Nicole Middleton is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ with her firm, Strategy Squad, which she co-manages with her father, a Certified Public Accountant. The firm focuses on financial planning and investment management, especially for women and people of color. As fiduciary advisors, Strategy Squad is committed to working on behalf of their clients’ best interests, even…
Victor and Ken started Mr. East Kitchen in August 2018 after beginning the planning process in December 2017. They used the loan they received from Main Street Launch as working capital.
Café El Patio is a casual community-based café founded by Allan Coello, located in East Oakland. Café El Patio serves single origin coffee that comes directly from a family member’s farm in Honduras.
After spending a year popping up around town and leasing kitchen space, Romney and Steven opened The Cook and Her Farmer in 2014. Through their partnership, they have grown The Cook and Her Farmer into the successful restaurant it is today and contributed to the thriving of Swan’s Market as part of the Old Oakland Renaissance.
“I love living in East Oakland,” he said. “I knew that I wanted to help people achieve their fitness goals, and I saw an opportunity to improve on existing services,” explained Matt.
At Subpar, mini golf is the focus of the business. “We aim to make a good game of golf by making sure that it is fun to play and that there is skill involved. It’s a player’s game,” Michael said.
Retreat Skin and Hair Studio provides a safe space for all clients to rejuvenate as they receive high quality skin, beauty, and hair care in a beautiful, relaxed environment.
Bar Shiru is a high-fi vinyl listening music bar in Oakland, and the first of its kind in the Bay Area. It was founded by business partners Shirin Raza and Daniel Gahr, who also happen to be wife and husband.
Before they launched Hive the Place to Bee, Bree and Calanit noticed that they had to leave their neighborhood to find high quality food and drinks. As local residents, they started the café because they wanted to provide high quality food and drinks to their community.
Co-founder and co-owner Marc W. Chase says, “My ancestors are French and they were in the textiles industry in the Old World. I started this business because it’s in my blood.”
