Welcome back to The Sunstone Way.
In trying to explain the Sunstone Why – why we do what we do – it is imperative to talk about partnerships as we enrich our communities. The old cliché “it takes a village” is more true than ever when it comes to economic development.
We’re well aware that we can’t do this good work on our own. That’s why it’s so important to bring together partners with the same interests when we’re trying to improve our communities.
Besides that, it’s more fun to work together than to work alone. Remember, you can go fast when you work alone, but you can go far when you work together.
Working In Long Beach
Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson understands this concept and articulated it in his vision for shifting the city’s economic emphasis from the historic oil industry to (at least partially) a new information and technology-based economy that is good for the environment, good for the community, and good for the world. To that end, the Mayor brought together a group of partners to form the Launch Beach coalition to attract, support, and grow innovative new companies in the City of Long Beach, and Sunstone Management is proud to be a part of this ground-breaking approach.
We’re partnering with powerful community leaders at the Long Beach Economic Partnership and the city’s Economic Development Department to find resources and incentives to help startup businesses get established in Long Beach. We’re leaning into our already-strong relationship with the Long Beach Accelerator and the CSULB Institute for Innovation & Entrepreneurship to help with training and technical expertise for those businesses.
I’m particularly excited about the participation of the Long Beach Center for Economic Inclusion as part of the coalition. They will help bring in the diverse minority- and women-owned businesses that are also core to our philosophy; and are so important to the fabric of Long Beach.
There are others working hard on this five-year project. That includes our own Sunstone Community Fund (a donor-advised fund capable of providing grants to nonprofits), and Imprint Venture Lab, a cutting-edge marketing center.
An Approach Of Cooperation
Sunstone has developed the expertise and insight to help lead the effort to turn this vision into reality. We have taken this model of partners working together to support and grow new businesses and strengthen communities to the California university systems, other California cities and New York City.
Each time, we’ve found that we’re better with our partners than we are when we’re on our own. We’ve learned from them, had fun with them, and made a difference with them.
I am a Long Beach resident, and I’m proud of Sunstone stepping up to help enrich our community through economic development. That’s a Sunstone Why, and the Sunstone Way.
John Keisler
CEO & Managing Partner
Sunstone Management Inc.
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© Sunstone Management Inc.
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More About Sunstone Management
Sunstone Management is a diversified private capital management firm with headquarters in Southern California that provides a range of early-stage venture capital, real estate, and fixed income funds to qualified and accredited investors. The firm delivers new and exciting options for economic growth through innovative public-private partnerships, making use of its unique experience across government, education, and private sectors. Identified by Financial Times as one of America’s Fastest Growing Companies three years in a row. Connect with Sunstone Management at:
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