June 1, 2018. The Drucker Institute announced today that Interise is one of 50 semifinalists for the 2018 Drucker Prize. The semifinalists were selected from over 500 first-round applicants “based on their excellence in demonstrating Peter Drucker’s definition of innovation—change that creates a new dimension of performance,” according to a Drucker Institute press release.

These 50 nonprofits now qualify for The Drucker Prize’s second round, where their leaders will engage a series of short innovation learning modules. Produced especially for The Drucker Prize, these modules feature insights from some of today’s top thinkers on management and leadership, as well as the timeless wisdom of Peter Drucker. In Round 2, the semifinalists will be asked to articulate for the judges both their current innovation practices, as well as and how they might further leverage the disciplines of innovation to improve their organization’s results.

Interise's application highlighted Interise's partnership model, and the sustained growth of established small businesses that have completed a StreetWise 'MBA'™ program. Collected from 73 cities nationwide, program results show that Interise businesses consistently grow their revenues at rates that outperform the private sector as a whole. What's more, impressive job creation rates run across a decade of evaluation data. Historically, Interise businesses create jobs at 5x the rate of the private sector as a whole.

Small business owners in low- and moderate-income communities and/or from historically disadvantaged social and economic groups often lack the business knowledge and management know-how necessary for second-stage growth. Additionally, they are often excluded from the networks that comprise the larger business ecosystems, including financing and procurement. To catalyze a more inclusive and equitable small business ecosystem, Interise developed the StreetWise 'MBA'™.

According to Intersise's 10-Year Report, companies that successfully completed a StreetWise 'MBA'™ program outperformed the private sector as a whole, consistently achieving net new job growth in both boom and lean economic years. Even in the Great Recession, Interise businesses continued to create jobs.

Vanessa Best instructs the Emerging Leaders program in New York City. Her commitment and passion to advocating for underserved communities deserves recognition. We feature her in this blog as she shares her journey with Interise and the work she’s doing with Precisionhealth to champion healthcare.

Giselle Mota is a superstar Instructor who’s taught Interise’s SBA Emerging Leaders class in Tampa, FL for 4 years. She is the founder of Preductiv, a platform aimed at equipping organizations with the strategies to bolster productivity through optimizing learning and development. In this post Giselle shares what it’s like to work with Interise as a facilitator and an entrepreneur.

May 14, 2018. Small business owners across the nation have earned recognition both locally and nationally from the Small Business Administration (SBA) for their outstanding success, leadership, and community impact. Eight StreetWise 'MBA' alumni and instructors are among those awarded top honors as a part of the SBA's National Small Business Week.

by Matt Benedetti

FRANKLIN, MA- On March 3, 2018, nine military veteran entrepreneurs earned their certificates after successfully completing the VETRN Streetwise MBA program at Dean College offered through a partnership with Interise.