Small Business - GROW YOUR BUSINESS in san joaquin valley and central coast

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Small Business - GROW YOUR BUSINESS in san joaquin valley and central coast
Small Business
                     FRESNO 2019 EDITION

                    resource guide

GROW YOUR BUSINESS
  in san joaquin valley
    and central coast

                                   1
Small Business - GROW YOUR BUSINESS in san joaquin valley and central coast
Let us help
    give voice
    to your
    story.

      SCOPE OF SERVICES                               We have all heard the phrase “content is
                                                      king.” Creating rich, engaging, and inspiring
                                                      content differentiates your brand in the
       Brand Voice         Catalogs                   marketplace. But who has time to focus on
         Articles        Visitor Guides               anything other than running their business?
                                                        Narrative works with you to develop
          Blogs             Books
                                                      the tools to tell your story across all
     Website Content      Copywriting
                                                      media platforms. Powerful and authentic
    Social Media Posts   Photography                  storytelling helps you stand out. It inspires
      Email Content         Videos                    action. It creates an emotional impact and
        Brochures                                     forges enduring relationships. It separates
                                                      you from the competition.

                                          To schedule a meeting or to learn more, contact
                                          Buddy Butler at buddy@newsouthmediainc.com
                                          or call 304.615.9884.

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Small Business - GROW YOUR BUSINESS in san joaquin valley and central coast
CONTENTS
San Joaquin Valley and Central Coast ­2019

                                             Local Business                                   Funding
                                             Assistance                                       Programs
                                              8   National Success Story                      28   National Success Story
                                                  Rebecca Fyffe launched Landmark                  With the help of a 7(a) business
                                                  Pest Management with the help                    loan of $1.1 million, Mark Moralez
                                                  of the SBA-supported Women’s                     and John Briggs purchased
                                                  Business Development Center.                     Printing Palace in Santa Monica,
                                                                                                   becoming small business owners.
                                             11 Local SBA Resource
                                             		Partners                                       31   Need Financing?

                                             13   Your Advocates                              32   Local SBA Lenders

                                             14   How to Start a Business                     34   Investment Capital

                                             19   Write Your Business Plan                    35 Federal Research
                                                                                              		& Development
                                             22   Programs for Veterans
                                                                                              36   National Success Story
                                             23Programs for 		                                     Forest Lake Drapery and
                                             		Entrepreneurs                                       Upholstery Fabric Center in
                                                                                                   Columbia, South Carolina,
                                             24   Local Success Story                              rebounds thanks to an SBA
                                                  About 20 years ago, the Hobab                    disaster assistance loan.
                                                  family purchased a small
                                                  sandwich shop in Fresno with the            38   National Success Story
                                                  goal of treating customers like                  Three Brothers Bakery weathers
                                                  guests in their home.                            two hurricanes with the help of the
                                                                                                   SBA’s disaster assistance program.

                                                                                              40   SBA Disaster Loans

                                                                                              41 How to Prepare Your
                                                                                              		Business for an
                                                                                              		Emergency

                                                                                              42   Surety Bonds

                                                                                              44   Assistance with Exporting

                                                                                              Contracting
                                                                                              45   National Success Story
                                                                                                   Evans Capacitor Co. of Rhode
                                                                                                   Island, a leading manufacturer of
                                                                                                   high-energy density capacitors,
                                              ON THE COVER Clockwise from top:                     gains contracting success with
                                                                                                   SBA assistance.
                                             Fresno skyline, Grant Porter on Unsplash;
                                             Duc Tran, Seattle, courtesy of the SBA; Valley   48   SBA Contracting Programs
                                             Central Coast courtesy of Bob Bradburn;
                                             David Ng, owner of Hops and Scotch, courtesy
                                                                                              50   Woman-Owned Small
                                                                                                   Business certification
                                             of the SBA; Rebecca Fyffe, Chicago, Illinois,
                                             ABC Humane Wildlife Control & Prevention
                                             Inc.; Mohammad Hobab, courtesy of Deli
                                             Delicious Franchising

                                                                                                                                   3
Small Business - GROW YOUR BUSINESS in san joaquin valley and central coast
THE U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

A MESSAGE FROM THE ADMINISTRATOR

A
           merica’s 30 million small businesses are the driving    Veterans Business Outreach Centers and SCORE chapters in
           force of our nation’s economy, and I am proud to        communities nationwide. Through education, training and
           lead a team of professionals dedicated to helping       mentorship, these experts help entrepreneurs increase their
           them start, grow, expand and recover. For more          potential and propel their businesses forward.
than 65 years, the U.S. Small Business Administration has             We at the SBA like to say we power the American Dream.
been an advocate and ally of entrepreneurs, helping them           Nowhere is that dream more apparent than in the work
at every stage of the business lifecycle. Whether they are         entrepreneurs do to invest in their communities and create
a startup seeking capital; an established business seeking         economic opportunities for others. Over half of the U.S.
guidance on expanding to new markets through export                workforce either owns or works for a small business, and small
opportunities or government contracts; or a business,              businesses create two out of every three net new jobs in the
nonprofit, homeowner or renter needing help recovering             private sector. Small businesses invigorate neighborhoods
from a declared disaster, the SBA has their back.                  and cities, making them vibrant places to live, work and
   I am honored to serve as a member of President Trump’s          raise a family. I encourage all entrepreneurs to leverage the
Cabinet and represent the interests of America’s small             opportunities detailed in this resource guide to power their
businesses. The President’s pro-growth policies, including         own American Dream.
tax cuts and workforce development initiatives, are aimed at
making it easier for entrepreneurs to invest in their businesses   Regards,
and employees. The President believes that when small
businesses succeed and create jobs, our economy grows and
our nation thrives.
   As Administrator of the SBA, I have visited hundreds of         Linda McMahon
small businesses and each of the SBA’s 68 district offices in      SBA Administrator
all 50 states. Every entrepreneur has a different story about
what inspired them to take a risk on starting or growing a
small business. No matter their industry, location or level of
experience, the SBA serves as a resource to help them turn
their dreams into realities. Many entrepreneurs have told
me their business simply would not exist without the help
of the SBA—from the guaranteed loans that provided the
funding they needed to realize their goals of owning a small
business, to the advice they got on writing a business plan or
conducting market research, to the disaster aid they received
when it seemed all hope had been lost. Throughout this
issue of our resource guide, you will read stories of successful
entrepreneurs who received assistance from the SBA. These
successes are the motivation for the work we do.
   Of course, we can’t do it alone. We are honored to have
the expertise of our resource partners, including Small
Business Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers,

                                       WE MAKE SMALL BUSINESS
                                       OUR BUSINESS.
                                       START • GROW • EXPAND • RECOVER

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Small Business - GROW YOUR BUSINESS in san joaquin valley and central coast
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Small Business - GROW YOUR BUSINESS in san joaquin valley and central coast
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                                                                   © NEW SOUTH MEDIA , INC.

