(background music)
- Often, people feel like poverty is an issue of
the presence or the absence of money.
And that's really an inadequate understanding
of what's happening.
Financial capital was really only one piece of the puzzle.
You're missing the human dimension.
We believe that one of
the most powerful forces in the world is
the creative entrepreneurial spirit
that exists in every community.
And the people that step forward as entrepreneurs,
they are leaders, they are change agents.
We need to see them, we need to invest in their success
because they can bring other people with them.
When you invest in an entrepreneur
then you really begin to tap into
the most powerful force that's out there,
which is human potential. (music increases)
(slice)
We've got a lot of graduates who grew up here
and when we walk here in the neighborhood,
we see innovation and we see creativity.
(piano music)
- [Hilda Voiceover] I came here when I was very young.
It was very difficult
because I left my whole family back in Ecuador.
I was basically here by myself.
Then I met my husband and we decided to go together.
On 2013, my husband was told about this place.
Without even thinking, I just said, "let's do it."
We didn't have an idea how to start a business
but we had the desire to show our kids that
whatever we want to do, we can do.
- [Alex] There were many programs out there
that were teaching entrepreneurs
how to write a business plan
but not how to run a business.
If you can walk in the journey with them,
not just advice from afar but to be with them,
you can really make a difference.
So Rising Tide Capital begins with
a three-month intensive program
on business management skills.
They get a customized action plan,
they get a coach to guide them through
the next steps on the journey,
they get a connection to
financial investment in their business
and they get a community of entrepreneurs
that are all going through the same journey
and there to support them.
- [Hilda] Rising Tide Capital was a door
that opened the rest of the doors for me and my family.
- [Alex] When you invest in an entrepreneur,
not just as a business owner,
but as a leader in their community,
that's when you're able to unlock a change at the level of
the community in a way that goes beyond just their business.
(garage door opening)
They are seeing a need in the world around them
that they uniquely know how to respond to.
- It's not just about that you're my customer
and I fix your car and then you go home.
It's about actually creating a family connection.
We provide much more than an auto repair service.
We are committed to empower women in our community
through our educational auto workshops
where they learn to understand the language of the cars.
(speaking foreign language)
- Within two years, our entrepreneurs experience
a 95 percent increase in business revenue
and a 67 percent increase in household income.
It is a bottom up solution that is deeply connected
with human dignity.
- [Hilda] For me, it's freedom.
I just feel like, blessed and lucky.
I'm here doing something that I like
and at the same time I am helping my community.
- Hilda is just one of over 3000 entrepreneurs
that have some through the community business academy
and gone on to do amazing things.
This is just the start.
Our partner at Stand Together helped us
take this model to the next level.
And now we are in four states and looking for more partners
to join the Rising Tide network.
If we can get this into every city in America,
I believe we can create a tipping point
where a thousand entrepreneurs in one community
could create a wave of economic opportunity
that keeps on-rolling down over multiple generations
and turn that into a path forward
for themselves and their families.
- [Man Voiceover] Alex and his team at Rising Tide
are changing the way we approach one of
our country's most challenging issues.
If you want to see more great stories of people
who are making change in their communities
be sure and subscribe to Freethink now.