A full-service bike shop with expert mechanics, quality rentals, and knowledgeable sales staff. Visit us today and experience our unrelenting friendliness.
Visit Us in Beautiful Treasure Island! | 1 Ave. of the Palms #021, San Francisco, California 94130 (415) 678-5323
I share content and information here that will be of interest to cyclists, transsexual people and allies, LGBTQ persons of experience, people who love the Bay Area and alternative transportation and much more. Excerpting posts with bloggers' commentary and linking to full articles is standard blogging fare. If you find you're offended by my linking to your content or don't want me to, please let me know by messaging me at Facebook or leaving a comment here.
You
know what kind of sucks about riding a bike? Other than all that
pedaling? Bike helmets. Sure, they keep that overrated "brain" from
getting splattered, but they take a lot of the open-air-joy out of
things, and they're not comfortable. A pair of Swedish women have
developed a remarkable solution: the invisible bike helmet.
Tired
of strapping ugly, uncomfortable styrofoam-and-plastic turtle shells to
their heads, the pair came up with a pretty revolutionary solution that
does manage to give you full head protection without, remarkably,
wearing anything on your head.
I'd like to just come out and tell you the secret of how their Hövding helmet
works, but this video does such a nice job of building suspense I kind
of don't want to ruin it. So I won't post any pictures showing the
operation, and don't follow that link to their site if you don't want to
spoil a minor surprise.
Once
you see how it works it all makes sense, and is a very clever solution
that draws from a number of technologies that are well-established and
familiar.3
• Client Spotlight: A Tran's Bay Bike Shop
Tammy Powers owns the first and only bike shop on
Treasure Island, A Tran's Bay Bike Shop. Tammy received assistance from
OSB counselor, Christian Murdock and sits down with us for our September
"Client Spotlight"...
Q: What type of business do you own and what makes you unique?
A: When people ask me what type of business I own, I jokingly
tell them, with a bit of seriousness, that I sell time machines. "Use
the product that I sell to you and you'll feel like a kid again."
Although said more precisely... I own a bicycle shop. My shop is unique
for 2 reasons, first: I'm the only bike shop on Treasure Island, and
second; mine is the only bicycle shop in ALL of California owned by a
male-to-female transsexual. Our slogan is "We Love BIcyclists!"
Q: How was the Office of Small Business involved in assisting you?
A: The Office of Small Business has been involved in helping
me in just about everything! I never owned a business in SF before and I
never went to business school... so I had tons of questions about what
to do and where to go simply in order for me to get started. I'm an
excellent mechanic who loves bicycles; and because I'm transforming my
gender found it difficult to get hired. So I created my own job and am
very thankful to the OSB that they helped me accomplish that.
Q: Top 3 reasons for being a small business owner in SF?
A: The top 3 reasons for being a business owner in SF are: 1.
It's one of the greatest cities in the world and the never-ending
supply of tourists who visit us are a continuous cash flow. 2. The
restaurants and entertainment here are second to none. 3. San Francisco
warmly welcomes ALL business owners, even those of us who are
transforming our gender. A Tran's Bay Bike Shop
1 Avenue of the Palms #021
SF, CA 94130
415-678-5323 http://www.transbaybikes.com/
M-F 11:00 to 6:00, weekends 12:00 to 4:00
Finding employment can be a rat race for anyone, but throwing transsexual on the top of your resume can sometimes guarantee job rejection.
A Tran's Bay Bike Shop owner, Tammy Powers, is a transsexual woman with a mind made for mechanics. However, no one would hire her.
Powers' resume was not the issue. She consistently received calls from companies requesting an interview, so being recognized as a promising candidate wasn't the problem.
“My resume is second to none,” Powers said in an interview with 429Magazine. "[But] I would show up for interviews and people's jaws would drop. People would say 'I didn't know a transsexual was applying for this position.'” Then they would dismiss her, shoeing her away by explaining that the position had been filled.
This routine set the precedent for her continued job search, and Powers eventually became jobless and homeless. “I was living on the streets before I got my own money to start my own shop,” Powers admitted.
Powers is breaking ground on many fronts. A transsexual woman and a Fuji authorized dealer, Powers owns her own bike shop, not to mention the only bike shop, on Treasure Island.
The shop, located on the Treasure Island waterfront, provides a perfect venue for bikers to buy, tune-up, or rent a bike. As a former automotive mechanic, Powers is more than capable of providing a tune-up, a complete bicycle service, or a simple pair of smooth wheels for those who want to rent for a day of island exploration.
Located on 1 Avenue of the Palms, A Tran's Bay Bike Shop opened in February and is still in its soft opening stage.
Power's explained that her gender identity has set the tone for the aesthetic appeal of the shop.
“My business is prettier now, I have more of a woman's touch, I am more aware of what people are seeing aesthetically." She continued, “I painted my work bench pink!"
