MiraCosta College Helps North County Small Business Development Center Celebrate Ten Years of Service to the Community

This year marks the tenth anniversary of the North County Small Business Development Center (SBDC), and that translates to ten years of providing North County entrepreneurs and small businesses counseling and resources that help them build solid foundations for growth and success.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy,” says center director Sudershan Shaunak. “Our services help businesspeople realize success by providing them with tools to create and run viable businesses. In turn, these businesses hire local people as employees, and bring revenue into our communities.”

Sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration and hosted by MiraCosta College, the SBDC has assisted more than 13,000 businesspeople over the past ten years. The center has also helped local entrepreneurs establish 223 new businesses, resulting in the creation of 1,000 new area jobs. These new businesses alone have created a revenue increase to the region of more than $64.5 million. The center also estimates that its services helped businesses retain an additional 600 jobs, and enabled local companies to secure more than 23 million dollars in loans. These are quite the feats for this little cubby of a facility, which is located in a former Wendy’s restaurant on the campus of MiraCosta’s Community Learning Center in Oceanside.

“From the SBDC we provide a number of different services for local business that help businesses become or remain viable,” explains Shaunak. “We provide low-cost and free workshops, as well as private one-on-one counseling. These services cover every facet of management, and are designed to provide businesspeople with the skills they need to start and run successful businesses.”

One of the thriving small businesses helped by the SBDC is Vista’s Westturf Landscape Management. David Hill, general manager of Westturf, credits the center’s one-on-one counseling with helping him grow his family business, by showing him how to better manage finances, meet sales and income goals, and plan for the future.

“I’m always recommending the SBDC to anyone who is trying to start up or develop their business,” says Hill, whose company uses sustainable landscaping practices and water conservation techniques to help his customers reduce their water usage. “The SBDC helps businesses to start and thrive, generates taxes and jobs, and is really a win-win for everyone involved.”

Bob and Cindy Erie, who along with other partners created an e-waste recycling business in Vista, also acknowledge the expert help and advice they received at the SBDC. Staff at the center helped the group refine their business plan to ensure a sustainable business model. E-World Recyclers has become a successful endeavor, reducing more than 20 million pounds of electronic waste into usable raw materials and refurbished goods.

“The SBDC helped us perfect our financials and business plan,” says Sheree Tweddell, vice president of E-World Recyclers. “We’ve worked with them from the beginning, and I still go in for workshops. They’re wonderful and very helpful for our business.”

Although the SBDC celebrates this milestone birthday amid a weakened economy, Shaunak believes that small businesses will be the key to getting the economy on the road to recovery. In fact, to encourage economic growth in the southern part of North County, the SBDC and the Encinitas Chamber of Commerce have teamed up to bring a Small Business Development Center to Encinitas, as well. This new center will be housed at MiraCosta’s San Elijo Campus in Cardiff.

“Ninety percent of businesses in San Diego are small businesses, and a vast majority of those employ less than 20 people,” Shaunak says. “By helping these businesses achieve their goals, the SBDC has played a vital part of our local economy.”

Initial consultation appointments at the new center can be made through the Encinitas Chamber of Commerce at (760) 753-6041. For more information on the SBDC, or for appointments at the Oceanside Center, contact Shaunak by e-mail or call (760) 795-8740.