Winner of MIT Solve Challenge 2021

We are honored and very excited to share we are one of the five winners of the Reimagining Pathways to Employment Challenge, presented by MIT Solve!

Read the full announcement here.

We congratulate the other winners - Arts2Work, ChargerHelp!, Generation USA and The Last Mile - as well as the close to 200 solutions submitted! We want to express our gratitude to the partners that sponsored the competition (Morgridge Family Foundation, New Profit, CSU Global, and IBM), as well as the judges.

Challenge Question: How can workers in the United States attain the knowledge and learn the skills needed to access sustainable jobs and livelihoods in the new economy?

Our solution is centered on Democratizing Entrepreneurship by leveraging Centro’s Business Planning App, an inclusive app empowering women and minorities to pursue entrepreneurship as a pathway towards employment and a secure financial future. Read Centro’s full submission for the MIT Solve Challenge here.

We are incredibly humbled and eager to continue to evolve and scale support for women and underserved communities to pursue entrepreneurship.

Finalists for The Workers Lab Innovation Fund Fall 2020

We are excited to announce that Centro was selected as one of the 10 finalist for The Workers Lab’s Innovation Fund for Fall 2020!

Read the Announcement by The Workers Lab:

Last September, we put out a call for innovations to support workers in “coming back” stronger from COVID-19 and the myriad of injustices and broken systems that predated the pandemic.

The response to the Fall 2020 cycle of The Innovation Fund was nothing short of amazing: We heard from 558 innovators in seven countries and 46 states across the United States.

We are excited to share our 10 finalists with you below. Each of the outstanding worker leaders has a new idea or innovative approach to strengthen and support the economic comeback of historically underserved workers impacted by the pandemic and systemic injustice. 

Their ideas take on a variety of issues facing workers - access to affordable child care and small business support, to training for green jobs of the future - but the through-line is putting power back in the hands of workers.

On January 21, 2021, at 9 AM PT, all of our finalists will participate in our Finalist Showcase. During this event, they will receive live feedback from participants as they pitch their ideas for a chance to win $150,000 from The Innovation Fund for their projects. For the first time we're opening our showcase to the public. If you are interested in attending, you can RSVP for our Finalist Showcase livestream and watch it all unfold.

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.

Free Tax Preparedness Workshop for Small Businesses

Small business entrepreneurs can encounter many challenges as they plan and run their businesses simultaneously, usually spending most of their time tending to customers and "putting out fires." For months-at-a-time, accounting and tax preparedness can take the "back seat," until they sneak up as an immediate need once a year.

If you are wondering what you should have done throughout the year to make sure you are ready to file your taxes on time, please join us for this free workshop led by Mayfield Accounting. You will not only receive advice on how best to organize in preparation for either working with a tax preparer or using at-home software, but you will also learn a lot about the inner-workings of your business, and feel more confident about making decisions to improve it.

BASIC WORKSHOP DETAILS

• Title: Business Tax Basics for Startups
• Who is this workshop for: All small business entrepreneurs - Centro students, alumni and anyone running a small business who needs help.
• When: Wednesday, March 15th 2017
• Time: 5 - 7 pm
• Place: Centro Community Partners Office in Oakland, CA
• Free of charge

YOU WILL LEARN

• How to meet all the tax compliance requirements for your startup.
• Pros and cons of each type of business structure.
• How to navigate and plan for various business related filings, including entity/income returns, sales tax and payroll.
• What supporting documents you need to maintain to ensure proper preparation of your income tax returns.
• Strategies on how to organize and manage your documents, and reduce the clutter. 

QUESTIONS & REGISTRATION

Please contact Irina Kurtsevaya at irina@centrocommunity.org to ask any questions you may have or let her know you will attend.

ABOUT MAYFIELD ACCOUNTING

Mayfield Accounting is a small business accounting and consulting firm, dedicated to the development and growth of female-owned businesses. "It is our belief that within every woman lies the power to make the  world a better place, and at Mayfield we deploy the practical application of this belief by using our  knowledge and training to improve the performance of businesswomen." say founders Lindsay Hiken and Joy Pang. 

Lindsay and Joy come from a variety of educational and experiential backgrounds ranging from Big 4 public accounting, to post baccalaureate work in the fields of business administration and accounting, to hands-­on experience as entrepreneurs and small business owners. This diversity allows them to be more than just number crunchers for their clients: they are advisors, confidants, partners...and yeah, they are good at crunching the numbers too!

