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ORGANIZATIONAL HISTORY:

A nationally recognized nonprofit organization, Inner City Advisors’ (ICA) mission is to build sustainable and responsible inner city businesses that create quality jobs, reinvest in the community and contribute to the local economy. ICA fulfills its mission by supporting socially-responsible entrepreneurs that create jobs in inner city communities. By combining two carefully planned and implemented programs – Portfolio Advising and Entrepreneurship Education – with a strong network of high caliber advisors, ICA provides a valuable model for growing businesses and creating jobs. An important part of the ICA model is giving back: businesses are expected to provide positive benefits to the neighborhoods where they operate.

ICA also has a new strategic partnership with a $25MM fund targeting inner city businesses. ICA is integrating its 12-year business development track record with a new focus on positioning our Portfolio Companies for smart capital investments. This is the next step in ICA’s continued evolution to meet business needs and is a key strategy in executing our mission. By helping the broader community of inner city companies adopt proven business strategies and gain access to market-based success and sustainability, they will be able to grow and increase job and wealth creation in the inner cities.

Launched in 1996 as an affiliate of the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) – a national, non-profit founded by Harvard Business School Professor, Michael Porter, ICA has built a model for the growth of inner businesses as the catalyst for individual asset building and neighborhood change. Over the past five years, ICA has invested over 7,000 pro bono hours into its Portfolio Companies, valued at $3,261,825 that has helped create 740 new jobs and retain 2,600 jobs – 60% of which are held by inner city residents. This has resulted in almost $76 million of wealth created and reinvested in inner city communities.

ICA’s top priority in 2010 is to SCALE PORTFOLIO IMPACT:

In 2010, the ICA Portfolio will continue to focus its effort, build internal capacity, and prepare to widen our impact by expanding from one portfolio, to three portfolios. Each portfolio will remain focused on directly managing approximately 8-10 companies, while leveraging the education programs and ICA network of over 100 inner city based small businesses.

With more focus, and an improved operational systems and structure, the portfolio will begin to leverage a new recruitment strategy and accelerate the number of companies served, jobs created, and wealth redistributed into the inner city.

The ICA Portfolio Culture:

High Caliber, Quality Service Delivery Drives Mission-ROI’s

Currently, the ICA Portfolio Management culture is led with the organization’s guiding interest to leadits vision as a Mission Profit Organization (MPO). Essentially, the portfolio management is measured by its mission-investments: probono consulting, advising and direct value services, for the purpose of yielding key mission-returns: quality inner city job creation and retention, revenue growth and business cost savings.

With an operations discipline rooted in quality service delivery, our Portfolio Managers operate as the “CEO of the Portfolio,” and generally oversee: all portfolio company recruitment, company due diligence and workplan management, advisor due diligence and management and tactical consulting to companies.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The Senior Portfolio Manager will lead and manage one ICA Portfolio of 8-10 companies, focused in a particular industry (ie. healthcare, clean-tech, etc.).

Key responsibilities will include the recruitment of Portfolio Companies, taking these companies through the ICA due diligence assessment, and managing the relationship and coordination of ICA’s Portfolio Companies and the respective advising and consulting activities for each company.

In addition to performing the typical tasks and duties outlined below, the Portfolio Manager is expected to work closely with the Director of Operations on identifying and developing operational efficiencies for ICA’s service-quality delivery model – particularly in the area of management consulting and small business capital readiness.

SPECIFIC JOB DUTIES:

Portfolio Management & Consulting

• Provide strategic consulting/advisement to Portfolio Companies and candidates, as needed; [to supplement advisors/capital readiness/move towards growth objectives and key results];
• Coach and mentor entrepreneurs through advising engagements, business hurdles, and business development opportunities;
• Manage company workplan, schedule portfolio company meetings on monthly, quarterly, and as-needed basis. Administer Dabble database impact tracking and project management for all portfolio companies, and engagement activities;
• Provide and coordinate resources, Advisors, and Board Member intervention for Portfolio Companies;
• Serve as the interface between the ICA Portfolio Companies and their respective team of pro bono Advisors; Manage and evaluate pro bono business advising relationships;
• Develop ongoing evaluations and reports on Portfolio Company performance for ICA Board of Directors;
• Manage contracted projects involving Portfolio Companies and candidates from the ICA network of professional service providers;
• Recommend strategies and implementation plans for Portfolio Company exiting;
• Participate in continued learning to remain current in business issues and trends;

