Ivo Tjan Keynote Speaker At CIELO Morning Edition

Launch of Speaker Series for CIELO

IRVINE, Calif., Feb. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ — CommerceWest Bank (OTCBB: CWBK) was invited to join the Community for Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Leadership and Opportunities (CIELO), to empower individuals with an entrepreneurial spirit and passion for small business.  Ivo Tjan, Chairman and CEO of CommerceWest Bank was the Keynote Speaker and discussed the macroeconomic forces affecting businesses, which included a discussion about the Tax Cut and Jobs Law Act.

Read More

CIELO Client Wins $2,500 Grant at Access to Capital Workshop

Prize will help advance small swim school business

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., March 16, 2017 — Tiffany Boykin, a client of the Community for Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Leadership & Opportunities (CIELO), was recently awarded a $2,500 grant to help expand her business: My Swim Buddy. Boykin, a swim instructor since high school, turned her passion into her full-time profession with the help of CIELO.

CIELO empowers entrepreneurial-minded visionaries, primarily from low-income Orange County communities, to build solid, successful business ventures by surrounding them with a network of experts dedicated to helping cultivate their skills and creativity. CIELO guides clients to a path of financial health by offering high quality entrepreneur development services, with the ultimate goal of helping them achieve economic self-sufficiency.

Read More

CIELO Received Innovation Award from Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce

Annual honor recognizes business for adding jobs and value to city through innovation

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., December 9, 2016 — The Community for Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Leadership & Opportunities (CIELO) was recently honored by the Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce with its 2016 Innovation Award.

On Thursday, December 1, the Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce hosted business, community and local civic leaders at its 2016 Business & Leadership Awards Luncheon, which was held at SeaCliff Country Club, to recognize a few outstanding businesses and individuals making a difference in Huntington Beach.

The Innovation Award recognizes a Huntington Beach-based business that has developed a new technology, product, method and/or service, and the result of that innovation has generated job growth and added value for the Huntington Beach business community.  Since its founding in 2015, CIELO has been working with low-income and underserved individuals to help them achieve economic self-sufficiency. While improving the lives of many individual residents, CIELO is increasing the overall economic success of the city.

Read More

CIELO Awarded $50,000 AHEAD Grant from Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco

Gift will enable nonprofit to expand local entrepreneur development program

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif., December 5, 2016 — The Community for Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Leadership & Opportunities (CIELO) recently received a $50,000 AHEAD Program grant, the highest level awarded this year, to help expand its efforts to develop successful start-up entrepreneurs by unleashing innovation, creativity, and passion.

CIELO empowers entrepreneurial-minded visionaries from low-income Orange County communities to build solid, successful business ventures by surrounding them with a network of experts dedicated to helping cultivate their skills and creativity. CIELO primarily targets economically disadvantaged individuals who may have lost sight of their dreams or need outside help to achieve their goals. Through several partnerships with community organizations, CIELO connects their services directly to their partners’ clientele. CIELO guides clients to a path of financial health by offering high quality entrepreneur development services, with the ultimate goal of helping them achieve economic self-sufficiency.

AHEAD grant funds are being used to increase CIELO’s capacity to serve a greater number of clients by expanding its Microenterprise Coach to a full-time position. This vital role is responsible for: guiding clients through the process of starting their small businesses, providing training and mentorship to clients, helping them develop and implement business plans, and working with viable businesses to develop career paths and partnership opportunities.

Read More

Imelda Bernal faced seemingly insurmountable challenges. She spoke little English, had limited education and young children to care for. For 14 years, her working hours were spent in a large company’s shipping and receiving department.

“I never thought I could have my own business,” said Bernal, 45.

Read More

CIELO Ribbon Cutting

It took only minutes for budding entrepreneurs to start networking with business owners during a ribbon cutting at Golden West College on Friday morning.

The Huntington Beach college, in association with the grassroots group Oak View Renewal Partnership, introduced its new entrepreneurship center called CIELO, for Community for Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Leadership and Opportunities.

Read More

California Offering Business Grants!