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                                                                   The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Marketing & Customer
                                                                   Service directs the publication of the Small Business Resource Guide
                                                                   under SBA Contract #SBAHQ–17–C–0018. SBA publication Spring 2018
    Small                                                          National edition #mcs-0087.

    businesses                                                     WRITER/EDITOR
                                                                   Becky Bosshart

    power our                                                      (202) 205-6677
                                                                   rebecca.bosshart@sba.gov
    economy.                                                       DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

                                                                   Paula Panissidi Tavares

                                                        The SBA
                                                                   paula.tavares@sba.gov

                                                        powers
                                                                   PUBLIC AFFAIRS SPECIALIST
                                                                   Kelley Daniels
                                                                   kelley.daniels@sba.gov
                                                          small    The SBA’s participation in this publication is not an endorsement of the

                                                     businesses.
                                                                   views, opinions, products or services of the contractor or any advertiser
                                                                   or other participant appearing here. All SBA programs and services are
                                                                   extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Printed in the
                                                                   United States of America. While every reasonable effort has been made
                                                                   to ensure that the information contained here is accurate as of the date
    Whether you dream of transforming your                         of publication, the information is subject to change without notice. The
    business idea into a thriving company, growing                 contractor that publishes this guide, the federal government, or agents
    your customer base, or expanding into new
    markets or locations, the SBA is here for you.                 thereof shall not be held liable for any damages arising from the use of or
    We offer programs, expertise, and access to                    reliance on the information contained in this publication.
    capital that will empower you to take your
    small business to the next level of success.

    Stop by your local SBA office or visit SBA.gov
    to learn how you can move your business
    forward with confidence.

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Small Business - GROW YOUR BUSINESS in san joaquin valley and central coast
SBA Fresno District Office
801 R St., suite 201
Fresno, CA 93721
(559) 487-5791
sba.gov/ca/fresno
@SBA_Fresno

District Director Letter                                                                               District Director
                                                                                                       Dawn Golik

W
                                                                                                       (559) 487-5791 x2705
            elcome to the SBA Fresno District Office’s 2019 Small Business Resource Guide. It is
                                                                                                       dawn.golik@sba.gov
            the privilege and honor of the Fresno district office to serve Central California and
            Central Coast entrepreneurs and small business owners. We’re proud to be your              Deputy District Director
partner as you take risks, start, and grow your business, creating jobs that contribute to our         George B. Flores
region’s economic stability. Many of our staff are themselves entrepreneurs or former business         (559) 487-5791 x2717
owners. We also have family members who own businesses. The Fresno SBA team understands                george.flores@sba.gov
the challenges and opportunities that business owners face.
    The SBA helps make the American dream of small business ownership a reality. We are the            Business Opportunity Specialist
only federal agency dedicated to helping our 30 million small businesses start, grow, expand, and      Thomas Scheu
recover after a disaster. The SBA Fresno District Office works with an extensive network of business   (559) 487-5791 x2704
advisers and lenders to help our region’s small businesses at every stage of development.              thomas.scheu@sba.gov
    Last year, across Central California and the Central Coast, the SBA empowered this region’s
small businesses to:                                                                                   District Support Assistant
   • Find an ally, advocate or mentor via our 17 SBA Resource Partner centers, which include           William K. Hori
       SCORE, Small Business Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers, and the                    (559) 487-5791 x2701
       Veterans Business Outreach Center, all powered by the SBA.                                      william.hori@sba.gov
   • Access nearly $400 million in SBA-guaranteed loans using local banks, credit unions,
                                                                                                       Economic Development Specialists
       community-based lenders, and microlenders. San Joaquin Valley and Central Coast small
                                                                                                       Victor Bribiesca
       businesses used SBA-backed loans to create or retain nearly 10,000 jobs, buy needed
                                                                                                       (559) 487-5791 x2713
       equipment, and build or renovate facilities in local communities.
                                                                                                       victor.bribiesca@sba.gov
   • Rebuild and recover with SBA disaster assistance following the Ferguson Fire.
   • Obtain more than $49 million in federal contracting awards using the SBA’s 8(a) Business          Lupe Cota
       Development certification program, which you will read more about in this guide.                (559) 487-5791 x2702
As part of a national initiative to create a stronger economic environment for rural America,          lupe.cota@sba.gov
this year, the Fresno district is working to better reach and serve our region’s many rural and        Peter Estrada
agricultural businesses owners in order to increase economic prosperity.                               (559) 487-5791 x2703
    Stay up to date on SBA events near you and get valuable Central California business                peter.estrada@sba.gov
information by following us on Twitter at @SBA_Fresno. Register for email updates at sba.gov/
updates. The Fresno district office team is here to                                                    Lender Relations Specialists
serve and support you. Please let us know how the                                                      Gayoeb “Kay” Mardon
SBA can help you start and grow your small business.                                                   (559) 487-5791 x2706
                                                                                                       gayoeb.mardon@sba.gov
Sincerely,
                                                                                                       Andy Seeto
                                                                                                       (559) 487-5791 x2714
                                                                                                       andy.seeto@sba.gov
Dawn Golik
                                                                                                       Paralegal Specialist
Fresno District Director
                                                                                                       Leanne Ryner
U.S. Small Business Administration
                                                                                                       (559) 487-5791 x2707
                                                                                                       leanne.ryner@sba.gov

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Small Business - GROW YOUR BUSINESS in san joaquin valley and central coast
LOCAL BUSINESS
                  ASSISTANCE

Bitten
by the
Business
Bug
How SBA-backed loans helped
one woman turn a flagging pest
control business into an
ever-expanding enterprise.
written by Zack Harold

                                 LANDMARK PEST MANAGEMENT

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Small Business - GROW YOUR BUSINESS in san joaquin valley and central coast
LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

R
                ebecca Fyffe first worked at ABC Humane
                Wildlife Control & Prevention Inc., a pest
                control business in suburban Chicago,
                Illinois, for a college summer job. She
                was on a different career path when she
got a call from her old employer. The president of ABC
needed to take a medical sabbatical, and the company
wanted Fyffe to take over in his absence. Fyffe had
studied public policy, pre-law, and epidemiology in
addition to university-level research on pesticides. Not
content with just keeping the seat warm, Fyffe began
making improvements to the company’s operations
during her year at the helm. “Because of that I was
made CEO,” she says. That was in 2001. Fyffe was just
25 years old, the youngest pest control company CEO in
the nation and one of only a few women in a business
dominated by men.
   She continued to look for ways to grow the company.
At the time, ABC focused its efforts solely on nuisance
wildlife control. Fyffe saw a lucrative opportunity in
urban bird management. She had long been concerned

