First Lady Maria Shriver’s “WE Invest” Program Selects Women's Initiative as its First Investment

photo credit: Nancy Rothstein, Women's Initiative graduate

On March 11, First Lady Maria Shriver kicked off a statewide program at an Oakland event with Women's Initiative graduates.   As part of her endeavor to create a powerful, unified community of women helping women, California First Lady Maria Shriver, in partnership with The Women’s Conference, launched WE Invest to promote financial security.  “WE Invest creates a network of women helping other women own their businesses and their lives - putting money in their pockets, hope in their hearts and a future in their hands,” Shriver said. After touring two successful local businesses founded by Women’s Initiative alumnae, Sheron Campbell’s World of Braids, and Alison Barakat’s Bakesale Betty, Shriver attended a meet-and-greet with Women's Initiative clients and graduates.  The reception held at Swarm Gallery, owned by graduate Svea Lin Vezzone, who kindly donated her gallery space for the reception.

First Lady Maria Shriver poses with graduate Rosalva Diaz, owner of La Verbena.

“Maria Shriver’s commitment to increasing economic opportunities through microenterprise is timely as our economy faces a downturn.  Women’s Initiative is delighted to be chosen as a partner in the WE Invest program that will propel 100 women in Oakland into self-sufficiency through entrepreneurship this year,” said Julie Castro Abrams, CEO. “Oakland is ripe for investment and it is the women starting businesses that will stabilize the economic base.” For more information on WE Invest, please visit www.californiawomen.org.

Ribbon-cutting for newly designated Women’s Business Center in Contra Costa County

Mayor Bill Shinn, Board Member Rita Steel, Bank of America's Emily Shanks, graduate Marienne Nelson, Maria LoValvo, Supervisor Susan Bonilla, and Julie Castro Abrams cut the ribbon to the new Concord site at 1465 Enea Circle.

In the last year Women's Initiative has expanded into San Jose, Marin, and Contra Costa counties.  This month the agency delivered on offering services in areas with acute need and celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the newest site in Concord. This site, which will serve 500 Contra Costa women in 2008, has been designated as a Women’s Business Center by the United States Small Business Administration (SBA).  Women’s Initiative has been serving low-income women in the Bay Area for 20 years and over 900 Contra Costa women have traveled to centers in Oakland and San Francisco for entrepreneurial training.  The new Contra Costa County site was made possible by generous support from the U.S. SBA and Bank of America.  Mark Quinn of the SBA helped us celebrate.

Graduates and tradeshow participants mingle before the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Emily Shanks, East Bay Market President of Bank of America, told the crowd that "Women’s Initiative for Self Employment is truly a catalyst for women starting new businesses across the Bay Area and East Bay.  Bank of America is a long time supporter of Women's Initiative, and looks forward to working with them to provide even more opportunities for local business women at this new Concord center and across the Bay Area."                       

Mayor Bill Shinn and County Supervisor Susan A. Bonilla also spoke at the ribbon-cutting ceremony and offered their congratulations. This new site marks an investment in Contra Costa families, and a commitment to building the local economy by empowering women to be self-sufficient through self-employment.

Gala 08: Excellence is Nearly Sold Out
The gala is in high gear and we are working hard to reach our $500,000 fundraising goal for the event which supports Women's Initiative programming. We just kicked off the gala with 60 attendees at a pre-party reception at the Bubble Lounge in San Francisco. Linda Hothem, this year’s Founders’ Award recipient, attended and made the evening into a celebration for the women who have graduated from our program. As CEO of Pacific American Group, Linda runs one of the largest privately owned businesses in the Bay Area. A role model for us all, investing in people has always been the cornerstone of her professional life. There is still time to join Linda and some of the Bay Area’s most powerful women in business at our gala - one of the most inspirational events you will attend all year. Your participation will make the dream of business ownership a reality for hundreds of high-potential, low-income women. For more information or to purchase a table, CLICK HERE.

