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 
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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.”
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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.
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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
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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
Date: Friday, December 5, 2014
Location: Water Street – Farmers’ Market, Jack London Square
Renaissance Holiday Bazaar
Date: Saturday, December 13, 2014
Location: Renaissance Marin, 1115 Third Street, San Rafael 94901
Date: Saturday, December 13-Sunday, December 14, 2014
Location: 2 Marina Blvd, San Francisco 94123
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Upcoming Events
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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
Location: Oakland Business Assistance Center
270 Frank H Ogawa Plaza, Oakland
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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
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Community Corner
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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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We’re excited to announce that OBDC has recently funded these incredible businesses!
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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.
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