reSourceBETA

January-March 2016 Issue No. 1

Q&A with Antoinette Sanchez, Renaissance graduate and owner of

Endless Summer Sweets

The Endless Summer of an Entrepreneur

Renaissance Talks About

Oakland

Assess Your Business

Tech Savvy

For Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Renaissance celebrated 31 years of creating true economic opportunity at our an-nual event in October.

10 Development: 31st Annual Event

Only 20% of small businesses use technology effectively. Take our self-assessment question-naire and learn what you need to know about business technology.

9 Featured Program:Assess Your BusinessTech Savvy

Prelaunch, startup and emerging entrepreneurs find assistance at Renaissance centers across the Bay Area.

4 Renaissance Women and Men

Renaissance graduate Antoinette Sanchez, owner of Endless Summer Sweets, tells her story and offers advice for aspiring entrepre-neurs.

2 Q&A: The Endless Summer of an Entrepreneur

2016 marks the new year and a time to make resolutions. Learn why Renaissance entrepre-neurs make resolutions a year-round habit.

1 CEO Note: It’s Business Time

PHOTO BY GE NE S SA KE ALOHA

Contents

Renaissance offers classes, workshops and events to grow your business, develop skills and network.

8Classes, Workshops and Events

Why Renaissance is looking into Oakland for the next big thing.

12 Inside Spotlight

After 31 years in business, Renaissance still thinks like a startup. We know the most successful businesses adapt to the ever-changing landscapes of business cli-mate and client needs. Our publication is in BETA mode and we want your feedback! What do you want to hear about from us? Email resource@rencenter.org

reSourceBETA: Thinking Like a Startup

reSource for Bay Area Entrepreneurs 1

www.rencenter.org

Sharon Mi l lerCEO

T he New Year marks new beginnings and the opportunity for positive change. As each year comes to a close, we start thinking about how we can improve in the year ahead. Some of us

commit to joining gyms, eating better, kicking bad habits, calling our mothers more or learning new skills. And then there are Renaissance people, women and men deter-mined to put their dreams into action, ready to take their new or decade-old ideas and grow their own businesses. At Renaissance we welcome these dreamers and celebrate new beginnings year round.

Entrepreneurs, eager to carve their own paths in life and ready to earn living while doing what they love, come to Renaissance to gain the knowledge, tools and confidence they need to turn their dreams into reality. While we don’t have a magic wand that transforms an idea into a success-ful business, we prepare people for the road ahead and save them time, effort and money which they can invest in their businesses.

Renaissance creates opportunity for high-potential, hard-working entrepreneurial women and men who lack access to the training and support necessary for business success. After thirty years of developing small businesses, we’ve learned that the power of entrepreneurship extends be-yond individual success – families, communities and local economies also benefit and flourish in a meaningful way.

Small businesses are so much more than welcome ad-ditions to our neighborhoods - they are agents of social and economic growth. Small businesses source products locally and contribute to economic vitality as they create quality jobs for Bay Area residents. According to a 2015 Aspen Institute study, small business employees enjoy meaningful work, flexible schedules and opportunities for professional growth in a nurturing environment. When one person’s dream becomes a reality, it has the potential of transforming the lives of so many others.

I invite you to explore the content of our new quarterly magazine which aims to connect you with your inner entre-preneur, inform you of Renaissance’s resources and show the power and impact of small businesses in our lives and communities.

Make it your resolution this year to get in the habit of building habits. Scott Young, an expert on habit change and meaningful productivity, recommends trying to change one key habit a month. “If you can make the behaviors that help you excel automatic, executing at the top of your game becomes significantly easier.”

It’s Business Time

CEO Note

Tip for Entrepreneurship:

PHOTO BY KIMBE RLY C HA SE , L IT TLE SPARKS ME DIA**

**Denotes Renaissance graduate

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"The most important part about being an entrepreneur is being my own boss. There’s a sense of fulfillment of knowing ‘I did this,’ especially after a difficult job. "

What are five things entrepreneurs should be ready for when starting a business?

