Eight New Business Starts in Q3 2010

Eight Rising Tide Capital Community Business Academy graduates started businesses during the third quarter of this year. As at September 30, there have been 20 new business starts reported by Rising Tide Capital clients.

Rising Tide Capital congratulates Gillian Allen, Bernice Bell, Gail Breeze, Rafael Cruz, Louis Henderson, Kevin Hurt, Terri Anne Jackson, and Paul Richardson, for successfully starting their businesses. Gillian Allen is bringing fresh and organic food to Jersey City with the Jersey City Food Coop. Bernice Bell creates designer pillows with her company Innovative 5 Designs. Gail Breeze of Breeze Design provides the unique pairing of graphic and interior design. Louis Henderson is a freelance graphic artist with his business LH4 Designs. Kevin Hurt brings afro-centric arts and artifacts to the community with Family Tree Cards & Gifts. Terri Anne Jackson enhances women’s beauty with her cosmetics store Jersey Girls Cosmetic Boutique. Paul Richardson offers DJ services with his company DJ Uncle Paulie.

“It is immensely gratifying to have started on this path called ‘starting your own business.’ There's nothing like having an idea, implementing it, and finding that it's working; and there's nothing more motivating than knowing that it's up to you to make it work better,” Rafael Cruz of Book House Café said. “The confidence I gained from the practical knowledge I learned in class led me to start the first phase of my business right away. I began the course in March, started selling books from a table in April, and graduated from Rising Tide's program in May with book sales growing. In September I took an exciting step and launched Book House Cafe on Amazon.com, making a selection of my inventory available online. Now I'm selling books more briskly than ever and am on my way toward my goal of owning a Book Cafe!” Cruz said.

Rafael’s ultimate goal is to own an actual bookstore and café in downtown Jersey City. By starting his business online through Amazon, Cruz is gaining experience in the bookselling business, without needing a brick and mortar location.

“Rafael is a perfect example of how someone, through Rising Tide Capital, can get in business in spite of the fact of this being a difficult economy and not having a lot of access to start-up capital,” Director of Programs, Jay Savulich said. “All of our entrepreneurs who are able to start their businesses in these hard times have shown this kind of resourcefulness. I am proud of each and every one of them.”

Rising Tide Capital is a 501 (C) 3 non-profit organization based in Jersey City, New Jersey, and dedicated to the economic empowerment of low-income communities through entrepreneurship. Our mission is to assist struggling entrepreneurs and distressed communities to build strong businesses that transform lives, strengthen families and create thriving, sustainable neighborhoods. For more information about Rising Tide Capital, visit www.RisingTideCapital.org.