                                                                                    LANDMARK PEST MANAGEMENT
about pigeons. Growing up, one of her young cousins
contracted encephalitis from pigeon droppings, which
led to epilepsy, blindness, and eventually death. Fyffe
studied the birds and how to mitigate their threat,
which brought her to the conclusion that improvements
could be made in urban pigeon control. She found more
effective solutions were needed to make the mitigation
material more durable for city use. Fyffe knew she could
do better, but to get the new venture off the ground,
ABC needed to borrow money to invest in training,
equipment, and insurance. The company was hesitant to
take on the financial risk, so Fyffe offered an alternative
solution: allow her to launch a new company that would
specialize in pigeon management. She would run that
company in addition to her duties at ABC.
   She launched Landmark Pest Management in 2010
with four employees. Fyffe still needed to borrow money,
which would be more difficult now that she didn’t have
an established business standing behind her. Thanks
to workshops hosted by the SBA-supported Women’s
Business Development Center, Fyffe applied for an SBA-
backed 7(a) loan through Chase Bank. A conventional
loan would have allowed her to mortgage the warehouse
facility she needed, but nothing more.
   “We would have maxed out our ability to borrow,   " Fyffe
says. "That would not have worked for our business.”
Because of SBA backing, Chase was willing to offer Fyffe a
larger line of credit, which allowed her to get the warehouse
as well as the uniforms, tools, and materials she needed.
                                                                                    LANDMARK PEST MANAGEMENT

“We couldn’t have done it without the SBA,” she says.
   Landmark established its reputation from its first
contract, installing netting on a bridge project in Chicago.
This bridge became the Chicago Transit Authority’s
showpiece for bird control. Within two years, Landmark
was one of the main companies providing bird deterrent
systems in Chicago. Fyffe used the money she made to
purchase ABC and merge the two companies in 2012.

                                                                                                               9
Small Business - GROW YOUR BUSINESS in san joaquin valley and central coast
LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

 We couldn’t                          SBA Resource
 have done it
 without the
                                      Partners
                                      No matter your industry, location, or experience, if you have a dream, the
                                      SBA is here to help you realize it. Our SBA Resource Partners extend our reach,
 SBA.”                                offering free or low-cost mentoring, counseling, and training to help you start-
                                      up and thrive at all stages of the business life cycle.
 Rebecca Fyffe
 Founder                              There are more than
 Landmark Pest Management
                                      300 SCORE chapters
     The company has grown to 85
 employees with 50 trucks on the      980 Small Business Development Centers
 road every day, working alongside    100 Women’s Business Centers
 the biggest construction firms
 in the country. Still, Fyffe         20 Veterans Business Outreach Centers
 challenges herself by finding
 ways to expand the company. In
 addition to its work in Illinois,    SCORE
 Landmark does business in
 Michigan, Indiana, and Missouri.     Join the ranks of other business owners who have experienced higher revenues
 Fyffe is considering expansion to    and increased growth thanks to SCORE, the nation’s largest network of volunteer
 California and New York.             business mentors. These business executives share real-world knowledge for no
     Landmark has continued to use    cost and to fit your busy schedule. SCORE mentors are available as often as you
 its science-based methodology        need, in person, via email or over video chat. Visit sba.gov/score to start working
 and proprietary technology           on your business goals.
 to expand its offerings. The
 company is a leader in bedbug
 science, pioneering a special        SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTERS
 DNA test to detect infestations
 with a relatively small sample.      Realize your dream of business ownership and then remain competitive in an
 Fyffe’s team is also testing a new   ever-changing global economy with assistance from your local SBDC. Access
 nontoxic fungi spore that could      free or low-cost one-on-one counseling and training on topics like marketing,
 be used to kill the pests. The       regulatory compliance, technology development, and international trade.
 company’s fastest growing sector
                                      Connect with an SBDC adviser at sba.gov/sbdc.
 is food production applications.
 Inspectors shut down factories
 if they find a pest, even if the     WOMEN’S BUSINESS CENTERS
 animal has already been caught in
 a trap. Fyffe’s company developed    Women entrepreneurs receive essential business training from this national
 a trap that is equipped with         network of community-based centers. Each center tailors its services to help
 sensors that allow Landmark to       you navigate the challenges women often face when starting or growing their
 dispatch technicians as soon as a    business. For your nearest Women’s Business Center, visit sba.gov/women.
 pest is captured. Although Fyffe
 has used conventional loans for
 these expansions, she credits her    VETERANS BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTERS
 first SBA-backed loan and her
 Women’s Business Development         Veteran and military entrepreneurs receive business training, counseling and
 Center guidance with teaching        mentoring, and referrals to other SBA Resource Partners at a Veterans Business
 her how to craft a growth plan       Outreach Center, sba.gov/vboc. These are also the places to receive procurement
 and pitch ideas to lenders.          guidance, which can help your business better compete for government contracts.
     “We might not have been able     VBOCs also serve active duty service members, National Guard or Reserve
 to access that without the SBA,”     members, veterans of any era, and military spouses.
 she says.

 10
LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

Our Local SBA                                                                                Small Business
                                                                                             Development
Resource Partners                                                                            Centers
                                                                                             Central CA SBDC Network
SBA’s Resource Partners are independent organizations that                                   Lead Center
                                                                                             Serving Merced and Mariposa counties
are funded through SBA cooperative agreements or grants.                                     Executive Director Kurt Clark
                                                                                             1735 M St., suite 111
                                                                                             Merced
                                                                                             (209) 386-1008

                                                                                             CSU Bakersfield SBDC
                                                                                             Serving Kern, Inyo, and Mono counties
                                                                                             Center Director Kelly Bearden
                                                                                             1631 17th St., suite 200
                                                                                             Bakersfield
                                                                                             (661) 654-2856

                                                                                             Valley Sierra SBDC
                                                                                             Serving Stanislaus and Tuolumne counties
                                                                                             Center Director Katy Winders
                                                                                             1020 10th St. suite 102
                                                                                             Modesto
                                                                                             (209) 422-6416

                                                                                             Valley Sierra SBDC
                                                                                             Serving Merced and Mariposa counties
                                                                                             Center Director Katy Winders
                                                                                             1735 M St., suite 111
                                                     Arthur and Sandra Johnson, owners       Merced
                                                     of 21 Short Stop in Georgia, received   (209) 386-1008
                                                     assistance from their local Small
                                                     Business Development Center and
                                                     SCORE chapter.                          Valley Community SBDC
                                                                                             Serving Fresno, Madera, Tulare,
                                                                                             and Kings counties
                                                                                             Center Director Rich Mostert
SCORE                                                                                        390 W. Fir Ave., suite 303
                                                                                             Clovis
Visit sba.gov/score to start working on your business goals.                                 (559) 324-6403
San Luis Obispo Chapter                      Bakersfield Chapter
Serving San Luis Obispo County               Serving Kern County                             Cal Coastal SBDC
Chapter Chair Scott Hillis                   Alphonso Rivera                                 Serving Monterey and
1228 Broad St.                               (661) 496-0767                                  San Benito counties
(805) 547-0779                                                                               Center Director Cindy Merzon
                                             Monterey Chapter                                221 Main St., suite 301
Fresno Chapter                               Serving Monterey County                         Salinas
Serving Fresno, Madera, Kings,               Sylvia Reyes                                    (831) 424-1099
and Tulare counties                          565 Hartnell St. #2191
Yuliana Franco                               (831) 320-2530                                  Cal Poly CIE SBDC
801 R St., suite 201                                                                         Serving San Luis Obispo County
(559) 487-5605                               Sonora Chapter                                  Center Director Judy Mahan
                                             Serving Tuolumne County                         872 Higuera St.
Modesto Chapter                              Edward Mintline                                 San Luis Obispo
Serving Merced and Stanislaus counties       222 S. Shepard St.                              (805) 756-5171
Judy Stark                                   (209) 532-4316
1114 J St.
(209) 577-5757

                                                                                                                                 11
LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

                                                                    Veterans
   O'Connor Belting, a Delaware
   family-owned business,
   expanded with the help of an
   SBA-guaranteed 7(a) loan.

