Próximo Bootcamp para Emprendedores en Oakland

Ven y dedica seis horas de tu semana para diseñar con nuestro apoyo el plan de negocio que necesitas para formar la pequeña empresa con la que sueñas.

El programa será guiado usando la aplicación móvil Centro Business Planning App y junto con nuestro facilitador, verás como sencillas actividades te ayudarán a desarrollar todas las partes de tu plan de negocio, incluyendo visión, misión y valores, finanzas personales, análisis de mercado, propuesta de valor, operaciones, estrategia de marketing y finanzas.

Detalles del Evento

• Fechas: Martes 11 y miércoles 12 de diciembre, 2018

• Hora: Ambos días de 5:30 - 8:00 pm

• Idioma: Español

• Lugar: Centro Community Partners (825 Washington St, Suite 228, Downtown Oakland, CA 94607)

• Costo: $10 por persona

No importa la naturaleza o tipo de negocio al que aspires, esta es tu oportunidad de recibir ayuda de un formador experto en trabajar con personas exáctamente como tu.

Preguntas

No dudes en escribirnos a info@centrocommunity.org. Y si estas listo para registrarte, inscríbete online aquí.

New Financial Literacy & Entrepreneurship Programs in Santa Clara County

AnewAmerica and Centro Community Partners (Centro) have come together to launch a new program addressing the needs of low-income entrepreneurs in Santa Clara County. Together we will offer entrepreneurship and financial literacy workshops geared primarily towards women and minorities, fully funded by the Silicon Valley Community Foundation. 

Our main goal is to provide participants with the technical assistance they need to succeed in their businesses, and give them access to the capital and mentorship services they will need to fuel and sustain their own goals. In parallel, we are also aiming to introduce participants to vetted financial products that have proven to be successful in building assets within underserved communities.

In this new partnership, we will be responsible for leading our Basic Entrepreneurship Program in two formats (9-week program and 1-day bootcamps) and reach approximately 120 low-to-moderate income entrepreneurs. Centro will also offer these programs in both English and Spanish.

While Centro will co-facilitate the entrepreneurship training portion of the project with AnewAmerica, our partners will offer their expertise and curriculum for financial fundamentals and introduce participants to fitting financial products such as Kiva USA micro-loans, savings match accounts, peer lending circles and pre-paid debit cards - all catered to help them improve their financial health.

As part of the project, AnewAmerica and Centro will also jointly host a hack-a-thon for small business entrepreneurs and techies to come together and solve business problems using technology.

The training programs are open to any gender, but the majority of the program participants are expected to be low-to-moderate income women and minorities from underserved communities in San Jose.

OVERALL GOALS & IMPACT

• 120 participants in eight nine-week business development and asset building trainings, and four one-day bootcamps, half of them led in English and the other half in Spanish.
• 100 participants registered to receive on-going and one-on-one coaching from AnewAmerica.
• 10-20% of the participants accessing at least one financial product, such as a microloan, a matched savings account or a lending circle.
• 10 participants pitching their idea at a hack-a-thon.

FIRST TRAINING PROGRAM

The first 9-week training program will start the second week of March. It will meet weekly on Mondays (in English) and Wednesdays (in Spanish) from 5 - 8 pm at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Library (3rd Floor) in San Jose. The cost is $75 per participant.

Bay Area Latinos Need Entrepreneurship Training in Spanish

Centro's new Spanish-English Bilingual Trainer, Estefania Cardona.

Latinos are one of Centro's most important constituencies, and in our commitment to serve them, for years we have undergone the slow and humbling process of embedding ourselves in a community that is not entirely our own, but it is also home. This process has yielded many learnings - the most significant one being: culture and language play an irreplaceable role in the self-determination and empowerment of the Latino community.

As we embrace this unique and beautiful pathway towards the establishment of equity in a multi-cultural society, we announce our new hire, Estefania Cardona. Estefania is our English-Spanish Bilingual Entrepreneurship Trainer, and new Account Manager for Centro's Entrepreneurship Suite. She is originally from Colombia, has a degree in International Business from the Universidad del Rosario in Bogota, and a post-graduate in Creative Intervention from the Colegiatura Colombiana in Medellin. Estefania is also an experienced social entrepreneur, and her work in multicultural environments and interdisciplinary projects in the United States, Colombia, Canada, and England is paramount experience she brings forth to our trainings for the Bay Area's Latino community. 

