Community officials and business advisers talked with local business owners about how they can improve their sustainability in San Benito County at the Business Box Lunch and Networking event on Thursday at San Juan Oaks.
Experts were divided into eight groups, with business owners able to pick and choose with advisors they believed could best help them. Nancy Martin, departing executive director of the EDC, which was contracted to plan the event and conduct surveys of 200-300 local businesses, said about 20 businesses had RSVP’d for the event.
Martin had said she had heard from other business owners who said they would stop in, but didn’t know what time they would be by during the 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. event.
At noontime, a volunteer estimated that about six or seven businesses owners had been by.
“We expect people to come in and out,” said Alisha Cornick, a volunteer with the EDC.
Enrique Arreola, the deputy director of San Benito County Community Services and Workforce Development, said he was hoping to see 60 to 70 businesses owners.
The table topics included: doing business with the government; foreign trade; workforce development; WorkKeys; business planning; marketing and sales; energy efficiency and networking.
Arreola said he was especially excited to see WorkKeys, which provides national training certificates for employees and businesses. Arreola said businesses can ask employees to go through the program to find out what their strengths are and what types of jobs would be suitable for employees. Those seeking employment can also use the program to get certificates that could help them get a job.
“They provide individual training for companies that want to ensure a certain skill at work,” he said.
Martin said she was also enthusiastic about WorkKeys.
“It’s a way companies can assess employees and can see what employees need to do to fulfill their desire to advance,” she said.
Martin said the lunch event was set up for businesses that “can’t always follow a regimented schedule.”
She said there were people present to discuss how to do business with the county and planning, resources for businesses looking to implement green practices, loan experts and more.
Martin also said there were some of the students who had been going out to survey local businesses present in the audience. She said at least 12 companies have been able to use the services of the Small Business Development Center.
“They can come back and get those services anytime they want,” she said.
