Allan Hancock College students and staffers celebrated the grand opening of their Small Business Entrepreneurship Center (SBEC) on Feb. 22 in a way befitting their city: with a Santa Maria-style barbecue. The event also included a traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony and a less-traditional photo booth and dunk tank.
The center was four years in the making, a process that started when faculty and administrators began looking for ways to help students enrolled in Career Technical Education (CTE) programs who wanted to start their own businesses after graduation. Allan Hancock College offers more than 150 CTE degrees and certificates in subjects ranging from accounting, agribusiness, and applied design and media to welding and wildland firefighting. Staffers realized students were learning the technical skills they needed to succeed, but not the entrepreneurship skills needed to start their own businesses.
“The idea for the center evolved from setting up a simple computer lab where students could access online resources to the eventual dedication of an entire classroom filled with both print and online resources, tables, computers, and a schedule of open forums, classes, and more. Once we had a plan in mind, it took about a year to get the classroom ready with some careful planning, grants, and support from administrators,” explained Anne Cremarosa, coordinator of the small business center and a full-time faculty member at the college.
The center is also a resource for the community, welcoming individuals interested in starting or expanding a small business. They’re free to use the center’s online and hard copy resources, and can also make appointments with a cadre of volunteers from the community, including lawyers, accountants, tax advisors, SCORE volunteers, marketing experts, and more. Many of the forum discussions are open to the public as well.
And there are other ways local businesses can get involved with the center.
“The SBEC offers a great opportunity for local business people who want to ‘pay it forward’ and help a new entrepreneur launch a business of their own,” Cremarosa said. “We are always looking to expand our volunteer base.”
Like many others who’ve been watching the economy as it slowly climbs out of the recession, Cremarosa believes the growth of small businesses is key to a full recovery.
“Entrepreneurship is what will help us recover from this economic slump and provide the support needed to get people back to work. Even President Obama agrees that entrepreneurship and the creation of new small businesses are essential to rebuilding the economy,” Cremarosa said. “And remember: Every business started out as a small one.”
For more information, call Cremarosa at 922-6966, Ext. 3418.
Highlights
• The Santa Maria Economic Development Commission is asking all local businesses and business representatives to take part in its latest Economic Survey by March 5.
The survey’s purpose is to collect up-to-date data for an accurate assessment of the local economy. The data will be used to track trends, areas of economic progress and concern, and the overall optimism of businesses in the area.
The economic survey can be accessed through the economic development commission’s website at santamariaedc.com. Results will be released in a comprehensive report by the end of March.
For more information, call director Dave Cross at 925-2403, Ext. 817, or e-mail edc@santamaria.com.
Biz Spotlight is written by Intern Pamella Wood. Highlights are written and compiled by Staff Writer Jeremy Thomas. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, e-mail, or mail.
This article appears in Mar 1-8, 2012.
