Bay Area

OPINION: Small Businesses are Community Lifelines

Knowing the social, environmental, and economic impact of illegal dumping, I’ve led regular clean-ups and successfully budgeted additional resources for more city environmental enforcement officers to monitor “hot spots” and coordinate waste removal. I’ve hosted merchant walks, and in response to the public safety concerns of owners, I was able to secure funding to install security cameras in our business corridors. I have also co-authored legislation to improve our small local business program provision and advocated for minority contractor training programs.

Published

4 years ago

August 29, 2022

Oakland Post

Councilmember Reid speaks with Tarlok Singh, owner of 7 Day Tire and Auto Shop during a District 7 merchant walk.

By Treva Reid

As a small business owner, I know that small businesses are truly the lifeblood of our community.

With the recent closures of corporate retailers like Walgreens and Walmart in East Oakland last year, many residents were left with limited options to access fresh produce. Thankfully, our mom-and-pop neighborhood grocers stepped up to provide much-needed services and jobs.

I’ve talked to many small business owners across our city, and they want what all Oaklanders want — more public safety resources to prevent break-ins and robberies, and safe, clean streets to create a healthy environment for both customers and employees.

In my first four months as the District 7 Councilmember, I partnered with the County Health Department’s Healthy Retail Program to bring new energy-efficient refrigerators, and supply businesses like Dallaq Market with the resources to ensure customers have access to fresh fruits and vegetables.

I’ve championed small businesses since my first day at City Hall, and as Mayor, my commitment will not change. I believe our post-pandemic recovery plan must prioritize investments in small businesses to create local jobs and grow our tax base to fund critical City services.

As Mayor I will do what I’ve always done – I will listen, and I will continue working to cut the bureaucratic red tape to ensure the needs of small businesses owners — the backbone of our local economy — are met.

Treva Reid currently serves as the councilmember for District 7 and is a candidate for mayor. To learn more about her campaign, go to www.reidforoakland.com.

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Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

Published

4 days ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

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Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

2 weeks ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.