SAN MATEO, Calif., Wed., Jan. 26, 2011 – As part of a collaborative initiative with the San Mateo Area Chamber of Commerce and the chamber’s new economic development initiative The EDGE (Economic Development Growth Enterprise), the US Small Business Administration’s regional Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is moving to San Mateo. 

Starting this Friday, the local SBDC counselors will be co-located in the new offices of the San Mateo Area Chamber of Commerce and The EDGE at 1700 South El Camino Real, just off Route 92.

“Small business owners and many entrepreneurs throughout Northern California have had the opportunity to strengthen and grow their businesses by tapping the insight and expertise of the professional consultants working with regional SBDC's,” said Linda Asbury, President and CEO of the San Mateo Area Chamber of Commerce.  “The collaboration between The Chamber and The EDGE and the SBDC now brings this considerable resource even closer to our local businesses, all with the specific goal of further strengthen the vibrant business community on the San Francisco Bay Peninsula.”

The SBDC will keep prescheduled office hours at the new Chamber / The EDGE office on the second and fourth Friday of each month from 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.  The new office is located at 1700 South El Camino Real, Suite 108, San Mateo.

SBDC counselors can offer individual advice and guidance concerning the formation, management, financing and operation of new and existing businesses. Counseling is provided at no charge to qualified businesses, although there may be a cost for certain out-of-pocket costs incurred by the SBDC.

“Forming this type of close relationship with the SBDC and offering businesses their resources locally is exactly the kind of tangible, high impact business activity The EDGE is all about,” said Steve Parker, Executive Director of The EDGE. 

To qualify for counseling, a small business within the region must have less than 500 employees and be located in the San Mateo Region. Individuals who are considering starting a business are also eligible for counseling.

All potential SBDC clients must sign a "Request for Counseling" form and must agree to participate in surveys designed to measure the effectiveness of the SBDC program. To help maximize the value of the counseling, clients should prepare a draft business plan before meeting with the counselor.

SBDC Co-Locates with San Mateo Area Chamber 

SBDC counselors have significant experience in the private sector, and many have extensive management and financial consulting backgrounds. Many SBDCs also use qualified faculty, students and volunteers to enhance their counseling services. SBDC counselors are highly regarded by clients for their business skills and expertise. All counseling is confidential.

To request SBDC counseling services, visit the San Francisco SBDC webpage at ww.sf.norcalsbdc.org and select “request counseling” from the home page.  Complete the request form and an SBDC representative will contact you within one business day.  Interested business parties can also call the SF SBDC office at (415) 481-4050 and ask for Alfred Lam who will take your request over the phone.

About The EDGE

The Economic Development Growth Enterprise (The EDGE) is an initiative of the San Mateo Area
Chamber of Commerce formed in 2010 to drive the sustained vitality of the business community
located on the San Francisco Bay Area Peninsula. It serves as a dynamic, knowledgeable catalyst that accelerates the growth of existing businesses and the formation of new ones.  It fosters collaboration and communication among all constituencies critical to ensuring a vital business community that remains relevant to all businesses throughout the next decade and well beyond.  Its vision is to make the San Mateo region nationally relevant as a place to start and grow progressive, innovative businesses.  And its mission is committed to regional economic development and growth through solving problems around talent, infrastructure, and awareness.

About the SBDC 

Small Business Development Centers have been around since President Carter's Administration and are a program of the Small Business Administration, primarily funded by federal and dwindling state dollars as well as economic development type grants. The concept was to be a resource for information and expertise to help small businesses help themselves whether they were established or just starting up.  In California there are 35 SBDC's and the in the NorCal region -- representing the northwestern area of the state from Del Norte County to Santa Cruz--there are 10 centers. When you include the outreach sites that those 35 centers serve, more than 100 communities statewide have direct access to SBDC services (30 of those communities are served with in the NorCal region).  In the Bay Area, there are centers in San Francisco, one in Oakland and another in San Jose.  For a complete listing of those go to our website, www.sf.norcalsbdc.org. The centers leverage partnerships with entities ranging from workforce development and education to government, to assist businesses.