Overview of the work Small Business School with the US Small Business Adminsitration

Small business is the soul of democracy

last update: January 2007

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SBA Small Business Person of the Year


		Heliodoro Valadez, SBPY 1993, Best Buy Tortilla Factory, El Paso, Texas "In the beginning, I slept there..."


		Tranh Quoc Lam, SBPY 2002, Ba-Le Bakery, Honolulu, Hawaii, An immigrant (Vietnam boat person)


		Chef Thomas Keller, SBA-guaranteed loan for The French Laundry, a world-class restaurant in Yountville, CA


		George Hill and Arnold Joseff, SBA-guaranteed loan and contract, Diversified Chemicals, Detroit, Michigan


		Cindy McEntee, SBPY 2001 Mo's Chowder, Newport, Oregon "...it takes tenacity -- and drive."

U.S. Small Business Administration (US SBA)

An Advocacy Partner

Founded in 1954 the SBA has over 50 years of service. Since 1994 over 50 episodes of Small Business School have focused on some aspect of the US SBA. One year the SBA was the official "advocacy partner" for viewer tune-in.

1. Small Business Person of the Year:

Many episodes focus on people we met at Small Business Week. The former SBA Administrator, Hector Barreto, even hosted one of the episodes of the show!

2. SBDCs: Many SBDC state directors and counselors have appeared on the show.

3. SCORE: Ken Yancey and several SCORE folks have appeared on the show.

4. Contracts: Pro-Net -8a -SBIR

5. Money: Guaranteed loans from a bank and Debt/Equity programs of the SBIC

Introduction
We congratulate all the people of the SBA and our government who are ever mindful of the role and responsibility vested within them to empower the Spirit of America, to lift up role models of goodness, and yes, even greatness. During the annual Small Business Week, the SBA recognizes the Small Business Persons of the Year (SBPY) from each state and territory.

Background
In 1994 our very first episode of the show was about Heliodoro Valadez, a Mexican immigrant from El Paso. He was the Texas Small Business Person of the Year. He is pictured above, the first one. Most everyone pictured on this page is a SBPY and every picture goes to an overview of their episode of the show.

Though this television series is not a product of the SBA, there have been years when the US SBA officially recognized our broadcasts by being our Advocacy Partner. Through the efforts of the people within the Office of Entrepreneurial Development, the SBA agreed to promote viewership of the show on local PBS-member stations among all of its local offices which includes more than 1200+ Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), over 12,000+ SCORE volunteers, and all the SBA Business Information Centers.

We continue our efforts to lift up greatness.

1. Stories resulting from the annual Small Business Week festivities
Background: Small Business Persons of the Year (SBPY) are selected every year from each state and territory. Usually in May, state winners come for a week in Washington, DC. Here are just a few whom we have profiled on one of the weekly shows:

For more information: Click on the owner's name of picture to go to more indepth information about each story. Click on the SBA program to learn more from the SBA.	SBA operations
California: San Diego. Joe Dannis, Dawn Sign — SBPY 1997 and SBA-backed loan to purchase new office building. Joe is deaf and employs over 20 deaf people.	Disadvantaged business SBPY
California: San Diego. Leonor Ferrer, Ferrer Brokers — Otay Mesa California. Minority SBPY 1995.	Women-in-business Hispanics-in-business
California: San Diego Belinda Guadarrama, QC Micro — Petaluma, California. SBPY 2002.	SBPY
California: Santee. Sissy Harrington-McGill, Solid Gold — Small Business Exporter of the Year 1996	Women-in-business
Florida: Giberston. Tim Hennessey, Ekkwill Wildlife Resources — SBPY 1993	Women-in-business
Delaware: Seaford. Ruth Ellen Miller, NoUVIR — SBPY 2000, Women-in-business, SBPY	SBPY
Georgia: Atlanta. Max Carey — Veteran of the Year	Veterans-in-business
Hawaii: Honolulu Thanh Lam — Bale Bakery	SBPY
Maine: Lewiston Jane Theberge, Custom Stitchers — SBPY 1995	Women-in-business SBPY
Massachusetts: Boston. Andy Wilson, Boston Duck Tours — SBPY 1997	SBPY
Massachusetts: Boston. Darlene Jeter, Jet-a-way, SBA-guaranteed loans, also 8A graduate in 1970s. SBPY 1980	Women-in-business, SBPY AfricanAmericans-in-business
Missouri: St. Louis. Jerry Shapiro, Petrofsky's Bakery — SBPY 1993.	SBPY
New Mexico: Santa Fe Darby McQuade, Jackalope — SBPY 1993	SBPY
North Carolina: Chapel Hill. Mildred Council, Mama Dip — SBPY 2002	SBPY
Oregon: Portland. Gary Walls, Trailblazer Foods — SBPY 1996	SBPY
Oregon: Newport. Cindy McEntee, Mo's Chowder — SBPY 2001	Women-in-business SBPY
Rhode Island: Providence. Linda Brunini, Two Hands — SBPY 1995.	Women-in-business SBPY
Texas: El Paso. Heliodoro Valadez, Best Buy Tortillas — SBPY 1993.	Hispanics-in-business SBPY
Utah: Salt Lake City: Lorraine Miller, Cactus & Tropicals — SBPY 1994.	Women-in-business SBPY
Utah: Park City. Peter Metcalf, Black Diamond — SBPY 1995	SBPY
Virginia: Vienna. Shiv Krishnan, Indus Corporation — SBPY 2002.	SBPY
Washington: Seattle. Judi Jacobsen, Madison Park Greeting — SBPY 1995.	Women-in-business SBPY
Washington: Spokane. Jill & Doug Smith, Buckeye Beans & Herbs — SBPY 1996	Women-in-business SBPY
Wisconsin: Eau Claire. Mary Jurmanian, Reality Works a/k/a BTIO — SBPY 2002	Women-in-business SBPY

