Blog
Small Business Owner Spotlight: Natasha Miller
Meet Natasha Miller, the owner of Entire Productions. Natasha approached the BusinessAdvising.org program because she needed help getting her financials in order, and for some guidance with HR-related challenges like preparing her employees for development and growth. We paired Natasha with Cindy Kaczmarek, an executive and leadership coach. Together they were able get Natasha’s books and future planning […]
Aug 31, 2018 – Small Business Clients And Success Stories •
Featured Advisor: Sherri Beasley
This week’s featured volunteer advisor is Sherri Beasley, Director of Strategic Planning and Business Development at Children’s Health in Tennessee. She’s been an allstar advisor with 3 partnerships since she joined the Pacific Community Ventures family back in July of 2015. We recently matched Sherri with Israel Sokeye, the owner of a mental health clinic […]
Aug 24, 2018 – Small Business Advising And Mentoring • Small Business Clients And Success Stories •
Advisor Spotlight: Jenna Cafiero
This week we’re pleased to feature our stellar advisor, Jenna Cafiero! Jenna is a Program Manager at Google and is advising Brian Wallace of Endorfin Foods, a small chocolate production company in Berkeley, California, focused on highlighting the beauty and taste of the cacao bean. Brian came to Pacific Community Ventures seeking advice on how […]
Aug 10, 2018 – Small Business Clients And Success Stories •
What We’ve Learned in 20 Years
We’re working against a hard, ingrained problem that’s existed since before we were founded – it’s the problem of building and shaping an economy that first and foremost creates good-quality jobs. In the introduction to PCV’s first social impact report from 1999, our founders Bud Colligan and Penelope Douglas wrote, “No one could ask for […]
Aug 01, 2018 – PCV News •
Business Owner Spotlight: June Dillinger
This week’s small business owner spotlight features June Dillinger, the owner of I Do Hawaiian Weddings. June joined the Pacific Community Ventures Small Business Advising family back in January when she needed advice on how to better budget. We paired June with Maricar Apuya, a professor in economics and accounting at Leeward Community College, and she […]
Jul 25, 2018 – Small Business Clients And Success Stories •
PCV Contributes To The Navigating Impact Project
We have some exciting news: the new financial inclusion theme of the our partner the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN)’s Navigating Impact project is live! Created in consultation with several hundred industry experts, impact investors, and standards setters, the Navigating Impact project provides an on-ramp to setting and streamlining impact strategies. Led by SPTF, this […]
Jul 10, 2018 – Impact Consulting • Impact Investing • PCV News •
Investing For Stronger Communities
The more things change, the more they stay the same. In PCV’s first social impact report from 1999 our founders Bud Colligan and Penelope Douglas wrote, “No one could ask for more business activity than the country has seen in the last eight years, yet lower-income people are not any better off and many communities […]
Jun 20, 2018 – Good Jobs • Impact Investing •
The Business Case for Impact Measurement
Too many people struggle to make ends meet because they’re denied opportunities to prosper. We can make a big difference by giving investors who want to do good the tools they need to create quality jobs and strengthen communities. One of the ways we’ve done that for 20 years is through a little something called […]
Jun 20, 2018 – Impact Investing •
7 Steps To Creating A Strong And Successful Small Business Brand
You may think that the most valuable thing about your company is something material but that is as far from the truth as it can be. People can’t relate to your buildings, machines and processes but they can relate to a brand. This is a proven strategy, as people famously love buying from companies that […]
Jun 20, 2018 – Small Business Resources •
Meet Our Latest Borrower: Courtsmith Basketball Industries
Courtsmith Basketball Industries is a basketball apparel and accessory store located in Oakland, CA. Founded by Courtney Smith in September 2014, the company has grown from its start selling one t-shirt at a time to selling a range of products including backpacks, hoodies, and hats to players, coaches, fans, and teams of all levels. In […]
Jun 19, 2018 – Small Business Clients And Success Stories • Small Business Loans •
Six Reasons Entrepreneurs of Color Need a Small Business Mentor
Where does America’s entrepreneurial spirit lie? If you’re picturing a white guy in Silicon Valley, you’re way off base. African-American women are 300% more likely to launch a new business than a white person, and Latinas are 180% more likely – but both groups are also more likely to fail. Part of the reason? Many […]
Jun 19, 2018 – Small Business Advising And Mentoring •
California Initiative 2017 Report
The thirteenth annual report examining CalPERS’ California Initiative, a $1 billion private equity, economically targeted investment (ETI). The California Initiative seeks to invest in companies located in traditionally underserved markets, primarily, but not exclusively, located in California. The California Initiative’s primary objective is to generate attractive financial returns, meeting or exceeding private equity benchmarks. As […]