29d (edited) • General discussion
Post #01.
Thank you, Sam & Hermozi!
That one time when WeWork expressed interest in investing in my media agency and publications (circa 2017).
— 🎥 My Story
👋🏼
Hello from Silicon Valley,
I'm Joelle Cruz, the founder of Good Neighbor — Made Local. We are committed to empowering family-owned businesses in the Bay Area.
Our vision is to build a thriving community where everyone feels supported and connected.
I am passionate about combining creativity, strategy, and experience to help local business owners, while leveraging AI tools effectively.
🦄 🦄 Start-up Experience: A $317M Exit
Fivestars by SumUp is a loyalty SaaS company. We helped over 14,000 businesses along the way. This accomplishment highlights the dedication and effort invested at a Y Combinator startup, from the seed stage through post-Series C, where I served as the company’s founding Brand/Marketing Designer and Creative Director.
I have also designed for the legendary Warren Buffett and worked at Apple as a lead designer.
💔 💔 💔
Twenty-five years ago, I opened my dream café in Downtown San José. Sadly, it had to close due to the economic downturn after the tragic events of 9/11. I also lost two other businesses during the 2007 financial crisis: a printing company and a design company. In 2020, when the pandemic hit, I had just finished leading a branding project for Berkshire Hathaway (Warren Buffett). Shortly after, I had to close down my agency.
These experiences underscored the importance of standing out, branding, and marketing. They inspired me to start a media agency and publish local magazines and and we put a spotlight on struggling family-owned businesses. I also support local non-profits with free design services and marketing.
2:44
1
0 comments
Post #01.
powered by
skool.com/good-neighbor-6826
I help family-owned businesses in the Bay Area grow and stay open by guiding them with their marketing, standing out, and using custom AI tools.
Suggested communities
Powered by