Rif Care

Beverly Hills, CA 
rifcare.com

Lowering Our Carbon Footprint, One Cycle at a Time

Val Emanuel, earth activist and co-founder of Rif Care, decided to take control of her reproductive health and find an alternative solution to the current period care options on the market. Rif Care, launched in June 2022, makes safe, non-hormone-disrupting period care products out of naturally antimicrobial/antifungal and super-absorbent hemp fiber. Hemp also aids in the fight against climate change by absorbing more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than any other commercial crop. 

Emmanuel and her cofounder, Rebecca Caputo, are BIPOC women entrepreneurs with backgrounds in media, science and sustainability. These skills informed their passion for Rif Care, but they needed help with launching the brand and building the business.They met with several Pasadena SBDC advisors, including startup expert Craig Wilson, who guided them through options to raise money. He suggested they begin with Friends & Family, and they raised $130,000. He then helped them prepare to raise a Seed Round of funding; reviewing their pitch deck, and suggesting different options. Val also met with CPG expert, Larry Johnson, who helped them with their retail strategy and things like logistics and inventory management.

Since the middle of 2022, they have acquired shelf space at 22 retailers, including Erewhon, Whole Foods, Sprouts and Target, and are now in close to 100 retailers. In 2022, they were accepted at Techstars in Atlanta where they received a$120,000 equity investment. 

 

Nictavi

Los Angeles, CA 
nictavi.com

Patient heals himself and countless others!

Nictavi Founder and CEO, Nathan Horner, had a cornea transplant over a decade ago that required sewing his eye shut for weeks at a time, and like many other entrepreneurs, he knew there had to be something better. When he found there wasn’t, he designed, patented and developed the Tarsus Eye Patch, and then set about changing the world for other patients.

Nathan began tinkering with the Tarsus Eye Patch in 2016, and met CTIP and SBDC in 2018, and launched online in 2021. He was approached by the second largest OTC medical products provider in 2021, who ultimately decided the product was too much of a niche for them, but provided valuable marketing data and coaching to Nathan. Sales climbed steadily online due to his hard work with eyecare clinicians, who love the product, and attending trade shows, and in 2023, he signed his first deal with a strategic partner to provide Nictavi Tarsus patches in their post-surgical kits. This had a huge impact on his demand and revenue, which created a host of new challenges, all good, that he continues to work through with the assistance of the Pasadena SBDC advisors.

Nathan Horner is the quintessential American entrepreneur. Through personal experience, he identified a significant problem in a market, and focused on solving it, thus helping himself and thousands of other patients along the way.

 

The Little Bra Company

Arcadia, CA
thelittlebracompany.com

Attractive and Well-Fitting Bras for Every Frame

In 2007, Emily Lau founded The Little Bra Company because she couldn’t find any attractive bras that fit her smaller frame and chest. The bras that fit better looked like training bras, and the ones that were sexier were ill-fitting. “Many of my petite friends shared my lament, and so I created a collection of bras that fit and flattered our specific body types better,” she said.

In May of 2020, Emily came to the Pasadena SBDC and worked with advisor Andrew Cohen who helped her with both the EIDL and PPP loans. Later that year, Emily decided she was ready to buy the building needed for The Little Bra Company, and Andrew referred her to advisor Rithya Tang who she worked with to prepare financial documentation to provide to various lenders. Following that, Rithya made several introductions to potential lenders for Emily which resulted in the company obtaining two letters of intent for $728,000, allowing her to finance the purchase of the building.

The Little Bra Company provides the petite woman with a complete bra wardrobe that never existed before. Emily continues to look to her customers for inspiration and listens so she can continue fulfilling different needs. Today, Emily's business is thriving; featuring over 20 styles of  bras in over 20 sizes, Emily is achieving her objective of providing both practical and flattering options for petite framed women everywhere.

 

Los Taquero Mucho

Montebello, CA
linktr.ee/lostaqueromucho

Classic Tacos with a Twist

In February 2019, Sylvia Garcia, her brother, Alex, and husband, Miguel, created Los Taquero Mucho, a catering business servicing small backyard parties and company lunches with delicious, classic tacos featuring a Mexican-Guatemalan twist. Shortly after launching Los Taquero Mucho, Garcia met with Pasadena SBDC advisor Barney Santos who invited her to join an incubator program for restaurants. Working with Santos, they eventually opened their own location at the BLVD Mrkt food hall in Montebello, CA, and then expanded again to a ghost kitchen in Orange County. The journey to the restaurant’s present-day success wasn’t necessarily an easy one, but Sylvia and her team are realizing their dream, and they credit the expertise and guidance offered by the Pasadena Small Business Development Center (SBDC) as providing crucial help.

In August of 2021, Los Taquero Mucho opened its doors at the BLVD Market Food Hall and incorporated, making it an official establishment, with Garcia as the CEO. In May 2023, they expanded to a ghost kitchen in Anaheim, CA, thus increasing their reach and growing their sales. Although it took hard work on everyone’s part, Garcia attributes Los Taquero Mucho’s success to the team at SBDC and is honored to continue working with them as she navigates her dream of opening a stand-alone restaurant.

 

Playlab Family Playspace

Pasadena, CA
goplaylab.com

It Takes a Village

During the early months of motherhood, Carrie Shoup realized how isolating and challenging the transition can be. She wanted to create a place that fostered a sense of community where parents and kids felt supported and could have fun. After researching several play centers, Carrie and Jason Shoup decided to open PlayLab. Thoughtfully designed by early childhood and play experts, PlayLab is a creative, indoor playspace for infants and young children that also offers programs and social events for new and expecting parents.