Know a Future Entrepreneur?
Most of our clients hear about Women's Initiative by word of mouth from a friend, family member or colleague. Consider recommending the program to someone new in your network. We have classes starting in San Francisco, Oakland, San Rafael, Concord, Richmond and San Jose. To view the new course schedule CLICK HERE.

Perla Rodriguez
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
Women’s Initiative would like to recognize Perla Rodriguez, Community Relations Manager for Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), as the Business Connector of the Month. Perla has inspired our graduates, clients and staff alike. She has volunteered hours of her time participating as a keynote speaker and seminar presenter. Perla has spoken at various graduations motivating our clients to achieve their goals through her personal stories of success as a Latino businesswoman.  Last year at the Women's Initiative business conference she gave a seminar on tips for working with the media to our Spanish-speaking clients.  It was a hit!  Perla is part of the growing Civic Partnership and Community Initiatives team at PG&E, which includes the company’s charitable giving, employee volunteerism, and community relations programs.  Prior to joining PG&E Perla was the Community and Public Affairs Manager for the Bay Area’s leading Spanish-language television stations, Univision Channel 14 and TeleFutura Channel 66.  She first got connected to Women's Initiative in her position at Univision.  Perla is a native of San José and graduate of Stanford University.  As the first person in her family to earn a college degree, she is passionate about promoting higher education and community involvement.  Perla is a former board member of the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley, Catholic Charities of Santa Clara, and the Stanford Chicano Latino Alumni Association.

photo courtesy of Melissa Elia, owner of Mayssa Fragrance

Melissa Elia
Mayssa Fragrance

Melissa Elia is building an empire and Women's Initiative is helping her get there.  Women's Initiative granted Melissa a First-Time Lease-holder Grant to open her business space in San Francisco last year.  So despite needing to complete more training at the Sense of Smell Institute and the Fragrance Foundation, Melissa has already been getting recognition for a fragrance product line she started called Mayssa (My-ee-suh), which means “beautiful girl.” She describes her products as “refined and blended appropriately with care and concern for those that are ingredient and fragrant sensitive. The body soap is filled with vegetarian ingredients that moisturize and nourish the skin.” The fragrance is a special blend of over 10 different flowers and herbs, with basic notes of jasmine, rose, lily, citrus, cedar wood, and musk. Melissa currently offers perfume and body soap, but seeks to expand her product line to include shower gel, body lotion and cream, body powder sachets for linen and lingerie drawers, and men’s cologne.

Melissa also plans to start inviting celebrities and others who enjoy Mayssa to place testimonials in print and video for the Mayssa website. Recently Distinctive Assets, the company that distributes the "Everybody Wins at the Oscars®" Nominee Gift Bag, selected Mayssa to add its fragrance to the mix of goodies. The scent has also debuted in gift bags for The County Music Awards Festival, The Academy of Friends Gala, and the Take Wings Foundation Benefit.

Melissa, who is also a practicing marriage & family therapist, originally invented the fragrance in her kitchen seven years ago. Today, Mayssa can be found in exclusive boutiques and hotels throughout Northern and Southern California. “To see the popularity of the product grow is exciting, but having national distribution opportunities is phenomenal!” states Melissa. To stay motivated, Melissa has made it a point of finding businesswomen in other industries for inspiration and she makes time to meditate. “I spend quality time with friends and family and at least two times a week I turn off all electronic devices that cause me stress.”

Melissa graduated from Women’s Initiative in 1999 and credits the organization for assisting her with networking and marketing opportunities to help build her business. “There has been a lot of positive change and growth since I graduated.” Melissa was originally introduced to Women’s Initiative by her mother who had attended an open house event. Melissa attributes her success and motivation to Women's Initiative, family members, best friends, and her chemists. “Their encouragement, challenging questions, belief and patience has truly been the best substitute to any other mentor I might have had.”

For more information on Mayssa, please visit www.mayssafragrance.com.

     -Mieasha Harris, Women's Initiative graduate and owner of WIP Magazine