We're lucky to have Lindsay and Joy lead this workshop for you!

Behind the Business Conference in San Francisco, September 16-17

Cuisine Noir Magazine Presents the Behind The Business Conference 2016 for Small Food Entrepreneurs September 16 – 17 in San Francisco

Starting and running a business takes passion, hard work, patience and a great network. Join us in San Francisco for Cuisine Noir’s first Behind the Business Conference on Friday, September 16 and Saturday, September 17 -  a new space for current and aspiring small business owners.

This conference is especially designed for anyone who is in the culinary, wine/beer/spirits, restaurant/food truck and specialty gourmet foods industries. Whether you are starting or have been running your business for a while, there is always something to learn.

Schedule Overview

The conference kicks-off on Friday, September 16th at 6:30 pm with our Welcome and Networking Reception at The Museum of the African Diaspora in San Francisco where guests will mingle attendees, panelists and speakers and media.  The evening will also host a meet and greet with this year’s keynote speaker Andre Mack, founder of Mouton Noir Wines, the largest producing black-owned wine label in the country.

Andre Mack, founder of Mouton Noir Wines and keynote speaker at Behind the Business Conference. 

On Saturday, September 17th we’ll come together at the South San Francisco Conference Center from 8 am – 5 pm for a full day of workshops, and a luncheon that will include a highly anticipated discussion around the opportunities and obstacles securing funding to start, grow and expand one’s small business.

Discounted Registration Available

We have been offered a discounted rate of $70 for the two-day conference for anyone who is part of Centro Community Partners. So, Centro entrepreneurs, current and past MBA advisors, donors, supporters and friends, please contact us at info@centrocommunity.org to receive the special registration code. The code will be valid until Sunday, September 11th. 

Questions About the Conference

Please contact Sheree Williams at events@vshereepublishing.com.

We hope to see you there!

Get Your Small Business Idea on Paper and Running: Fall Workshop Series

The Mandela Marketplace is presenting a fall workshop series in Castlemont, Oakland specifically designed for new and local small business entrepreneurs. So if you, or someone you know, is ready to turn an idea into a smart business but doesn't have any business knowledge or experience, this might be the right pathway.

The Sustainable Economies Law Center and Centro Community Partners will collaborate with Mandela Marketplace to lead the legal and business coursework, making it a well-rounded offering at a very low-cost.

Basic Details

• What: 9 workshop sessions covering business entrepreneurship, marketing, finance; food development, safety and handling, and a legal cafe for individual counseling. 
• Who: For all local aspiring small business entrepreneurs (general and food entrepreneurs.
• When: From September 7th to November 2nd. One session per week. If you are a food entrepreneur, you are required to attend all 9 sessions, otherwise, you can skip weeks 5-7.
• How much: Sliding scale and 1:1 match. What does that mean? Contribute anything from $25-$100, and if you have minimum attendance, at the end of the workshop series, you will be given back $50-$200 you can use on your business.
• Where: 8711 McArthur Boulevard, Oakland CA.

More Information and How to Sign Up

Please contact Mariela Uribe at (510) 208-1223.

We look forward to seeing you there! 

Tea Time with Our Funders

Arturo Noriega, Founder and Executive Director of Centro Community Partners.

Last month, we had the pleasure to host a special Tea Luncheon for our community of funders and board members, and feature some very talented alumni entrepreneurs from our Entrepreneur Readiness Program. It was a fun time, and the opportunity to share recent impact stories of our work with some of the individuals who have helped us make them a reality. 

We want to give special thanks to Bob Friedman from the Friedman Family Foundation and the Corporation for Enterprise Development (CFED), and Justin Steele, Principal at Google.org for joining us to share their journey into our space, and their genuine excitement about what we are accomplishing together.  

We also want to express our gratitude to June Sugiyama and Haley Kirk from Vodafone Americas Foundation - who are new to Centro and came to get to know more about us, the entrepreneurs we serve and the communities where they come from.

Finally, a huge acknowledgment to our star entrepreneurs who made our first Tea Luncheon simply perfect:

• My English Tea Party
• Tart!
• El Mesón de Violeta
• Pietisserie
• NeoCocoa
• Reem's

Cheers!

Basic Finance Workshops Led in Spanish for Small Business Owners

Luis Abundis, owner of Nieves Cinco de Mayo in Fruitvale, Oakland.