                                                                    Business
                                                                    Outreach
                                                                    Center
                                                                    Veteran entrepreneurs or small business
                                                                    owners can receive business training,
                                                                    counseling and mentoring, and referrals
                                                                    to other SBA Resource Partners at a
                                                                    Veterans Business Outreach Center, sba.
                                                                    gov/vboc. This is also the place to receive
                                                                    procurement guidance, which can
                                                                    help your business better compete for
                                                                    government contracts.

                                                                    Veterans Business Outreach
                                                                    Center Region IX
                                                                    Executive Director/CEO Coreena Conley
                                                                    4608 Duckhorn Drive
                                                                    Sacramento
                                                                    (916) 527-8400

   Women’s
   Business Centers
   For your nearest Women's Business Center, visit sba.gov/women.

   Mission Community Services Corp.
   Serving San Luis Obispo and Monterey counties
   Program Director Chuck Jehle
   71 Zaca Lane, suite 130
   San Luis Obispo
   (805) 595-1357
   Serving Kern County
   MCSC Kern Women's Business Center
   201 New Stine Road, suite 300
   Bakersfield
   (805) 595-1357

 12
LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

Your                                                                                         To report how a proposed federal
                                                                                             regulation could unfairly affect you,

Advocates
                                                                                             find your regional SBA advocate at
                                                                                             sba.gov/advocacy.

                                                                                             To submit a comment about how
                                                                                             your business has been hurt by an
                                                                                             existing regulation, visit
The SBA’s offices of advocacy and ombudsman are                                              sba.gov/ombudsman/comments
independent voices for small business within the
federal government.

Advocacy
When you need a voice within the federal        »» when you need economic and small               »» seek remedies when rules are
government for your interests as a small          business statistics                               inconsistently applied
business owner, the SBA’s regional advocates    The SBA’s Office of Advocacy also                 »» recover payment for services done by
are here to assist. The advocates analyze the   independently represents small business and         government contractors
effects of proposed regulations and consider    advances its concerns before Congress, the
alternatives that minimize the economic         White House, federal agencies, federal courts,    Make your voice heard by participating in a
burden on small businesses, governmental        and state policy makers.                          Regional Regulatory Enforcement Fairness
jurisdictions, and nonprofits. Find your                                                          Roundtable or a public hearing hosted by the
regional advocate at sba.gov/advocacy.          Ombudsman                                         SBA’s national ombudsman. These events
                                                Entrepreneurs who have an issue with an           are posted periodically on the ombudsman
Your advocate helps with these small
                                                existing federal regulation or policy can         website, sba.gov/ombudsman.
business issues:
                                                receive assistance from the SBA’s national           To submit a comment or complaint through
»» if your business could be negatively         ombudsman.                                        the online form, visit sba.gov/ombudsman/
  affected by regulations proposed by the                                                         comments. Your concerns will be directed to
                                                The ombudsman’s office helps you:
  government                                                                                      the appropriate federal agency for review. The
»» if you have contracting issues with a        »» resolve regulatory disputes with federal       SBA will collaborate with you and the agency
                                                  agencies                                        to help resolve the issue.
  federal agency
                                                »» reduce unfair penalties and fines

                                                                                                                                           13
LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

                                                                                                                                          COURTESY OF SBA
   Adriana Medina, owner of Fuerte
   Fitness, in Seattle, WA, received
   counseling from a SCORE mentor and
   a Women's Business Center adviser.

 How to Start a Business in
 the Fresno Area
 Thinking of starting a business? Here are the nuts & bolts.

                                                                        choosing a site for your business. Contact the local business
 The Startup Logistics
                                                                        license office where you plan to locate your business. You may not
 Even if you’re running a home-based business, you will have
                                                                        be permitted to conduct business out of your home or engage in
 to comply with many local, state, and federal regulations. Do
                                                                        industrial activity in a retail district.
 not ignore regulatory details. You may avoid some red tape in
                                                                           The CalGold online permit assistance tool, calgold.
 the beginning, but your lack of compliance could become an
                                                                        ca.gov, provides local, state, and federal permit information
 obstacle as your business grows. Taking the time to research the
                                                                        for businesses. The tool provides webpage links, application
 applicable regulations is as important as knowing your market.
                                                                        forms, and contact information for the various agencies that
 Carefully investigate the laws affecting your industry. Being out of
                                                                        administer and issue these permits. For permits and registrations
 compliance could leave you unprotected legally, lead to expensive
                                                                        administered by the State of California, CalGold also includes
 penalties, and jeopardize your business.
                                                                        a forms and fee finder with direct links to applications and fee
 Market Research                                                        information. Once at the website, input your city and type of
 Need to do research on your clients and location? View consumer        business. If your business is not listed, you can select general
 and business data for your area using the Census Business Builder:     business information.
 Small Business Edition, https://cbb.census.gov/sbe. Filter your
 search by business type and location to view data on your potential    Name Registration
                                                                        Register your business name with the county clerk where your
 customers, including consumer spending, and a summary of
                                                                        business is located. If you’re a corporation, also register with the
 existing businesses, available as a map and a report.
                                                                        state. The secretary of state supports California businesses by
 Business License & Zoning                                              registering and authenticating business entities and trademarks,
 Licenses are typically administered by a variety of state and local    enabling secured creditors to protect their financial interests.
 departments. It is important to consider zoning regulations when

 14
LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

  COURTESY OF SBA

                                                                                                  An O'Fallon Casting Inc. Employee at
                                                                                                  work in O'Fallon, MO. Owner Vince
                                                                                                  Gimeno grew his business thanks to
                                                                                                  expert SBA business counseling.

