Working Solutions CDFI

10/15/2026

: Are you ready to turn your side hustle into a small business? 🚀

Join us on Wednesday, Oct. 28 for a free 1-hour virtual workshop designed for aspiring entrepreneurs, home-based businesses, and anyone building a business while working a 9-5.

Find out:
✅ Which businesses models are working in today's economy
✅ What lenders look for and how to get funding-ready
✅ How to access capital and free business advising through Working Solutions CDFI

When: October 28th from 3-4 PM
Where: Virtual (Zoom link shared after you register)
Cost: FREE

Bring your side hustle, vision, or dream and leave with a clearer path forward. Register today: https://luma.com/h60sthp4

10/15/2026

TOMORROW! Bay Area Capital Connections (BACC)
📍 BLOC15 Event Venue, 252 2nd Street, Oakland
🕥 10:30 AM – 4:00 PM

On Thursday, October 15, the Bay Area’s entrepreneurship ecosystem comes together in Oakland for BACC 17, “From Resiliency to Power,” hosted by Alliance for Community Development.

The 17th Annual Bay Area Capital Connections Conference will convene leaders working across economic development, community, and capital access for a day of connection, learning, and opportunity for Bay Area entrepreneurs. Working Solutions is proud to be a sponsor of this exciting event!

Hear from Chief Program Officer, T**i Ikhile, and Board Member, Will Jackson, who will be featured as speakers throughout the afternoon:

1 PM - Capital Connections: interactive networking session with CDFIs and other funders
2 PM - Building Strong Small Business Ecosystems Through Collaboration: panel discussion featuring T**i Ikhile and other members of the Antioch Business Collaborative
3 PM - Capital That Fits: panel discussion moderated by Will Jackson focused on finding the right funding for your business

09/14/2026

Every storefront has a story behind it.

Tania Martinez and Carlos Vazquez were able to buy and run C&C Auto Refinishing with the support of Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center, Working Solutions, and the SCALE Network.

🎥 Watch their story—and if you’re ready to SCALE your business, visit
SCALENetworkCalifornia.org.

09/09/2026

Last month, the Working Solutions and Main Street Launch team gathered in Sacramento to celebrate recent milestones, share insights across teams, and look ahead to the future.

We had the wonderful opportunity to learn from and be inspired by industry leader and Working Solutions Board Chair Paloma Vidgen, Lead US Women’s Strategy, BMO for Women, BMO Commercial Bank.

A special thanks to our clients Sage & Silver Studios and Build A Sundae LLC for hosting us for staff headshots and a fun social event. FY27, here we come!

08/25/2026

Looking for capital to grow your business? 💼✨

Join the San Mateo Small Business Development Center in Los Altos on Thursday, September 17th for a "Meet the Lender Mixer" with Working Solutions and WaFd Bank!

Here’s what’s in store:
🤝 Direct Access: Connect with local lenders ready to help you secure funding.
☕ Community Connections: Network with Bay Area business owners over refreshments.
💡 Expert Insights: Get 1-on-1 strategy guidance from industry specialists.

Event Details:
📅 Date: Thursday, Sept 17, 2026
⏰ Time: 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
📍 Location: WaFd Bank (4546 El Camino Real, Los Altos, CA)
🎟️ No-Cost

Register now: https://nc.ecenterdirect.com/events/55099

Office of the Small Business Advocate Renaissance Peninsula

08/21/2026

: Thank you to the Sobrato Family Foundation of Sobrato Philanthropies for its generous support of Working Solutions and our mission as the in small business! Together, we are creating more pathways to economic mobility in Silicon Valley and opportunity for entrepreneurs in Santa Clara, San Mateo, and Southern Alameda Counties.

08/19/2026

: Monique and Paul Feybesse are the classically trained chefs and spouses behind Oakland’s acclaimed patisserie, Tarts de Feybesse.

The business, which started in the couple’s home, first found viral success on Instagram in 2016, and took another leap in 2020, when Monique and Paul’s baking grew from a pandemic side project into a full pastry operation in a commissary kitchen. When the couple felt sure they could sustain the rapid growth of their business, they set their sights on opening their first brick-and-mortar shop in Oakland.

To make the leap from commissary to storefront, Monique and Paul needed capital sized to what a growing bakery could actually handle. Working Solutions stepped in with two loans — one for the custom display case now at the heart of their shop, and one for build-out and startup costs. Today, Tarts de Feybesse is a two-time James Beard nominee for Outstanding Bakery that continues to grow organically and sustainably, one sold-out day at a time.

Read more about Monique and Paul's story on our website: www.workingsolutions.org/tartsdefeybesse

A special thank you to Bond Studio for partnering with us to tell this story!

08/18/2026

Antioch entrepreneurs, it's time for our next Small Business Community Mixer!

If you've been thinking about starting a business — opening a home-based daycare, launching a cottage food business, going out on your own as a consultant, or growing a venture you've already started — we want to support you!

Small Business Community Mixer
📅 Monday, August 31 | 5:30–7:30 PM
📍 The Pour Up W**e Bar, 1 I Street, Antioch

Learn what you need to know about setting up a new business and applying for funding, and meet other entrepreneurs and established business owners in Antioch. Don't forget your business cards!

Save your spot today: https://luma.com/yjz5nzay

08/14/2026

The LaunchPad program from Makahakama Foundation provides hands-on bookkeeping education and mentorship, pairing entrepreneurs with culturally competent bookkeepers for 4 months of free support to set up and use accounting software—an essential step for business success. Get connected and learn more about the LaunchPad program at one of these upcoming events:

➡️ Join a free, virtual “Money In, Money Out” workshop on Wednesday, August 19 at 2 PM PDT to get tools to manage your business finances with confidence. Register: https://luma.com/launchpad-workshops

➡️ Hear directly from three LaunchPad program participants—including Working Solutions alum, The Geez Freeze—about how they're putting their learning into action at the inaugural LaunchPad "Real Talk" conversation on Wednesday, August 26 at 11 AM. Register: https://luma.com/gdi4hmnm

One of the most powerful aspects of LaunchPad is our growing community of entrepreneurs who keep it real—sharing the good, the bad, and the ugly of…

08/12/2026

: Thank you to Capital One for supporting Working Solutions as the in small business! With continued support from Capital One, Working Solutions is proud to help fuel local economic growth and expand services for entrepreneurs in Alameda County’s small business community. Thank you, Capital One!