“I am an avid bicyclist and an excellent mechanic. I am also a male-to-female transsexual. I opened my own bicycle shop on Treasure Island (in SF) because of the prejudice I faced when applying for bike mechanic jobs….I have sacrificed much to be in business for myself. I am an example to all people that transsexual persons are not freaks, but are very capable of being productive in society… we can even be business owners.”
- Tammy Powers
#GoFundMe | Donations Needed: A Tran’s Bay Bike Shop Is Cycling to Thrive
Tammy Powers is a full-time bicycle-healer and all around superhero.
Recognized in her community as a well-liked, respected, resilient, talented fix-it expert for bikes, cars and all things locomotive (please check out the recommended links below), Tammy’s given so much to folks in the Bay Area. As she continues to get those kudos and provide that top notch service, now she’s working on ways to fully monetize her value and bake that into longterm success for her bike rental and repair business, A Tran’s Bay Bike Shop.
As she launches herGoFundMe donation campaign for A Tran’s Bay Bike Shop this month, Tammy set aside some time to chat about how she got started, her love for making things work, her expertise in bike service and repairs, and ultimately, her ever-inspirational self-love and respect.
On Resilience: Q & A with Tammy Powers
Jaye: Tammy, thanks so much for setting aside a few moments to connect. What inspired you to open your shop, and what inspired the name A Tran’s Bay Bike Shop in particular…rather than Tammy’s Uber Cool Bike Repairs and Gear, for instance?
Tammy: (Laughs) Well, as I’d said in an earlier interview, the name of my shop is a clever one, because “TransBay” is a popular term in the Bay Area,because of all the commuters who travel back and forth across the Bay Bridge.
TransBay is very familiar for everyone from San Francisco to Oakland. You know, there’s the TransBay Express, so it’s not uncommon to hear that. And hey—I’m a transsexual! I just did the double enendre so people would go, “Huh…?” and not really get it until they walk into my shop and see that I’m a tranny. (Laughs)
Jaye: I see. So people have responded positively once they get that automatic enlightenment, huh?
Tammy: Yeah. People like that. One person was like, “I didn’t understand the apostrophe in Tran’s, until I walked into the shop.” People give me kudos for showing that we can be business owners and productive people in society. People still…they don’t expect to see a successful transgender person, so it’s always cool once they get it.
Jaye: One enlightenment at a time, then (laughs)!
Folding Strida Bikes Image from Strida.com
Well, as for your shop, what types of bikes and gear do you sell primarily? Is it a specialty shop only?
Tammy: I do service any type of bike. Tuneups, repairs. And I’m an authorized Fuji Dealer. I also sell Strida folding bicycles. They’re very convenient and useful—I sell folding bikes with commuters in mind. Actually, I refurbish and sell a full array of used bikes: BMX bikes, low-riders. I have anything in stock that’s common for the best bike shops: chains, sprockets, anything I’d need for instant repairs and help
If a customer has any specialty repairs or parts needed, I can order anything they need from my wholesaler, and get the parts by the next day.
So I have a full fleet of rentals, and Treasure Island is the place in the Bay to come bike around the island and see all the views of the Golden Gate Bridge—it’s great!
Jaye: Yes, so gorgeous. Gotta get back there soon, it’s such a beautiful place.
I understand you’ve connected with some TV producers who want to develop a show around you and your team of mechanics and salespeople there…reality TV. The fact that you primarily hire trans* women and men to work there is so meaningful and important. Do you have a sense that they’ll portray you, your crew and your shop in the right light?
Tammy: Yes—the whole thing about hiring transsexual employees, it was entirely from my own thought process. The producers, they’re very excited about it. Thinking of other “reality shows” like “Duck Dynasty” (and I don’t watch much TV, but they said I need to watch more, because they want me to see the difference between that and TV with more substance)…we want it to be very different.
I mean, I also do standup comedy—so, comedians will come visit me too.
I thought, what would make the show so appealing to the audience they would just have to tune in? So I thought about those ideas, because in my world all my friends are transsexuals. And people visit the shop, and some people, they have a bent view or they’re not too sure…they have questions. I was like, how great would it be to have a staff full of transsexual people, either this way or the other way. (Laughs) So I told all my friends.
Jaye: Good to know you have a lot of creative input with the project.
Tammy: Yeah: the director’s coming back to have lunch with me, and we’ll shoot more video later in the month. It’s been so weird how it’s happened. I met a person who knew a producer…it blows me away. It’s just amazing.
I’m so thankful people notice me and say something positive. Like, someone will see this story and mention it, and someone else will find their way to the bike shop.
Jaye: Have you had much luck recruiting mechanics? Just wondering how much training is involved in the job. Or are you looking for people who have that specific skill set, and they’re ready to go as soon as they’re hired?