1. The need for a lot of support. Garner as much positive, nurturing support from family and friends as you can.2. Hard work. Get ready for nonexistent weekends.3. Wearing many hats.4. Work/life balance. You’ll have to decide when to take a break. I have a husband and two daughters, and I of-ten struggle between taking business opportunities and spending time with my family.5. Continuous learning.

Do you have any advice for aspiring entrepreneurs?

• Define your niche—what’s unique about you or how you do something differently from others in the same industry. • Understand that the business shouldn’t be running you. It’s especially difficult when you’re growing the business. I’m still learning. We once returned from our long-coveted Hawaii trip a day early because I got a catering job at a big corporation. I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to get on a vendor list with them.

Antoinette Sanchez, a Renaissance Business Planning

class graduate, is the owner of Endless Summer Sweets,

a scrumptious kettle corn and funnel cake company.

Antoinette continues to use Renaissance’s business

consulting and support resources. In 2015, she received

Renaissance’s Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year

Award in recognition of her business success. We asked

Antoinette a few questions about her journey and advice

she has for aspiring entrepreneurs.

What inspired you to launch a business? How did you start?

I was at Six Flags with my family when I noticed long lines at the funnel cake stand. People who had paid to get into the park were willing to spend more time and money just to get a funnel cake. I saw a business opportunity.

Since I didn’t have a special family recipe, I had to develop my own. I practiced in my home kitchen. My family and friends became my first critics, and I used their feedback to tweak the recipe until I got it just right. I knew I had nailed it when our funnel cake was a smash hit at the SF Street Food Festival in August 2009. That’s also when I figured out the right toppings and proportions. We’ve kept the same recipe since then.

What’s the latest with your business?

We are opening our very first store in 2016 on Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley! Even though there was a lot of un-expected work dealing with permits, we learned so much throughout the process. A storefront will provide more credibility and brand recognition. We’ll continue to grow our corporate catering.

Antoinette Sanchez:

By Maria Kelly

The Endless Summer of an Entrepreneur

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Nothing. I learned so much from my mistakes or challenges that I don’t think I’d have known better without the expe-rience. Everything you do is a learning experience that helps you grow.

Where do you see your business in five years?

Endless Summer Sweets will be a well-known brand with lots of big corporate clients. We will have two or three lo-cations. I want to outgrow ‘small’ business, while keeping the values of a small family-owned business.

What was your experience with Renaissance?

Renaissance gave me a great foundation and a starting point. Renaissance was also a great connector, which is so important when starting or growing your business. I was so inspired by other entrepreneurs in my Renaissance classes and the wealth of information.

endlesssummersweets.com2370 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley

• Be open to any feedback or criticism. Take it all in, digest it, and see if it makes sense to you. If different customers tell you the same thing over and over again, you have to listen, even if it’s not something you agree with. Take criticism as a way to learn.

What’s the most rewarding part of being an entrepreneur?

I’m my own boss. There’s a sense of fulfillment of knowing ‘I did this,’ especially after a difficult job. For example, when we served thousands of people at Outside Lands we built a restaurant in a day and then took it down.

What advice do you have for women who are starting businesses?

Have a lot of support and knowledge. Knowledge is power. Don’t be scared to take your place in the room.

What do you know now that you wish you had known when you started?

PHOTO BY GE NE S SA KE ALOHA PHOTO S BY SAR AH PE E T PHOTOGR APH Y

reSource for Bay Area Entrepreneurs4

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Kelly McVicker, owner of McVicker Pickles, be-gan pickling as a hobby and as a way to give gifts to friends and family. But over time her business began to grow organically. In less

than three years since she started making pickles commer-cially, her pickles are being distributed through Good Eggs, an online groceries service, and sold at several markets and cafes in San Francisco and the East Bay.

Kelly was facing many challenges as a startup: from having to wear many hats (boss and sole employee), to investing in the development of her skills, to understanding her fi-nancials and finding a larger space for production. She is grateful that she found Renaissance. Through us, she was able to grow, gain confidence as a business owner and get a realistic grasp of her finances.