Small business entrepreneurs often struggle with keeping their finance organized. In reality, it is a challenge for most people whether they own a business or not. It can also be daunting to take the first step if your preferred language to learn is Spanish, and all the help you seem to find is in English. We understand, and want to help! 

If you own a small business and you want to truly understand the financial position in which you and your business stand today, come to our Basic Finance Workshop. The sessions will be led in Spanish, aiming to serve the many small business owners in the Fruitvale District of Oakland, and other hispanic community hubs in the Bay Area.  

This workshop is possible thanks to The Unity Council with the collaboration of Centro Community Partners. 

What You Will Learn

This introductory workshop will walk you though the basics of finance, how to separate your personal and business finance, understanding your business costs, what is the breakeven point of your business and how to make simple financial projections.

Workshop Details

• When: Wednesday, May 18th from 9 am - 12 pm OR Thursday, May 19th from 6 - 8 pm; choose the date and time that works best for you.

• Where: The Unity Council (1900 Fruitvale Ave, Oakland, CA 94601)

• Language of instruction: Spanish

• Cost: $25 per person

How to Sign Up

To register, please email Elena Restrepo at elena@centrocommunity.org.

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Español

Taller Básico de Finanzas en Español para Emprendedores de Negocios Pequeños

Los emprendedores de negocios pequeños con frecuencia tienen dificultad organizando las finanzas. En realidad, es un reto que la mayoría de las personas tenemos, seamos dueños de negocio o no. También puede ser desalentador cuando uno prefiere aprender en español y toda la ayuda que encuentra está en inglés. ¡Nosotros entendemos y queremos ayudar!

Si eres dueño de un negocio pequeño y quieres dar el primer paso para realmente entender cuál es la posición financiera de tu negocio y en la que te encuentras personalmente, ven a nuestro Taller Básico de Finanzas. Las sesiones serán en español, con el propósito de servir a tantos dueños de negocios del distrito de Fruitvale de Oakland quieran participar. El taller también está abierto a emprendedores en otras comunidades hispanas del Área de la Bahía.

Este taller es posible gracias a The Unity Council con la colaboración de Centro Community Partners. 

Contenido del Taller

Este taller de introducción explicará las partes básicas de las finanzas personales y de una pequeña empresa. Te ayudará a entender los distintos tipos de costos, cómo calcular el punto de equilibrio de tu negocio y cómo hacer proyecciones financieras sencillas.

Detalles de Taller

• Cuándo: miércoles 18 de mayo de 9 am - 12 pm O jueves 19 de mayo de 6 - 8 pm; selecciona la fecha y hora que sea mas conveniente para ti. 

• Dónde: The Unity Council (1900 Fruitvale Ave, Oakland, CA 94601)

• Idioma de instrucción: español

• Costo: $25 por persona

Inscripciones

Para registrarte, por favor escribe un email a Elena Restrepo a elena@centrocommunity.org.

Celebrating National Small Business Week

Nancy Charraga, Owner of Casa Bonampak

Local small businesses come together during the month of May, all throughout the United States, and re-affirm how much they contribute to the economy, and how happy their owners are to do so!

In our area, the cities of Oakland and San Francisco have put together an array of events for everyone to enjoy. Do not miss them!

• Oakland Small Business Week: May 1 - 7, 2016
• San Francisco Small Business Week: May 21 - 28, 2016

If you are a small business entrepreneur, review the schedules closely because there are many resources and opportunities that will be brought forth during these weeks of celebration.

Free Admission to "Flavors of San Francisco"

San Francisco's Small Business Week kick-off event, Flavors, is on Monday, May 23. Centro will be there together with 70 other small business resource providers. Come to find ways to improve your business, and explore the many other new entrepreneurs emerging in the area. There will be lots to eat and drink too!

If you are part of the Centro community, please email us at info@centrocommunity.org and we will get you in for free with a promotional code.

If nothing else, please join the "shop local movement" and support the small businesses near you!

Free Bookkeeping Session for Small Business Entrepreneurs

You just finished your taxes and it took much more time than necessary, the process was cumbersome and you felt somewhat out of control. After all, there are so many other important things on your plate!

If this sounds anything like your experience and you are a small business owner, this opportunity is for you. Whether you are just starting or your business is growing, now is the time.

