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Graduate Spotlights
 Teresa
Olivas
Owner of Heavenly Brew
California native Teresa
Olivas worked for years in the high tech industry,
but after a sudden employment cutback left her
jobless, she was forced to start from ground zero.
Influenced by her entrepreneurial father, Teresa
sought her new beginnings as an opportunity to
start her own business. Teresa had a vision and
inspiration, but lacked the skills and means to
make her dream a reality. After numerous business
workshops weren’t allowing her the skills
for holistic business plan, Teresa found Women’s
Initiative’s specialized program the answerer
to a step-by -step strategy to make her business
a reality.
Three months before completing her 30th year
working for a local high tech company, Teresa
Olivas was laid off. Like many people who have
lost their jobs during this growing phenomenon
in Silicon Valley, Teresa was shocked and devastated
for 2 months. However, Teresa decided to turn
this negative situation into a more positive,
energizing motion.
Teresa reconnected with herself through prayer and
remembered her dream to sell Gourmet Specialty Coffee
after she retired and decided it was time to make
her dream a reality. Teresa’s father had has
his own business, a musical band called “Los
Latinos”, and though eager to follow in his
example, Teresa lacked necessary business skills.
Her first step was to join business organizations
and develop a business plan. While attending a class
for business plans, a fellow student strongly recommended
Women’s Initiative, explaining that she was
working on her second successful business with the
organization. Inspired, Teresa attended a Women’s
Initiative orientation the following week.
Women’s Initiative offered Teresa the support
and understanding she needed to start building
her business. While in class, Teresa noticed that
the National Hispanic University didn’t
sell coffee for the students during their breaks.
Teresa confidently took action and within 6 weeks
negotiated a plan with the National Hispanic University
to open a coffee kiosk. Teresa explains that other
organizations offered pieces of the puzzle, but
Women’s Initiative gave her the holistic
approach needed to successfully start her business
plan. Though it is a difficult feat opening a
business, Teresa stays strong through the confidence
she achieved at Women’s Initiative, “you
get so many road blocks and you have to learn
that they are just challenges, not the end of
the world.” For Teresa, like many women,
obtaining start-up capital for her business served
as a major obstacle in creating her business.
Fortunately, Teresa received a seed loan from
Women’s Initative that helped to kick her
business into high gear. Teresa explains that
the Women’s Initiative program is more than
just a business class, she says “at Women’s
Initiative I found a support system, a place I
can go anytime I have questions.”
As a new business owner, Teresa dreams of expanding
her business to more locations, creating many
more jobs for the community. Specifically, Teresa
wants to hire women who are disadvantaged when
it comes to finding a job, such as women from
low-educational backgrounds and women who do not
speak English as their first language.
Visit Teresa at 14271 Story Road, San Jose, CA
95127
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