Welcome

Happy  Friday everyone,

A lot has been happening with the Solano SBDC over the past few months and we are looking forward to a busy Spring. We have a lot of good workshops coming up as well as a special Access to Capital event in April that we are coordinating with our friends at Travis Credit Union.

If you have contemplated investing in a new business or expanding your existing one and don't know where to start -- this morning panel session and resource fair will bring you all the answers you are looking for. We have top notch lending and financing experts who will shed some light on what it takes to get the capital you need and help you decide whether you are ready for it.  We hope to see you there!
We are happy to welcome Robin Adams to our Solano team as Business Services Coordinator. Robin comes to the SBDC with more than 25 years' combined experience in non-profit and for-profit sectors. She has held positions in administration and operations, program/business development and staff development. The last 16 years her work has been in the adult literacy system for the state of Rhode Island both in adult instruction as well as statewide professional development in the adult literacy system. She has started two small businesses and is an entrepreneur at heart!

Ann Johnson-Stromberg
Director, Solano SBDC

707.646.1071

Contents

SPECIAL EVENT:
Where's the Money?
Accessing Capital for Small Business in Solano wheresthemoney


Thursday, April 19, 2018
9:00 am to 12:00 pm
Fairfield-Suisun Chamber of Commerce
1111 Webster St.
Fairfield, CA 94533
Access to Capital program for Solano area entrepreneurs and small business owners. This program will bring together community lenders, small businesses and small business services who are interested in helping Solano County businesses start and grow. Program will feature an expert panel presentation, lots of opportunities for Q & A and linking up with available resources for entrepreneurs. Event will have carved out time to visit with area resource partners and network with other small businesses, as well as an opportunity to connect with a Solano Small Business Development Center representative.
Moderator:
Norcal SBDC Associate Director  Scott Regalski - former commercial lender and director of our regional Small Business Finance Center will moderate the discussion.

Panelists:
-  John Shelby - Vice President, Business Banking Manager for Travis Credit Union
-  Mike McGrane - Vice President, Statewide Lending Director, Veteran Launch
-  Anne "Annie" Mask - Business Development Officer, JD Factors
-  Tim Stanley - Vice President - Community Lending Programs for California Statewide CDC
-  Byron Phillips - Nor-cal Financial Development Corporation
-  Paul Bozzo - Principal, The 10X Group and Regional Business Advisor for the Norcal SBDC and Solano SBDC 

WORKSHOP:
Successful Startups in Solanostartups1


Wednesday, March 14 2018
9:00 am to 12:30 pm
Fairfield-Suisun Chamber of Commerce
1111 Webster St.
Fairfield, CA 94533
First Steps: Learn the pros and cons of starting your own business and how to position yourself as a successful entrepreneur. We will share invaluable resources to take a new business through the nuts and bolts of starting your business including licenses and permits.

Business Planning: The second session will provide an overview of the business planning process and share a multitude of key information sources for developing your business plan.

You will also learn how to take advantage of the Small Business Development Center's free training and advising services for your new business, and more! 
Instructor Sandy Markus has been in entrepreneurial environments her whole professional career in corporate divisions, venture capital funded start-ups, and launched her own small business. She has been a lead SBDC Advisor and Trainer for startup businesses for six years.

Sandy brings a unique understanding and experience in and with start-ups, marketing and business development in the service, retail, wholesale, software-as-a-service, education, and nonprofit sectors.
WORKSHOP:


Tuesday, March 27 2018
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Fairfield-Suisun Chamber of Commerce
1111 Webster St.
Fairfield, CA 94533
This course will provide you with "need to know" information to develop an effective marketing strategy to help your business grow by attracting the right kind of customers. This highly interactive workshop will provide you with practical information and plans to help you properly position your company for success in the marketplace.Topics include: Defining your unique value proposition, understanding your competition and how to position yourself for success, developing your brand, choosing the online and offline marketing tactics that are right for your business and fit your budget, and much more.

Seating is limited. Registration is required.
Timothy Murrill is a Business Coach with 25 years of Executive Level experience. He was with FedEx for 16 years and, as Managing Director of Global Sales, led a Global Sales force of over 200 people with revenue responsibility of $1 billion.

He is the owner of Coaching Centers and serves as a Business Coach for multiple companies in the San Francisco bay area focusing on business strategy and human resource management.

WORKSHOP:


Thursday, April 5 2018
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Fairfield-Suisun Chamber of Commerce
1111 Webster St.
Fairfield, CA 94533
This 3-hour workshop is a basic training program on Sales.  It will reacquaint experienced sales people with the many elements the selling process and will teach new sales people the skills needed to find prospects and turn them into customers.

Many startup businesses have excellent products and/or excellent services and there is a strong demand for them in the marketplace.  That said, far too many of these new businesses do not achieve their full potential due simply to the inability of their owners and their staff to make effective sales calls.  Don't have your business underperform due to a weak "face to face" sales strategy.

This course is taught by Victor Johnson who was a part owner of both a NYSE and a NASDAQ firm, both of which he served as head of sales and marketing.  Mr. Johnson has made countless private sector and governmental sales calls in his 50-year career.  Making all of these calls has given him a good understanding of what to do and what not to do on a sales calls.

Those practical skills are the focus of the course.
Victor Johnson is a Professional Civil Engineer who has 45 years of experience in the Sales and Marketing of Professional Services. He has specialized in growing small businesses into large businesses.  He was Senior Vice President (and part owner) of two firms that went public: one went on the NYSE and the other, NASDAQ. He has spent the last 15 years providing engineering, sales, and marketing services to three national environmental engineering firms. He has provided those services through his own firm, Engineering Pathways.

WORKSHOP:
Restaurant Series:


Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Thursday, April 26, 2018
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Fairfield-Suisun Chamber of Commerce
1111 Webster St.
Fairfield, CA 94533
This workshop takes new and budding restaurateurs through the basics of opening a new restaurant. Topics include business plan development, sources and uses of funds, financial modeling, jurisdictional compliance, location and lease feasibility, pre-opening marketing strategies, HR fundamentals, POS and bookkeeping, vendor relationships and cash-flow management.
Louise Dawson is an SBDC Certified Business Advisor and Hospitality Specialist who brings to her clients over 30 years of industry experience: owning and operating bars, restaurants and retail consulting, advising, teaching, and training, Louise brings real-life experience to start-ups, with pre-opening education and organization and, to existing businesses, operational strategy and ongoing systems and training.
WORKSHOP:
Successful Startups in Solano startups


Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Thursday, April 26, 2018
6:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Fairfield-Suisun Chamber of Commerce
1111 Webster St.
Fairfield, CA 94533
First Steps: Learn the pros and cons of starting your own business and how to position yourself as a successful entrepreneur. We will share invaluable resources to take a new business through the nuts and bolts of starting your business including licenses and permits.

Business Planning: The second session will provide an overview of the business planning process and share a multitude of key information sources for developing your business plan.

You will also learn how to take advantage of the Small Business Development Center's free training and advising services for your new business, and more! 
Instructor Sandy Markus has been in entrepreneurial environments her whole professional career in corporate divisions, venture capital funded start-ups, and launched her own small business. She has been a lead SBDC Advisor and Trainer for startup businesses for six years.

Sandy brings a unique understanding and experience in and with start-ups, marketing and business development in the service, retail, wholesale, software-as-a-service, education, and nonprofit sectors.

Solano SBDC
707.646.1071
solanosbdc.org






 

Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance of our workshops. Contact the Solano SBDC at 707.646.1071 or email [email protected]