Tammy: Quite a few transsexual women, MTF friends of mine I meet, they’re cyclists but they’re not mechanics. So they’d be great on the sales end or rentals. So that’s falling into place.
I’ll also be going around to some of the nonprofit bike shops that teach people how to fix bikes. We have so many here. Usually they have a femme or tranny night, so they feel comfortable there and meet up. I’m sure I’ll find people there.
And I keep hearing names, like this guy is really good or that guy…of course I mean a trans* guy. So I’ll go to those classes and probably find the FTM guys I’m looking for. It’s getting there, but you have to be patient.
Jaye: From your Facebook page, I understand you’re going to a lot of industry trade shows, and making the rounds at Pride, and so forth. So, are you looking to bring in more of the gear-heads and professional cyclists along with people who just love bikes and cycling?
Tammy: I look for people who have a common interest in cycling or seem like they want to become cyclists. My customers should be my friends and my friends should be my customers, that’s how I think about it—I’m just trying to make friends. I want to show people how excellent bicycling is. Or if they’ve never gotten into it, I want them to try it.
I’m just another bike mechanic who loves cycling.
Jaye: Treasure Island, it’s also kind of a pit stop locale for commuters or people on a long ride, so it seems like it’s really ideal! Has the foot traffic been good for rentals and so on?
Tammy: It’s picking up. The new span of the Bay Bridge is complete, and the bike lane is 90 percent complete, so in the next few months it’ll get even better. I’m settled here, the shop is right here. So when that bike lane opens on that bridge, there’s going to be hundreds of commuters a day coming on their bicycles. I’m finally at the right time at the right place in life. It’s all about persistence. You just keep hanging in there.
You know, I started with absolutely nothing.
I used to own my own shop when I was a dude. When I transitioned, it was really hard. I was even homeless for a while. Right now, I’m barely making it. But still, if you come in my shop I’ve got 20-something bikes.
I hustle and I sacrifice, and I have tenacity. I love what I do, and I make it happen.
After the interview, Tammy mentioned that she’s working extremely hard to keep the shop open, and even though she’s set herself up for success, she’s still a one woman show. She’s working hard on repairs everyday, and the bills are stacking up—keeping up with them is unspeakably challenging (the shop has only been open since May, and its official launch since then is barely over).
Please connect with Tammy to show your support, share her story with others, and visit her shop: it’s the only bike repair/rental/trading shop of its kind in the area, and Tammy’s a well-trained, highly-experienced car and bicycle mechanic.
=
Tammy will be speaking at the San Francisco LGBT Community Center on Wednesday, October 2, 2013 at 2:00 PM. Please check out the links below for more information.
Please note: I am aware many people find the term “tranny”(and also “transsexual”) to be offensive and I have some understanding as to why this is the case. However, if a trans* woman uses this language to describe herself it’s not my desire to correct her, and it’s not appropriate (in my thinking) to correct her.
'Starting a business is a lot like becoming a
parent. Not only do you have to prepare for your start-up emotionally
and financially, but you have to be committed to its constant needs
until it’s mature enough to hum along on its own. And even then (much
like a child) it will always need you in some capacity, no matter how
old it gets.' (Adapted from the Wall Street Journal Complete Small
Business Guidebook) There are many advantages to starting a business such as being your own boss, setting your
own schedule and making a living doing what you enjoy. Becoming a
successful entrepreneur requires thoughtful planning, creativity and
hard work. Discover what it takes to achieve success in starting a
business by learning first-hand about the entrepreneurs lifestyle from a
panel of LGBT and allied business owners. You'll hear some of the
challenges and successes they’ve encountered starting their businesses
and get some tips from the trenches.
Panelists : Anna Tvelova, Owner, Anda Piroski Tammy Powers, Owner, Trans Bay Bike Shop (That's Me!) Gavin Escolar, Owner, Gavin Escolar
Moderator: Nick Wolff, Small Business Services Manager
-
Bicoastal LGBT Economic Empowerment Week & Career Fair Launches in San Francisco and New York
The
San Francisco and New York Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Community
Centers are jumpstarting prosperity for LGBT communities with a week
events from Sept. 30 through Oct. 5.
(Originally posted on San Francisco Business Times here)
SAN FRANCISCO,
Sept. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/--Whether you're on the hunt for a
job, looking to start a small business or just trying to get your
finances in order, it's a tough economic climate nationwide-and it's
especially challenging for members of the LGBT community, who face even
steeper barriers in employment and overall financial well-being.
The San Francisco Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Community Center's Economic Development Department (SF Center), in partnership with New York City's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center (NY Center), aims to change that, and to jumpstart prosperity for the LGBT community with its annual, bicoastal Economic Empowerment Week&LGBT Career Fair, launching this year on Sept. 30 and running through Oct. 5.
