Gavilan College Small Business Development Center can steer you
through rough seas
Gavilan College Small Business Development Center is the
solution for any would-be entrepreneur who has ever wondered why it
isn’t easier to find help with starting a new business.
The center was established to meet the specialized needs of the
small business community of the Gavilan College District
– including Gilroy, Morgan Hill, San Benito County, and Monterey
County (east of the Salinas river).
Gavilan College Small Business Development Center can steer you through rough seas
Gavilan College Small Business Development Center is the solution for any would-be entrepreneur who has ever wondered why it isn’t easier to find help with starting a new business.
The center was established to meet the specialized needs of the small business community of the Gavilan College District – including Gilroy, Morgan Hill, San Benito County, and Monterey County (east of the Salinas river).
The goal of the center is to help small businesses succeed and to stimulate the local and regional economy.
The development center has been at Gavilan for the past 17 years, but it was initially established at the Al Martinez Economic Development Corporation in Hollister.
The lion’s share of business owners seek help from the center to either launch a business or grow their businesses, according to center director Rich Gillis. Specific needs are detailed in a questionnaire business owners fill out when they first come to the center.
Advisors are upfront with people and advise them of all the problems they could face starting a new business so that they don’t go into anything blind, Gillis said. After the questionnaires are evaluated, they’re either directed to a counselor or an appropriate workshop.
“We like to make sure that they know what they will be asking of themselves and their families,” Gillis said. “The workshops take away a lot of the mystery and relieve a lot of the problems through educating the individuals.”
From this point, the small-business owner will likely be paired with a consultant – some of which a specific focus while others are more general. Likewise, some are bilingual and others are English-speaking only. Through meeting with the consultants, the center can establish how long it will take for owners top accomplish their goals, whether they need a loan, market research or other business aids.
From here, the counselors will find out what the business owner needs, including assistance with acquisitions, marketing and sales, sources of capital, record keeping and expansion possibilities.
If the client currently owns a business, the center can assist them with developing methods to reduce costs, establishing banking relationships and improving marketing.
The business development center averages between 300 and 375 clients per year and contains a mixture of new and old clients. All consultations are confidential, and the only costs clients are asked to pay are fees for workshops.
