|
March 6th, 2026
From the desk of President Henry Karnilowicz
| | |
Greetings from the largest small business association in area in San Francisco, advocating for all our businesses, including for issues such as security, legislation, and marketing.
We invite you to explore our website archive to access all our past newsletters.
SOMA offers a wide variety of services, restaurants, and more. Whether you’re looking for a great place to eat, need motorcycle repairs, want to explore local art, print or copy documents, visit an optometrist, enjoy a night out at a club, or even try an assisted stretch — you’ll find it all in our Member Directory.
We encourage all to share this newsletter with friends and associates. Help us spread the word!
| | |
HIGHLIGHTS:
- The Box SF - Artistica Creators Fest
- Renaissance Entrepreneurship - Women's History Month Panel
- Yerba Buena & East Cut SF Women-Owned Business Bingo
- Golden Gate Restaurant Association re PG&E
- Self-Help Credit Union
- Membership
| | |
The Box SF
Artistica Creators Fest
| |
SF’s coziest vendor market returns to SOMA...
Date: Saturday, March 14th, 2026
Time: 11 am - 5 pm
Date: Sunday, March 15th, 2026
Time: 11 am - 4 pm
Where: The Box SF
Location: 1069 Howard St., San Francisco, CA
Set inside the historic venue, The Box SF, this free weekend event features more than 35 local artisans alongside a one-of-a-kind antique mercantile showcasing rare prints and beautiful ephemera.
It’s a unique city shopping experience, perfect for bringing friends and family along!
| |
Renaissance Entrepreneurship
Women's History Month Panel
| | |
Date: Thursday, March 19th
Time: 3:00 - 5:00 pm
Where: Yes SF
Location: 220 Montgomery St., San Francisco, CA 94104
An inspiring afternoon will spotlight the women entrepreneurs helping drive San Francisco forward through two engaging panel discussions focused on the impact of women-led small businesses. The first panel, Small Businesses Driving City Recovery, will feature Katy Tang, Executive Director of the Office of Small Business, and a representative from JPMorgan Chase (TBD) discussing current small business trends, corporate investment in local communities, and the essential role women-owned businesses play in the city’s economic revival.
The second panel, Trailblazing Women Small Business Owners, will feature four women small business owners sharing firsthand stories of resilience, community engagement, and neighborhood transformation across San Francisco. Together, the conversations will celebrate the leadership, innovation, and impact of women entrepreneurs powering the city’s future.
| |
We Are Proud to Support
Yerba Buena & East Cut SF
Women-Owned Business Bingo
| | |
In celebration of Women’s History Month, we’re excited to spotlight and support local entrepreneurs through a neighborhood-wide, women-owned business bingo.
This month-long challenge invites participants to explore and connect with women-owned businesses throughout the Yerba Buena and East Cut and participating neighborhoods while discovering new shops, services, and community spaces along the way.
Click the button below to learn how the event works and how you can join the fun:
| |
From Our Friends at
Golden Gate Restaurant Association...
|
New PGE Small Business Contact, Budget Pricing Plans, and More!
PG&E has committed to helping small businesses in San Francisco.
Recently they have helped small businesses with the following:
-
Helped local restaurants save over $250k by switching to a more optimal rate plan. Perform a customized rate analysis- pge.com/rateanalysis
-
Direct connect with PG&E - Contact Daniel Opine, information below
- 500 in-person visits - walking the corridors and listening for ways to help directly from you
- Proactively working to improve service reliability
New Small Business Representative: Please direct any inquiries to the new representative (who took over from Duriel)
Daniel Opine, San Francisco and Peninsula
510-951-0917
Daniel.Opine@pge.com
| | Congratulations to Eric Maldonado, Past Business Development Manager at Redwood Credit Union | | |
While serving as Business Manager at Redwood Credit Union, Eric Maldonado was named Latino of the Year by the Board of Directors of the Hispanic Chambers of Commerce of San Francisco (pictured above), recognizing his strong support of small businesses, an essential part of San Francisco’s culture and vibrancy.
Eric has since taken on a new role as Director of Community Engagement at Self‑Help Federal Credit Union, a community development financial institution founded in 2008 to expand access to responsible financial services for working families and communities historically excluded from the financial mainstream. Today, Self-Help Federal serves more than 130,000 members with over $2 billion in assets and operates 44 branches across six states.
During his time at Redwood Credit Union, Eric was a reliable supporter of community initiatives and a generous sponsor of local events, making him a true pleasure to work with. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Self-Help Federal Credit Union.
Those interested in learning more about credit union services, loans, or banking options are encouraged to contact Eric at (925) 951-7182 or eric.maldonado@self-help.org.
| | |
It’s time to renew your membership or join SOMBA.
SOMBA works tirelessly to support and advocate for our community, but this impact is only possible because of our dedicated members, community leaders, small business owners, and supporters alike. Simply put, SOMBA exists because of you.
You can renew your membership or join today by visiting our website and clicking the button below.
| | | | |