2. Small Business Development Centers Introduction. There are over 1200 to assist people to start and grow their business. Mostly associated with colleges and universities throughout the USA, here are a few shows where the owner was assisted by their local SBDC:
Illinois: Naperville. Bill Malleris, Maple Court Development, (with a special appearance by Betsy Meyers of the SBA.	Housing, Independent Living
Michigan: Detroit. Monica Morgan, Monica Morgan Photography. Recognized as one of the top ten clients of the Wayne State University SBDC.	Women-in-business African Americans-in-business
Michigan: Detroit. Lori Davis, Knitz 'N Pieces. SBA-backed startup loan, Huntington Bank.	Women-in-business
Texas: Dallas. Working Works - A special about Welfare to Work in cooperation with the Texas SBDC.	Welfare-to-work, Women-in-business, Minorities-in-business

3. SCORE
Background: There are over 12,000 SCORE professionals who are eager to help growing businesses get over the hurdels. For more, see each of the State Resources on this site.

Oregon: Bend. In this segment of this show, Jim Schell, Opportunity Knocks, a SCORE volunteer describes their work. This entire show is about a program initiated with SCORE to organize small business owners into ad hoc advisory boards.

4. Contracts with the SBA and other government agencies

4a. Central Contractor Registration — Within an episode of the show, we do an online visit to the Business.gov web site, the beginning of a contracting relation with the government. SBA, OMB, GSA and DOD have been integrated into one large database to simplify the contracting process for small businesses. Our episode about mentoring also looked at this program.

4b. Programs: 22% of all Government Contracts Mandated for Small Business:

California: Oxnard. Ella Williams, Aegir Systems – 8A Contractor and graduate.	8A,Women-in-business and Minorities-in-business
Maryland: Rockville. Tom Valez, CTA – One of the most successful 8A graduates.	8A Minorities-in-business
Virginia: Arlington. Lillian Handy, TRESP Associates– 8A Contractor	8A, Women-in-business and Minorities-in-business
Virginia: Vienna. Shiv Krishnan, INDUS – 8A Contractor & graduate.	8A Minorities-in-business

4c. SBIR program:
Alabama: Huntsville.AZ Technology, frequent winner of SBIR contracts

5. Money
Introduction: There is both debt and equity caital available through the SBA. Most of the references within episodes of the show are to debt capital through SBA-guranteed loans with a Certified and Preferred SBA lender. A few examples are provide below. There is also equity capital through some of the Small Business Investment Companies and through angel capital. The ACE-NET program is no longer an SBA program; it is under the auspices of the Califronia State University at San Bernardino and still worth the effort to look into their match-making program with angel capital folks.

5a. SBA-Guaranteed Loans Programs (just a few of dozens of references to SBA-backed loans)

California : Napa Valley.Thomas Keller, The French Laundry — SBA-backed loan for purchase of a building.	Local SBA office
California: San Diego. Bill and Joan Keller, Le Travel Store — 1993 SBA-backed loan for purchase of a building in the historic district.	Local SBA office (National Trust for Historic Preservation - Main Street Program)
Colorado: Telluride, Jagged Edge Mountain Gear	Local SBA office
Colorado: Boulder, St. Claire's Organic Sweets	Local SBA office
Illinois: Libertyville. Bill Sugars and Pat Elmquest, Mickey Finn's Brew Pub — SBA-backed loan for purchase of a building that acted as the launchpin for their historic district.	Local SBA office (National Trust for Historic Preservation - Main Street Program)
Michigan: Detroit. George Hill and Arnold Joseff , Diversified Chemicals started their business with an SBA-backed loan.	Local SBA office
Washington: Seattle. Grace Tsjuikawa, PyroMedia — SBA-back loan.	Women-in-business SBPY Local SBA office

5b. Equity and debt investments:
5b1.Small Business Investment Company (SBIC). New York City, NY: Andy Murstein, Medallion Funding — Invests in immigrant and minority-owned businesses. Check with your local SBA office.
5b2. ACE-Net (ACE is an acronym for Angel Capital Electronic Network).

We invite your questions or comments.

SBPY: Texas, Hawaii, CA, Oregon, Missouri, Washington, Massachusetts, Delaware, NM, and NC.

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