OS Newsletter October '22

Valley Sierra Small Business Development Center recently sponsored a training for business owners and hiring executives to promote soft skills for employees. The training was contracted to Opportunity Stanislaus with the goal of giving employers resources to aid retention during one of the toughest times for hiring and turnover in United States history.

Opportunity Stanislaus hosted two duplicate sessions of the Best Foot Forward Soft Skills Training on August 23rd and August 25th from 10:30 am to noon. Each session offered the choice of in-person or virtual attendance. There were 101 attendees from 44 companies based in Stanislaus, Tuolumne and San Joaquin counties.

The training highlighted skills in a variety of areas such as emotional intelligence; communication; and collaboration/teamwork. The skills taught were selected by area companies which identified that low engagement and poor professional habits had flourished during the COVID pandemic when organizations were unable to hire new staff quickly and slow to discipline existing staff for fear of turnover.

Feedback from attendees highlighted the importance of having a relatable trainer sharing personal anecdotes and many participants expressed interest in ongoing trainings in the areas of human resources; teamwork; and problem solving.

If you would like more information about upcoming trainings, workshops, or programs, please contact Amber Edwards, VP of Talent Development, at 209.422.630 or aedwards@opportunitystanislaus.com.

Opportunity Stanislaus hosted the second meeting of the CEO Roundtable on August 25, 2022. The recently formed group was created to address ever-important policy issues that continue to press the business community in the state of California and specifically, the Northern San Joaquin Valley. On the docket for this meeting were three very important policy issues.

The group first addressed the 2022 CARB Draft Scoping plan. The CA Air Resource Board issued a draft scoping plan in May 2022 that had very aggressive climate goals which would absolutely decimate the CA business environment as currently written. The plan, which is developed every 5 years, has been highly scrutinized by many business groups and the CEO Roundtable voted to voice opposition to the plan along with partner organizations. The final plan has not been issued at this time.

Next, the Fair Pay and Employer Accountability Act, which is set to be proposed on the November 2022 ballot, was discussed and voted upon. The Act, which would revamp the currently existing PAGA labor code, garnered a robust discussion where many CEO Roundtable members expressed their own experience with pitfalls of the current law. There was unanimous support to endorse the upcoming ballot measure.

Finally, Mike Zagaris, CEO of PMZ Real Estate, and committee member for the City of Modesto 1% Sales Tax Measure H, shared information on the current state of the tax measure efforts and responded to questions from the group. After an engaging conversation, the CEO Roundtable voted to endorse Measure H in the upcoming election, which is estimated to provide $39,000,000 in new revenues annually for the City of Modesto if passed.

The group is scheduled to meet again on November 17, 2022 and will be able to discuss the outcomes of the November election and the supported ballot measures.

If you would like more information, please contact April Potter, VP of Economic Development, Research and Communications at 209.422.6427 or apotter@opportunitystanislaus.com.

Elizabeth Uribe, owner of Wow Lash & Brow Studio, came to Valley Sierra SBDC in November 2021 to get more guidance on how to start her own cosmetology business. Elizabeth at the time was renting a space within a beauty salon to provide eyebrow and lash services. Elizabeth had a dream of purchasing a location and opening her own business. However, she needed more guidance on the requirements or permits, licensing, and creating a business plan.

Over the past months, Elizabeth has been working with Valley Sierra SBDC consultant, Devan Costa, towards the launch of a brick and mortar business! Elizabeth purchased a location in Riverbank, remodeled the whole interior, and purchased new equipment with an estimated value of upwards of $25,000. Elizabeth also worked with Valley Sierra SBDC consultant, Amy Porter, to gain assistance with her accounting system. Together, they finalized her QuickBooks
system last month. Elizabeth had her ribbon cutting on May 26th and has hired 2 employees. There’s no doubt Elizabeth has visioned and accomplished her dream!

“I've had my business for over 1 year, but I was renting stations or small suites in salons. I had no idea what opening a store entailed. I was scared and didn't know where or how to start.

I came across a post for a free business startup workshop and I signed up for it. That workshop was the beginning of working with the SBDC. They paired me up with a business consultant that has helped me every step of my journey. She has helped me in registering my business as an LLC with the state, put me in contact with other consultants who were more well versed in QuickBooks, and invited me to other workshops she believed would be beneficial to me.

I opened my doors in April, but the support from the SBDC has not ended. I am so grateful the SBDC exists because without it I probably wouldn't have opened my store.” – Elizabeth Uribe.