»» California Secretary of State                                      Salinas
        1500 11th St.                                                 928 E. Blanco Road, suite 121
        Sacramento                                                    (831) 753-6895
        (916) 653-6814                                                Visalia
        sos.ca.gov                                                    5300 W. Tulare St.
                                                                      (559) 635-6001
Taxes
As a business owner, you should know your federal tax              »» State Taxes
responsibilities and make some basic business decisions to            The State of California Franchise Tax Board helps taxpayers file
comply with certain tax requirements. The IRS Small Business and      tax returns timely, accurately,and pay the correct amount to
Self- Employed Tax Center, go.usa.gov/xPxYR, offers information       fund services important
on a variety of topics including: obtaining an Employer               to Californians.
Identification Number, paying and filing income tax, virtual          3321 Power Inn Road, suite 250
workshops, forms, and publications.                                   Sacramento
   Whether you are a new or an experienced business owner,            (800) 852-5711
there are new tax law changes that may affect your business. As       ftb.ca.gov
the IRS works to implement the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, signed
into law December 2017, you can access the latest information
                                                                   »» California Department of Tax and Fee Administration
                                                                      450 N St.
on irs.gov/tax-reform to better understand the new tax law
                                                                      Sacramento
implications and how they affect your bottom line.                    (800) 400-7115
                                                                      cdtfa.ca.gov
»» IRS Tax Assistance Centers
        Bakersfield                                                »» State of California Employment Development Department
        4825 Coffee Road                                              Payroll tax information for employers
        (661) 328-4399                                                3321 Power Inn Road, suite 220
                                                                      Sacramento
        Fresno
                                                                      (888) 745-3886
        2525 Capitol St.
                                                                      edd.ca.gov
        (559) 443-7741
        Modesto                                                    Social Security
        1700 Standiford Ave.                                       If you have any employees, including officers of a corporation but not
        (209) 900-6760                                             the sole proprietor or partners, you must make periodic payments,
                                                                   and/or file quarterly reports about payroll taxes and other

                                                                                                                                    15
LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

                                                                                        »» State of California
                                                                                          Labor and Workforce
                                                                                          Development Agency
                                                                                          800 Capitol Mall
                                                                                          Sacramento
                                                                                          (916) 653-9900
                                                                                          labor.ca.gov

                                                                                        »» California Department of Industrial Relations Cal/OSHA
                                                                                          Sacramento Regional Office
                                                                                          2424 Arden Way, suite 300
                                                                                          (916) 263-2503
                                                                                          dir.ca.gov

                                                                                        Employee Insurance
                                                                                        Check with your state laws to see if you are required to provide
                                                                                        unemployment or workers’ compensation insurance for your
                                                                                        employees. For health insurance options, call the Small Business
                                                                                        Health Options Program at (800) 706-7893 or visit healthcare.gov/
                                                                                        small-businesses/employers.

                                                                                        »» California Department of Insurance consumer hotline
                                                                  COURTESY OF THE SBA

                                                                                          (800) 927-HELP (4357)
                                                                                          insurance.ca.gov

   Michael Kahlman expanded RCS Technologies                                            Environmental Regulations
   in Rancho Cordova, CA with financing provided
   by an SBA-backed 504 Certified Development                                           State assistance is available for small businesses that must
   Company loan and a 7(a)loan.                                                         comply with environmental regulations under the Clean Air Act.
                                                                                        State Small Business Environmental Assistance programs provide
 mandatory deductions. You can contact the IRS or the Social Security                   free, confidential assistance to help small business owners
 Administration for information, assistance and forms, socialsecurity.                  understand and comply with complex environmental regulations
 gov/employer or (800) 772-1213. You can file W-2s online or verify job                 and permitting requirements. These state programs can help
 seekers through the Social Security Number Verification Service.                       businesses reduce emissions at the source, often reducing
                                                                                        regulatory burden and saving you money. To learn more about
 Employment Eligibility Verification                                                    these free services, visit nationalsbeap.org/states/list.
 The Federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 requires
 employers to verify employment eligibility of new employees.                           Disability Compliance
 The law obligates an employer to process Employment Eligibility                        For assistance with the Americans with Disabilities Act call (800)
 Verification Form I-9. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service                    669-3362 or visit ada.gov.
 offers information and assistance through uscis.gov/i-9-central.
 For forms, call (800) 870-3676, for the employer hotline, call (888)                   Child Support
 464-4218 or e-mail I-9central@dhs.gov.                                                 Employers are essential to the success of the child support
    E-Verify, operated by the Department of Homeland Security in                        program and are responsible for collecting 75 percent of support
 partnership with the Social Security Administration, electronically                    nationwide through payroll deductions. The Office of Child
 verifies the Social Security number and employment eligibility                         Support Enforcement at Health and Human Services offers
 information reported on Form I-9. It’s the quickest way for                            employers step-by-step instructions for processing income
 employers to determine the employment eligibility of new hires.                        withholding orders for child support. A guide to an employer’s
 Visit e-verify.gov, call (888) 464-4218 or email e-verify@dhs.gov.                     role in the child support program is available at the Office of
                                                                                        Child Support Enforcement’s website at acf.hhs.gov/programs/
 Health & Safety                                                                        css > employer responsibilities. You can also find information
 All businesses with employees are required to comply with state                        about other employer responsibilities and tools that can make
 and federal regulations regarding the protection of employees,                         meeting those responsibilities easier, such as electronic income
 visit dol.gov for information. The Occupational Safety and Health                      withholding orders and the Child Support Portal. Send questions
 Administration provides information on the specific health and                         to employerservices@acf.hhs.gov.
 safety standards used by the U.S. Department of Labor, (800) 321-
 6742 or visit osha.gov.                                                                »» California Department of Child Support Services
                                                                                          Rancho Cordova
 »» Wage and Hour Division                                                                (866) 901-3212
   906 N St., suite 105                                                                   childsup.ca.gov
   Fresno
   (559) 487-5317
   dol.gov

 16
LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

  COURTESY OF THE SBA

                                                                                             Michael Gutman & Yael Gutman grew New En-
                                                                                             gland Urgent Care in West Hartford, CT thanks
                                                                                             to an SBA-backed 7(a) loan.

                                                                      A trademark or service mark includes any word, name, symbol,
Intellectual Property
                                                                      device, or any combination\ used or intended to be used to
Patents, trademarks, and copyrights are types of intellectual
                                                                      identify and distinguish the goods/services of one seller or
property that serve to protect creations and innovations.
                                                                      provider from those of others, and to indicate the source of the
Intellectual property may be valuable assets for small businesses
                                                                      goods/services.
and entrepreneurs, and are important to consider in the
                                                                         Trademarks and service marks may be registered at both
development of any business plan.
                                                                      the state and federal level with the latter at the U.S. Patent and
Patents and Trademarks                                                Trademark Office. Federally registered trademarks may conflict
For information and resources about U.S. patents and federally        with and supersede those registered only at the state level. For
registered trademarks: Visit uspto.gov or call the U.S. Patent        information visit uspto.gov/trademarks.
and Trademark Office Help Center at (800)786-9199. The Silicon
Valley office in San Jose, California, serves Alaska, Arizona,        »» State Registration of a Trademark
                                                                        Articles of incorporation, trademark registration with the
California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington,
                                                                        secretary of state
uspto.gov/siliconvalley.                                                1500 11th St., second floor
   A patent for an invention is the grant of a property right to an     Sacramento
inventor, issued by the patent office. The right conferred by the       (916) 653-3984
patent grant is the right to exclude others from making, using,         sos.ca.gov/business/ts
offering for sale, or selling the invention in the United States or
importing the invention.                                              Copyrights
   There are three types of patents:                                  Copyrights protect original works of authorship, including literary,
 • Utility patents may be granted to anyone who invents or            dramatic, musical and artistic, and certain other intellectual
   discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture,        works. Copyrights do not protect facts, ideas, and systems,
   or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement.       although it may protect the way these are expressed. For general
                                                                      information contact:
 • Design patents may be granted to anyone who invents a new,
   original, and ornamental design for an article of manufacture.     »» U.S. Copyright Office
                                                                        U.S. Library of Congress
 • Plant patents may be granted to anyone who invents or
                                                                        James Madison Memorial Building
   discovers and asexually reproduces any distinct and new              101 Independence Ave. Southeast, Washington, DC
   variety of plant, other than a tuber propagated plant or             (202) 707-3000 or toll free (877) 476-0778
   a plant found in an uncultivated state. For information visit        copyright.gov
   uspto.gov/inventors.

                                                                                                                                         17
LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

 Economic
 Development
                     Chambers of Commerce
 Fresno              ALPINE COUNTY            Kern County Black        MONO COUNTY               San Luis Obispo
 fresno4biz.com      alpinecounty.com         Chamber, Bakersfield                               slochamber.org
                                              kcbcc.net                Mammoth Lakes
 The Water, Energy                                                     mammothlakes
                     FRESNO COUNTY            Kern County Board        chamber.org               STANISLAUS COUNTY
 and Technology
                                              of Trade, Bakersfield
 Center              Central California                                                          Ceres
                                              visitkern.com
 (559) 278-4540      Hispanic Chamber                                  MONTEREY COUNTY           cereschamber.com
 wetcenter.org       cchcc.biz                Kern County Hispanic                               Modesto
                                                                       King City
                                              Chamber, Bakersfield                               modchamber.org
 Economic Vitality   Clovis district                                   kingcitychamber.com
                                              kchcc.org
 Corp. of San Luis   clovischamber.com
 Obispo County                                                         Monterey Peninsula,       Oakdale district
                                              Kernville                                          oakdalechamber.com
 (805) 788-2013      Coalinga area                                     Monterey
                                              gotokernville.com
                     coalingachamber.com                               mpcc.com
                                                                                                 Patterson-Westley
 Fresno County                                Ridgecrest                                         pattersonchamber.com
                     Fresno area                                       Moss Landing
 Economic                                     ridgecrestchamber.com
                     fresnodbh.org                                     mosslanding
 Development Corp.                                                     chamber.com               Riverbank
 (559) 476-2500                               Taft district                                      riverbankchamber.org
                     Fresno
                                              taftchamber.com
                     fresnochamber.com
 Kern Economic                                                         NORTH MONTEREY COUNTY     Turlock
 Development Corp.   Fresno Metro Black                                northmonterey             turlockchamber.com
                                              KINGS COUNTY
 (661) 862-5150      Chamber                                           countychamber.org
                     fmbcc.com                Hanford
                                                                       Pacific Grove             TULARE COUNTY
 Kings County                                 hanfordchamber.com
                     Greater Reedley                                   pacificgrove.org
 Economic            reedleychamber                                                              Dinuba
 Development Corp.                            Lemoore                                            dinubachamber.com
                     ofcommerce.com                                    Salinas Valley, Salinas
 (559) 585-3576                               lemoorechamber
                                                                       salinaschamber.com
                                              ofcommerce.com                                     Exeter
                     Kerman district
                     kermanchamber.org                                                           exeterchamber.com
 Madera County
 Economic                                                              SAN BENITO COUNTY
                                              MADERA COUNTY                                      Lindsay
 Development         Sanger district
                     sanger.org                                        Hollister                 thelindsaychamber.com
 Commission                                   Chowchilla District
                                                                       sanbenito
 (559) 675-7768                               chowchillachamber.org                              Porterville
                     Selma district                                    countychamber.com
                     cityofselma.com/                                                            portervillechamber.org
                                              Oakhurst area
 San Benito          chamber                  oakhurstchamber.com                                Tulare
 Economic                                                              SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY
 Development Corp.                                                                               tularechamber.org
                                              Madera district
 (831) 636-1882      INYO COUNTY                                       Arroyo Grande
                                              maderachamber.com                                  Tulare-Kings Hispanic
                                                                       & Grover Beach
                     Bishop                                            agchamber.com             Chamber, Visalia
 Opportunity                                                                                     mytkhcc.org
 Stanislaus          bishopvisitor.com        MARIPOSA COUNTY
                                                                       Atascadero
 (209) 422-6420                                                                                  Visalia
                     Death Valley, Shoshone   Mariposa                 atascaderochamber.org
                     deathvalleychamber.org                                                      visaliachamber.org
                                              mariposachamber.org
 Economic                                                              Los Osos/Baywood Park
 Development Corp.                                                     lobpchamber.org
 Serving Tulare      KERN COUNTY                                                                 TUOLUMNE COUNTY
                                              MERCED COUNTY
 County                                                                Morro Bay
                     Delano                                            morrobay.org              Yosemite, Groveland
 (559) 592-1349                               Los Banos
                     delanochamber                                                               groveland.org
                                              losbanos.com
                     ofcommerce.org                                    Nipomo
 Tuolumne                                                                                        Sonora
                                              Greater Merced           nipomochamber.org
 County Economic     Greater Bakersfield                                                         tcchamber.com
                                              merced-chamber.com
 Development         bakersfieldchamber.org                            Paso Robles
 Authority                                                             pasorobleschamber.com     Twain Harte
                                              Merced County Hispanic
 (209) 989-4058      Greater Tehachapi                                                           twainhartecc.com
                                              Chamber, Merced
                     tehachapi.com            mercedhcc.com            Pismo Beach
                                                                       pismochamber.com

 18
LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

Write your
Business Plan
Your business plan is the foundation of your business. Learn how to write a
business plan quickly and efficiently with a business plan template.

                                                                                    Which business
                                                                                    plan format is
                                                                                    right for you?

                                                                                    Traditional Business Plan
                                                                                    • This type of plan is very detailed, takes more time
                                                                                      to write, and is comprehensive.
                                                                                    • Lenders and investors commonly request this plan.

Business plans help you run your business
A good business plan guides you through each stage of starting and managing
your business. You’ll use your business plan as a roadmap for how to structure,
run, and grow your new business. It’s a way to think through the key elements of
your business.
    Business plans can help you get funding or bring on new business partners.
Investors want to feel confident they’ll see a return on their investment. Your
business plan is the tool you’ll use to convince people that working with you—
or investing in your company—is a smart choice.                                     Lean Startup Plan
Pick a business plan format that works for you                                      • This type of plan is high-level focus, fast to write,
• There’s no right or wrong way to write a business plan. What’s important is         and contains key elements only.
  that your plan meets your needs.                                                  • Some lenders and investors may ask for more
• Most business plans fall into one of two common categories: traditional or lean     information.
  startup.
• Traditional business plans are more common, use a standard structure, and
  encourage you to go into detail in each section. They tend to require more
  work upfront and can be dozens of pages long.
• Lean startup business plans are less common but still use a standard struc-
  ture. They focus on summarizing only the most important points of
  the key elements of your plan. They can take as little as one hour to make
  and are typically only one page.

