PULSE BEAT P A R A M O U N T
July 2013
Serving the Community Since 1990
www.paramountchamber.com
The City and the Chamber Help Small Businesses Succeed with Free Business Advising From the SBDC
F
or the past 7 years, the City of Paramount, Paramount Chamber of Commerce and the Long Beach City College Small Business Development Center have collaborated to bring expert business advice to Paramount businesses. The City of Paramount helps to fund the SBDC services at the Chamber of Commerce in order to help spur economic growth for the city. In return, the SBDC delivers confidential one-on-one business advice to current and soon-to-be business owners throughout the city free of charge. The SBDC also delivers seminars and trainings on various business topics once a month in the chamber offices and is open to anyone interested in learning more about operating a small business. Charlie Lowe is a member of the SBDC team of experienced current business owners who provide oneon-one advising services to fellow business owners at no cost. The goal of the SBDC is to partner with clients and teach them the technical skills necessary to succeed in their business. For example, the SBDC helps business owners build custom websites (at no cost) and teaches them how to maintain and update the site on their own. Another example of how the SBDC helps clients is by packaging loans and then shopping that loan for the client (again, at no cost). The SBDC provides advising in the following areas: business planning, finance, legal, marketing,
Paramount Chamber SBDC Counselor Charlie Lowe with clients Rosie Perez, Ozzie Carranza, and Francisco Gutierrez.
international trade, operations, social media, website build/design, government procurement/certification and more. The Long Beach SBDC also hosts regular workshops at a low cost on all of the above topics. When a client comes to visit the SBDC they get a business advisor who is a current business owner and can help in every facet of the business. SBDC advisors take on the role of becoming a partner in your business; they like to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty. The advice that business owners receive is practical and can help enhance your business right away. Charlie, as his clients re-
Paramount Chamber of Commerce
Pulse beaT
15357 Paramount Boulevard, Paramount, CA 90723
fer to him is the lead business advisor at the Paramount Chamber of Commerce and he is available for free oneon-one consultations every Wednesday by appointment only. Mr. Lowe has been an integral figure in the partnership between the SBDC, City of Paramount, and the Paramount Chamber of Commerce. Charlie’s expertise is helping identify strategic growth patterns for businesses in the community and then helping the business implement their plan to increase revenue and create jobs. Mr. Lowe also has expertise in helping people start their business and over the past 3 years has helped more than 25 businesses
launch in the City of Paramount alone. The Small Business Development Center at Long Beach City College recently received the “Excellence and Innovation Award” during a Small Business Awards luncheon hosted by the Los Angeles District Office of the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce. The award recognizes the success of the Long Beach SBDC in helping small business owners grow their businesses to a level they never thought possible. To schedule an appointment at the Paramount Chamber of Commerce please call (562) 634-3980.
Mike Daniel, director of SBDC at LBCC receives Excellence and Innovation Award from Gary Toebben, president/CEO of the L.A. Chamber.
For a complete listing of all upcoming seminars and workshops please visit either the SBDC website at www.longbeachsbdc.org or the Paramount Chamber of Commerce website at www. paramountchamber.com
What’s inside Ask The Expert..........................10 Business Card Directory.............12-13 Business Corner.........................11 Cityscape..................................15
Help wanted............................. 9 Mayors Corner.......................... 3 Members Only...........................14 New Members...........................11
On Patrol...................................... 4 PEP.................................................7 Pregunte a el Experto.......................8 Service Clubs..................................13