Microloans To Be Offered at Business Workshop Oct. 21

  • (l-r) Julie Karpenko and Angel Cottrell review the draft of a community survey with Pam McCain and other members of the SBDC Strategic Advisory Council.

    (l-r) Julie Karpenko and Angel Cottrell review the draft of a community survey with Pam McCain and other members of the SBDC Strategic Advisory Council.

‘Shop Local’ Survey To Launch

Workshop: Need Capital for Your Small Business? Thursday, Oct. 21, 6-7:30 p.m. Cuddy Hall • Free

By Patric Hedlund

Energy is crackling when Angel Cottrell begins to report the action-packed program underway to assist mountain business owners who are stepping up to turn economic challenges into opportunities this year.

Cottrell is director of the Mountain Communities Small Business Development Center (SBDC, based in Frazier Park).

The Workshop

The SBDC is hosting a free workshop about crafting a business plan for loan approval on Thursday, Oct. 21, 6-7:30 p.m. at Cuddy Hall—and real results can come from being there.

At the workshop, WEV (Women’s Economic Ventures and Small Business Loan Fund) will take applications for quick microloans to help businesses meet this year’s holiday season inventory and marketing goals.

Loan specialists will explain the five most important items your business plan must have to maximize your chances for success in receiving capital to launch or grow your small business.

The Community Survey

On October 29 a neighbor-to-neighbor survey of the Mountain Communities will be launched. Requested by local businesses, it is designed by Julie Karpenko (U.C. Berkeley and WEV) with Patrice Rosenthal (London School of Economics) and Jan de Leeuw (UCLA Center for Environmental Statistics) to assess shopping behaviors of residents living in the Mountain Communities. Karpenko explains that “We hope to gather information that can help local business owners understand the behaviors and preferences of residents [so local businesses] can better meet customers’ needs and promote shopping locally.” Raffle prizes will be offered to those who participate in a short telephone survey. Surveys will also be available around town, online at www.MountainEnterprise.com and inserted into The Mountain Enterprise and The New Mountain Pioneer.

Read A Note From Angel Cottrell

This is part of the October 15, 2010 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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