Portfolio Company & Pro-Bono Advisor Due Diligence

• Lead company recruitment efforts, including sector-specific strategies, to identify and present candidates for ICA’s Company Portfolio to the ICA’s Due Diligence Committee;
• Lead potential companies through due diligence process, including initial business assessment to discern business viability, mission alignment and opportunities for scalability, and inner city job creation;
• Conduct mission return and investment evaluation and assist companies in the preparation of their presentations to the ICA Due Diligence Committee and the ICA Board of Directors;
• Develop term sheet and workplans for Portfolio Companies that outline areas of assistance, timetables, resources, benchmarks and expectations;
• Conduct due diligence on prospective advisors and match and select appropriate Advisors, Professional Services Providers and Direct Value Services for Portfolio Company needs;

Scaling ICA Team Impact

• Partner with the Portfolio Manager to set Portfolio Management strategies and OKR’s (Objective Key Results) to scale inner-city job creation
• Implement Marketing and Communication recruitment strategies for developing a pipeline of Portfolio Company candidates:
• Partner with the Portfolio Manager and Director of Operations to evaluate the effectiveness of ICA’s pro bono business advisory services and develop new strategies for expanding services;
• Partner with Director of Operations and Executive Director to set annual “critical-focus areas” to drive curricula for the Entrepreneurship Institute Committee
• Help in identifying resources to increase ICA’s capacity to support additional companies;

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

• 5-10 years of small business management consulting experience in the areas of strategy, financing and / or executive coaching, preferred;
• Knowledge and experience in entrepreneurial mentoring, technical assistance, consulting program models;
• Experience in an entrepreneurial business environment, working in or advising small businesses;
• Experience in finance and strategy in small businesses, particularly working with companies to become “capital ready” for banks and investors;
• Excellent project management skills;
• Excellent ability to manage IT systems, tracking and reporting, Dabble DB and Google Docs preferred;
• Excellent team facilitation skills;
• Ability to establish a network and maintain credibility among senior executives, subject matter experts, as well as senior individuals in corporations, private equity firms, community organizations, and local government;
• Ability to bring innovative ideas and solutions to improve organizational operations;
• Ability to identify creative solutions to business challenges;
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team;
• Understanding of and experience in the field of Community Economic Development, preferably in the Bay Area;
• Degree in Business or related field required; MBA preferred. Entrepreneurial experience may substitute for graduate degree

LOCATION/TRAVEL:

This position is based in Oakland, California. The position will require local travel (in the Bay Area) to Portfolio Companies and partner organizations. There is also an annual Inner City 100 Summit in Boston and several regional and national conferences that will require attendance.

To apply, please email Sean Murphy » jobs@innercityadvisors.org.

Close Date: September 30, 2010 (9/30/10)

Premier Organics is now operating from a new location in East Oakland (formerly Mother’s Cookies factory). The location is over 20,000 square feet, and employs approximately 35 employees.

We’re very proud to say that Premier Organics is a leading example of ICA’s mission at work. This move represents not only the growth of the company, it’s founders and many stakeholders, but also a direct contribution towards a thriving inner city. This is the core of why ICA relationship with Premier Organics works so well.

Photo Credit: Spencer Brown for San Francisco Business Times

In part, this move conjures a fair amount of symbolism.

At one point, the Mother’s Cookies factory employed hundreds of people. Now, as Premier Organics repurposes the space, we see opportunities for these once lost jobs, to return. In addition to the jobs created, we see a well established culture of valuing people enough to provide opportunities for their growth.

One such example is in the story of Mauricio Duque, who has consistently grown within the company. As one of the first employees hired, Mauricio now serves as it’s Operations Manager. He says:

Below is a video illustrating in greater detail the relationship between Inner City Advisors & Premier Organics.

We share it in appreciation of the many people that have helped to build Premier Organics over the last few years. We are very confident that Premier Organics, made from a great leadership team with clear vision for the community, will continue to thrive.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Premier Organics in the Press – “New tenant at Mother’s Cookies factory”
http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2009/12/14/story13.html

Read the ICA Premier Organics Case Study:
http://www.innercityadvisors.org/companies/portfolio/premier-organics

To learn about Premier Organics, visit:
http://www.premierorganics.org

Home Health Advocates  provides personalized care and assistance for seniors from the comfort of their own homes.  As an Alumni of ICA’s Business Growth Strategy Series, we are delighted to bring Home Health Advocates on as  Portfolio Company!