Since May 2017, over 4,000 families have visited PlayLab, and Carrie and Jason have hired 3 full-time and 2 part-time employees. Sales grew 50% in year 2, and are forecasted to grow 20% in year 3. Carrie and Jason credit the Pasadena SBDC business advisors with offering guidance on a variety of topics and helping them grow their business.

 

Ronili Foods

Los Angeles, CA
ronilifoods.com

Creating the Bread-Free Bread Crumb

For months, Evan Singer laid in a hospital bed, considering his life's purpose. He wanted to honor the values of his parents and leave a legacy for his kids. Singer has a passion for cooking, and as he brainstormed business ideas, he came up with the concept of a healthier alternative to breadcrumbs. Once he was back on his feet, he got to work testing out recipes. His goal was to find a product that was accessible to everyone: non-GMO, gluten-free, vegan, preservative-free, and Kosher. After much trial and error with multiple vegetables, Singer hit upon cauliflower. He hired a food scientist, who added rice and formulated a product you can sprinkle on salads, soups, and baked potatoes, and use as a coating for meat or veggies, or as a binder for foods like meatballs. There are endless uses for Cauli Crunch, and that is part of what makes it so popular.

 

Tooktake

Pasadena, CA
tooktake.com

Took It or Take It. Never guess again.

When Leeanna Gantt began her treatment for breast cancer in 2017, she found herself frustrated by the never-ending task of counting pills and tracking liquid medications. Most medication tracking systems were designed with the elderly in mind, leaving a hole in the market for patients still intending to carry out a busy and robust life. With no intention of letting her illness dominate her day-to-day, Leeanna founded Tooktake, based in Pasadena, CA. Tooktake focuses on offering a better way to track your medication doses. Her simple system is now offered in a variety of peel-and-stick reminder labels that can be applied directly to any pill or liquid medication bottle, eliminating the transfer of weekly medications into organizers.

 

Core by Design

Clinical Pilates
Pasadena, CA
clinicalpilatespasadena.com

The Key to Staying Active and Maintaining Your Independence.

At just 13, Emma Green was introduced to physical therapy. An avid gymnast, she was devastated when her doctor told her she might have to give up the sport she breathed day in and day out as a result of injury.

Determined to continue an active lifestyle inclusive of the sport she loved, Emma set out to prove her doctors wrong and grew to realize that physical therapy was her calling in the process; helping people solve their health and wellness challenges in pursuit of an active lifestyle was what she was born to do.

What began as only a physical therapy practice became more when Emma opened core By Design clinical Pilates in 2011, fusing the exercise into her methodology with the goal of helping clients get off pain meds and avoid surgery. By guiding clients to build core strength and flexibility through the preventative nature of pilates, Emma helped them become more active, mobile, and maintain their independence.

 

The Modern Schoolhouse

San Gabriel, CA
Eagle Rock, CA
themodernschoolhouse.com

Childcare Redesigned

Working in both public and private school districts, nannying for 8+ years, and having a child of her own made Sue Athwal extremely well-versed in the world of childcare. That experience paired with her advocacy of of early education in order to help children reach their full potential allowed her a wealth of knowledge fit for the demand for high-quality childcare. Inspired by her collective experiences, Sue opened a small daycare, The Modern Schoolhouse.

For every question, obstacle, and new phase of business ownership she encountered, she turned to the SBDC because she knew they would have a resource or provide guidance, allowing her to reach the other side. In the span of two years, The Modern Schoolhouse opened two fully operating locations, growing from a 12 student headcount to 66. Now, her business is booming, and all debts from its launch have been paid off. To say it has been a busy few years for Sue and The Modern Schoolhouse would be an understatement.

 

Zizia Botanicals

Los Angeles, CA
ziziabotanicals.com

Herbal Company Experiences Meteoric Growth During Covid 19

Zizia Botanicals is an herbal company based in Los Angeles that creates a range of plant-based products including herbal tinctures, teas, skincare, and lollipops. All formulas are created and formulated by owner and herbalist Abbe Findley. Dreaming of having her products available to a larger audience, Abbe began working with the Pasadena City College SBDC in May of 2018. Over the course of two years, she worked with several advisors addressing the company's financial structure and marketing strategy.

By the end of 2019, Abbe had successfully launched her products in Erewhon, CAP Beauty, La Tropicana Market and other mid-sized retailers resulting in a sales increase of 44%. With the help of the Pasadena SBDC, Abbe also built an e-commerce sales channel for Zizia Botanicals. Advisor Colin Smith assisted with website optimization and social media efforts, and Zizia's online presence and customer engagement grew exponentially. When COVID-19 hit, the herbal products industry experienced increased demand for herbal products that support the respiratory system. Given the assistance provided by the SBDC, Abbe had a strong company foundation to take advantage of this new opportunity.

She launched several new products and, within weeks, demand escalated. In March 2020, sales increased by 400% in comparison to March 2019, and the growth of sales continued. From March 2020 to September 2020, Zizia Botanicals' online sales increased 227% compared to the same time period the year prior. Zizia Botanicals is a good example of how the value of the services provided by the SBDC often extends beyond their clients. Through the assistance received from the Pasadena SBDC, Abbe is realizing her dream of running a business that supports individuals with their health using herbal medicine.