Ica Fund Good Jobs

 

 

We work with small businesses to secure investment capital, plan for sustainable growth, build strong leadership teams, and hire people who have experienced barriers to employment. We believe that communities thrive when every person has access to a good job – one that pays a living wage, provides benefits and a supportive culture, and offers opportunities for employees to advance in their careers.

Our 3-Stage model scales the companies of entrepreneurs who are demonstrating a commitment to the ICA Fund Good Jobs mission, and who welcome the opportunity to serve as stabilizing and empowering influences on their communities.

Firebrand Artisan Breads in Oakland is a recent beneficiary of our Education, Acceleration, and Investment services. In 2012, entrepreneurs Matt Kreutz and Colleen Orlando were struggling because their business was so successful. Their hand-crafted, wood-fired breads were a hit at Whole Foods and several of the Bay Area’s top restaurants. They needed to expand their business in order to keep up with demand, and they needed advice. That’s when they reached out to ICA Fund Good Jobs.

Matt and Colleen attended our Growth Strategies course to strengthen their vision and develop their leadership skills. Their commitment to sustainably growing their business and creating good jobs made them prime candidates for a more hands-on advising and consulting approach.

With the support of the ICA Fund Good Jobs team and world-class advisors, Firebrand established a plan for sustainable growth and set out to secure the capital needed to expand its production and launch a flagship retail bakery in Uptown Oakland. ICA Fund Good Jobs directly invested in the business under terms that promote the stability and continued growth of the company. Moreover, this capital was leveraged to secure another two dollars for every dollar contributed by ICA Fund Good Jobs, helping Firebrand to fully meet its $1.8M capital need. Now, we are ensuring that this capital promotes our “good jobs” mission. Like all of our portfolio companies, Firebrand can secure a lower interest rate by meeting certain job quality targets, such as implementing health benefits and professional development opportunities.

Matt agrees that good jobs are a critical ingredient to the company’s continued success. “People don’t want to be a part of an organization where they are just told what to do. We’re trying to give everyone a role at Firebrand that is bigger than a job, and make our staff feel like they are a part of something. We want our employees to feel good about what they do, who they are, what they can accomplish at work and outside of work. We want that energy and empowerment to flow out into the community. Firebrand needs to be something bigger than a bakery.”

Firebrand’s commitment to working with ICA Fund Good Jobs has helped to refine our methods and identify what truly gets results. That’s why we see Matt and Colleen not as clients, but as our partners in creating good jobs.

We know that a new economic development strategy is needed in these difficult times. In order to sustain our nation's growth and prosperity, all residents must be incorporated into an economic model that embraces our country's changing demographics, and ensures investment in future generations.

By bringing people together who are passionate about building small businesses as well as thriving communities, we've seen our model for job creation work. We've seen companies that have the resources to grow, that are pillars of their communities and create quality jobs that enrich people’s lives.

Our ecosystem is our greatest asset. It brings like-minded entrepreneurs, advisors, investors, corporate partners and small businesses together to deliver high quality services and valuable resources for all members of our network. Please join us in building a world where every worker has access to a good job.

THANK YOU! – the ICA Fund Good Jobs team