When asked to give advice to new entrepreneurs, Kelly excitedly responded: “Take Renaissance’s Business Plan-ning class! You can research and look at a million ways that you can fail. But just jump in! Then take a step back and get that guidance to create your business plan.”

By Kareen Boncales

When Getting Your Business in a Pickle Is a Good Thing

mcvickerpickles.com

Highlights: Renaissance Women

and Men

PHOTO C OURTESY o f KE LLY MCVIC KE R

Our Business Planning class helps students create

a practical, effective business plan for their own

businesses.

Renaissance SoMa:Business Planning Class

Business Planning Class

Create a practical, effective business plan for your business. In the class you'll address every aspect of starting and growing a business, including market-ing, management, finance, tax and customer devel-opment. You will receive individual consultations, coaching on how to get funded, financial templates, and a business plan review.

COST: $500 - $1000. Scholarships available.

SoMaTu. & Th. 4/5-6/23

275 5th St., San Francisco6-9 p.m | Paul Terry

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Since 2013 the Marin SBDC at Renaissance Marin as-sisted 590 clients, created over 260 jobs, helped increase business sales by $9.7M and helped clients receive over $12.2M in capital investments. The Marin SBDC will pro-vide no-cost one-on-one business advising to Marin resi-dents at a new location in 2016!

Pelo Fitness is an indoor cycling studio with the best profes-

sional instruction, great music and top-of-the-line bikes. Pelo offers a workout calibrated to meet people exactly where they are, so anyone at any skill level can have fun and not fall behind.

Pelo was started by Alan Roberts, who was physically and mentally changed by adding cycling into this life and wanted to provide this opportunity for others. His vision was to make cycling classes and fitness easy, available and fun for people of all fitness levels. He developed software that lets customers register and choose their bike online (just like an airline seat). Customers can show up, climb on, ride and track their own personal progress (not compared to others in the class).

Since starting his work with Marin SBDC Advisor Paul Bozzo, Pelo Fitness has turned empty space into retail space, hired 14 people, increased sales by 12% each year, acquired over $600,000 in investments, and is now opening up a new location in San Francisco.

“One of the best things about working with Paul and the SBDC is that it helped me grow at a pace I could handle,” said Alan. “Paul helped me get my financial house in order, turn empty space into a retail sales opportunity, set up a solid strategic plan for future expansion, and secure the capital necessary to pull it off.”

Renaissance Marin:Marin Small Business Development Center (SBDC)

By Miriam Karell

Pelo Fitness

Every time Erica Darlow logged in to view her bank account, her heart beat faster, her palms sweated, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. She never knew what terrifying num-

bers, overdraft fees or late payments were lurking around the login corner.

Erica felt that it was too overwhelming to even begin to try to understand her finances until she enrolled in Secure Futures. “The class really gave me the opportunity to learn about resources that I didn’t know were available before,” said Erica.

With the tools she learned from the class, she created a system for paying bills, improved her credit store, and no longer feels anxiety when dealing with her money. In the three months after taking the class, Erica paid off two debts worth $2,300 and made the first $50 deposit to her Start2Save savings account that matches the deposits of low and moderate-income people. After saving $500 over the course of 12 to 24 months, our partner Opportunity Fund matches savings and gives a bonus of $500 to those who participate our partner financial coaching sessions.

Erica has taken advantage of the tools offered and has now created a budget, and plans to increase her savings next year. Erica advises others in her situation: “Don’t give up, it’s never too late to fix something.”

Renaissance Mid-Pen:Secure FuturesHaving a grip on personal finances is an indicator for suc-cess in life and in business, yet people seldom learn fi-nancial skills. Our Secure Futures program at Renaissance Mid-Peninsula provides this essential knowledge.

