Lashawnda Scaccianoce has been passionate about food and feeding people since she was young. In fact, she was only 11 years old when she had her first catering “job”. As a mother of 5 children, she has always participated in her community. She has served on school PTOs and volunteered with various community-based organizations, including the Rotary and Children’s Services Network. In her previous career, she was a pre-school and substitute teacher.
Category: Minorities
Tana Harris, Harris Hoisting
Tana Harris had been in the construction industry for nearly 20 years when she started thinking about starting her own business. In 2013, she attended Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center’s introductory business class. What started as just an idea came to fruition as Harris Hoisting, the only African-American woman owned hoisting company in the city of San Francisco.
Wanda Blake, Wanda’s Cooking
Wanda Blake’s cooking apprenticeship started in her mother’s kitchen. It then continued in the kitchens of great aunts, aunties, grandmas, and cousins. In 1981, Wanda attended City College of San Francisco to study hotel and restaurant management. In 2015, she launched Wanda’s Cooking.
Jorge Ochoa, Leonora Goat Dairy
Meet Jorge Ochoa, owner of a goat dairy farm called Leonora Goat Dairy. Jorge grew up in Mexico where his family has a rich history of working with animals on a farm. When he came to the United States, he wanted to carry on his family’s legacy and start a farm of his own. He heard about our services on the radio, and reached out to us to be a co-pilot in his new venture.
Denise Doss, Niecy’s Delight
Meet Denise Doss the owner of Niecy’s Delight. She specializes in production of a pound cake recipe developed by her 103-year-old Grandmother, Carrie Doss of Littlerock, Arkansas. She currently produces three flavors, Pure Vanilla, Classic Lemon, and Forever Pineapple
Alicia Maria Kidd, Wine Noire
Wine Noire LLC., an import, export and wholesale distribution company based in Berkeley, CA. Launched in 2017, The Wine Noire specializes in helping winemakers who are women and people of color get their wines into the marketplace, as well as directly into the hands of consumers.
Socorro Manzano, Tacos Manzano
Ms. Socorro Manzano is the owner of Tacos Manzano, a cozy and proud establishment that started just when the pandemic crisis erupted in 2020. But Ms. Manzano rose to the challenge.
Jasmine Epperson, Epperson Consulting
Jasmine Epperson is a Mendocino County bookkeeping business owner working with client businesses located anywhere. We just chatted about her expertise, challenges that businesses have with their finances, and what’s changing for her while participating in the StartUp Mendocino program.
Lupita Vidals, Producciones Arcoiris
Dreams like those of Lupita and many more; resilient, brave, hard working women who fight every day in solidarity so that their cooperatives and/or businesses can continue to move forward.
Charina Vergara, Titas of Manila
Charina Vergara began her culinary career as a food vendor at local night markets where she offered original Filipino cuisine. In 2019, she was offered a business opportunity to take over an existing Filipino restaurant. Ms. Vergara & her business partner jumped on the chance and became the new owners of Titas of Manila in West Covina, CA.