on each of these tricks on our blog.

Get to know Scott Lewis, Senior Vice President – Lending

Scott Lewis joined OBDC four years ago with over 35 years of lending and business development experience, including five years as a managing partner in a Bay Area venture capital firm. Scott’s expertise includes extensive experience in corporate, middle market, and small business lending, as well as the development of credit programs from both a sales and credit perspective. You can learn more about Scott by reading his bio or viewing his interview on our blog.

“The common denominator among the entrepreneurs we see in Oakland and surrounding cities and townships, is that they have a sense of its cultural diversity and community, and understand the value, and often the relevance, of being here.” – Scott Lewis

Support Local Businesses During the Shopping Season

There are so many opportunities to support local, independent businesses this shopping season.

SF Etsy is a great source for local online shops. Check out their Facebook page for coupons and updates.

If you want to support OBDC borrowers, visit our borrower map to find businesses near you.

If you missed Plaid Friday or Small Business Saturday, you can still support participating businesses. Visit Plaid Friday and Small Business Saturday maps to find the businesses near you.

Check out some shopping events near you:

El Mercado Holiday Fair in Ghirardelli Square

Date: Saturday, December 6-Sunday, December 7, 2014

Time: Saturday 11am-8pm; Sunday 11am-6pm

Location: Ghirardelli Square in SF

Learn more

Nneka’s Holiday Pop Up

Date: Friday, December 5, 2014

Time: 5-7pm

Location: Water Street – Farmers’ Market, Jack London Square

Learn more

Renaissance Holiday Bazaar

Date: Saturday, December 13, 2014

Time: 11am-3pm

Location: Renaissance Marin, 1115 Third Street, San Rafael 94901

Learn more

SFMade Holiday Gift Fair

Date: Saturday, December 13-Sunday, December 14, 2014

Time: 10am-4pm

Location: 2 Marina Blvd, San Francisco 94123

Learn more

Upcoming Events

El Mercado Holiday Fair

Date: Saturday, December 6-Sunday, December 7, 2014

Time: Saturday 11am-8pm; Sunday 11am-6pm

Location: Ghirardelli Square in SF

Learn more

Legal Clinic for Entrepreneurs

Date: Thursday, December 11, 2014

Time: 5-7pm

Location: Oakland Business Assistance Center

270 Frank H Ogawa Plaza, Oakland

Learn more

FastTrac for US Veterans

OBDC is launching FastTrac, a program of the Kauffman Foundation. FastTrac offers workshops and small business training programs, for aspiring and existing entrepreneurs. OBDC’s FastTrac program launches in January 2015 with United States Veterans. Sign up today for the two FastTrac opportunities below!

The Intentional Entrepreneur
Workshop for aspiring entrepreneurs
Date: Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Time: 6-9pm
Location: downtown Oakland
Cost: Free upon registration
Register: http://tiny.cc/OBDC-intentional
Registration deadline: Tuesday, January 6, 2015

New Venture
10-week course for aspiring entrepreneurs
Date: Meets weekly on Tuesdays, beginning February 24 and concluding April 28, 2015
Time: 6-9pm
Location: downtown Oakland
Cost: $500 deposit, to be refunded upon the successful completion of the course
Register: http://tiny.cc/OBDC-NewVenture
Registration deadline: February 2, 2015

Community Corner

Grow Your Network

Join Townsquared to connect with other businesses in your neighborhood

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Expert Business Advising

At OBDC we are proud to continue our partnership with Pacific Community Ventures (PCV). PCV’s online advising program has a great new website and offers…

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Recent Loans

We’re excited to announce that OBDC has recently funded these incredible businesses!

Visit the websites of many OBDC funded businesses by checking out our new, interactive map.

Overheard on Twitter

Oakland News @breakingoaknews: via @obdc_finance: How @HCpanels is creating #oakland jobs…buff.ly/1zUQK0M

Forgot to pack a lunch today? Allow us to recommend a restaurant guide.

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OBDC is hiring! Check out our careers page for more information about available positions.

We’re excited to welcome new staff members Adrian Gomez Zavala and Katie Taylor to OBDC.

Learn more about our Oakland, San Francisco, and Veteran Programs at

mainstreetlaunch.org

Addupdates@mainstreetlaunch.org to your address book to be sure you never miss any important news!

Powering Dreams. Transforming Communities.

OBDC Small Business Finance

825 Washington Street, Suite 200, Oakland CA 94607

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