Free Learning Opportunity: Bookkeeping made easy

This is a practical and instructive session offered by our friends at Strength in Numbers Bookkeeping Cooperative, specifically designed for small business owners.

• When: Thursday, May 12th 2016 from 6:00 - 7:30 pm

• Where: Centro Community Partners (825 Washington Street, Suite 228. Oakland, CA 94607)

• RSVP: Please email DJ Healy at daniel@centrocommunity.org by Monday, May 10th to confirm your attendance. 

Bookkeeping for sole proprietors is often an overwhelming and therefore neglected process, resulting in tax filing being a stressful process, with large payments owed, and sometimes penalties and late filing.

If you’ve avoided all of that, congratulations!  Come and share what worked for you with your fellow entrepreneurs.  You may still want to tune up your bookkeeping, and build on your good start.

Together, we'll review:

Estimated taxes

• How much to set aside so you won’t owe when you file your taxes.

Recordkeeping

• Design your bookkeeping to ease tax filing, and have your reports tell you other information you care about.

• How to discourage an IRS auditor (bore them and they’ll go away faster).

• What type  of bookkeeping program fits you and your business?

Records-keeping

• What you need, to document expenses properly for the IRS.

• Why a shoe box is a good beginning, and how to get better.

• How long to keep your records.

Entertainment/Meals & Travel

• Definitions, what is deductible and how much is deductible, and what the IRS requires to support the expense.

Employees vs. Contractors

• Why you should care and how to know.

Retirement

•  How to begin saving for retirement.

This may seem like a lot, but the beautiful thing is that it is not! Come and get organized, prepare to grow and make your entrepreneurial venture a success from beginning to end. 

Space is Limited

Please RSVP to DJ Healy at daniel@centrocommunity.org by Monday, May 10th to make sure we have a spot for you.

Kiva Celebrates Oakland Small Businesses at a Special Party and Marketplace

Join us for an evening of camaraderie, networking and success stories from small business owners in Oakland, CA. This special party is organized by the person-to-person lending site Kiva and the City of Oakland. Their goal is to bring the community together and show everyone what's possible when we work hand in hand. 

If you are a small business owner yourself, this might be a very inspiring event as you explore the work and efforts of other small businesses in town. Come discover what Kiva can do for you too!

Event Details

Date: Wednesday, March 16th 2016

Time: 6 - 9 PM

Place: The historic Oakland Museum of California (1000 Oak St, Oakland, CA 94607. Directions and parking) 

Cost: $25 (Will go towards supporting a small business owner)

Financial Projections Workshop for Small Business Entrepreneurs

Are you a small business entrepreneur? Would you like to create a realistic financial plan for 2016? We have a workshop for you!

Centro is offering a 6-hour Financial Projections Workshop in Oakland, Ca on January 28th. This is a rare opportunity, and an ideal time of the year to figure out the most important finance questions and challenges of your business. 

The financial template we'll use, will allow you to:

• Create a month-by-month financial plan to grow their business

• Understand how much their business really needs to sell to earn a profit

• Analyze how effectively you are spending money

• Set realistic expectations for how your business will perform

• Examine the financial implications of your business decisions

• Determine how much capital you need to grow and what you need to do to pay it back

Workshop Details:

• Date: Thursday, January 28th, 2016
• Time: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
• Place: 250 Frank H Ogawa Plaza, 3rd Floor in Computer Lab A Oakland, CA 94612 (12th Street Bart Station)
• Cost: $50 per business 

How to Sign Up

Please contact our Entrepreneurship Trainer and Program Manager, DJ Healy at daniel@centrocommunity.org or (307) 431-8084.

Deadline to Sign Up

Please contact us immediately. The application deadline is Tuesday, January 26th at noon time. 

Join Centro’s 5th Birthday Party on November 4th

Centro is turning 5 years old! We want to celebrate with you and everyone who has been with us since the very beginning!

Mingle with Centro entrepreneurs from the very first class and see what amazing progress they’ve made.

Feast on savory bites made by Centro entrepreneurs while you jam to local band Salt People.

Don’t forget your lucky charms – we will also have a raffle with some incredible items that will make you cross your fingers and hold your breath.

And what’s a birthday party without desserts? Save room for delicious pies, cheesecakes and chocolates, all brought to you by Centro’s very own entrepreneurs.

Buy your ticket today! Early bird special ends October 17th 

If you can’t join us, consider sending a birthday gift online!