By offering business education for aspiring and current small business entrepreneurs in Spanish, we make sure we serve the local Latino population in their own terms, and build the road towards equitable access to entrepreneurship.

Estefania will also lead our Entrepreneurship Suite Customer Success project. This means she will support organizations using Centro's Entrepreneurship Suite by helping them, individually, achieve their goals and therefore, create a larger impact in their own communities. With this, we also underline our commitment to offering above-and-beyond value to our partners.

Thank you Estefania for embarking on this journey with us!

UPCOMING ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING IN SPANISH

The next entrepreneurship training led in Spanish for current and aspiring small business entrepreneurs will take place in San Jose, in partnership with AnewAmerica, The program is 9-weeks and meets every Wednesday from 5 - 8 pm, starting on March 8th.

New Business Incubator Program - Available in Spanish

If you have been wanting to flesh out a business idea but know you need help from someone with experience, this is your opportunity!

AnewAmerica and Centro are offering a business incubator program for aspiring small business entrepreneurs who want to sign up for ongoing coaching. The program includes:

• 9 weeks of training, using Centro's Business Planning App.

• One-on-one coaching during and after the training.

• Access to capital, including matched savings and Kiva micro-loans.

• Sessions with trainers and coaches who speak Spanish, so that you can study and plan for your business in your own language.

Basic Details:

• Sessions in English: Every Monday from March 6th to May 1st.

• Sessions in Spanish: Every Wednesday from March 8th to May 3rd.

• Time: From 5 - 8 pm.

• Where: Meets at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Library (3rd Floor) in San Jose.

• Cost: $75 for the training plus the cost of ongoing coaching. Scholarships available.

Questions?

Please contact us anytime. We'd be happy to share more about the curriculum, scholarships and registration details:

• jgarcia@anewamerica.org / 408.326.2669

Ready to Register?

Latinos Learn to Launch or Grow Their Small Business in Spanish

Latinos in the Bay Area now have the opportunity to learn entrepreneurship in their preferred language, thanks to our partnership with The Latina Center in Richmond, and The Unity Council in the Fruitvale neighborhood of Oakland.

Last month alone, 19 aspiring and current latino business owners in our community graduated from Centro's Basic Entrepreneurship Program led in association with these partners and using the Centro's Business Planning App - the first and only app that allows you to plan for a business and become eligible for a micro-loan of up to 10K through Kiva.org.

Many of these entrepreneurs are at the foundational stages of their businesses, even if they have been already operating for a while. Our goal is to point out what they are doing so well, and show them how to organize their energy around the areas they can easily improve upon and would make a big difference in the marketplace; says Elena Restrepo, Centro's Spanish Entrepreneurship Trainer & Program Associate.

The completion of the program is a big next step for these rising entrepreneurs. They finish our workshop with newfound inspiration, empowered with new knowledge, ideas, tools and a network of individuals who become supportive of one another in their shared aspirations of economic prosperity.

If you can read Spanish, you don't want to skip these encouraging participant testimonials. We wholeheartedly congratulate them and thank them for reminding us why we work with women, minority and underserved entrepreneurs every day.

“Como recién llegamos de Perú, pensábamos que el no saber inglés iba a ser una barrera para capacitarnos y montar nuestro negocio, con Centro nos dimos cuenta que no es así.”

— Yvonne Quintanilla

“Yo pensaba que sabía mucho, pero cuanto tome el curso, me di cuenta de los errores que estaba cometiendo y cómo podía solucionarlos”

— Virginia Castillo, Owner of Nenas Beauty Salon

“Empecé el taller por recomendación de mi jefe pues ella lo tomó antes y quería mi opinion sobre el negocio. Ahora no solo aprendí más, sino que quiero montar mi propia empresa”

— Gilma Molina from Equinox Event

“Le voy a hacer una estatua a la profe en frente de mi negocio por que me salvó la vida con toda la información que nos dió para ser mejores!”

— Deisy Alvarado, Owner of Coliseum Furniture Outlet

“Yo vine a tomar el curso con mis cuatro hermanas pero todas teníamos ideas diferentes. Después del taller, nos unimos para crear un restaurante Mexicano, pues entendimos que la unión hace la fuerza.”

— Mariela Guerrero

“Tenia algo de temor con mi idea de negocio por que no sabia si era buena. En el taller pude poner mi producto a prueba y me di cuenta que estoy lista para iniciar!”

— María Gurrola from Mary´s Homestyle Pastry

Learn Entrepreneurship in Spanish at The Latina Center

Join us and let us help you launch your small business or plan for the business growth you have been wishing for. Never received any formal training? Not entirely comfortable speaking English? No problem! The sessions will be conducted in Spanish and are purposefully tailored to meet the needs of entrepreneurs who are self-taught or haven't attended a formal business school before. 

The workshop will be led using Centro's Business Planning App - a one-of-a-kind tool that guides you through the process of creating a business plan step by step, and right on your mobile phone. We'll combine simple and fun activities on the app with some interactive group sessions to help you analyze the strengths, the challenges and the opportunities ahead for your business.

The program covers: Basic strategy, personal finance, market analysis, value proposition, operations, marketing strategy and business finance.

• Dates: 8 consecutive Wednesdays, from July 13 to August 31. 
• Time: 6 - 9 pm.
• Place: The Latina Center (3701 Barrett Ave., Richmond, CA 94805)
• Cost: $25 per person
• Language of instruction: Spanish

To register or ask any questions:

• Maria Gamboa, mgamboa@thelatinacenter.org, (510) 233-8595
• Elena Restrepo, elena@centrocommunity.org, (650) 416-4578

Español

Taller Básico para Emprendedores en Español en The Latina Center

Ven y planifica con nosotros el lanzamiento de tu pequeña empresa y el crecimiento que tanto deseas para tu negocio. ¿Nunca has recibido ningún tipo de capacitación formal? ¿No te sientes completamente cómodo hablando inglés? ¡No hay problema! Las sesiones de este taller serán impartidas en español y están adaptadas a las necesidades de emprendedores autodidactas o que nunca han asistido a una escuela de negocios.

El taller será impartido usando la aplicación móvil "Centro Business Planning App" que te guiará paso a paso en el proceso de crear un plan de crecimiento para tu negocio. A través de actividades simples y divertidas, combinadas con dinámicas grupales, te ayudaremos a analizar las fortalezas, los retos y las opciones para crecer tu negocio.

El programa cubre: Estrategia básica, finanzas personales, análisis de mercado, propuesta de valor, operaciones, estrategia de marketing y finanzas del negocio.

• Fechas: 8 miércoles consecutivos, del 13 de julio hasta el 31 de agosto.
• Hora: 6 - 9 pm
• Lugar: The Latina Center (3701 Barrett Ave., Richmond, CA 94805).
• Costo: $25 por persona
• Idioma de instrucción: Español

Escríbenos para inscribirte o hacer preguntas:

• Maria Gamboa, mgamboa@thelatinacenter.org, (510) 233-8595
• Elena Restrepo, elena@centrocommunity.org, (650) 416-4578

Basic Entrepreneurship Training in Spanish at The Latina Center

Join us and let us help you plan for the growth you have been wishing for your business. Never received any formal training? Not entirely comfortable speaking English? No problem! The sessions will be conducted in Spanish and are purposefully tailored to meet the needs of entrepreneurs who are self-taught or haven't attended a formal business school before. 

The workshop will be led using Centro's Business Planning App - a one-of-a-kind tool that guides you through the process of creating a business plan step by step, and right on your mobile phone. We'll combine simple and fun activities on the app with some interactive group sessions to help you analyze the strengths, the challenges and the opportunities ahead for your business.

The program covers: Basic strategy, personal finance, market analysis, value proposition, operations, marketing strategy and business finance.

• Dates: 9 consecutive Thursdays, beginning May 3rd (May 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31; June 7, 14, 21 and 28).
• Time: 6 - 9 pm
• Place: The Latina Center (3701 Barrett Ave., Richmond, CA 94805)
• Cost: $25 per person

To register or ask any questions:

• Maria Gamboa, mgamboa@thelatinacenter.org, (510) 685-1664
• Elena Restrepo, elena@centrocommunity.org, (650) 416-4578

July 2016 intake available

This training program will be repeated in July - August 2016. Please view the details here.

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Español

Taller Básico para Emprendedores en Español en The Latina Center

Ven y planifica con nosotros el crecimiento que tanto deseas para tu negocio. ¿Nunca has recibido ningún tipo de capacitación formal? ¿No te sientes completamente cómodo hablando inglés? ¡No hay problema! Las sesiones de este taller serán impartidas en español y están adaptadas a las necesidades de emprendedores autodidactas o que nunca han asistido a una escuela de negocios.