Home Health Advocates provides quality in-home care services for seniors. Services are designed to assist seniors with everyday tasks in a supportive environment. Clients are personally matched with well-trained, thoroughly screened care workers who can offer:

* Assistance with everyday activities, including bathing, dressing and grooming

* Exercise and outdoor activity programs

* Companionship and conversation

* Nutritious meal preparation

* Grocery shopping and help with errands

* Medication reminders and management

* Transportation to social events and medical appointments

* Disease-specific care (i.e. Alzheimer’s, Diabetes, Parkinson’s, etc.)

* Incontinence care

* Light housekeeping and laundry

Alex Saldarriaga is the founder and CEO of Home Health Advocates, Inc. (HHA). Founding HHA in 2003, Mr. Saldarriaga instilled a mission and philosophy of Care Without Compromise, which drives HHA’s standard of excellence and belief that seniors can and should live fulfilling and independent lives in their own homes while remaining connected to their communities.

Welcome to the ICA Portfolio!

Blue Bottle Coffee Company

Blue Bottle Coffee Company is growing! In March of 2010 they opened up their doors in Williamsburg, Brooklyn New York.  Congratulations!

Read More >>

Outsource Consulting

Sandra Floyd, President and CEO of Outsource Consulting was named San Francisco’s Small Business Administration Person of the Year.   Outsource has also made DiversityBusiness.com’s National Top 10 List!

Read More>>

Bttr Ventures

On Earth Day Peet’s Coffee launched Bttr Ventures Gourmet Mushroom kit in 130 of their stores.

Featured on  NBC evening news for Earth Day

BTTR Ventures Wins Wal-Mart Regional Competition

Cook!

Featured in 7X7 Magazine

Excellent Packaging and Supply

EPS is investing in our future by rebranding as BioMass Packaging® and developing an e-commerce website targeting small businesses nationally that should be up and running by the summer. We hired an outside design firm to develop that site and to redesign our company website. We will be adding a large educational component to it as well as providing greater in-depth descriptions of the individual products in our BioMass Packaging® line. We are learning more about social media and investigating how we can leverage it to drive inbound marketing and increase sales. We have also reviewed our banking relationships to insure that we are working with only strong, stable, local banks. Joe Heaney, one of our advisors, has been very helpful in this area.

Premier Organics

ORGANIC FOOD COMPANY MAKING A BIG DIFFERENCE

Creating unique and delicious new products, in a peanut and gluten free facility

Oakland CA – April 7, 2010 Premier Organics, manufacturers of Artisana organic nut butters, introduces new convenient squeeze packs in all nine original flavors and one new flavor (Cashini), a truly raw cacao butter and Sattva – a lightly roasted nut butter line. Artisana began making their nut butters in 2002 and are the only leading manufacturer of nut butters that have a peanut free and gluten free facility, making a big difference for those who suffer from food allergies. Approximately 1% of the US population has a peanut allergy.

Xantrion

1. Check out our new website! www.xantrion.com

2. We continue to grow!

a. We made the 2010 Inner City 100

b. We were named the 17th fastest growing private company in the East Bay by the SF Business Times

D-Unique Tools

In January 2010 D-Unique Tools launched an e-mail campaign promoting The Universal Square. To the company’s surprise, an e-mail response to the campaign came from Afghanistan. Keith R. Myers, a construction teacher and carpenter currently building U.S. Military bases and teaching in Afghanistan, wrote that he plans to use The Universal Square and it’s accompanying video in his overseas trainings. It is another exciting step forward for D-Unique Tools to expand product knowledge of The Universal Square not only in the U.S., but in the international market as well.

Cook! is young local company dedicated to bringing wholesome, delicious gourmet meals delivered to your home. Cook! makes simple meal kits that can be prepared in 20 minutes.

Cook! offers different meal plans including a detox program as well as gluten and dairy free meals.  The menu is filled with whole foods like quinoa, and veggies from – even organic grilled turkey breast and miso grilled salmon with soba noodles.

