Women’s Initiative For Self Employment

Specialties

Women’s Initiative specializes in entrepreneurship training and support for low-​income women.

Simple Steps is an eleven-​week course, offered in Spanish and English, that provides training in financial accounting, planning, marketing and other business skills that will give you the tools necessary to start or expand your own business.

Graduates of the course are eligible to receive additional support for their businesses through our micro-​loan program and through SuccessLink, which offers opportunities for business support, technical consulting, networking and more.

For more information about our business training and class schedules or to find out about volunteer opportunities, go to www​.wom​ensini​tia​tive​.org or call us at (415) 641 3460

History

Established in 1988.

Women’s Initiative is a not-​for-​profit agency. Our mission is to build the entrepreneurial capacity of women to overcome economic and social barriers and achieve self-​sufficiency. By assisting women-​owned businesses throughout the San Francisco Bay Area through our urban hubs in Oakland and San Francisco, Women’s Initiative directly contributes to the economic growth of communities. Our graduates have started and expanded over 1,600 businesses from photography studios to catering companies to mechanic shops. In 2008 our graduates created, on average, 2.5 new jobs every day.

Meet the Business Owner

Nicole L.

Business Owner

Nicole Levine has more than 20 years experience in the Bay Area private and nonprofit sectors, with a special focus on economic development. She has a long history with the Women’s Initiative including serving as a volunteer, program assistant business trainer, and now as Interim CEO and Executive Director for San Francisco. Her professional background includes serving as the interim executive director for Urban Solutions and the Oakland Ballet, and executive director for Wardrobe for Opportunity. She also spent four years providing microloans and business assistance at OBDC Small Business Finance. Leveraging her experience in the nonprofit sector, she has worked with HP, Agilent and Chevron to strengthen their community and grant making programs. Nicole earned an MBA from UC Davis and is honored to be on the advisory board of the Bay Area Women’s and Children’s Resource Center, a Tenderloin nonprofit where she has been volunteering since she was a teenager.