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