First women’s business center in North County opens
Center focuses especially on underserved, low-to-moderate income, minority women, but welcomes everyone, not only women
– The Atascadero Chamber has announced its partnership with the first Women’s Business Center in North County, a full-service, technical assistance and training resource for entrepreneurs. This resource is a partnership with the Mission Community Services Corporation (MCSC), a nonprofit that has been host to the Small Business Administration Women’s Business Center since October 2006. The center focuses especially on underserved, low-to-moderate income, minority women, but welcomes everyone, not only women. All services are free.
“We’re proud to be one of the only organizations to offer a mentorship program,” said WBC Marketing Strategist & Business Consultant Romi Ramirez, “We try to connect on a different level, no matter what stage of business development a person is in. We receive grants that help women and other minorities. Many veterans are assisted as well. We’ve also been able to expand the Spanish language program.”
Ramirez holds business hours at the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. each Thursday. Interested participants can sign up for a 30-minute session by calling (805) 769-5250 or emailing [email protected]. Email, phone, and virtual consulting are also available. Business owners wanting to offer training for employees are also encouraged to contact Ramirez.
“Whether you’re just starting your business or five years in, the Women’s Business Center can help,” says Josh Cross, Atascadero Chamber President/CEO. “A variety of free workshops are offered covering accounting, marketing, networking, writing a business plan, even how to create a work culture of kindness.”
The MCSC website (www.mcscorp.org) offers many free public resources, including business plan templates, permit information, Employer Identification Number registration, labor laws, how to write a business contract, patent and trademark information, small business taxes, import/export laws, payroll basics, marketing, website search engine optimization, social media, building a brand, financial literacy, bookkeeping, creating a sales pitch, product pricing, and small business manufacturing.
People interested in learning more are encouraged to contact the chamber at (805) 466-2044 or visit https://www.mcscorp.org.
