Chuck Bragdon, retired United States Navy Chief, founded Water Saver Solutions (WSS) in 2008. What started out as a home improvement project in Southern California to help people save money and conserve water is now so much more. Water Saver Solutions is a federally-certified Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB). Chuck discovered Veteran…
Of the veteran-owned companies served by Veteran Launch, 54% have been new businesses; despite the fact most traditional lenders will not consider funding startups. New businesses help keep neighborhoods thriving, and Main Street Launch is uniquely suited to support these businesses as they work to achieve their goals. Singer said, “Veterans have a strong entrepreneurial spirit, and we are thrilled to support these small business owners in starting and growing their businesses.” To learn more about the veteran-owned companies Main Street Launch supports, please visit: veteranlaunch.org/client-spotlights.
Main Street Launch is proud to support LGBT-owned small businesses. A report from NGLCC (National Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce) shows that the U.S. has an estimated 1.4 million LGBT-owned small businesses that create/sustain 33,000 jobs and contribute $1.7 trillion to the economy. Not surprising, California has the highest number of certified LGBTBEs (LGBT…
The Philoglots is a new business that opened in October 2016. Josee and her husband Gregory connected with Veteran Launch during the startup phase of their business. Her husband and partner at the Philoglots served in the Gulf War when he was 18 years old. “My experience with Veteran Launch was awesome. I had…
This post was written by Steve Nicastro and originally appeared on NerdWallet on November 13, 2017. It is shared here with permission. Small Business Saturday has become a boon for local shops: Last year, 112 million consumers spent $15.4 million at such businesses, according to American Express, the company behind the shopping holiday founded in…
This post was originally written on May 3, 2017. May is the month where we celebrate the generations of Asian and Pacific Islanders who have enriched the U.S. and who are critically important to the our country’s future success. Asian American and Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islanders have a large business ownership footprint in…
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…