For Barb Smith, growth has always been a journey. Through Building for Growth, Goldman Sachs’ 10,000 Small Businesses, ICAN, and other ICIC opportunities, she has gained the knowledge, connections, and confidence to continue building Journey Steel. Today, she is paying that support forward by creating career pathways and supporting the next generation of leaders. Read More

After Leon Davis’s veteran-owned business nearly collapsed in 2020, he turned to ICIC’s Building for Growth program for a lifeline. Through mentorship, strategy, and renewed leadership, Leon rebuilt CheckMate Communications & Electric and launched it into its strongest era yet. His story shows how ICIC empowers construction entrepreneurs to transform setbacks into sustainable growth and lasting success. Read More

Some of the most recent graduates of ICIC’s Building for Growth (BFG) program hail from Northern California, demonstrating the program's regional reach and tailored support for local BIPOC-, woman-, and veteran-owned contractors. These business owners, equipped with new skills and strategies, are now securing larger contracts and streamlining operations to significantly grow their impact. LaSonia Mansfield shared, “Thanks to BFG's training, I have achieved many significant milestones, including securing my second prime contract and managing more than three contracts simultaneously.” Reva Murphy of Reva Murphy Associates added, “I needed to listen to the knowledgeable instructors to put into practice their insightful suggestions, business development concepts, and long-range planning skills critical to grow a business.” The program's success, made possible by sponsors like Intuit, The Home Depot, and PG&E, has empowered participants to transform their businesses while fostering a supportive community of like-minded entrepreneurs. Read More

Josue Velney is a former Marine and retired firefighter who is now a full-time real estate developer and the CEO of Velney Development, LLC. He holds a bachelor's degree in construction management and is a licensed unrestricted construction supervisor. Velney's military background has shaped his leadership skills, which he has applied to real estate development. He is committed to improving his community through strategic real estate projects and has a rental portfolio spanning several cities. Velney participated in ICIC’s Inner City Capital Connections (ICCC) and Building for Growth (BFG) programs, which provided him with advanced education, coaching, and mentoring. As a result of his hard work and training, his company formed a strategic alliance with Callahan Construction Managers, a full-service construction management company headquartered in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Velney emphasizes the importance of patience and the support he received from the ICIC community in achieving his success. Read More

Picture a life on a beautiful island with a loving partner by your side, a thriving community, and a successful business. That's the life that Brandy and Eric Cajudoy created for themselves. Their desire to spend more quality time with their family inspired them to leave full-time employment and become entrepreneurs. In 2017, they co-founded Cajudoy Construction, a woman-owned/led, family-operated general construction company based in central Maui. The company specializes in residential builds and credits its steady growth to the close-knit community on the island. It was connections in the community that helped them expand their business portfolio from custom homes and remodeling to commercial projects. In 2023, Cajudoy Construction secured one of the highest-paying residential contracts the business ever had and its first government job. The Cajudoys felt ready for the future, and then, their world was set on fire. The wildfires that burned more than 6,000 acres across the island in the summer of 2023 have had a lasting impact. Although the couple did not lose personal property in the natural disaster, they have felt the repercussions of a changed economy. They’ve utilized all the skills in their toolbox, including skills learned in ICIC’s Building for Growth program, to recover the life they once had. Read More