How does it work?

First, you select the Meal Plan that best suits your needs. Then, the meals arrive in a kit at your doorstep.  Finally, you take it home and cook up a gourmet feast in 20 minutes or less. Each kit contains pre-portioned, individually packaged ingredients and step-by-step cooking instructions. You simply follow along as you add each pre-measured ingredient. It’s like being an organic gourmet chef.  Visit their website at: www.cooksf.com

The Secret Force Behind Oakland’s Rise as an Artisanal-Food Incubator.      — By James O’Brien

“A small non-profit is turning Blue Bottle-like companies into the healthy heartbeat of Oakland”

For several years now, Oakland restaurateurs have been setting tables in great spaces all over town. But lately, artisan food manufacturers have also been clustering to the city like granola in honey.  Numi Tea and Blue Bottle Coffee were among the first, and recent arrivals include Hodo Soy Beanery, which is pushing fresh tofu, and Linden Street Brewery, which is helping to reanimate the Embarcadero. Many of these food-focused companies have been guided to profitability by a little-known nonprofit called Inner City Advisors (ICA).

ICA links promising small businesses on the verge of growth with grade-A local mentors, like former Scharffen Berger COO Jim Harris and several Clif Bar execs—people who have “been there, done that,” as ICA’s executive director, Jose Corona, puts it. The nonprofit’s portfolio includes software firms and toolmakers, but it’s increasingly dominated by dynamic food busi­nesses, such as Blue Bottle, Numi, Brown Sugar Kitchen, BTTR (pronounced “better”) Ventures, which grows mush­rooms, and Premier Organics, a maker of nut butters.

“They have a crystal ball for small businesses,” says Santiago Cuenca-Romero, president of Premier Organics. With ICA’s assistance, the company made key decisions, including which of its four founders should fill which leadership roles, and whether to develop a private label. Since hooking up with ICA, Premier Organics has added 20 new employees, raised its revenues above $3 million, and, after years in West Oakland, taken over part of the vacated Mother’s Cookies plant in East Oakland. In fact, the best news about ICA businesses is that in a city with 16 percent unemployment, they’re creating jobs in areas where they’re needed the most, such as East Oakland and over on the Emeryville border.

This year, in an environment where it’s nearly impossible for small businesses to pry loans out of banks, ICA is developing its own debt-equity fund and hopes to begin lending soon. For now, all ICA asks—insists on, really—is that the companies it helps agree to give something back to the community. That mandate hasn’t been a problem, says Corona. “We have some companies whose sole drive is to beautify their neighborhood—to plant trees, do volunteer days, or reinvest in some way.” That’s 21st-century Oakland for you: Even its food industry is cool.

To see the article on the San Francisco Magazine website, visit: http://www.sanfranmag.com/story/culinary-cabal

Congratulations to Jose Corona, ICA’s Executive Director, and his wife Mary for the recent addition to their family, Mateo Vincent Corona, born February 25th, 2010!

ICA welcomes several new Portfolio Advisors!

Welcome Nina Robinson, ICA’s new Portfolio Intern!

Nina Robinson brings over six years of technology, non-profit and small business consulting experience to ICA. Nina has performed strategic and operational assessments and project managed numerous projects that have helped bay area organizations such as Glide Foundation, KQED, and Cavallo Point Resort leverage technology in their quest for social change. Nina is actively pursuing an MBA in Social Enterprise at Mills College in Oakland in hopes of eventually starting her own business. She holds a Bachelors degree in High Technology Management from California State University in San Marcos, CA. Nina is also passionate about soulful music of all kinds, mentoring and training youth in technology, and traveling the globe to find delicious food.

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Congratulations Jose!

Jose Corona, ICA’s Executive Director, and his wife Mary recently brought in a new addition to the family, Mateo Vincent Corona, who was born on Feburary 25th, 2010!  Jose is thrilled to be a new dad.

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ICA welcomes several new Portfolio Advisors!
We are delighted to welcome several new Portfolio Advisors to ICA!  The following people have recently been added to the prestigious and growing list of  Portfolio Advisors who are offering their time to help inner city companies grow!

• Mary Jo Cook, The Clorox Company, Vice President, Innovation
• Andrew Mowat, Alpine Investors, Executive in Residence
• Hal Brodey, East Bay Express, President