El taller será impartido usando la aplicación móvil "Centro Business Planning App" que te guiará paso a paso en el proceso de crear un plan de crecimiento para tu negocio. A través de actividades simples y divertidas, combinadas con dinámicas grupales, te ayudaremos a analizar las fortalezas, los retos y las opciones para crecer tu negocio.

El programa cubre: Estrategia básica, finanzas personales, análisis de mercado, propuesta de valor, operaciones, estrategia de marketing y finanzas del negocio.

• Fechas: 9 jueves consecutivos, empezando el 3 de mayo (mayo 3, 10, 17, 24 y 31; junio 7, 14, 21 y 28).
• Hora: 6 - 9 pm
• Lugar: The Latina Center (3701 Barrett Ave., Richmond, CA 94805)
• Costo: $25 por persona

Escríbenos para inscribirte o hacer preguntas:

• Maria Gamboa, mgamboa@thelatinacenter.org, (510) 685-1664
• Elena Restrepo, elena@centrocommunity.org, (650) 416-4578

Disponible también en julio 2016

Este programa será repetido en julio - agosto 2016. Por favor, consulte los detalles aquí.

Teaching Entrepreneurship in Colombia Using Centro’s Business Planning App

For the past two years, Centro has been partnering with numerous organizations throughout Colombia, such as Impact Hub Medellín, the Universidad Javeriana de Cali and the Ministry of Development of Envigado, with the goal to reach small business entrepreneurs where they are, and provide them with more guidance to launch or grow their ventures.  As a result, hundreds of entrepreneurs from Bogotá, Cali, Tuluá, La Ceja, Medellín, and other cities around the country have taken part in quality business planning and leadership development programs led by local Centro-trained facilitators.

This month, through a partnership with the Municipality of La Ceja, Antioquia, a group of eight women graduated from our entrepreneurship program at Casa de la Mujer. For eight weeks, they worked on their business plans using Centro’s Business Planning App guided by Estefania Cardona y Johanna Trejos, two local facilitators who built on the content we provided with additional marketing, finance and motivational workshops.

By the end of the program, the women were so pleased that they took it upon themselves to start recruiting other women for the next intake of the entrepreneurship program, and plan a surprise celebratory meal for their facilitators.

We share this with joy and a warm heart because this is an example of how a small group, once empowered, can take concrete steps to bring about social and economic changes and build community around them.     

Want to Learn More About Centro's Work in LATAM?

We'd love to chat and find more ways to partner with organizations in the region. Please contact Elena Restrepo at elena@centrocommunity.org.

New Projects in Peru and Colombia Supporting Small Business Owners

Arturo A. Noriega, Centro's Founder & Executive Director with some of our new partners in Colombia.

The most beautiful and imposing mountains welcomed us the minute we stepped off the plane in Peru. The scenery escorted us throughout our trip, as did the energy and enthusiasm of the small business entrepreneurs we trained through Asociación Solidaridad Países Emergentes (ASPEm) and Asociación Laboral para el Desarrollo (ADEC). By using Centro's Business Planning app and Basic Entrepreneurship Program curriculum to support the small business entrepreneurs in their communities, both of these organizations joined our Global Network of Affiliates.

Together with ASPEm, in a span of a little over 3 weeks, we trained 50 women entrepreneurs - many of whom have had very limited access to technology in their lives.

“My hometown is so remote that I did not grow up using much technology. I was afraid of using the app, but I wanted to try because I know how important it is in the business world. ”

— Celestina, dressmaking business owner

 

Celestina was brave enough to ask for help, she faced her fears, stuck with the class, and graduated with a robust business plan. She exclaimed, “I feel proud that I figured out the technology, and I’m excited to see how this will help me in the future.” So are we!

Then we tucked away some alpaca sweaters in our suitcase (just in case it ever gets below 60° in the Bay Area) and we headed to Colombia. With barely enough time to even finish our arepa and café, we jumped into teaching classes at Impact Hub Medellin where we taught 8 workshops to Colombian social entrepreneurs developing businesses to generate greater good in their communities.

“Centro’s app will help me help more artists with disabilities. ”

— Nel, developing a work-space for artists with disabilities

We bring home their inspired lives, and a renewed commitment to continue working with these new partners and allies in Latin America.

Stay tuned for our last stop in Brazil, as we seek more organizations through which we can support many more underserved entrepreneurs in the region.