Blogs

We post weekly small business stories to highlight members of Small Business Majority’s network to share advice and the ups and downs of the entrepreneurial journey. Here you will find stories of resiliency during the pandemic, cautionary tales about avoiding predatory lending and inspirational ways that our small businesses are giving back to their communities.
lunes, noviembre 11, 2019
Laurie Calkins

When you think of a harpy, you may picture a mythological half-bird, half-human creature. However, Harpy Information Technology Solutions in St. Louis is named for a very real bird—an eagle—found in South and Central America. Co-owner Laurie Calkins describes the harpy eagle as an incredibly majestic bird and says she was drawn to it because of its unapologetic hunting techniques. 

“They go for what they want and they get what they need, no questions asked,” she says. 

State:
Small Business Profile
miércoles, noviembre 6, 2019
Johnathon Bush owner of Not Just Cookies Bakery

While many 13-year-olds dream of becoming firefighters or football players, 13-year-old Johnathon Bush not only dreamed of being an entrepreneur but was already becoming one. While growing up in Toledo, Ohio, he realized the only way he could make money at a young age was through entrepreneurship, so he started baking cookies and selling them to friends and family. But, his bake sales evolved into something bigger than his middle school self could have expected. 

State:
Small Business Profile
miércoles, octubre 30, 2019

In October we celebrate National Women’s Small Business Month by sharing resources for small business owners and women’s stories of entrepreneurship. This year, we asked a panel of experts about their personal and professional experiences with women’s entrepreneurship. 

State:
martes, octubre 22, 2019
DebRock

While many of us are heading to pumpkin patches and apple orchards this month, Deb Ramirez Rock, owner of Sonoma Hot Sauce in Sonoma County, Calif., is encouraging her community to go pepper picking instead at her fourth annual harvest party.

“I’m an advocate for peppers over pumpkins,” Deb proclaims.

Harvest parties are a popular tradition in Sonoma County at this time of year and are one of the many reasons why Deb decided to base her business in Sonoma five years ago. 

State:
Small Business Profile
martes, octubre 22, 2019
RedBayCoffee

Kenitra "Keni" Domínguez estaba decidida a ampliar los beneficios para los empleados de Red Bay Coffee cuando se convirtió en Directora de Gente y Cultura de la compañía de café ecológica a principios de 2018.
"Encontrar buenos beneficios para los empleados requiere tiempo, dedicación y recursos, y antes de venir a Red Bay, no había nadie que trabajara en el área operativa de recursos humanos o gestión de personas, por lo que básicamente estaba empezando de cero", comentó.

State:
Small Business Profile
miércoles, octubre 16, 2019
CandyHeadShot.jpg

When her brother was first deployed to Iraq, Candy Alford embroidered every piece of clothing he owned, from his socks to his washcloths, with his name so his things wouldn’t get misplaced in the group laundry. Not only were the name tags practical, but they garnered quite a few compliments from her brother’s fellow pilots, and he suggested she turn her hobby into a business.

State:
Small Business Profile
miércoles, octubre 9, 2019
Nora Angeles

Growing up in Mexico, mornings for Nora Angeles were busy and often consisted of a trip to the neighborhood juice stand for a fresh juice or smoothie before school. This was an inexpensive and easy way for Nora’s mom to get her kids the nutrients they needed to start their day off right. After moving to America, this concept became the inspiration for Nora to start her own small business. 

State:
Small Business Profile
miércoles, octubre 2, 2019
AndrewMcDowell

When Andrew McDowell set out to open his small business, he wanted to address a prominent issue he was seeing in his community—food deserts.

South Los Angeles is riddled with food deserts, meaning that many neighborhoods do not have access to healthy, affordable food within a reasonable distance from their homes, leading to high rates of diabetes and other health problems. 

State:
Small Business Profile
miércoles, septiembre 25, 2019
HispanicHeritageMonthBlog

This post originally appeared on Venturize.org

National Hispanic Heritage Month runs from September 15 through October 15, and it’s the perfect time to celebrate the contributions of Hispanic small business owners to our nation’s economy and discuss how we can help them thrive and grow their businesses.

State:
miércoles, septiembre 25, 2019
Posible2019

Every year, Univision hosts POSiBLE LA, a special event in Los Angeles, for Latino entrepreneurs and small business owners to come together and learn about the resources available to help them grow and thrive as business owners. This year we’re sharing a recap of the event and some key takeaways for Latino entrepreneurs. 
 

State: