Women's Initiative e-Newsletter

June 8, 2007

 


Women Thrive, Societies Prosper
 The video that premiered at the gala is now online! Please take a moment to watch it.

» VIEW Windows Media Player (59 MB)

» VIEW QuickTime (82 MB)

There has been a new report released about the huge impact that buying local has on the sustainability of our communities. It is an absolutely critical strategy for our community and its made every few hours as we make choices about where to go for coffee, buy groceries and gifts for our friends and ourselves. Over 800 guests joined us at our gala and it was definitely time to shop locally. The marketplace booths at the gala helped graduates earn $17,000 from sales (in just 3 hours). Women's Initiative also served alfajores from Sabor del Sur and truffles from Mirabai Chocolates to our guests. The tables were adorned with floral arrangements from Bancroft Florist and Nancy Rothstein provided her professional photography services for the event. All of these are graduate-owned businesses. With great businesses making sales, it is no wonder that our clients who have employees (around 1 in 5) create jobs for three people on average. They need extra hands to keep up with the demand!

Carrie Schwab Pomerantz with her family before she received the Founders' Award. Photo by: Nancy Rothstein

A recently released study (read the full summary here) revealed that most established women business owners are interested in growing their businesses, but many are encountering difficulties in finding the tools they need to grow. Women's Initiative has been addressing growth opportunities through our SuccessLink program and it is great to see the the larger business community is looking at these access issues. We are seeking experienced people in business who want to give back and share their expertise. Could that be you or someone you know? Let us know….

If you like to see more photos from the gala, please CLICK HERE to find photos of the evening's program.

HOT TOPICS

Lucky Strike for Women's Initiative in San Jose
Cadence Design Systems raised nearly $1.3M for Women's Initiative through their Stars & Strikes fundraiser. Two Women's Initiative graduates attended the event and inspired many to get involved in the work of Women's Initiative. Stay tuned for the launch of our Silicon Valley site in early 2008.

San Jose Graduation Honors 14 Women's Move Toward Economic Independence
Santa Clara County has the Bay Area’s highest number of households below the self-sufficiency standard. Women’s Initiative is committed to improving the social and economic welfare of this community. This celebration marks the culmination of management training and business plan writing.

Hosted by Women’s Initiative for Self Employment, in partnership with the Mexican American Community Services Agency, and sponsored by Delta Dental and Cadence. Speakers include Council Member Nora Campos. Come celebrate with us on Fri, Jun 29, 7:00 – 8:00 pm at San Jose Civic Center (200 East Santa Clara St., San Jose).
 
GRADUATE SPOTLIGHT

Cecilia Canseco
Owner, Cicil’s Cafe
Cecilia was honored with one of the Enterprising Women of the Year awards at this year’s gala

Cecilia Canseco, owner of Cicil’s Café, stands behind counter preparing a turkey sandwich with a welcoming smile while her husband Juan Carlos is busy frothing milk for a cappuccino. She greets her hungry customers as they wait in line to get one of her delicious meals. Rumor has it that her café makes the best breakfast burritos in San Francisco’s financial district.

Cecilia’s nurtured her business savvy that helped her realize her dream of starting Cicil’s Café through her experience working in restaurants and piecing together a variety of jobs including working side by side with her mother and grandmother selling fruit at flea markets when she was young. Cecilia emigrated from Oaxaca, Mexico when she was twenty-one years old with just eighty dollars in her pocket. At first she landed odd jobs including housekeeping, child care, working in Mexican restaurants and a burger joint.

Despite having a six-grade education, Cecilia excelled at cooking and had a sharp mind for food businesses. A great opportunity came when the owner of the Mexican restaurant where Cecilia worked offered to sell her the business. She increased the profit for the restaurant, but discovered her true passion was to run a café. Cecilia then started taking the course at Women’s Initiative designed for Latina entrepreneurs. At Women’s Initiative she learned to set fair prices and her small business trainer helped her get a business license and negotiate a better lease for her space. With her new management skills from Women’s Initiative Cecilia opened Cicil’s Café in 2004 and today she employs four people including family members.

“[Women’s Initiative] helped me to gain self-confidence. Now I feel more independent because I am making my own money.” Cecilia is saving so she can send her daughter Rosalba to college one day, buy a home for her family, attend culinary school and eventually open another restaurant. When Women’s Initiative invested in Cecilia Canseco’s dreams, she showed the world that the sky is truly the only limit.

Visit Cicil’s Café at 101 Spear Street, San Francisco.
 
VISIT OUR NEW BLOG

We just launched a new blog, please take a moment to look at it. Quela Mikell, a Women's Initiative graduate, will write about the struggles and joys of starting a business in the Bay Area. The blog is also a forum to look at the field of microenterprise and trends related to women starting businesses. Both Julie Castro Abrams, CEO, and Karuna Jaggar, Research and Public Policy Director, will write on hot topics in the field and how it relates to our work at Women's Initiative. Please tell your friends and colleagues!

EVENTS

Fruitvale Office Grand Opening for Women's Initiative
Thurs, Jun 21, 2007, 11:30 am ribbon cutting, reception, Aztec dancing, and ongoing walking tours of local Women’s Initiative businesses. Please join the celebration! 3700 E. 12th Street, Oakland (three blocks from the Fruitvale BART Station VIEW MAP) RSVP to Madhuri Pottathil at (510) 287-3107 or mpottathil@womensinitiative.org.

EVarize Celebration
Erika Varize, owner of EVarize Fashion Café has already be recognized by East Bay Express for "Best Charitable Event" and "Best Women’s Clothing 07." To celebrate Erika’s success, you are invited for treats, drinks, and shopping EVarize (2634 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley) on Sat, Jun 23, 11 am - close. If you have not seen her Measu"RED" line you will have a chance to try on and be measured so you can also give back to the global phenomenon of HIV & AIDS. For more information visit www.evarize.com.

Save the Date: Taking It to the Street
Mark the date for the Leadership Luncheon happening at 12 noon. Tues, Oct 9, 2007, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm at Oakland Marriott. We are looking for seminar presenters, Connectors and volunteers. If you are interested, contact Pemala Mejia at pmejia@womensinitiative.org

 
IN THE NEWS

The Oakland Post featured a story on Women's Initiative and graduates in the May 2-8 issue "Minority Women Starting Businesses."

Guisell Osorio, Sabores del Sur, was featured in the most recent issue of 7x7 magazine. Check out the article on her fabulous alfajores, CLICK HERE to read.

Recently heard that graduate Joan Espinosa was featured in the January 2007 issue of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat for her unique pet portrait business. "Painters seeks to capture pets' spirits: Illustrator works mostly from photos to create realistic portraits for dog, cat owners" CLICK HERE to read.
 
RESOURCES & OPPORTUNITIES

Sick Pay for Your Workers
San Francisco voters approved Proposition F, the Paid Sick Leave Ordinance and earlier this year the law began being enforced. However there were many unanswered questions about providing paid sick leave to each employee who performs work in San Francisco. The Office of Labor Standards Enforcement just released new updates about the law. Go to either of these two sites for more information. Frequently Asked Questions - and Rules Implementing the San Francisco Paid Sick Leave Ordinance (PSLO).

Are you Maxed Out?
Learn more about predatory credit card practices in a discussion on NPR . Also there is a great movie that just came out called “Maxed Out” that highlights these dangerous debt-enabling practices.