This
series of bicoastal events will showcase the breadth of opportunities
available to the LGBT community and its supporters to increase their
financial security and become empowered economically. The events will
include industry insider panels and workshops that offer financial
education and credit-building tips and strategies, job-search support,
job placement-and much more. Last year's bicoastal event brought in more
than 1,600 attendees, with 60 employers and 35 community partners
participating.
Established
in 2004, SF Center's Economic Development Department is the first
initiative in the nation to comprehensively address the economic
barriers faced by low- and moderate-income LGBT individuals and
families. The Center also created the first program fortransgender job seekersand
the first and only program offering free income-tax preparation for
same-sex married couples. The results have been impressive. Every year,
the SF Center:
Helps more than 1,000 people get connected to jobs and employment services
Partners with more than 50 employers for recruiting and empowerment events
Provides technical assistance to 100 entrepreneurs and small businesses
Educates and assists 150 families to obtain resources to purchase their first home
Increases
the credit scores of 50 people through our lending-circle program
(which has an average credit score increase of 168 points)
"The
myth that all gay people are affluent needs to be debunked," said
Eugénie FitzGerald, director of economic development at the SF LGBT
Center. "Our LGBT community is diverse in every way, but reputable
studies consistently demonstrate that LGBT people are more likely to be
poor than our straight counterparts. LGBT people have long faced
discrimination in employment, education, health care and economic
supports, and those who face additional barriers, such as racism or
ableism, are the most economically vulnerable. We are the first group in
the country to design and implement solutions to LGBT poverty, and we
are thrilled to showcase this innovation throughout Economic Empowerment
Week and beyond."
In
2005, the New York LGBT Community Center also began helping the
community connect with employers and companies through their LGBT Career
Fair. The Fair, supported by corporations, neighborhood businesses,
community groups, LGBTQ student associations and business chambers,
pointed a spotlight on the employability of the NYC LGBT community. The
Fair has grown substantially every year, with the 2013 event showcasing
more than 30 companies, welcoming more than 800 job seekers and offering
professional workshops, panel discussions and networking
opportunities.
"The LGBT Community Center in New York City is proud to partner with the San Francisco Center on this critical employment effort," said Kristen Kentner,
corporate relations officer at the NY Center. "There is no topic more
important to the nation than the employability and financial security of
every American. It is our privilege to contribute, in every way
possible, in getting LGBT people jobs where they can start out and be
out."
In San Francisco, events will begin on Oct. 1 withJumpstart Prosperity - a kickoff mixer at the SF LGBT Center. The 30th LGBT Career Fair, supported by many local partners, will be on Oct. 2 in San Francisco. In New York, events will begin Sept. 30 with their LGBT Career Fair and multiple workshops on everything from career support to financial health.
"We are thrilled to celebrate our 30th
LGBT Career Fair at the SF Center! There will be over 45 companies at
the event including Apple, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Starbucks,
Macy's, Kimpton, Prudential, Nielsen and many more-all committed to
hiring qualified LGBT candidates," said Clair Farley, manager of employment services at the SF Center.
About the SF LGBT Center: The
Center is a welcoming place for our diverse LGBT community and its
supporters to find innovative services and fabulous cultural programs
that lead to a stronger, healthier community and a more welcoming and
equitable world. Its safety net programs serve the most vulnerable
members of our community and provide a welcoming home for all LGBT and
allied people. Each month, the Center serves over 9,000 visitors and
hosts more than 200 events. The Center is located at 1800 Market Street
in San Francisco. Learn more about the Center atwww.sfcenter.org.
About the NYC LGBT Center:Established in 1983, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center is at the heart of the LGBT community in New York City,
providing quality health and wellness programs in a welcoming space
that fosters connections and celebrates our cultural contributions. We
strive to serve the LGBT community with a full-service, multi-faceted
approach to programming, from hosting arts and entertainment events,
advocacy groups and family gatherings to offering youth, recovery and
overall wellness programs. Each year, the Center welcomes more than
300,000 visits to our building in the West Village neighborhood of Manhattan from people who engage in our life-changing and life-saving activities. We are proud to beyourcommunity Center. To learn more about our work, please visitwww.gaycenter.org.
Contact:
Eugénie FitzGerald Director of Economic Development San Francisco LGBT Center t: 415-865-5515 | e:eugenief@sfcenter.org
Clair Farley Manager of Employment Services San Francisco LGBT Center t: 415-965-5632 | e:clairf@sfcenter.org
Kristen Kentner Director of Institutional Giving New York LGBT Community Center t: 646-358-1721 | e:kkentner@gaycenter.org
Mary Steyer Communications Manager New York LGBT Community Center t: 646.358.1714 |msteyer@gaycenter.org
SOURCE San Francisco Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Community Center
Photo: Fotorebelxt Photography