Erica Darlow’s Secure Future

pelofitness.com www.rencenter.org/services/mid-peninsula/244

By Crystal Rasmussen

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Classes & WorkshopsJanuary - March 2016

Business PrepLearn about business basics and determine the vi-ability of your business ideas. The course covers fun-damentals of marketing, operations, and finances of

basic business plans. Cost: $175 (scholarships available)

RichmondTuesdays 2/4-4/14

3925 Macdonald Avenue, Richmond6:30-9:30 p.m | Robbie Kunkel

Start SmartDefine your goals and start planning your business. You will use a Business Plan Canvas to put your ideas on paper and develop them to meet the needs of your market.

Cost: $120.00 (scholarships available)

Mid-Pen Thursdays 1/14-2/4

Burlingame Main Library480 Primrose Rd, Burlingame10-1 p.m | Ron Visconti

Mid-PenSaturdays 2/6-2/26

Westlake Library275 Southgate Ave., Daly City1-4 p.m | Ron Visconti

Mid-PenMondays2/29-3/31

1848 Bay Road, East Palo Alto6:30-9:30 p.m | Brian Sparkes

Mid-PenThursdays3/2-3/23

Doelger Senior Center101 Lake Merced Blvd, Daly City6:30-9:30 p.m | Liz Arguello

RichmondTuesdays1/19-2/9

6:00-9:30 p.m | Robbie KunkelRichmond Chamber of Commerce3925 Macdonald Avenue, Richmond

RichmondTuesdays2/16-3/8

3925 Macdonald Avenue, Richmond6:00-9:30 p.m | Robbie Kunkel

SoMaMondays2/22-3/14

275 5th St., San Francisco6:00-9:00 p.m | TBD

1325B Evans Ave., San Francisco 5-7:30 p.m. | Rose Toney

1325B Evans Ave., San Francisco 5-7:30 p.m. | Rose Toney

Westlake Library275 Southgate Ave., Daly City1-3 p.m. | Ron Visconti

6:30-9:30 p.m | Bret Sweet1500 Macdonald Avenue, Richmond

275 5th St., San Francisco11-12:30 p.m | Kareen Boncales

1848 Bay Road, East Palo Alto 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Brian Sparkes6:30-8:30 p.m. | Brian Sparkes6:30-8:30 p.m. | Brian Sparkes6:30-8:30 p.m. | Brian Sparkes

1500 Macdonald Avenue, Richmond6:30-9:30 p.m | Bret Sweet

275 5th St., San Francisco11-12:30 p.m | Petra O

275 5th St., San Francisco6-7:30 p.m | Petra O

275 5th St., San Francisco11-12:30 p.m | Kareen Boncales

275 5th St., San Francisco6-7:30 p.m | Petra O

1848 Bay Road, East Palo Alto 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Liz Arguello6:30-8:30 p.m. | Liz Arguello6:30-8:30 p.m. | Liz Arguello6:30-8:30 p.m. | Liz Arguello

Renaissance OrientationAre you ready to start or grow your own business? Are you thinking about it? Determine your business readiness and get the tips and resources, including an overview of Renaissance’s classes and services that can help you succeed. Cost: Free

Bayview Sat. 1/9

Bayview Tues. 1/15

Mid-PenWed. 2/3 Wed. 2/10Wed. 2/17Wed. 2/24

Mid-PenSat. 1/9

RichmondWed. 3/2

SoMaMon. 2/8

Richmond Wed. 2/3

SoMaWed. 1/6

SoMaTue. 2/23

SoMaWed. 3/9

SoMa Mon. 3/23

Mid-PenThurs. 2/4 Thurs. 2/11Thurs. 2/18 Thurs. 2/25

Start Smart for WomenDefine your goals and start planning your business in a women focused environment. You will use a Busi-ness Plan Canvas to put your ideas on paper and de-velop them to meet the needs of your market.

Cost: $120.00 (scholarships available)

1325B Evans Avenue6-8 p.m | Instructor TBD

BayviewTu. & Th. 2/16-3/8

Renaissance has helped over 10,000 Bay Area Businesses.

