Introduction: A Solopreneur’s Commitment to Impact

For small businesses, B Certification can feel like an overwhelming endeavor, especially for solopreneurs balancing other professional commitments. That was the case for Ceres Market, a circular-economy retailer founded by Tatiana Gomez. With limited resources, Tatiana needed a structured, strategic plan to make B Certification a reality. She then sought support through B Lab U.S. & Canada’s Level program, where Enharmonic Encounters serves as one of the resident consultancies.

We provided the necessary expertise and support to streamline the process, identify key impact areas, and position Ceres Market for success through our four-step process to guiding companies on their B Certification journey.

Phase 1: Laying the Foundation

✔ Secured Public Benefit Corporation status with pro-bono legal support through B Lab U.S. & Canada’s Level program.
✔ Refined financial documentation by identifying and addressing bookkeeping discrepancies.

Phase 2: Identifying Key Impact Business Models

✔ Local Economic Development—demonstrated Ceres’ commitment to serving 75%+ local, independent customers, aligning with B Lab’s framework.
✔ Toxin Reduction/Remediation—leveraged credible third-party certifications associated with Ceres Market’s products (e.g., Non-GMO, Soil Association, Cosmos Organic).

Phase 3: Strengthening Operations

✔ Developed key policies and tracking mechanisms, including a Theory of Change, Stakeholder Engagement Policy, and Virtual Office Stewardship Policy.
✔ Created structured documentation to ensure compliance and streamline the review process.

Phase 4: Review with B Lab and Outcome

Ceres Market submitted its B Impact Assessment in December 2024, reinforcing its alignment with the circular economy and UN Sustainable Development Goals. Having successfully substantiated its impact business models and operations, Ceres Market became a Certified B Corporation in April 2025, just in time for Earth Month. Some of the key factors for success were:

✔ Clear and focused roadmap: Ceres Market received from us a strategic approach to achieving B Certification.
✔ Formalized business practices: By entering and exiting the review process with the same score of 81.7, not losing a single tenth of a point along the way, we ensured optimal accuracy in impact capture, effective cohesion between our documentation and the B Impact Assessment, and sustainable operations.
✔ Stronger positioning in the sustainability space: By enhancing brand credibility and customer trust through B Certification, Ceres Market is well on its way to building long-term viability.

Tatiana’s Perspective:

Jeffrey’s timely communication, ability to stay on top of deadlines, breath of knowledge of the Certification process and his willingness to support me in ways I didn’t know I needed were instrumental in our journey to become a Certified B Corporation.

Advice for Other Small Businesses

1️⃣ Expect the journey to take time. B Certification is a strategic investment, not a quick fix.
2️⃣ Find the right partner. Working with Enharmonic Encounters provided Ceres Market with clarity, expertise, and encouragement when things felt overwhelming.
3️⃣ Even small businesses can achieve big impact. Strengthening policies and impact measurement early paves the way for long-term success.

Are you thinking about embarking on your own B Certification journey? We would be more than happy to discuss how it could look for you and your company! Learn more about how we can build bridges to purposeful impact together through our B Certification Consulting service.