The beer was flowing right along with the information as Youth Business America’s Zachary Petry gave his presentation, “Navigating the Current Micro-Lending Environment” at Hub SoMa on Mission Street in San Francisco on Wednesday night. On hand were Patrick Horn and Bryan Hermannsson,owners of Pacific Brewing Laboratoryand recent recipients of a YBA loan, who poured glasses of their Squid Ink dark IPA which attendees graciously sampled.

Petry’s presentation covered what entrepreneurs might encounter once they’ve fleshed out their ideas andare ready for a loan to take their business to the next stage. Whether one has been in operationawhile or is just starting out, there are local organizations that want to assist.He went over what lenders take into consideration, such as credit history and business plan, but the most important thing isthe ability to show that one can pay back the loan. In short, he said, “show that your business will make money.” Petry also highlighted what makes YBA stand apart in that YBA doesn’t require collateral, and that bad credit doesn’t mean you will be automatically turned away. He also stressed it is important to ‘shop around’ for a lender that fits the specific needs of your business.

Pacific Brewing Laboratory closed the show by sharing their experiences as small business owners. Horn stated that even if they hadn’t been approved by YBA that the experience would still have been worth it. “The advising through mentorship is just as useful as the loan,” he said. “We have amazing mentors throughout the Bay Area who are leaders in their fields.”

If you haven’t had the chance to hear Zachary’s presentation, please contact him at zachary@youthbusinessamerica.org to set up an event. You may also visit our website www.youthbusinessamerica.orgfor more information about our loan process, and pleaseLike us on Facebook.

You can find Pacific Brewing Laboratory’s Squid Ink and their Nautilus Hibiscus Saisonon tap at Beer Revolution in Downtown Oakland as well as bars throughout San Francisco. Visit their website www.pacbrewlab.com for more info.

Microlending Environment Presentation Slides

YBA at Hub SOMA presentation Q and A

Thank you to everyone who attended the YBA/Hub hosted event.  Please contact us if you have any questions regarding the lending process or getting in touch with business training/consulting partners.

Last month, Nipun Mehta gave a speech at TEDxBerkeley, sharing the idea of “practicing generosity.”  A very moving and thought provoking talk, aimed to shift our paradigm of scarcity and consumption to one of abundance and contribution.  Please check it out if you have not already, and also visit Nipun’s organization, Service Space.

*This video was created and shared by TEDxBerkeley

One of our entrepreneurs is a finalist in The Next BIG Small Brand Contest!  Claire Hoyt, from Big Dipper Baby Food, has made the cut and will be heading to NY for the live judging event at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM).  Claire is one of six finalists selected from SF and NY culinary communities who have an innovative creation that has great potential for scalability.

The Next BIG Small Brand Contest seeks to motivate and inspire its participants to think about their creation in terms of strategic branding and what their product would look like if it went national.  Claire’s Big Dipper Baby Food will be judged at the March 27^th event in Brooklyn, and if selected as the People’s Choice for the 2012 Next BIG Small Brand, she will receive branding and strategy assistance, PR presentations, kitchen equipment, and most importantly, Whole Foods and Bi-Rite Markets retail opportunities.  So show support for your child’s favorite healthy and delicious ready-made meal options, and follow her progress on Big Dipper Baby Food’s Facebook page.  And if you’re in NY the week of the 27^th, get your tickets here for the event, and express your support in person.

Congratulations Claire on making it this far.  We’ll be following your progress through March.

The final Thursday of every month entrepreneurs applying for the YBA loan program share their business concepts with the selection panel, who determine if the applicants are ready for funding and a mentor.  It is an exciting time for YBA staff, because we have already established a relationship with these entrepreneurs while working with them on their applications.  The process functions as a very open, and educational tool for both parties.  When entrepreneurs engage YBA with the desire and determination required to start a business, it is received with enthusiasm and support with all available resources to get them to that next stage in their concept’s growth.  The relationship builds and we find ourselves playing the role of advocate for these entrepreneurs come that final Thursday of the month.  Facilitating successful implementation and growth that will create economic opportunities for these entrepreneurs and the communities they serve…this is our mission.