Are you next?register for classes at:

tinyurl.com/renaissancecenter

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Business Planning ClassCreate a practical, effective business plan for your business. In the class you'll address every aspect of starting and growing a business, including market-ing, management, finance, tax and customer devel-opment. You will receive individual consultations, coaching on how to get funded, financial templates, and a business plan review.

Cost: $500 - $1000. Scholarships available.

SoMaTu. & Th. 1/19-4/7

275 5th St., San Francisco9:30-12:30 p.m | Paul Terry

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Developing The Art EconomyIn partnership with Run On Productions this work-shop series teaches you the skills required to devel-op a successful cultural product, provides an intro to entrepreneurship and encourages the development of an arts economy. Cost: materials fee TBD

RichmondThursdays1/21-3/11

1500 Macdonald Ave., Richmond9:30-11:30 a.m. | Michele Wells

Legal Workshop:

Legal Entity Choices for Our New EconomySole proprietorships, general partnerships, LLC’s, many different types of corporations, newer alterna-tives like co-ops and triple bottom line entities for socially responsible businesses: how do you make a good legal entity choice for your business? Did you know that the legal protection of corporations and LLC’s is NOT automatic? If they don’t pass certain tests, you may end up with nothing but a cool busi-ness name and a false sense of security. Cost: free

275 5th St., San Francisco6-8 p.m | SF Community Busines Law Center

SoMaWed 1/20

Secure Futures is a FREE financial education and coaching program designed to help participants learn how to better manage their hard-earned mon-ey. Secure Futures includes one-on-one financial coaching sessions allowing participants to work on their specific financial needs and goals with the guid-ance and support of a professional financial coach.

Cost: free

Taft Community school903 Tenth avenue, Redwood City6:30-9:30 p.m | Robbie Kunkel

Mid-PenThursdays1/14-2/11

Secure Futures

You do not have to love sales to sell effectively. But if you are going to maintain and grow your client/customer base, you need to be good at sales. This workshop will show you how. In two sessions, you will learn: how to get started; presentation basics; clos-ing the deal; and putting it all together in a repeat-able system.

Cost: $40

275 5th St., San Francisco10:30-12:30 p.m | Leslie Ellis

SoMaWed. 2/10

Savvy Selling: Selling Smater Not Harder

(Chinese Translation available)

Learn to use social media (Twitter, Facebook and Pin-terest) to market your business. You’ll leave with the confidence and know-how to expand your customer base and establish a business presence online!

Cost: free

RichmondTues. 3/15

3925 Macdonald Avenue, Richmond6:30-9:30 p.m | Robbie Kunkel

Social Media

Disputes among the co-owners of closely-held small businesses over business decisions, money, or time commitments can seriously harm the value of the business you have worked so hard to build. Even without disputes, how do you prevent one owner's death, disability, family leave, divorce, personal fi-nancial woes, or decision to leave the business from shutting you down? Cost: free

275 5th St., San Francisco6-8 p.m | SF Community Busines Law Center

SoMaWed. 2/17

Legal Workshop: Contracts Among Small Biz Co-Owners

E-commerce brings many different legal risks and opportunities together in a unique way. This work-shop will explore the intersection of trademark, copyright, sales and commercial, consumer product liability, and consumer privacy rights law as you con-sider how to develop product disclosures, terms of use, and privacy notices on your website. Cost: free

275 5th St., San Francisco6-8 p.m | SF Community Business Law Center

SoMaWed. 3/16

Legal Workshop: E-Commerce Legal Protection

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Start Smart for WomenDefine your dream and write a mission statement to start planning your business. You will use a Business Plan Canvas to put your ideas on paper and develop them to meet the needs of your market.

Cost: $120.00 (scholarships available)

1325B Evans Avenue6-8 p.m | Instructor TBD

BayviewTu. & Th. 2/16-3/8

Renaissance Women's NetworkJoin us for an evening of mingling, storytelling and connecting with inspiring women business owners!

Each event features a special guest speaker. Cost: $15 per event / $60 for series

Capital One Cafe 101 Post St. San Francisco6:30-8:30 p.m6:30-8:30 p.m6:30-8:30 p.m

SoMa

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Clases & TalleresEnero - Marzo 2016

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275 5th St., San Francisco9:30-11 a.m | Susana Gama

Orientación de RenaissanceEste taller es para propietarios nuevos o potenciales de pequeñas empresas que desean aprender y utili-zar los siete factores críticos del éxito que son clave para el éxito de una pequeña empresa. Costo: gratis

SoMaTues. 2/16

1848 Bay Road, East Palo Alto 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Carlina Shenfield6:30-8:30 p.m. | Carlina Shenfield6:30-8:30 p.m. | Carlina Shenfield6:30-8:30 p.m. | Carlina Shenfield

Mid-PenMon. 2/1 Mon. 2/8Mon. 2/15Mon. 2/22

Doelger Senior Center 101 Lake Merced Blvd, Daly City6:30-8:30 p.m. | Carlina Shenfield6:30-8:30 p.m. | Carlina Shenfield6:30-8:30 p.m. | Carlina Shenfield6:30-8:30 p.m. | Carlina Shenfield

Mid-Pen

Tues. 2/2 Tues. 2/9Tues. 2/16Tues. 2/23

Sequoia Adult School 3247 Middlefied Road, Menlo Park6:30-8:30 p.m. | Carlina Shenfield6:30-8:30 p.m. | Carlina Shenfield6:30-8:30 p.m. | Carlina Shenfield6:30-8:30 p.m. | Carlina Shenfield

Mid-Pen

Thurs. 2/4 Thurs. 2/11Thurs. 2/18 Thurs. 2/25

275 5th St., San Francisco9:30-11 a.m | Susana Gama

SoMaTues. 3/1

275 5th St., San Francisco9:30-11 a.m | Susana Gama

SoMaTues. 3/22

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OS Comience y Crezca con Confianza

En esta clase usted definirá su sueño, escribirá una declaración de misión y empezará a planificar su ne-gocio. Utilizará un Plan visual para plasmar y desar-rollar sus ideas de manera que satisfagan las necesi-dades de su mercado.

Costo: $120 (Becas disponibles)

Mid-Pen Lunes2/29-3/21

1848 Bay Road, East Palo Alto6:30-9:30 p.m | Carlina Shenfield

Mid-PenMartes3/1-3/22

Doelger Senior Center101 Lake Merced Blvd, Daly City1-4 p.m. | Ron Visconti

Mid-PenMondays2/29-3/31

Sequoia Adult School 3247 Middlefied Road, Menlo Park6:3 - 9:30 p.m.

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S Pasos Simples Para Mujeres Pasos Simples le ayudará a comenzar, fortalecer o expandir su negocio. Al final del programa usted tendrá un plan de negocio sólido, la formación nece-saria para tener éxito y el empoderamiento personal para hacerlo usted misma!

Costo: $350 (Becas disponibles)

1325B Evans Avenue6-8 p.m | Instructor TBD

BayviewTu. & Th. 2/16-3/8

Renaissance WomenHelping Great Women

Become Great Entrepreneurs!

Renaissance Women provides critical training and support to aspiring and es-tablished Bay Area women entrepre-neurs. We educate and empower women

so that both you and your business will be a success.

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The Technology Acceleration Program (TAP) is a new Re-naissance initiative that assists aspiring and established small business owners through the process of choosing, learning, implementing, and optimizing the use of tech-nology.

The program helps entrepreneurs employ systems that automate and integrate processes and to boost efficiency, productivity and profitability. You can take advantage of TAP’s workshops, consulting services and events, address-ing your business’s current struggles in these key areas:

TAP class schedules and events will be sent via email and posted on rencenter.org. Be sure to check regularly.

