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…
Terry Watts recently acquired Fair Game in Sacramento, with help from a loan from Veteran Launch. “Fair Game in Sacramento, now owned by Marine Corps veteran Terry Watts, celebrates retro games with an enthusiasm that keeps their customers coming back. Their website introduces the business: ‘Think back to the days of your youth: 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. …
Bootstrap Kombucha, located in San Diego, is a company that brews real kombucha. They business started to operate in May 2016. James, U.S. Coast Guard veteran, knew he wanted his next entrepreneurial endeavor to be centered around kombucha, and he also wanted to open a business in which his family can work together. Bootstrap Kombucha…
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…