Opening Doors for Small Business Owners in Brazil

Naldo Peliks, Centro's Chief Operation Officer presenting to partner organizations how our Business Planning App can increase the success rate of small business owners.

The last few months produced an incredible number of new experiences and exciting partnerships for Centro. Our time spent in Eastern Europe, then Peru and Colombia resulted in a great deal of learning about entrepreneurship development in diverse cultures - all which we can't wait to apply here at home. But before we shift our focus to the Bay Area again, we'd like to introduce you to our three new partners in Brazil!

• SEBRAE, the Small Business Association (SBA) of Brazil with over 700 locations throughout the country
• EixoRio, institute within Rio de Janeiro's secretary for culture which helps strengthen social entrepreneurs and street artists
• CDL Niterói, t he largest association of store owners in Niterói, the town across the bay from Rio

A generous grant from eBay Foundation allowed us to share our new basic entrepreneurship curriculum with them. They will use it assisted by our signature Business Planning App, now available in Portuguese, to further their commitment to social change through successful small business owners.

We welcome these organizations to our Global Network of Affiliates with a great deal of excitement because by the end of 2015, we will have trained more than 100 underserved entrepreneurs in Brazil through these partnerships – now, that’s a reason to celebrate with a caipirinha!

New Projects in Peru and Colombia Supporting Small Business Owners

Arturo A. Noriega, Centro's Founder & Executive Director with some of our new partners in Colombia.

The most beautiful and imposing mountains welcomed us the minute we stepped off the plane in Peru. The scenery escorted us throughout our trip, as did the energy and enthusiasm of the small business entrepreneurs we trained through Asociación Solidaridad Países Emergentes (ASPEm) and Asociación Laboral para el Desarrollo (ADEC). By using Centro's Business Planning app and Basic Entrepreneurship Program curriculum to support the small business entrepreneurs in their communities, both of these organizations joined our Global Network of Affiliates.

Together with ASPEm, in a span of a little over 3 weeks, we trained 50 women entrepreneurs - many of whom have had very limited access to technology in their lives.

“My hometown is so remote that I did not grow up using much technology. I was afraid of using the app, but I wanted to try because I know how important it is in the business world. ”

— Celestina, dressmaking business owner

 

Celestina was brave enough to ask for help, she faced her fears, stuck with the class, and graduated with a robust business plan. She exclaimed, “I feel proud that I figured out the technology, and I’m excited to see how this will help me in the future.” So are we!

Then we tucked away some alpaca sweaters in our suitcase (just in case it ever gets below 60° in the Bay Area) and we headed to Colombia. With barely enough time to even finish our arepa and café, we jumped into teaching classes at Impact Hub Medellin where we taught 8 workshops to Colombian social entrepreneurs developing businesses to generate greater good in their communities.

“Centro’s app will help me help more artists with disabilities. ”

— Nel, developing a work-space for artists with disabilities

We bring home their inspired lives, and a renewed commitment to continue working with these new partners and allies in Latin America.

Stay tuned for our last stop in Brazil, as we seek more organizations through which we can support many more underserved entrepreneurs in the region.

Searching for Partners in Eastern Europe to Support Local Talent

DJ Healy, Centro's Entrepreneurship Program Manager with aspiring small business entrepreneurs in Moldova.

Bună!

We’re excited to share some highlights from projects in Eastern Europe where Centro is collaborating as an educational ally for low-income entrepreneurs. Our journey this summer began in Ukraine, a country bursting with people with creativity and potential! Here, we connected with a foreign language school Closer to the Dream where we coached 9 brilliant students through the process of developing the vision, mission and values of their future small businesses. 

“This class was a good chance for me to make the time to structure my thoughts about my values. Too often, we don’t make time for that.”

— Oksana, an aspiring entrepreneur

After stocking up on some vareniki (yummy local dumplings), we left to Moldova where we shared the Centro Business Planning app in Russian and English with some incredible NGOs. During a two-day workshop, the Center for Entrepreneurial Education and Business  used our app as their basic entrepreneurship curriculum to guide 6 current and future entrepreneurs through the process of developing their business plans.

“ This app was so useful and easy to use. The class helped me have a more realistic understanding of my business! ”

— Mihai, who dreams of opening an online retail store

While we lay the foundation of our Global Network of Affiliates, we continue to be inspired by the entrepreneurs who are fiercely determined to open their business against all odds. We are also so grateful for your continuous support throughout the journey as we venture to Colombia, Peru and Brazil in the next couple of months.

Stay tuned for more!

eBay Foundation Gives Us $75,000 Macro Grant for Microenterprise

We are thrilled to announce that eBay Foundation has given us a very generous $75,000 grant to refine and share our Basic Entrepreneurship Program with underserved entrepreneurs in Brazil and throughout the US. Through eBay Foundation’s support, Tunnel Lab has already begun using our entrepreneur training tools to help Brazilian youth uplift their communities.

As we expand our global reach, we will work shoulder to shoulder with eBay Foundation and our partners to ensure that our Business Planning app and training curriculum provide a culturally appropriate answer to each community’s expressed needs.

We are so grateful to eBay Foundation for their steadfast commitment to community and international development. Thank you!