Assembly Tran-CSBA Small Business Advisory Council

Left to right(George Blanc, Tom Jewett, Betty Jo Tocolli -President of CSBA, ? , Assembly Member Van Tran, me, and Mark McCurdy)

This year, I received an invite from the The California Small Business Association (CSBA) to serve on a Small Business Advisory Council meeting with Assembly Member Van Tran. The purpose of the meeting was to sit down and discuss the issues that are affecting small business and potential solutions to those issues.

Some of the topics that were discussed were the following:

Access to Capital

*Regulations and Paperwork
*Tax & Budget
*Health Care
*Technology
*Infrastructure
*Labor
*Workers' Comp Reform

What a powerful jam packed meeting it was! There is currently a 16 billion deficit in CA consequently cutbacks are being felt by everyone, especially small business owners.

Prior to attending the meeting, I emailed and communicated with various of my business contacts. Some folks were business owners, Directors of SBA funded groups such as the Women Business Centers, SBDC, SCORE and Hispanic Chambers.

Everyone is seeing the challenges that business owners are having, from restaurant owners, to collection agencies, business organizations, less revenues coming in, harder to collect funds and memberships dropping.

It is imperative for business owners in being informed on the trends and how it will impact them. Knowing what is occurring and seeing how one can adapt to change is critical for survival. Knowing the trends can allow some business owners to redirect their business strategy into opportunities. Not doing anything can lead to the demise of a business. This experience allowed me to see how I can shift some gears and help others while it helps me.

The California Small Business Association is a volunteer-driven nonprofit organization that makes its mission to provide small business with a meaningful voice in state and federal governments.

Founded as a grassroots outgrowth of the 1980 White House Conference on Small Business, the group advocates on behalf of small businesses at the state and federal level, conducts research on issues and develops policies that benefit small businesses. That work includes supporting small business friendly candidates; communicating information on government programs to members and relevant public policy makers, acting as a liaison between the legislature and members, and helping members grow their businesses.

This is a picture of last years CSBA "California Small Business Day- "A Salute To Small Business -May 2007". Here is Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's welcoming and recognizing all the small business owners for their contributions to the economy of CA.

I couldn't believe how surreal the experience was last year in being recognized in Sacramento with various other business owners.

When I had a chance to meet Betty Jo Tococoli, President of the California Small Business Association at our meeting , I was so impressed with her passion and commitment to business owners in CA during the yearly celebration!

CSBA arranges 81 meetings with assembly members through out CA. I was so thrilled to have had the opportunity of meeting her.

Here I am.....receiving my recognition from Assembly Member Van Tran in 2007 in Sacramento. To the left is my wonderful friend, Diana M. Borroel President/CEO of the Sacramento Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. http://www.sachcc.org/.

"Stay tuned as Addy's drives away in the Addy mobile with sparkle and bling. "