TAP is funded in part through a co-operative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

TAP: Technology Acceleration Program

Featured Programs

Bookkeeping General AccountingCloud Storage Workplace SoftwareCommunication SystemsCustomer Relationship ManagementFinancial Management

For free business technology consultation email Fermin Alvarez:

falvarez@rencenter.org

Inventory Management ShippingPayment Processing POS SystemsPayroll and HR SystemsSocial Media Digital MarketingWebsiteBuilding

How do you choose which technology apps

are best for you?

Renaissance's FRC provides financial educa-tion, technical assistance, and access to capital services to help small business owners become better managers of their business finances and understand growth opportunities. Services in-clude loan packaging, technical assistance, credit counseling, and training on traditional and alternative lending sources. To receive ser-vices contact Gwendolyn Wright, Managing Consultant at 415-348-6222 or gwen@thewrightconsultants.com

Click the button above or visit URL to download the

Business Technology Self-Assessment Tool. Discover the

areas where you may need more assistance.

bit.do/biz-tech-assess

Mid-Peninsula Small Business Incubator

$Financing Resource Center

Renaissance Mid-Peninsula is the first and only Small Business Incubator in East Palo Alto. We offer low-cost office space and ongoing busi-ness support to emerging and established small businesses. If you are interested in joining call Crystal Rasmussen at 650-321-2193 ext. 1103 or crasmussen@rencenter.org

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On October 7th, Renaissance celebrated 31 years of creating true economic opportunity at our annual event, Small Business, BIG IMPACT.

Over 450 guests enjoyed delicious food, shopped very locally, and networked at the event hosted at the City View at Metreon in San Francisco. Renais-sance graduate businesses from around the Bay Area showcased their products and services in our Pop Up Cafe and Marketplace.

Renaissance was proud to recognize the outstand-ing achievements of our Entrepreneurs of the Year, including Established Entrepreneur of the Year Wendy Lieu, Owner of Socola Chocolatier. A refugee from Vietnam, she turned her passion for chocolates into a thriving business in South of Market. Antoinette Sanchez was recognized as the Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year as she ex-pands Endless Summer Sweets to a new storefront in downtown Berkeley. Brigette LeBlanc, a native of Bayview Hunters Point and owner of LeBlanc & Associates, LLC, a boutique event planning busi-ness, was honored with the Angela Cain Memorial Award for her business success and contributions to the Bayview community.

The evening would not have been possible without the generosity of Cooley LLP, Firedoll Foundation, JP Morgan Chase, Peninsula Party Rentals, Silicon Valley Bank, Sterling Bank & Trust, US Bank, and many other partners. Funds raised from the event support Renaissance’s critical entrepreneurship training and support services for lower-income emerging and established entrepreneurs.

It's never too late to support Renaissance. Please make your generous fully tax-deductible gift today. www.rencenter.org

BY LILY TRIENENSPHOTOGRAPHY BY KIMBERLY CHASE, LITTLE SPARKS MEDIA**

Celebrating 31 Years of Empowering Small Businesses to Deliver Big Impact

Small Business, BIG IMPACT

Pictured from Top to Bottom: Wendy Lieu, Owner of Socola Chocolatier; Antoinette Sanchez, Owner of Endless Summer Sweets; and Brigette Renee LeBlanc, Owner of LeBlanc And Associates, LLC.

**Denotes Renaissance graduate

“Renaissance taught me crucial lessons about all of the moving parts of running a business. I wouldn’t be where I am today without that education. That’s why I’m proud to give back to Renaissance and help future entrepreneurs turn their small seed of an idea into a thriving business. Will you join me in supporting Renaissance today?”

Creating True Economic Opportunity

Please join me in making your tax-deductible gift to Renaissance today

Donate at www.rencenter.org or call Development Associate Yusuke Wada at 415-348-6209

Gail Lillian, Owner of Liba Falafel

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Inside Spotlight

With the burgeoning growth of small busi-nesses in Oakland, Renaissance has been invited to discuss potential part-nerships with the Mayor’s Office and the

Oakland Housing Authority to support the major influx of new entrepreneurs. Since the closure of Women’s Initiative and CEO Women, and considering the national statistic that over 60% of businesses fail within three years, Oakland’s need for greater entrepreneurship services makes sense.

In the 1990s, the business landscape in Oakland was dra-matically different than it is today. Before coming to Re-naissance in 2012, I founded an entrepreneurship training program in 1998 called Urban FIRE. Rather than focusing on scalable businesses, Urban FIRE targeted the popula-tions with the greatest financial needs in West Oakland. At the time, the community had a 63% unemployment rate, according to the Oakland Police Department. Even the downtown areas in the late ’90s had boarded up windows and deserted streets. My, how things have changed!

Now, Oakland is home to a robust economy fueled by businesses moving from the expenses of San Francisco and the Peninsula. New tenants such as Uber and Sunset Magazine are adding to the growing econo–my. The po-tential for new businesses to gain traction in such a fertile economy makes Oakland one of the nation’s hotspots for entrepreneurs. And support for sustainable growth must be incorporated in order to maintain a healthy economy ecosystem.

Renaissance has the capability to train, advise and con-nect new entrepreneurs to this ecosystem.

Renaissance Talks About Oakland

PHOTO BY MARIN SBDC

By Boku Kodama

Erin Schnair is a content writer and editor special-izing in nonprofit com-munications and EdTech content. Connect with Erin:

Special Thanks to Erin Schnair, Volunteer Editor!

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Urban FIRE 1 & 2Returning to Oakland in 2016! Urban FIRE is a vi-sual, interactive entrepreneurship training program teeming with creative iteration and practical busi-ness fundamentals. It is conducted over two se-mesters of 12 weeks each, meeting once a week for three hours. This program is nationally awarded for its ability to help non-business individuals living in our urban economy.

Cost $100-$200 (scholarships available)

For more information or to enroll contact Lucero DeLeon at 510-221-2003 or ldeleon@rencenter.org

OaklandSat.2/13-7/2

Oakland Housing Authority935 Union St., Oakland9:00-12:00 p.m | Boku Kodama

Audit Chair Philip FrerichRegion Finance ManagerVice President

Robert L. ChanFormer Director of Market-ing and National SalesSyncor International

Alison DavisManaging PartnerFifth Era

Jonathan R. DreyfusDirector, Product Management, Google

Feleciai Favroth**President & CEO Skincare by Feleciai

Lynn FernandezSenior Vice PresidentRetail Bank AdministrationComerica Bank

Neal Gottlieb**Founding TwinThree Twins Ice Cream

Ashley Grech Area Manager - San Fran-cisco & North PeninsulaJP Morgan Chase Busi-ness Banking

Board Chair*Sandor StrausManaging MemberTigmera, LLC

Treasurer, Vice Chair*Gerry Barañano PrincipalRevLaunch Company

Bryan Ignozzi*Vice ChairPartnerPriceWaterhouseCoopers

Secretary*Craig JacobyPartnerCooley LLP

The mission of Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center is to em-power and increase the entrepreneurial capacities of socially and economically diverse women and men, and thereby strengthen our communities through the creation of sustainable new busi-nesses, new jobs, and the promotion of financial self-sufficiency.

Our Mission

Our BoardRoland PanTechnology Executive

Laura ThompsonPrincipalThompson Concepts Group

Feliciano Zavala** Founder & OwnerPeninsula Party Rentals

*Denotes Executive Committee member

**Denotes Renaissance graduate

PHOTO BY TRI SH TU NNE Y PHOTOGR APH Y**

Renaissance Bayview

India Basin Plaza1325-B Evans Avenue

San Francisco, CA 94124(415) 647-3728

Renaissance Mid-Peninsula

1848 Bay RoadEast Palo Alto, CA 94303

(650) 321-2193

Renaissance Richmond

1500 MacDonald AvenueRichmond, CA 94801

(510) 221-2000

Renaissance Soma

275 5th StreetSan Francisco, CA 94103

(415) 541-8580

Renaissance has helped over 10,000 Bay Area Businesses.

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