Self-support successes: Help for small businesses
| Friday, Jul 24 2009 06:40 PM
Last Updated Friday, Jul 24 2009 06:40 PM
One door has closed but another may be swinging open for would-be business owners in need of expert assistance in Kern.
The Kern Community College District’s former Weill Institute Small Business Center no longer provides classes for startups. Instead, the office at 2100 Chester Ave. now focuses on helping existing businesses by offering training in management, customer service and sales, among other skills.
Interim director Bob Hawkes said the switch late last year reflects recognition that the large majority of customers never launched the enterprises they talked about in class.
“We were spending a lot of resources chasing other people’s dreams, if you will,” Hawkes said, adding that the office is no longer associated with the U.S. Small Business Administration but still receives state money.
Hawkes said he now refers budding entrepreneurs to one of three organizations: SCORE, a nonprofit association of volunteer business counselors (score.org); Mission Community Services Corp., a San Luis Obispo-based organization serving small businesses in the Central Valley (mcscorp.org); and UC Merced’s Small Business Development Center network, which has a Bakersfield office at 2000 K St., Suite 300
The regional director of UC Merced’s program, Diane Howerton, said she is working to expand services available in Bakersfield.
In the meantime, consulting appointments may be made by calling 877-826-7232, or by e-mailing the office: casbdc@ucmerced.edu.