Bryan and Patrick, of Pac Brew Lab, presenting to YBA's selection panel

Last Thursday we had Bryan Hermannsson and Patrick Horn of Pacific Brewing Laboratory and Claire Hoyt of Big Dipper Baby Food meeting with the panel to present their ventures and their financial needs to facilitate the growth they are experiencing.  This was Bryan and Patrick’s first time applying for our loan/mentorship program on behalf of Pac Brew Lab.  The two young men came to us through our community partner the Opportunity Fund and found our loan program to be the perfect match to facilitate meeting the demand they are now experiencing for their kegs of beer, distributed to local bars in the Bay Area.  Bryan,  “the mad scientist” in charge of brewing, and Patrick, the more sales versed member of the team, have been making a name for themselves in SF since they began by hosting events out of their garage, providing evenings of  samplings, food pairings, and music.  Ask most anyone in the local food and drink scene and they’ll likely respond with, “Oh yeah, that crowd over on Clara and Fifth.”  Follow that underground feel with notoriety in publications such as SF Weekly, and it is no wonder Pac Brew Lab is experiencing increased demand.  “Open to the public every other Thursday, the brewery feels like a speakeasy run by a high school science teacher. If you’re excited by beakers and tubing, this may be your happy place ” (Molly McWilliams,  SF Weekly).  It is this science experiment feel that sets them apart from other brewers in the area.   With beers like Squid Ink (a dark IPA) and their Hibiscus Saison (it’s pink…honestly, pink), they are providing new experiences to beer connoisseurs willing to take on well crafted hybrids of not so traditional styles.  All of this, their story, now becoming a brand, is what they shared with us in their 8 minute presentation.  Backed with financial statements and business plans reviewed by our panel prior to the meeting, Bryan and Patrick were able to explain their projections, the needs to fulfill them, and the how they were to capitalize on the growth to ensure sustainability.  Oh, and the tastings of their Squid Ink didn’t hurt either.

Claire Hoyt of Big Dipper Baby Food attended the panel meeting Thursday presenting for her second loan.  Claire came to us through the Renaissance Center in May of 2011, and received her first loan in June.  Supporting the local organic market by only using fresh ingredients,  Big Dipper Baby Food finds itself in a unique position as the only product of its kind and quality available for health conscientious parents.  The 331 Cortland Ave, SF store showcases their menu items, with such available baby food options as kabocha squash, baby dahl, poached pear/roast banana/hint of mint, liver/apple/caremalized onion, butternut squash/chicken, beef marrow, stage 4 brown rice pudding, and kid’s meal options like baked pasta w/meatballs and real mac & cheese w/peas.  Items are also available in bulk and can be delivered to individual residence as well as day care providers throughout SF.  These items have been hard to keep on the shelves, creating the need to hire on employees to handle the growth.  With Claire’s financial updates, and projections for meeting future demand, she was able to clearly communicate the reasons for additional funding.

Both sets of entrepreneurs gave effective presentations, which were followed by 15 minutes of questions, answered with reason and supporting data.  The result was that Claire, Bryan and Patrick were approved for their loans, a decision reported directly to the applicants after 10 minutes of panel deliberation.  For those who apply and are not approved, the panel provides their constructive feedback on concerns and holes in the plan.  If there are some areas needing strengthening, they will be pointed out, and the applicant will be directed to resources that can assist them in preparing to re-apply.

YBA wants to congratulate Claire, Bryan and Patrick on taking this next step in the growth of their business.  We look forward to the success that is to follow.

This is a great San Francisco Chronicle article on the benefits of supporting “community food enterprises”, featuring one of our entrepreneurs, Dafna Kory with INNA Jam.

Click here to view full article

Non-financial support is a vital factor behind the success of today’s young entrepreneurs, a YBI survey of 1,000 entrepreneurs in 21 countries today reveals.

The Global Youth Entrepreneurship Survey 2011, launched on the opening day of Global Entrepreneurship Week, shows that although entrepreneurs need money to start up their business, it is the non-financial assistance, such as mento­ring and training, that ensures that their business is a success and that they are able to repay their loans.

click here for full article

The content for the blog post above was provided directly by Youth Business International, a Global Partner of GEW.

This week is Global Entrepreneurship Week.  Creative, solution driven entrepreneurs from all over the world come together this week to address current issues and collaborate for impact and change.  From Germany to the U.A.E., New Zealand to Peru, more than 120 countries are hosting over 35,000 events to embrace the spirit of this week and inspire change.  You can track these events and their outcomes through articles on the Global Entrepreneurship Week website.  Or, if you wish to get out and get involved, there are 686 events listed in the U.S., check the activity listings for an event close to you, and join in the spirit of the week.

Another wonderful report on how Big Dipper came into being. Click Here to read the article

A great article from the Economist which underscores the importance of youth enterprise creation and the impact of programs like YBA and the YBI network around the world.

To read the full article, click here .