                                                                                                                                         19
LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

 TRADITIONAL
 BUSINESS PLAN FORMAT
 You might prefer a traditional business plan format if you’re very              Your goal in this section is to describe how you'll attract and retain
 detail oriented, want a comprehensive plan, or plan to request               customers. You'll also describe how a sale will actually happen.
 financing from traditional sources.                                          You'll refer to this section later when you make financial projections,
    When you write your business plan, you don’t have to stick to the         so make sure to thoroughly describe your complete marketing and
 exact business plan outline. Instead, use the sections that make the         sales strategies.
 most sense for your business and your needs. Traditional business
 plans use some combination of these nine sections.                           Funding Request
                                                                              If you're asking for funding, this is where you'll outline your funding
 Executive Summary                                                            requirements. Your goal is to clearly explain how much funding you’ll
 Briefly tell your reader what your company is and why it will be suc-        need over the next five years and what you'll use it for.
 cessful. Include your mission statement, your product or service, and            Specify whether you want debt or equity, the terms you'd like
 basic information about your company’s leadership team, employ-              applied, and the length of time your request will cover. Give a
 ees, and location. You should also include financial information and         detailed description of how you'll use your funds. Specify if you need
 high-level growth plans if you plan to ask for financing.                    funds to buy equipment or materials, pay salaries, or cover specific
                                                                              bills until revenue increases. Always include a description of your
 Company Description                                                          future strategic financial plans, like paying off debt or selling your
 Use your company description to provide detailed information about           business.
 your company. Go into detail about the problems your business
 solves. Be specific, and list out the consumers, organization, or busi-      Financial Projections
 nesses your company plans to serve.                                          Supplement your funding request with financial projections. Your
    Explain the competitive advantages that will make your business           goal is to convince the reader that your business is stable and will be
 a success. Are there experts on your team? Have you found the per-           a financial success.
 fect location for your store? Your company description is the place to           If your business is already established, include income state-
 boast about your strengths.                                                  ments, balance sheets, and cash flow statements for the last three
                                                                              to five years. If you have other collateral you could put against a loan,
 Market Analysis                                                              make sure to list it now.
 You'll need a good understanding of your industry outlook and target         Provide a prospective financial outlook for the next five years.
 market. Competitive research will show you what other businesses are         Include forecasted income statements, balance sheets, cash flow
 doing and what their strengths are. In your market research, look for        statements, and capital expenditure budgets. For the first year, be
 trends and themes. What do successful competitors do? Why does it            even more specific and use quarterly—or even monthly —projec-
 work? Can you do it better? Now's the time to answer these questions.        tions. Make sure to clearly explain your projections, and match them
                                                                              to your funding requests.
 Organization and Management                                                      This is a great place to use graphs and charts to tell the financial
 Tell your reader how your company will be structured and who                 story of your business.
 will run it.
    Describe the legal structure of your business. State whether              Appendix
 you have or intend to incorporate your business as a C or an                 Use your appendix to provide supporting documents or other materials
 S corporation, form a general or limited partnership, or if you're           that were specially requested. Common items to include are credit histo-
 a sole proprietor or LLC.                                                    ries, resumes, product pictures, letters of reference, licenses, permits,
    Use an organizational chart to lay out who's in charge of what in         patents, legal documents, and other contracts.
 your company. Show how each person's unique experience will con-
 tribute to the success of your venture. Consider including resumes or
 CVs of key members of your team.

 Service or Product Line                                                         TRADITIONAL BUSINESS PLAN CHECKLIST
 Describe what you sell or what service you offer. Explain how it ben-
 efits your customers and what the product lifecycle looks like. Share            • Executive summary                • Service or product line
 your plans for intellectual property, like copyright or patent filings. If       • Company description              • Marketing and sales
 you're doing research and development for your service or product,
                                                                                  • Market analysis                  • Funding request
 explain it in detail.
                                                                                  • Organization and                 • Financial projections
 Marketing and Sales                                                                management                       • Appendix
 There's no single way to approach a marketing strategy. Your strat-
 egy should evolve and change to fit your unique needs.

 20
LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

LEAN STARTUP PLAN FORMAT
You might prefer a lean startup format if you want to explain or start your business quickly,
your business is relatively simple, or you plan to regularly change and refine your business plan.
    Lean startup formats are charts that use only a handful of elements to describe your              Want to see
company’s value proposition, infrastructure, customers, and finances. They’re useful for
visualizing tradeoffs and fundamental facts about your company.                                       an example
    There are many versions of lean startup templates, but one of the oldest and most well known
is the Business Model Canvas, developed by Alex Osterwalder. You can search the web to find free
templates of the Business Model Canvas, or other versions, to build your business plan.
                                                                                                      of a business
    We’ll discuss the nine components of the Business Model Canvas version here.                      plan?
Key Partnerships
                                                                                                      View examples of both
Note the other businesses or services you’ll work with to run your business. Think about
suppliers, manufacturers, subcontractors and similar strategic partners.                              business plan formats at
Key Activities                                                                                        sba.gov/business-guide/
List the ways your business will gain a competitive advantage. Highlight things like selling          plan/write-your-business-
direct to consumers or using technology to tap into the sharing economy.                              plan-template
Key Resources
List any resource you’ll leverage to create value for your customer. Your most important
assets could include staff, capital, or intellectual property. Don’t forget to leverage business
resources that might be available to women, veterans, Native Americans,
and HUBZone–certified businesses.
Value Proposition
Make a clear and compelling statement about the unique value your company brings
to the market.
Customer Relationships
                                                                                                     LEAN STARTUP PLAN
Describe how customers will interact with your business. Is it automated or personal?                CHECKLIST
In person or online? Think through the customer experience from start to finish.
                                                                                                     • Key partnerships
Customer Segments
                                                                                                     • Key activities
Be specific when you name your target market. Your business won’t be for everybody,
so it’s important to have a clear sense of who your business will serve.                             • Key resources
Channels                                                                                             • Value proposition
List the most important ways you’ll talk to your customers. Most businesses use a mix                • Customer relationships
of channels and optimize them over time.
                                                                                                     • Customer segments
Cost Structure
Will your company focus on reducing cost or maximizing value? Define your strategy,                  • Channels
then list the most significant costs you’ll face pursuing it.                                        • Cost structure
Revenue Streams                                                                                      • Revenue streams
Explain how your company will actually make money. Some examples are direct sales, mem-
berships fees, and selling advertising space. If your company has multiple revenue streams,
list them all.

                               If you fail to plan, you
                                are planning to fail.”
                                                                  Benjamin Franklin

                                                                                                                                  21
LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

                                                                        both in and out of the contiguous United States.
                                                                           Boots to Business: Reboot delivers the Boots to Business
                                                                        curriculum to veterans of all eras, members of the National Guard
                                                                        and Reserve, and military spouses in their local communities.
                                                                           Register for either program at https://sbavets.force.com.
                                                                           If you’re a service-disabled veteran or a spouse, the SBA’s Service-
                                                                        Disabled Veteran Entrepreneurship Training Program provides guidance
                                                                        on starting or growing your small business, visit sba.gov/ovbd.

