The Other Entrepreneurs of San Francisco

Entrepreneurship is everywhere in your city. It is seeping through every crack and crevasse of San Francisco. Typical people focus on the tech startups, google, Uber, Facebook and so many more. It seems to me everybody you share a Lyft line with is a programmer, designer, creator, business owner, or successful in their own right.

As an entrepreneur myself I was blown away with the boundless opportunities San Francisco has revealed during my first trip. While I was getting ready to embark on my departure, a twist of fate and some stolen luggage led me to an adventure under the freeways.

While looking for the stolen luggage, I noticed these homeless people have a vibrant local economy. The economy has three currencies: (1) goods (2) services and (3) “I owe you’s.” The people living on the street despite their exclusion from the greater economy they have still socialized to create their own economic system. This street economy has businesses with owners and employees. These business range from being product based to services like carpentry, or a bike mechanic.

On Carolina Street, I met Richard Presley from Nevada, and Bryan Trosclair from New Orleans. These two mean are successful entrepreneurs. These two men are also homeless, and have been for quite some time.

Richard has been on the street for seven months. His beloved wife passed away a year ago, and without her being around he could not afford the payments on his home. Richard lost his home, and went on the road to try to recreate his youthful experiences in California. He has been a carpenter his whole life. With no money to afford the high rents in San Francisco he was forced on the street. For weeks Richard had no place to go and could not find any work. Finally, he had enough when he was ticketed and arrested for being on the street.

Richard was inspired to fulfill his need for shelter and he constructed his own home. His home was not your typical make shift cardboard box. Richard’s homes are complex and detailed in design. They have windows that open and shut; they are completely mobile and situated on six caster wheels so it can roll with ease; there is a dead bolt on the door to keep intruders out; there is a modular bed platform with storage places for his clothes and tools; the bed platform fold to create a seating area and he even built a desk to work at. The day we meet him he was in the process of painting his home time. Since constructing his home he has been hired by two other homeless people on Carolina street to build them homes. One of Richard’s greatest difficulties in building these homes is simply keeping his drill charged. Richard is available for hire if anyone has a project they need a fine carpenter on. He may be a little rough around the edges but his work speaks for itself. His homes are so nice we joked that maybe one day he could AirBnB one of them.

We thought we had identified the luggage and explained the situation to Richard. He helped us get our luggage back when he introduced us to Bryan Trosclair from New Orleans.

Bryan was on the other end of the block and has a bicycle repair business. He barters his work for goods, or a small fee (usually less then $10). Bryan was traded my friend’s stolen luggage, and accordion in exchange for replacing a flat tire on a bicycle. When we approached Bryan he was happy to return it and happily fetched the accordion from underneath a stack of piled on bike parts. Bryan has been running his bike shop for years, and explained that this occasionally happens. Right there on the corner his business stocks parts, and he has a wide variety of assorted tools. He is warm hearted and will help anyone that needs his services. Check out his make shift shop on Carolina street.

Both men would happily jump at any opportunity. If you have a project in mind or need a flat fixed they can be contacted here:

Richard Presley can be found currently at the corner of Carolina and 16th.

Bryan Trosclair can be reached on his girlfriend’s cell at (415) 632–2625

Entrepreneurship is everywhere, and regardless of where it is found you have to respect the hustle.

All the best,

David Mansor

https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/davidmansor

Special thanks to Julia Plevin.