Meet Olivia Yazzolino

We had the good fortune of connecting with Olivia Yazzolino and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Olivia, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
The Impact Lab exists because we believe small business ownership is one of the most powerful paths to economic mobility for families, neighborhoods, and our region as a whole.
Since 2017, we’ve worked with more than 300 San Diego entrepreneurs, connecting them with professional financial advisors who dig into their actual business numbers , like cash flow, pricing, profit margins, at no cost to them. Over 8 weeks, participants build the financial systems and confidence to run a business that lasts.
Every business owner deserves an expert in their corner. The Impact Lab is built for the ones who haven’t had access to that kind of support. We prioritize women entrepreneurs, BIPOC founders, and low-to-moderate income business owners, with services available in both English and Spanish.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
The Impact Lab is a free, 8-week, one-on-one financial coaching program for small business owners in San Diego and everything about it is built around access.

We exist because high-quality financial guidance has historically been out of reach for the entrepreneurs who need it most. The Impact Lab changes that. Through Mission Edge, a San Diego-based nonprofit that has been supporting mission-driven organizations since 2011, we pair small business owners with a dedicated Finance Growth Specialist who works with them personally — on their real numbers, their real goals, and their real challenges. No generic advice. No cost. No catch.

What sets us apart is the depth of that one-on-one relationship. This isn’t a workshop you sit in or a resource library you browse on your own. It’s eight weeks of personalized coaching, weekly hour-long Zoom sessions, and Mastermind gatherings with fellow entrepreneurs, all designed around the specific needs of low-to-moderate income business owners and people of color in San Diego. We’re also fully bilingual because we believe language should never be a barrier to building a thriving business.

What we’re most proud of is the impact we see in our participants. Our alumni have experienced an average of 40% revenue growth and a 75% increase in clients. Those aren’t abstract statistics — they represent real business owners who showed up, did the work, and came out on the other side with more confidence, more clarity, and more financial momentum.

What we want the world to know is that this program exists, it’s free, and it’s for you — if you’re a small business owner in San Diego who’s ever felt like financial support wasn’t made with people like you in mind. The Impact Lab was. Learn more and apply at www.myimpactlab.org

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The amazing team at Mission Edge who work so hard to help build up the small business community, and the brave and inspiring entrepreneurs who we get to work with

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/impactlab_missionedge/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-impact-lab/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MissionEdgeSD/