National Small Business Week celebrates local entrepreneurs in Old Pasadena – Pasadena Now

Against the backdrop of National Small Business Week, April 28 to May 4, Pasadena City College’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is emerging as a key player in supporting local entrepreneurs.

With a series of programs and workshops aimed at addressing challenges such as access to capital and finding employees, the SBDC underscores the critical role of discretionary resources in promoting the growth and success of small businesses.

National Small Business Week showcases the triumphs and tribulations of small business professionals in every U.S. state and territory.

Hosted by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), the event spotlights the critical contributions of small businesses, which generate two-thirds of new U.S. jobs every year.

Locally, the choice of Old Pasadena as the center of the event adds resonance to the occasion, spotlighting nearly 200 local businesses that form the economic backbone of the community. The weeklong festivities are managed by the Old Pasadena Management District and include a wide range of activities that celebrate the resilience and ingenuity of local entrepreneurs.

Donald J. Loewel, director of the Pasadena City College SBDC, said that as far as the SBDC is concerned, every week is Small Business Week, with a commitment to ongoing workshops, one-on-one counseling and active participation in associated events. Still, National Small Business Week is “incredibly important” because most business owners are unaware of the free resources available to help them, Loewel said.

“The SBA was founded in the 1950s with a mission to grow the American economy by supporting small business owners, and they have several relief partners who provide free support to help businesses start, grow and succeed,” he said. “In addition to the seven Small Business Development Centers in LA County, there are three Women’s Business Centers, with a new one launching here at PCC next month, a large SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) chapter and a brand new Veterans Business Outreach Center or VBOC . Together we have more than 100 advisors available to meet one-on-one via Zoom with business owners and/or their teams.”

The Pasadena SBDC at PCC itself has more than twenty advisors, including several general business strategists, two attorneys, several marketing and social media specialists and an HR expert, to name a few. It also has a tech startup team that can help with everything from ideation and feasibility to pitch decks and raising equity. The SBDC also has a large network of partners to assist with outreach efforts, Loewel said.

“These include organizations such as Innovate Pasadena, Caltech, Pasadena Bioscience, as well as the City of Pasadena Economic Development Team and the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, to name a few,” he continued. “We are also supported by all local, county, state and federal elected officials. Together we provide a network of support for startups and small businesses. But many have no idea we are here, and that is the most important thing about National Small Business Week.”

Loewel said the Pasadena SBDC’s repertoire of programs ranges from business plan workshops to help navigating financial complexities. With challenges such as accessing capital, controlling costs and finding employees who are great for Pasadena’s small businesses, the SBDC’s multi-faceted support system becomes indispensable, he said.

Loewel said COVID-19 was terrible for local businesses, but many small businesses in Pasadena were able to weather storms of uncertainty, adapt and evolve to survive.

“We’re seeing a lot of new businesses opening as people create side hustles or take the leap into business ownership, and we’ve helped many of them get off to a good start,” he said.

Looking ahead, the SBDC is charting a course focused on serving a diverse spectrum of entrepreneurs, with initiatives tailored to empowering women entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs of color. Strategically, the SBDC wants to focus on serving more women entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs of color, and this includes reaching into the technology sector and typical high street businesses.

“This is an exciting time for businesses in the San Gabriel Valley,” Loewel said. “Experienced entrepreneurs will tell you that entrepreneurship is difficult and there are always challenges. But small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and that’s why local, state and federal governments, along with economic workforce engines like Pasadena City College, support them by investing in organizations like the SBDC.”

For more information about the Pasadena SBDC at PCC, visit https://pccsbdc.org/.

For more information about supporting small businesses in Old Pasadena during National Small Business Week, visit www.oldpasadena.org/visit/events/2024/april/nationalsmall businesses-week-2/.