Header with SBDC logo and various small business pictures
National Small Business Week
May 2-6 | Celebrate & Join the Discussion
In this issue:
  • SBDC LIVE Online on May 3rd: Think like a Business
  • Sonoma County PitchFest completes its first graduating cohort
  • May Workshops: Starting a Food Truck; Payroll & Personnel Files
  • Deadlines for Grants: Restaurants Care; Sonoma County Microbusiness
  • 5 Questions: An interview with Sonoma SBDC funding guru Paul Bozzo
May 3 | SBDC LIVE Online
This Month: Think like a Business
Join Business Advisors John DeGaetano and Ed Troxell for an online discussion Tuesday, May 3rd at 10am.

This event will be cast live from Cookie Cutters Haircuts for Kids at Mission Plaza.

Join us as we tour the business and take a deep dive discussion with owner Shawn Hetherman about the challenges of managing a business: reporting, staffing, quality assurance... not to mention sustainability and profits!
SBDC Live featuring Shawn Heatherman of Cookie Cutters in Santa Rosa
Celebrating Sonoma County PitchFest 'Graduates'
To coincide with National Small Business Week, the first Sonoma County PitchFest concludes next Wednesday, culminating in presentations from 15 participating businesses!

Led by Paul Bozzo, funding & venture capital expert Business Advisor, the event has assisted 15 start-up and growing Sonoma County enterprises.

Look for our selection of the top presentations coming out over the next weeks. Join us on Facebook to follow the up-and-coming entrepreneurial successes of Sonoma County!
4 people presenting
PitchFest sponsor logos
May Learning Opportunities
May 11, 11:30am-12:30pm | Online
Free for SRMC Members, $45 for non-members
Lunch & Learn HR Series: Payroll & Personnel Files
This course will discuss properly classifying employees (exempt vs nonexempt), wage and hour laws, pay stub laws and documents to keep in employee’s personnel files.
Logo for Santa Rosa Metro Chamber
May 23, 2:00-4:00pm | Online | Free
Starting a Food Truck: Where the Rubber Meets the Road
This webinar will help you develop a thorough checklist for building a successful food truck business, led by Industry pioneer and Norcal SBDC advisor, Gail Lillian.
Logo of SBDC Restaurant Program
Last call for Eligible Businesses to apply
Available Grants
Deadline April 30: Restaurants Care Resilience Fund
Awards of $3,000 to California owned and operated restaurants (does not include food trucks). Funding is provided for kitchen equipment upgrades or employee retention bonuses.
Deadline May 1: California Microbusiness COVID-19 Relief Grant for Sonoma County
Awards of $2,500 to to locally-owned and operated microbusinesses affected by COVID that did NOT receive a grant from the California Small Business COVID-19 Relief Grant Program (administered through Lendistry)
Logo for CA Governors Office of Small Business Advocate
5 Questions Interview with funding expert Business Advisor and PitchFest host
Paul Bozzo
What's your business expertise? Startup strategy, business planning, financial projections and all forms of funding. I work with companies from all industries and stages of growth or expansion. 

What's most interesting about your business background? My first job right out of college was selling Xerox copiers. 

What inspires you about Sonoma County? I love the mix of city and rural personalities that Sonoma County has. The natural scenery and access to hiking is amazing. 

If you had a golden rule for small business owners, what would it be? Focus on the numbers. I love the passion and innovation of entrepreneurs, but they need to be precise on their startup budgets and financials to be successful.

What are you most passionate about? Working with shelter dogs and snow skiing. 
Paul Bozzo head shot
Interested in working with Paul and our expert Business Advisors?
Sonoma Small Business Development Center
Visit Us Online at SonomaSBDC.org | 707-595-0060
Logo: CA Governors Office of Business & Economic Devt
Funded in part through a grant with the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development and in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA.
Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least 2 weeks in advance. Contact Louise Dawson at [email protected].