Caron Ng didn’t plan to lead a manufacturing company. But when her family needed her, she stepped into NU-SET Lock and never looked back. From warehouse staff to Principal CEO, Caron helped the business grow from traditional lockboxes to smart security products, earning more than 22 patents and trademarks along the way. As an alumna of ICIC’s Inner City Capital Connections program, Caron gained the tools to scale her business and now serves on the advisory board for ICIC’s Manufacturing Accelerator Program. Her story shows how innovation and legacy are working together to impact the future of manufacturing. Read More

For architect and Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses alum Farooq Ameen, design isn’t just about buildings—it’s about people. As founder of City Design Studio, Farooq has spent years shaping spaces that reflect the stories, needs, and identities of the communities they serve. From converting an old factory into a transitional facility for unhoused residents to designing a public plaza in Inglewood, his work is rooted in care, vision, and deep local ties. His creative approach is fueling growth—earning City Design Studio national recognition as a 2024 IC100 Award winner and establishing Farooq as a trusted voice among his peers. At ICIC’s Innovation Summit, he shared forward-thinking insights on how small businesses can embrace AI in ways that strengthen, rather than compromise, their mission. Read More

BC Design Haus is a woman- and Asian-owned, design and branding agency based in Pasadena, California. Bernadette Capulong, the company’s CEO, describes herself as an accidental entrepreneur, having turned to self-employment to replace her income after being laid off during the Great Recession. Since the firm’s official launch in 2015, she has led the company to achieve double-digit revenue growth year over year. BCDH was recognized nationally for its growth, appearing for the second year in a row on the Inner City 100 Awards list in 2023. This success would not be possible without Capulong’s persistent focus on building partnerships with her clients and her team. Her nearly decade-long journey as an entrepreneur has taught her five key lessons: seek out a program like Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, understand that owning a small business is a long game, seek advice from a mentor, hire the right people, and be good to your clients. Read More

ICIC's Building for Growth (BFG) program joined ICIC's Inner City Alumni Network (ICAN) in California, where they hosted information sessions in Oakland and Sacramento to launch the 2024 BFG application. In the two years since the program’s start, BFG has served 166 construction firms from 29 states. Graduates from the inaugural cohort saw incredible success, raising $5.4 million in total capital, increasing their bonding capacity by an average of 156%, and increasing their backlog by an average of 101%. The information sessions, which were held in conjunction with small business networking events hosted by ICAN, marked the first time that construction owners had the opportunity to network in-person with program staff and alumni before applying. Steve Lamar, BFG Program Director, shared how the program is specifically designed to help later-stage construction companies reach their next level, outlining the unique aspects of the program, such as classes taught by successful industry practitioners, learning with a group of peers from across the nation, and having access to digital and human resources that remain available after completing the course. Building for Growth alumni also offered comments, eagerly expressing the impact of the program on their companies. Read More

Small businesses are the engine of America’s prosperity and when they succeed, good jobs are created, economic opportunity is abundant and healthier communities are created. With this in mind, we’ve teamed up with the nation’s largest, nonprofit, integrated health care delivery system, Kaiser Permanente, to support urban businesses in Los Angeles and Oakland so our inner cities can thrive. Read More