Matt and Colleen of Firebrand Artisan Breads get good business, good people, and good capital. Founded in 2008, Firebrand is a wholesale artisan bakery, specializing in hand-crafted European breads baked in a wood fired oven – one of only three in the Bay Area.

Since joining the ICA family in 2012, Matt and Colleen have demonstrated not only a commitment to creating good jobs, but a real interest in learning about how to sustainably grow their business. Today, Firebrand is bursting at the seams as it stretches to keep up with tremendous demand. Matt and Colleen attended ICA’s Growth Strategies course in 2014 to strengthen their growth vision and develop their leadership skills at a critical juncture in their business. There, we identified them as prime candidates for a more hands-on advising and consulting approach.

Firebrand needs both growth capital and qualified people to expand its production operations and launch a flagship retail location in Uptown Oakland. ICA’s Capital Preparation and Talent Management teams have stepped in to help them on both fronts. Through thoughtful scenario planning, strategy development and financial forecasting, ICA has helped Matt and Colleen to understand their financial needs and engage potential funders with confidence. Meanwhile, through operational planning, job-creation forecasting, and recruiting support, we have helped to ensure that Firebrand is intentionally building a diverse and inclusive team as it grows. By providing these targeted services at critical junctions in a business’s growth, we are already seeing great returns in job quality and community impact.