                                                                        Interested in doing business with the government?
                                                                        Veteran-owned and service-disabled veteran-owned small
                                                                        businesses interested in federal contracting opportunities
                                                                        can receive training through the Veteran Federal Procurement
                                                                        Entrepreneurship Training Program. This program is administered
                                                                        by the Veteran Institute for Procurement, which offers a platform
                                                                        with three training programs to assist veterans: VIP Start, VIP Grow,
                                                                        and VIP International.
                                                                        »» VIP Start is for companies wanting to enter the federal market
                                                                          and become ready for procurement. Nearly 200 veteran-owned
   Jack Goodison, a veteran,
   grew his business in North                                             businesses from 29 states plus Washington, DC have graduated
   Kingstown, Rhode Island,                                               from the program.
   J. Goodison Co., with the
   help of an SBA-guaranteed                                            »» VIP Grow is the core curriculum which assists companies in
   504 loan.                                                              developing strategies to expand and operate within the federal
                                                                          marketplace. More than 700 veteran-owned businesses from 42

     Programs
                                                                          states plus DC and Guam have graduated from this program.
                                                                        »» VIP International is for companies that want to enter or expand
                                                                          their federal and commercial contracting opportunities overseas.

 for Veterans
                                                                        Loan Fee Relief
                                                                        To encourage lending to members of the military community who want
                                                                        to start or grow their business, the SBA reduces upfront guarantee fees
                                                                        on select loans. That means the cost savings will be passed down to
 Members of the military community can start and
                                                                        you, the eligible veteran or qualifying military member. To learn more,
 grow their small business with the help of SBA                         contact your local SBA district office or ask your SBA Lender about the
 programs.                                                              Veterans Advantage program, sba.gov/loans.

 Need entrepreneurship training?
 Entrepreneurship training is available through the SBA’s programs         Learn about the Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned
 for veterans, sba.gov/veterans, at military installations around the
                                                                           Small Business certification program on page 49.
 world. These programs are open to active duty service members,
 those transitioning out of service, National Guard and Reserve
 members, veterans of all eras, and military spouses. Connect
 to other entrepreneurs and your local network of SBA Resource
 Partners through these services and programs.
    Veterans Business Outreach Centers, sba.gov/vboc, provide                 Have an employee who
 business training and counseling to those interested in starting,            was called to active duty?
 purchasing, or growing
 a small business.                                                            Ask your local SBA district office or lender about the
    Boots to Business is an entrepreneurial education and training            Military Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loan
 program offered by the SBA as part of the Department of Defense’s            program. If you meet the eligibility requirements,
 Transition Assistance Program. Service members transitioning out of          you may receive funds that enable your business to
 active duty and military spouses are eligible for Boots to Business.         meet ordinary and necessary operating expenses
    During the course, you explore business ownership and other self-         when an essential employee is called up to active
 employment opportunities while learning key business concepts. You           duty in the military reserve.
 will walk away with an overview of entrepreneurship and applicable
 business ownership fundamentals, including how to access startup
 capital using SBA resources. Boots to Business is conducted on all
 military installations that host the Transition Assistance Program,

 22
LOCAL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE

Programs for
Entrepreneurs
SBA’s Emerging Leaders program helps grow businesses.

Business executives looking for their next educational opportunity will find it in the SBA’s
                                                                                                 Online
Emerging Leaders program.
   Participants in the intense seven-month Emerging Leaders entrepreneurship program
                                                                                                 Resources for
are selected through a competitive process. The program fosters a learning environment
that accelerates the growth of high-potential small businesses, while providing training         Entrepreneurs
and peer networking sessions. Emerging Leaders graduates have reported gaining more              Find free short
than $300 million in new financing and securing over $2.16 billion in government contracts.      courses and
For information about the Emerging Leaders program, visit sba.gov/emergingleaders.
                                                                                                 learning tools
                                                                                                 to start and
                                                                                                 grow your small
                                                                                                 business at sba.
                                                                                                 gov/learning. The
                                                                                                 SBA’s free Online
                                                                                                 Learning Center is a great
                                                                                                 resource for every entrepreneur,
                                                                                                 especially rural business owners
                                                                                                 looking for easy access to vital
                                                                                                 business training.

                                                                                                 Courses include:
                                                                                                 • writing your business plan
                                                                                                 • small business legal requirements
                                                                                                 • small business financing options
                                                                                                 • digital and traditional marketing to
                                                                                                   win customers
                                                                                                 • disaster recovery
                                                                                                 • cyber security and crime prevention

                                                                                               Entrepreneurs receive business
                                                                                               counseling and assistance at the
                                                                                               Philadelphia SBA district office in
                                                                                               King of Prussia.

                                                                                                                                          23
local success story

                           Mohammad
                             Hobab
                                          CEO, DELI DELICIOUS FR ANCHISING

                                                         Fresno, C A

About 20 years ago, the Hobab family         • What challenge did you have? I wanted to keep growing by expanding into a
purchased a small sandwich shop                new market, a bakery, but I didn’t qualify for traditional financing to build my
in Fresno with the goal of treating            own space. I wanted a competitive fixed-rate mortgage with affordable terms,
customers like guests in their home.           so I went to an SBA Lender.
With the help of SBA financing and
counseling, Deli Delicious has become        • What was the SBA solution? In 2018, DD’s Bakery in Fresno was built and
a franchise, providing Hobab hospi-            financed with an SBA 504 Certified Development Company Loan. I also
tality to customers in 28 cities across        received guidance from a local SCORE mentor, an SBA Resource Partner,
California. The company has grown              to help with our expansion. Our 10,000-square-foot bakery makes all the
from its original Fresno location to           gourmet bread used by Deli Delicious locations across California. The bakery
53 restaurants, serving Deli Delicious         created ten new jobs, and it can produce 1,000 loaves of bread daily.
sandwiches the Fresno Bee has consis-
tently named the region’s best.              • What benefit did this have for you? Deli Delicious can maintain the strictest
                                               standards of quality for our sandwiches because we make our own bread in a
                                               new facility. In 2017, the International Franchise Association presented us with
                                               the Ronald E. Harrison Award, which recognizes companies that have made
                                               significant contributions to minorities in franchising. Deli Delicious is now a
                                               multimillion dollar company employing 19. As part of my desire to give back to
                                               the community, employees from Deli Delicious volunteer as mentors assisting
                                               other entrepreneurs. My company has also established a scholarship program
                                               benefitting students pursuing careers in business and the hospitality industry.
                                               The SBA helped us achieve our American dream of successful business owner-
                                               ship, so now we’re helping others do the same.
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COURTESY OF DELI DELICIOUS FRANCHISING

The SBA helped us achieve our American dream
of successful business ownership, so now we’re
helping others do the same.”
Mohammad Hobab
CEO, Deli Delicious Franchising

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