Blog
Innovation Uncensored: Top 10 Steps to Success
I had the awesome opportunity to attend Fast Company’s Innovation Uncensored gathering in downtown San Francisco yesterday – and man, what a day! Besides hearing about the latest and greatest innovations from folks like David Cush (CEO, Virgin America) and John Donahoe (CEO Ebay), we heard inspiring stories about how groups like Livestrong, Water.org, Cinequest […]
Jul 08, 2015 – Small Business Advising And Mentoring • Small Business Resources •
Top 10 Reasons Small Businesses Fail
One of the least understood aspects of entrepreneurship is why small businesses fail, and there’s a simple reason for the confusion: Most of the evidence comes from the entrepreneurs themselves. I have had a close-up view of numerous business failures — including a few start-ups of my own. And from my observation, the reasons for […]
Jul 08, 2015 – Small Business Advising And Mentoring • Small Business Resources •
PCV Advisee Melissa Rich Wins Women’s Initiative Woman Entrepreneur Of The Year Award!
Melissa Rich, owner/founder/partner of local business InterSchola, has been named a Woman Entrepreneur of the Year in San Francisco. The award is given by Bay Area nonprofit Women’s Initiative for Self-Employment and recognizes women business owners in the Bay Area who: Have been successful despite the barriers that exist for women business owners Exemplify how […]
Jul 08, 2015 – PCV News • Small Business Clients And Success Stories •
PCV’s InSight Team Launches Health Care and Small Business Report in Sacramento
Last Wednesday, October 12th, Pacific Community Ventures’ InSight team travelled to The California Endowment in Sacramento to present the main findings of their health care and small business report. Following the presentation, InSight’s Director, Ben Thornley, facilitated a thoughtful and engaged panel discussion. Esteemed panelists, Terry Gardiner, VP of Policy and Strategy at Small Business […]
Jul 08, 2015 – Impact Consulting •
California Small Businesses More Likely to Offer Health Insurance
PCV Press Release, San Francisco, October 10, 2011 – When informed about key provisions in the national health care law, California’s small businesses are more likely to offer health care coverage to their workers, according to a new report released today by Pacific Community Ventures. The report, Health Care and Small Business: Understanding Health Care […]
Jul 08, 2015 – Impact Consulting •
8 Things You Need To Know About Seeking Funding
This blog is written by a member of Fast Company’s expert blogging community and expresses that expert’s views alone. As part of our Getting Funded series, we asked members of the Young Entrepreneur Council what they wish they knew when they sought funding that they know now. Here are their suggestions, including finding the right […]
Jul 08, 2015 – Small Business Loans • Small Business Resources •
Impact Investing in California: A Forbes Interview with Ben Thornley of PCV’s InSight
Recently, I interviewed Ben Thornley, Director of InSight – the thought leadership practice in high-impact investing at Pacific Community Ventures (PCV). PCV is a preeminent San Francisco-based Community Development Financial Institution and growth equity manager deploying $60 million in three funds with the aim of creating quality jobs in low-income areas of California. Ben is responsible […]
Jul 08, 2015 – Impact Consulting • Impact Investing •
PCV Entrepreneurs Meet with Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi
Last week proved to be a little chaotic, and very exciting, around here — with moving our office from the fourth to the first floor of our building where we’ll all have a little more breathing room, and then a last minute request to invite a handful of PCV entrepreneurs to meet with Senate Minority […]
Jul 08, 2015 – PCV News • Small Business Clients And Success Stories •
6 Flavors Of Microfinance
What do great food and microfinance have in common? Before last night I would have said: “not much.” But after attending Opportunity Fund’s A Taste of Microfinance event, I think I found the answer. Given the right mix of ingredients, both microfinance and food can have a big impact. Below are six local chef-entrepreneurs who […]
Jul 08, 2015 – Small Business Loans • Small Business Resources •
Small Business Is Indeed A Cause
Hat’s off to Geri Stengel, founder of Ventureneer (www.ventureneer.com) who wrote the blog post below. She’s absolutely right—Small business is indeed a VERY WORTHY cause, for all the reasons she cites: Small businesses are where jobs are created in our country today. Yet, the small business failure rate is high—more than half of all new […]
Jul 08, 2015 – PCV News •
Five things I learned yesterday about online marketing at PCV
Yesterday, Chase and I attended a ’25 Ways to Market your Website’ seminar through the SF Non-Profit Leadership Series. Here is what I thought the five most interesting take-aways were: 1) Content is STILL king. There is no replacement for creating and putting out meaningful content, dialogue and interesting ways of engaging your audience. 2) […]
Jul 08, 2015 – Small Business Advising And Mentoring • Small Business Resources •
2011 Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting: Jobs
The 2011 Clinton Global Initiative kicks off today in New York City – and the envy towards all those attending is running at fever pitch throughout the philanthropic world. It’s palpable here at PCV this year, seeing that the lead topic for discussion this year is job creation. * Watch it live here * The […]