EL CENTRO – The Imperial Valley Small Business Development Center hosted the inaugural Imperial Valley Small Business Expo Thursday morning at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Sports Complex.
About a hundred business owners attended the event held here for the first time.
The event started at 8:30 am with several seminars and later continued with agencies offering their services to those interested in opening or expanding their companies.
“This is a biannual event in San Diego, but it’s the first time we’re bringing it to the Imperial Valley,” said IVSBDC Director Viridiana Rosales-Trujillo. “I’m very happy that we are able to bring this to our business community.”
Attendees at this event had the opportunity to access information about the many services available from public agencies and non-profit organizations.
The California Office of Small Business and Disabled Veterans Enterprise Services was on hand to assist disabled veterans who own a business on how to become certified to receive contracts with the state, which is required to provide a quarter of their annual contracting dollars to certified small companies. Also, the state must provide 3% of its contracts to companies owned by disabled veterans.
Another booth had CalSavers resources available. This state agency helps employers offer retirement savings programs to companies that do not offer this benefit. As mandated by state law, companies must offer some type of retirement savings program to their employees or face possible penalties.
“I hope they have the opportunity to not only gather information about the resources available to them, but also to network with other business owners,” said Rosales-Trujillo. “I had the pleasure of seeing business owners exchange business cards and information, and that’s what the business expo was all about.”
The IVSBDC plans to host the Small Business Expo every November, the IVSBDC director said.
Also at the event, the US Small Business Administration had resources and information available to small business owners, particularly loans and microloans.
USSBA San Diego District Office Economic Development Specialist Jamye Pritchett Solorzano said the agency — which serves San Diego and Imperial counties — urged business owners to go to sba.gov to find additional information how the agency helps Americans start, grow and build resilient businesses here in the Valley.
“Today’s Small Business Expo is a great event to bring resources directly to the community,” said Pritchett Solorzano.
According to the Economic Development Specialist, the agency provides assistance to small entrepreneurs with business counseling, training, mentoring and counseling, both through in-person events and online.
Asked for her advice for those considering starting a business, Pritchett Solorzano suggested exploring the information provided on the SBA website, where an online educational platform is available, as well as resource partners.
“Engage with a business mentor or get or secure an appointment with a business advisor and learn everything you can about the different SBA programs and services that are out there, depending on the type of business you’re learning,” continued Pritchett Solorzano. “Knowledge is power.”
The economic development specialist emphasized that all programs and services offered by the SBA are free.
“I encourage everyone to explore the options (and) learn more about how we can help you and how we can reach you to bring our programs and services to your small business or for yourself if you are small business owner,” she said. .
The SBA is currently seeking nominations for the 2025 National Small Business Week Awards.
Mike Sabellico, Apex Accelerator Regional Director for San Diego, Orange and Imperial counties, said the agency is funded by the Department of Defense’s Office of Small Business Programs and the California Office of the Small Business Attorney. Clients look to the agency at no cost to get help with all things government contracting, whether at the federal, state, local or municipal level.
“Anything to do with bidding, how to get certified, how to write a statement of capability and how to do some market research on who in government buys what,” Sabellico said in explaining his agency’s services.
Asked about the hardest part for small businesses in terms of government contracting, the Apex Regional Director said the hardest part is getting the first contract “because the government doesn’t want to do business with someone who doesn’t have experience.” .
Sabellico said government agencies want to contract companies with a track record of past performance.
“Well, that’s the chicken-and-egg thing,” he continued. “You can’t reach past performance until you have it. So the hardest part is getting the first contract, going through all the paperwork that is required to have a certification or to be on certain databases that the government requires.”
Of Apex’s 4,500 customers, about a fifth are located in the Imperial Valley. These companies range from information technology, agriculture, landscaping, mental health professionals.
“Because the government does everything over the Internet now you can be in the Imperial Valley and do work for the government, or you can be in San Diego,” Sabellico said. “I was happy to be here. We see this as a very important part of our community.”
According to Sabellico, Apex is focused on making sure that the community considered underserved businesses here get the resources they need to be successful.
Rosales-Trujillo, Director of the IVSBDC, said she was happy to see people interested in gathering the right resources to start or grow their companies.
“To me, it’s very important that you gather the information directly from the source and have our local agencies and lenders here to provide that information. I think it’s critical to the success of small businesses,” she said. “I invite every small business to stay connected with the SBDC and take advantage of the resources we have available to them.”
Rosales-Trujillo assured that the Small Business Expo was (and will be) open to those thinking of starting a company.
“I always ask that they be informed before they take that initial step,” said the IVSBDC director. “So even though it was geared towards existing businesses, if there’s anyone who’s interested in starting a business, they’re more than welcome to show up at these kinds of events, start asking questions, the right questions, before they jump into it.”