Entrepreneur Connections

May 29

This week we funded new businesses A Common Space, an online retail store based in Berkeley, Vilosart, a photographer/videographer in San Francisco, Salty Dog Cafe in Alameda, and Blue Stars Admission Counseling in San Francisco!
Working Solutions was profiled in the Vallejo Times-Herald! This great article discusses the affordable capital Working Solutions offers to Solano County microbusinesses, and features interviews with East Bay Business Development Officer Corinne Gentile and Working Solutions client Maria Betts, owner of the Zen Den.
Working Solutions and DLA Piper cooperated on a legal clinic last month for 7 of our clients. Clients were able to spend several hours with a team of legal experts on issues including leases,employee handbooks and trademark issues. Said one participant, "it was encouraging to know that we are not alone navigating the legal business environment!"

San Francisco Small Business Week was a huge success,and Working Solutions client T-We Tea won the San Francisco Economic Development Alliance's Microentrepreneur of the Year Award! Read more here.
San Francisco-based client Heliotrope celebrated their 1 year anniversary party in their retail space, Acacia in the Mission.
San Francisco-based client Joshu Vela has opened a retail and production space in the Mission-- all of their beautiful handmade bags will be produced on-site! Check out a slideshow of the new space in 7x7!
Sonoma-based Hip Chick Farms continues to make waves: they're featured in a Fortune article about Whole Foods' loan program.
Bears for Humanity is a local company with a spectacular mission: not only are their cuddly stuffed bears made by California welfare-to-work participants out of all-natural materials, but each time a bear is purchased, another is donated to a child in need. Bears for Humanity has just been honored with two toy awards: the Dr. Toy's Green Toy Award, and the PAL Toy Award.
If you're an urban music lover, check out the new music video "She Bad" by Boy Stif. Working Solutions client and Bay Area based label Status Quo Entertainment produced the video!
San Francisco-based client, hair salon The Pretty Pretty Collective is hosting the opening of a new art show: "The Mission and Beyond: Urban Quilts" by Amy Ahlstrom on June 13. See below for more details: