Author: Lauren Taber

Black-Owned Business, Blog, Client Success Stories

Tiana Drisker is Preparing the Construction Industry for a Diverse Workforce with Hazard Eliminators

Like many industries have in recent years, construction companies are beginning to understand the importance of cultivating a diverse workforce. The Associated General Contractors of America released a report in 2018 detailing the business advantages of diversity and inclusion (including increased innovation and safety and reduced employee turnover), and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce will celebrate Construction Inclusion Week October 16 through 20. Recognizing the need to prepare the industry for evolutions in workplace culture, environmental health and safety professional Tiana Drisker founded Hazard Eliminators, creating occupational safety trainings and bringing a holistic approach to occupational safety that focuses on communication, situational awareness, and other soft skills.   

AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EVOLUTION

In an industry that has historically lacked ethnic and gender diversity, change cannot be expected to occur overnight—as of 2020, only about 10% of workers in the industry were women, while only 5.1% were Black. So when Drisker first entered the construction industry as an environmental health and safety professional, she knew that her outlook would stand out.  “Through my lens as a Black woman, I’ve been able to contribute to the field with a holistic approach of mindfulness, encouraging self-awareness, and situational awareness,” says Drisker, who also has a background in healthcare which increases her attention to personal health as safety. “My approach towards safety has been to look at the bigger picture and not just the skills of the workers.” This approach, she felt, was not always valued in the workplaces she would train.  

Drisker saw an opportunity to elevate what traditional environmental health and safety (EHS) training entails. Knowing the importance of strong communication about personal comfort and mindset, Tiana imagined an approach to standard EHS training–about how to alert coworkers of immediate hazards, how to operate machinery safely, and more–that integrated behavioral safety, encouraged workers to see themselves as leaders in workplace safety and was inclusive of diverse identities and perspectives. “I wanted to empower the construction field to be prepared for the influx of all different types of people,” says Drisker.  

ENTREPRENEURSHIP FOR CHANGE

Without the opportunity to implement these changes in her workplace, Drisker turned to the Women’s Business Center (WBC) for guidance on starting her own business. Working with a business counselor, Charles Thomas, Drisker solidified her vision into a business idea, wrote a business plan and a budget, and launched Hazard Eliminators in 2020.  

As the CEO of her own business, Drisker is able to leverage her professional certifications and technical knowledge to create unique training programs that cover the requisite safety information and include education on interpersonal communication, self-awareness and diversity. With her programs, Drisker also educates clients on how to create safe workplaces for women, including appropriately fitted personal protective equipment.  

 “It’s not just about how well you can drive a forklift, it’s your awareness when you use those tools,” she explains. “It’s your communication style and how you spoke with other people in your environment about the hazards that they would be engaging with during that task.”  

GROWING LEADERS

Beyond ensuring a safe workplace, Drisker knows she is an advocate for employees and their rights. She sees her methods for safety training as a way that employees can feel empowered to communicate their needs and boundaries and confident that their colleagues understand them as well. “I want to grow leaders, grow people, grow their perspective,” she says, adding that her programs are also accessible to businesses experiencing growth and need to integrate safety plans for the first time.  

 Through her work with the WBC, Drisker has gained contracts with repeat clients and continued to acquire her business certifications. “[Charles] has connected me with other professionals that I’ve been able to do business with, and I don’t know where I would be without his guidance,” she says. Looking forward, Drisker is hoping to work on her business full-time. In the meantime, she is expanding her clientele and teaching classes to repeat clients. As the construction industry continues to become more diverse, the knowledge and innovation of leaders like Tiana Drisker will be in ever-greater demand.  

Blog, Client Success Stories

Pamela Marquez Shares the Heritage of Agua de Jamaica One Bottle at a Time

      Ask Pamela Marquez about the first time she drank agua de jamaica in Mexico,  and the answer will span generations. “It did elicit ancestral memories in me,” says the Sacramento local, reflecting on her travels across the country. “It empowered my body.”  Marquez founded Puzz e Gata Jamaica in 2020 to share the benefits of the sweetened, cinnamon-spiced hibiscus flower tea across Northern California, after being unable to find any product that matched the traditional recipes she had encountered in Mexico. This year, she began working with the Women’s Business Center to develop strategies for the sustainable growth and innovation of her mission. 

Global History, Personal Mission

As Marquez learned during her research, the hibiscus flower is not native to North America. The flower and its tea came to Central America from West Africa by way of the Caribbean, and variations of the beverage are still enjoyed widely across those regions. In fact, the differing recipes from regions within Mexico was a major inspiration for Marquez to bring a traditional brew to Sacramento. Traveling twice a year to different states, she spoke with the women selling their home-brewed agua de jamaica, absorbing the rich cultural significance of the drink as well as their unique recipes.   

Puzz e Gata at the Sacramento Farm to Fork Festival in 2022.

“I learned the cultural healing properties, the folk medicine uses of the past, and even the current medicinal qualities,” Marquez explains, pointing out that hibiscus tea is rich in antioxidants, can fight inflammation and has been associated—in her personal experience—with alleviation of symptoms of depression. Benefits, she adds, that aren’t present in the sugary drink mixes that merely mimic the flavors of jamaica that she found outside of Mexico. “My purpose is to get real, authentic, hibiscus flower tea to the Sacramento community.”   

Growing Flowers (And a Business)

After developing her own recipe, a combination of methods and ingredients she learned during her travels, Marquez successfully launched Puzz e Gata Jamaica through the Alchemist Community Development Corporation’s Alchemist Kitchen Incubator Program. This gave her access to a commercial kitchen where she could brew and bottle her recipes, made from flowers grown organically in her home garden.  

Pamela Marquez brews four variations of jamaica tea.

With this early success, Marquez was able to begin selling at local grocery stores, including the Sacramento Natural Foods Cooperative and the Davis Food Cooperative. But without a background in running a business, creating a pathway to sustainability and growth was a separate challenge. She turned to the Women’s Business Center and began working with business counselor Prashante Bailey-Lewis.  

“I accept as much help as I can with my business, so whenever I see an opportunity to ask for help, I do,” says Marquez, adding that with Bailey-Lewis’s guidance, she raised her prices and developed new strategies for marketing her product to restaurants. “She’s just a well of knowledge.” Marquez has also received support with grant proposals, pitch deck creation, and attended WBC networking events to build her community connections.  

Preparing for a Sweet Future

Marquez grows and harvests her ingredients by hand.

The whole of Marquez’s operation seeks to elevate the culture and flavors of Mexico: from the name Puzz e Gata, her favorite Spanglish phrase for “pussy cat” with a feminized twist, to the recipe variations she offers. In addition to traditional agua de jamaica with cinnamon, Marquez also offers a less-sweetened “tart” brew, a jalapeno infusion, and an infusion with cactus or nopales.  

As a Chicana founder, Marquez’s impact on the empowerment of Mexican heritage goes beyond her personal mission. Studies have cited Latino-owned businesses as the fastest growing segment of small businesses in the country, with the number of Hispanic women entrepreneurs growing 137 percent between 2007 and 2016. By bringing her product to the marketplace, Marquez is contributing not only to the celebration of a staple of Central American culture, but to the visibility of Latina entrepreneurs in our small business economy. 

In the years ahead, Marquez’s main goal is to secure her own brick and mortar store where she can create new recipes, test innovative uses for hibiscus flower, and feature local artists. “I know I’m going in the right direction,” she says, “I can see all of the creativity that’s going to come out of this business.” 

And an insider tip? Try any of Puzz e Gata’s bottled blends poured over ice with a rim of Tajin or Chamoy, says Marquez, and keep your eyes peeled for hibiscus rim sugar for holiday specialty beverages.

Blog, Client Success Stories

With Itacate Foods, Martha Diaz is Expanding Latinx Representation in the Outdoors

     Growing up, Martha Diaz spent plenty of time outdoors. After immigrating from Central Mexico to California with her family when she was 10, Diaz recalls family vacations spent at campsites and on long bike rides. In college, Diaz reached her goal of becoming an experienced backpacker–but in exploring the freeze-dried, ready-to-eat meals that backpackers take on their journeys, she was disheartened by the lack of Latin-inspired options. “When you’re doing something like backpacking, it has a pain point,” says Diaz. “To then have to eat food that you don’t otherwise eat is a double whammy of discomfort.”  To Diaz, this absence of authentic Latin meals was indicative of a deeper need to make outdoor hobbies more diverse and accessible to communities of color.   She knew she could change that.

Heritage and Innovation

     With the twin goals of bringing her favorite Mexican dishes along with her on the trail and making the outdoors a more inclusive space for Hispanic communities that have not traditionally been represented by outdoor recreation brands, she founded Itacate Foods in 2021 after quitting her corporate job in product development.

Inspired by the indigenous Nahuatl term meaning “food for a journey”, itacate is also a phrase used commonly in Central Mexico today to describe the bundle of leftovers you may be sent home with after a family gathering. With this ethos, Itacate offers freeze-dried packages of traditional Latin dishes–like chilaquiles and sopa de lentejas–which hikers need only combine with boiling water to enjoy.  

Bringing together deep culinary heritage, functionality, and the promise of adventure, Itacate Foods gained traction quickly. “When I started making Itacate, my thought was, ‘I’ll just squirrel away at it and see how it does’,” explains Diaz. But demand quickly outpaced her ability to supply the handmade and individually freeze-dried packages, and she began eyeing a larger freeze-drying machine. “I needed to increase my capacity, but I didn’t have the funding for it.”  

A Need For Non-Traditional Lending

Diaz began to explore business loans, but because Itacate Foods was still considered a start-up, she had trouble making headway with banks.

After working with an advisor from the Small Business Administration (SBA) to analyze her financials and understand the size of the loan she would need, Diaz was eventually referred to California Capital FDC.

As a mission-based lender, the California Capital Lending Center was able to consider factors beyond those of traditional banks. Working with the California Capital team to complete her application, Diaz eventually received a loan to finance an industrial scale free-drying machine and working capital.

“It was intimidating,” says Diaz, explaining that because Itacate’s business credit was not established, the application process was more thorough than she had expected. “But it was so nice for my first time getting a business loan to do it through California Capital, because they’re so supportive and really educated me through the process.”  

Growth for Impact

With this boost to her capacity and efficiency, Diaz has increased her production by ten times, reduced her operation cost, and taken on new wholesale accounts.

“I would love for Itacate to be a household name within the category,” she says of her future goals. Moving forward, she also hopes to move her production from a rented commercial kitchen to her own space, and to lead by example as a person of color in the outdoor entrepreneurship space.

As part of outdoor recreation retailer REI’s Path Ahead Ventures program, Martha connected with other diverse up-and-coming brands, and solidified her mission of giving back to organizations that promote Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the outdoors. “Increasing representation is the reason for Itacate,” she says. “So the bigger we grow, the bigger the impact we can have.”    

Need an itacate to fuel your next mountain adventure? Visit itacatefoods.com/collections to shop today!

Black-Owned Business, Blog, Client Success Stories

How Regina Range Used WBC Resources to Elevate Her Vegan Food Movement

For Regina Range, business ownership is more than a profession: it’s a path to wellness for her family and her community. A mother and grandmother, Regina has survived domestic violence, being unhoused, and mental illness, but always believed in the power of homemade food to nurture the body and soul.  With her event catering business, The Burnt Skillet, Regina offers soul food inspired by the cuisine of her childhood–but with a plant-based, organic twist. Regina’s journey to thriving as a business owner has been long, as she’s balanced economic uncertainty with concurrent diagnoses of Bipolar II Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), and Type II Diabetes.  

This year, in search of deeper support, Regina joined the Women’s Business Center’s Preparing for Harvest: Mental Health for Entrepreneurs 10-week course with business mindset coach Asia Hilario. With the resources and guidance provided during the series, Regina has come away empowered to take her business to the next level. 

THE BEGINNING OF A MOVEMENT

Before she owned a vegan catering business, Regina Range sold sweet potato pies from the trunk of her car. At the time, Range was experiencing homeless, living with undiagnosed mental illness, and, as she describes, hustling to get by. For her, getting by meant sharing the food she learned to cook in her childhood. “Food has always been embedded in my soul,” she says. “I was born to do this.”  

Eventually, after working with a psychiatrist and beginning treatment for her diagnoses of Bipolar and OCD, Range was able to get an apartment at Folsom Oaks Apartments Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH). She also began advocating for mental health education in the Black community. “In my culture it was something we didn’t do,” Range says about seeking mental health treatment. “We didn’t talk to psychiatrists. We’d already been put down, let down, ostracized.”    

As she found stability and identity as a champion of her community, Range also had the capacity to focus more on sharing her cooking. She developed her vision for a soul food catering truck, and joined the Alchemist Community Development Corporation’s Microenterprise Academy at the end of 2019.  The program gave Range the education and resources to finalize her products and launch a food business, but after receiving a diagnosis of Type II Diabetes, she felt the need to reevaluate her approach to cooking.   

“I thought my diagnosis would be fatal,” says Range. Left unmanaged, Type II diabetes can double the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. “But in the [Alchemist] class, I learned about the concept of pivoting: to change, to rearrange, to uplift.”

COMMUNITY ROOTS, ORGANIC PRODUCE

As she continued to educate herself on the diet-related conditions that persist in the United States, Range realized that many, Type II diabetes in particular, disproportionately affect Black Americans: Black adults in the U.S. are nearly twice as likely to develop Type II diabetes, and recent research indicates that obesity and overweight are driving factors of the prevalence of the disease. While a variety of socioeconomic factors contribute to these conditions, the opportunity for Range to make a positive impact with her business became clear. She learned about the health benefits of the plants used in traditional soul food: black-eyed peas, collard greens, mushrooms, onions.   

Range began to “veganize” her recipes, removing animal-based fats and processed meats and making them more plant forward. She started her own garden and tapped into community resources to source organic vegetables and legumes. By changing her own diet, Range saw marked improvements in all of her symptoms, from depression to glucose levels. Soon, The Burnt Skillet had gone from a catering business to a social enterprise leading a movement to empower her community. “I always thought we could never afford organic,” she says, reflecting on her connections with community gardens and pantries. “That’s where the change is gonna come: showing people that you can afford to eat clean on a budget. It’s a movement.” 

CONNECTING WITH THE WBC

Even with an unwavering vision and positive changes, Range knew that managing her particular set of health circumstances would be lifelong work. “I’ve had to redesign and refocus my life just to feel good,” she explains. “To get up in the morning and say ‘Yes, this is my day. I’m gonna get it done.’”  She turned to the Women’s Business Center during one of her periods of refocusing.  

Through the Preparing for Harvest series, a 10-week course offered at no cost to business owners, Range did deep work with Business Mindset Coach, Asia Hilario, and a cohort of other women in business. The series focused on helping entrepreneurs dig deep to uncover the root causes of imposter syndrome, burnout, and anxiety and had worksheets and homework that kept participants accountable for reflecting and creating new plans. “Many entrepreneurs don’t realize that a lot of their thoughts, actions, and beliefs are rooted in childhood, trauma, or other past experiences,” Hilario explained in an interview about her approach to the series curriculum. “We have to dig into what identity we’re anchored to that is keeping us from doing what’s good for us.”   

For Range, the consistency and validation that the course provided came at a pivotal time. As she explains it, she had been in a manic state and in need of something to help her redefine the direction of her business and her life. The course helped Range set boundaries, examine the reasons for her fear of success, and learn sustainable tools for managing her mental health on a daily basis.  

“[The course] helped me recenter, redirect and redesign Regina Range. I carry it with me every single day,” she says. “Now I got nothing but goodness in front of me.” 

LOOKING UP AND MOVING FORWARD

The future as described by Regina Range is bright. As she builds her business through catering events, Range is planning to, as she describes it, “build a utopia”.  She hopes to secure a lease on a brick and mortar space where she can host a cooperative grocery store, cooking classes, and offer housing and employment to unhoused women.  

By making the most of the resources available, Range has doubled down on her lifelong mission of bringing people together through homemade food. “I’m prepared to pour into the community – y’all have no idea how beautiful the world is,” she says. “The fear of being successful is no longer there. I buried that with this course. I was so scared of having anything, but it’s shining now because I did the work.” 

Black-Owned Business, Blog, Client Success Stories, Uncategorized

Through the Women’s Business Center, Lonje Deschamps Found Community and Confidence

During the Covid-19 lockdown, Lonje Deschamps was in a unique position to evaluate her career trajectory.  She and her family were returning to her hometown of Sacramento after several years in the Bay Area, and she was able to take some time away from her full-time job. After years in social services and nonprofits, Lonje knew that she was ready to shift her focus from a public-facing role to focusing on more administrative and operational tasks. She began assisting small business owners she was already connected with, and the idea to create her own business was formed.

 “Because of my background in social services, I am able to understand a wide variety of people’s needs,” explains Lonje. “I reflected on all of the tasks that I really enjoyed from my past jobs, and that became what LD’s Business Services encompasses.”  

Applying her background in nonprofit management, social services, and human resources Lonje helps small business clients organize and elevate their operations. She provides business owners with grant writing and research services, copywriting and marketing strategy, employee recruitment and hiring, and is also a certified Notary Public. Through this wide and evolving scope of services, Lonje acts as a “virtual assistant”, empowering entrepreneurs to focus on the elements of their business about which they are more passionate. 

Building Community

An organized and ambitious person, Lonje knew the logistical steps she needed to take when she was ready to start her own business. She acquired the proper licenses and certifications, but didn’t take the idea beyond those initial steps. Ultimately, it was the guidance and encouragement of her Women’s Business Center (WBC) counselor that prompted her to launch publicly. “My counselor showed me how focused I was, and it was great to have someone to bounce my ideas off of,” says Lonje, adding that even with her own motivation, external support was a huge benefit. “We all need support and for someone to tell us we’re on the right track.”  

With this confidence, Lonje launched her website, began marketing her services and building her client base. By maintaining her connection to the WBC, Lonje has received client referrals and built a community of likeminded women business owners. Lonje has been a regular member–and a guest speaker–at the WBC’s monthly Motivated Entrepreneur networking events, which she says has kept her engaged and inspired. “Having other women that are in varying stages of business ownership to collaborate with and talk to helps you not feel alone,” she says. “The most important thing has been the camaraderie, because I’m already a structured person. Being able to discuss issues and successes has been very helpful.” 

“It Keeps My Brain Active”

Lonje currently maintains a full-time job while operating her business, but she is excited to continue building something based off of her own vision, with total creative freedom. “My business allows me to constantly evolve and pivot,” says Lonje. “It keeps my brain active.” 

Moving forward, Lonje hopes to expand her offerings to include more training for business owners, including an online grant writing and research course, and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion training. “Working with the WBC has helped me be comfortable with the constant evolution of my business,” she says. “I am excited to keep growing.”   

California Capital In The News

Wells Fargo Announces Sponsorship of Financial Management Training Program Through NorCal SBDCs

SACRAMENTO, California | This week, Wells Fargo announced their sponsorship of a Financial Management Training Program for small business owners in Northern California, to be administered by Sacramento Valley Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and Butte College Small Business Development Center (SBDC). California Capital FDC is the host organization of Sacramento Valley SBDC. With the combined sponsorship of $30,000, the centers will host eight cohorts of the training series (four per center) from June 2023 to May 2024. The series will be offered at no charge to businesses throughout the eight counties that the two centers serve: Sacramento, Yolo, Sutter, Yuba, Butte, Tehama, Colusa, and Glenn Counties. Each cohort will receive about eight hours of training. The series will be offered in-person and online.

“The U.S. economy is powered by small businesses and Wells Fargo is committed to helping them succeed financially and strengthening the small business sector for the long term,” said Kevin Barri, Wells Fargo Region Bank President, Northern Golden State Region. “Wells Fargo’s goal is to support programs that empower as many small businesses as possible, with a strong emphasis on supporting the needs faced by diverse small business owners.”

A total of 160 small and micro-enterprise businesses are anticipated to take advantage of the program, which will cover important topics such as understanding financial statements; ratio and trend analysis; using financial tools to make good business decisions; and forecasting and budgeting as tools to improve profits. Participants will also benefit from one-on-one free advising from their respective SBDC.

For business owners with expertise in their industries, but who might be less familiar with the technical side of running a profitable business, opportunities to learn financial management strategies are crucial. With the support of Wells Fargo, the Financial Management Training Program will prepare small business owners for success and growth.

Left to Right, the photo features: 
Brian Murphy, VP & Business Growth Consultant, Pacific Region, Wells Fargo
Kären Woodruff, Senior Vice President of Philanthropy and Community Impact, Wells Fargo 
Kevin Barri, Regional Bank President, Northern Golden State Region, Wells Fargo
Sophie Konuwa, Director, Butte College SBDC 
SiewYee Lee-Alix, Director, Sacramento Valley SBDC 
Stephanie Chand, VP & Senior Business Banking Development Officer, Sacramento Commercial Banking, Wells Fargo
 
Blog, Uncategorized

Remembering Clarence Williams, California Capital FDC’s Founding President & CEO

It is with heavy hearts that the California Capital FDC staff remembers the legacy of our founding President and CEO, Mr. Clarence Williams. Clarence passed away on May 8, 2023. Clarence was the President and CEO of California Capital FDC from 1982 until his retirement in 2019, and continued to serve as Board Chair until his passing.  

Over the course of over five decades, Clarence dedicated his career to promoting racial and economic equity and justice. A trailblazer in the field of small business, community and economic development, Clarence was a recognized authority on advancing access to capital and resources for small business owners from historically  underserved communities. During his tenure, California Capital grew from a non-profit corporation dedicated to administering the California Small Business Loan Guarantee Program to a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) with three vibrant technical assistance programs and a mission-based direct lending program. In addition to creating equitable underwriting practices during his time with California Capital, Clarence was also a founding Board member of the Sacramento Black Chamber of Commerce, a longtime board member of the California Reinvestment Coalition, Sacramento Region Community Foundation, and the National Community Capital Association (now Opportunity Finance Network).

A dedicated and humble steward of California’s small business ecosystem, Clarence will also be

remembered as an inspiring and spirited leader. Throughout his career, Clarence was a trusted speaker at community events and a natural matchmaker, often fostering connections between stakeholders in civil society, elected offices, and the private sector. Indeed, Clarence was a generational visionary whose living legacy persists not only in fond remembrances, but in the work that continues to be undertaken by the organizations he built and the individuals he mentored.  

 

To be sure, Clarence will always be thought of as a dear friend and mentor to multiple generations of changemakers. In addition to his busy professional life, Clarence was also an active member of the Allen Chapel AME Church for over 50 years. Clarence will be missed by his community members and family in Sacramento, and his family in his home state of Ohio.  

Every day, California Capital FDC staff seeks to honor Clarence’s vision through our work of supporting small business owners and championing increased opportunity for underserved populations. We are grateful to have been led for so many years by such a gracious and innovative soul.  

In Clarence’s memory, donations can be made to Allen Chapel AME Church, the Sacramento Region Community Foundation or California Capital FDC-Clarence Williams Community Benefit Legacy Fund. 

California Capital News and Updates, Client Success Stories

Big Day of Giving 2023: Supporting the Future of Sacramento’s Small Businesses

As of today, early giving for Big Day of Giving 2023 is open, bringing the opportunity to support hundreds of non-profits across the Sacramento region. This year, California Capital Financial Development Corporation is proud to participate in Big Day of Giving as we celebrate our 40th anniversary. We’re raising funds that will

Melissa Muganzo-Murphy, founder of Mindy’s Kitchen

directly benefit diverse small business owners by allowing us to reach more entrepreneurs from marginalized communities with no-cost business development resources and access to capital.  

“I have worked for California Capital for over 30 years, and I am still inspired every day by the creativity and resilience of our region’s small business owners,” says Deborah Lowe Muramoto, President and CEO of California Capital. “We are looking forward to strengthening our programming to continue meeting the needs of entrepreneurs.”  

It is no secret that the past three years have been challenging for small business–but the resourcefulness of entrepreneurs is unparalleled. Taking advantage of guidance and education from organizations like California Capital, countless small business owners have pivoted their operations, accessed emergency funding and capital infusions, and even expanded.   

“The Sacramento region is full of creative, ambitious individuals,” continues Lowe Muramoto. “Being able to support their dreams and see the impacts they have in their communities makes our work so gratifying.”  

Brittney Hoffman, founder of Glass House Garden

From artists like Brittney Hoffman, who seeks to spread joy with her unique products, to community leaders like Melissa Muganzo-Murphy, who is using their business to increase access to nutritious food for under-resourced communities, small business owners are positive changemakers.  

If you are passionate about seeing entrepreneurs succeed and grow into thriving small business owners, consider supporting California Capital’s work for Big Day of Giving 2023. Your donation will allow us to continue providing no-cost business counseling and educational courses, and access-to-capital programs. Give today and remember to #ShopSmall!  

Head to cacapital.org/bdog to donate.  

Blog, Client Success Stories, Uncategorized

With Local Fresh Eats Grocery Delivery Service, Michelle Duong Matches Conscious Consumers with Regenerative Farmers

Michelle Duong, founder and CEO of Local Fresh Eats, knows firsthand what goes into environmental stewardship. Working as a conservation scientist for over 10 years at local and global organizations, Michelle developed a “big picture” perspective on humans’ relationship with Earth’s natural resources. Seeing that the largest impact on land use comes from food production, she began to seek out farms that espoused practices of regenerative agriculture–a land management philosophy that recognizes the interconnectedness of ecosystems through farming techniques that benefit biodiversity, soil health, waterways, and more. “There are farms that are already managing the natural resources on their private property, but how is it affecting their bottom line?” explains Michelle. “It’s almost like they’re making a sacrifice, and I wanted to provide market incentive and reward farmers for doing that and make it easier for consumers to find those farmers.” Michelle knew that, for regenerative practices to spread, someone would have to bridge the gap between environmentally minded producers and consumers.     

With this in mind, she founded Local Fresh Eats, a grocery delivery service that provides regular deliveries of fresh, seasonal goods to subscribers.  Michelle works directly with farmers to exercise her expertise and provide her customers with quality products and opportunities for education beyond what is commonly available.    

THE CHALLENGE 

With a clear vision for her online farmers market, and a list of farmers in the Greater Sacramento area from whom to source, Michelle began working on the technical aspects of running a business.

A typical Local Fresh Eats delivery.

As a first-time entrepreneur, Michelle knew she would need assistance from the start.  She had begun a simple business plan, but questions of choosing a legal structure, licenses, permits, and insurance needs persisted. She connected with the California Capital Women’s Business Center (WBC) and was matched with Business Counselor Prashante Bailey.  

THE GAMEPLAN  

Michelle worked with Prashante to lay the foundations of her business. With expert guidance, Michelle completed her business legal filing, worked on financial projections, developed a marketing strategy, and built a website. In November of 2022, Michelle made her first deliveries through Fresh Local Eats, and continued working with the WBC to refine her operations and marketing strategy.  

A key focus of her business strategy since launching has been to increase revenue by keeping overhead costs low. “I love that the WBC takes a holistic approach, helping in so many aspects of being an entrepreneur,” says Michelle. “It’s been essential for helping me fill in knowledge gaps and helping with overwhelm.” At Prashante’s suggestion, Michelle has forgone paying for social media advertising, raised her prices, and taken classes on marketing, taxes, and mental health.  

THE RESULTS  

Less than four months since launching Local Fresh Eats, Michelle broke even on revenue in February of 2023. Having someone with an outside perspective of what strategies and strengths to leverage has been key to growing her client base and list of vendors while keeping a close eye on her cash flow. “My husband definitely notices the before and after of talking with Prashante,” says Michelle.  “He can’t believe how much I get out of just a one-hour phone call!” 

In upcoming years, Michelle’s vision is to become a household name as Sacramento’s online farmers’ market. She hopes to make local, nutritious food accessible to families who don’t have the opportunity to attend in-person markets or otherwise rely on delivery services. “Sacramento is a great place for this type of business,” she says. “We have so much opportunity: a yearlong growing season, different scales of farms doing amazing conservation work, and an established culture of supporting local farmers.” While adding clients, Michelle is also leveraging her website blog and social media presence to educate on regenerative agriculture and other sustainability topics. With ever-increasing impact, Local Fresh Eats is on track to be an important piece of the Sacramento region’s sustainable food system.  

To learn more or become a Local Fresh Eats Client, please visit: localfresheats.com

Blog, California Capital In The News, California Capital News and Updates, Client Success Stories

Queers & Allies Fitness Opens, Bringing LGBTQ-Inclusive Gym to Sacramento

For Hayden Glenn, a sports psychologist and the co-owner of Queers & Allies Fitness, exercise has been more than a means to staying in good health.  A lifelong athlete, Hayden played multiple sports until a knee injury in college caused him to take a break. During this time, he reflected on his identity as an athlete as well as his gender identity, and decided to begin the gender transition process. While pursuing his Masters in Sports Psychology, Hayden became more involved in the community of LGBTQ athletes and learned about the experiences of Queer athletes. “What I learned was, particularly in the athletic community, there is a huge disparity in mental health–Queer athletes are more at risk of negative mental health outcomes,” he explains.  After coming out as trans, Hayden decided to combine his personal training and sports psychology coaching businesses and pivot to serving the trans population with services that would support the physical transition process (including pre- and post-op chest masculinization for female-to-male trans and non-binary folks who undergo top surgery) and address the mental experience of gender dysphoria through mental health coaching.   

THE CHALLENGE  

With a vision to create an inclusive and empowering space for trans and Queer folks to train and build mind-body alignment, Hayden began coaching clients out of his garage. The demand quickly grew beyond what the space would allow, so Hayden reflected on the direction of his business. He invited his friend, Sarah Serbic, to be a part of the project, and Queers & Allies Fitness was formed. “We knew it was important to merge Queer and straight populations, because it’s so divided,” explains Hayden. “We wanted to create a space for allies to show their support in a healthy way as well.”   

Looking to build a full-service gym with offerings beyond one-on-one training, Hayden and Sarah knew they would need to explore commercial leasing options–and that a capital infusion was a must.  

THE GAMEPLAN  

While searching for the perfect space to lease, Hayden connected with the California Capital Lending Center and began the loan application process. Working with the credit administrator and a business advisor, Hayden solidified his business plan, created realistic financial projections, and completed the rigorous work of applying for funding.  

“The process took longer than anticipated, but the biggest takeaway was the amount of support we received from everyone we worked with,” says Hayden.  

Ultimately, Queers & Allies Fitness was approved for a $75,000 loan in late 2022. With this, Hayden and Sarah were able to secure a lease in East Sacramento, purchase exercise machines and weights, build out their administrative space, and have working capital moving forward.  

THE RESULT  

Hayden and Sarah opened the doors of Queers & Allies Fitness in December of 2022, and celebrated their grand opening on March 4th. To date, the gym has 20 members, 10 of whom are personal training clients. By the end of the year, Hayden hopes to have 80 members and 30 personal training clients. In addition to growing their client base, Hayden and Sarah are building an attainable culture for populations that are sadly still marginalized in traditional gyms and athletic spaces. “I want to host a trans and non-binary powerlifting competition, and eventually, I want to have a space that could accommodate youth leagues. There are a lot of trans youth that don’t have access to sports now,” says Hayden, explaining that many young people are still faced with choosing between transitioning or playing in sports leagues. With Queers & Allies Fitness, Sacramento has become a stronger and more welcoming place.  

Queers & Allies Fitness is located at 1770 36th Street. Check out their recent feature on KCRA 3 below! 

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