SoCo Stars: Jackie Raposo at Interise

If you’re a small business owner looking to push your business to the next level, you need to meet Jackie Raposo. Jackie is our neighbor on the second floor of the Quest Center and her mission is to help local small businesses grow.

Jackie’s organization, Interise, offers a unique program for small business owners called the Streetwise MBA. The goal of this program is to help you see beyond the daily operating demands of your business so you can actually start to strategize and implement a plan for growth.

Sound interesting? Jackie is presenting this week on Thursday, April 23rd at Groundwork! from 12-1pm, so stop in for a chance to hear more and ask questions. Here we ask Jackie a few questions of our own about her job:

What’s your profession?

I’m a Program Manager for Interise. I manage their program in New Bedford by interviewing small business owners interested in participating in the class and searching for our volunteer guest experts. I also work on managing their partnerships with local organizations in MA.

Describe a typical work day for you.

Depending on the day I might have interviews set up with small business owners who are interested in applying to the program. I would stop by their business to get to know them and understand how they want to grow their business. Other times I’m meeting with our volunteer guest experts. Some days I spend time having meetings with my colleagues to plan ways to continue to spread the word about Interise and work on new projects together. I might be working on an upcoming event or reaching out to local organizations regarding partnership opportunities.

What’s the biggest challenge you face at your job?

I have to find the right business owners for the program. They must meet the program requirements and also be motivated to grow their business. My goal is to get 10-12 business owners in the program each year who will put the time and effort to working on their business and work with their peers to grow as a group.

What is the most satisfying part of your job?

To see the business owners go through the program and see them learn new ways to grow their business. I love when they have their enlightened moments with new information or when I see them build strong relationships with their peers. To see them grow personally and professionally is always satisfying and lets me know I found the right person for the program.

Do you have a morning routine?

Usually I look at my calendar and plan out my day. I check my emails first and try to respond to the most urgent ones then head to my meetings.

What are your favorite productivity tips or hacks?

I try to give myself deadlines even if they are unnecessary. It helps me get my goals done before the due dates.

What do you listen to during the day?

I love 90’s hip hop and RnB music. Sometimes I’ll listen to new songs but most of the time I enjoy reminiscing.

What’s in your digital toolbox?

Ground Miles because it keeps track of my miles when I go for runs in the mornings.

What is the most surprising or unusual aspect of your life?

I grew up in Brooklyn, NY and I lived in 7 different cities by the age of 22.

What inspires you?

My community. Even though I didn’t grow up here, I have a profound connection to SouthCoast Mass and I want to see the economy prosper. I’m proud of the work I do because I want to see small businesses grow. I’m all for the underdogs.

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Sarah

Co-founder at Groundwork!

Sarah lived all over South America, produced a documentary about Patagonia, and worked in digital marketing for a decade before settling in New Bedford to start Groundwork. She loves running a coworking space because she gets to meet motivated, intelligent, and interesting people.