October i. 2014_________________
n. Minority & Small Business Week--------------------
Resources Aplenty for New Business Owners
Getting advice
an important
process for
ownership
C olin S taub
P ortland O bserver contribu ­
by
tor
Starting a small business is a
daunting task, but potential busi­
ness owners in our area may have an
advantage. Even as resources for
small business owners in California
and other states face budget cuts,
Oregon continues to provide its own
services with funding and support.
“Oregon has it figured out,” says
Tammy Marquez-Oldham, director
of the Portland Small Business De­
velopment Center. “Oregon is do­
ing a great job.”
Portland’s SBDC is one of 19
similar centers around the state,
which form a network that has been
active since 1983. Most of the cen­
ters are affiliated with community
colleges, and Portland’s is located
at Portland Community College’s
CLIMB (Continuing Learning for
Individuals, Management and Busi­
ness) Center.
The facility, located at 1626 S.E.
W ater Ave., offers a variety of ser­
vices for individuals looking to start
their own business. Business ad­
vising is one of its core resources.
“Long-term business advising
creates a thriving business,” says
Marquez-Oldham. “We have years
of data to support that.”
While business advising is im­
portant throughout the stages of
business ownership, it is particu­
larly vital in the beginning. There
are numerous differing statistics
about business failure rates, but
most suggest that the initial stages
of business ownership will make or
break the business.
Advising in the first stages fo­
cuses on educating the business
owner and helping them secure capi­
tal. The Portland SBDC connects its
clients with its Capital Access Team,
which can advise on how best to
secure funding for a new business. It
helps new owners work with Portland
organizations such as Mercy Corps
Northwest, which can help individu­
als with limited financial resources
save money for their business.
The Portland SBDC also con-
photo by
C olin S taub /P ortland O bserver contributor
Portland Community College's CLIMB center is a small business development destination for those wanting to learn some of the ins
and outs of starting a business. This building is located at 1626 S E. Water Ave.
Tammy Marquez-Oldham
nects new owners with the Oregon
Association of Minority Entrepre­
neurs, which has worked to pro­
mote economic development for
ethnic minorities since 1987.
M arquez-O ldham em phasizes
the value of business advising for
minority business owners, as it can
help even the playing field.
“Support to minority small busi­
ness owners is incredibly impor­
tant, because sometimes they’re
starting not from a ground level, but
from below a ground level,” she
says. “So they’re having to move
up to the ground level before they
can even start.”
As a very first step, even before
coming to the SBDC, Marquez-
Oldham recommends a simple pro­
cedure. “Look up and around, and
do some really basic research, to
say ‘is my idea unique enough that
I can compete in the marketplace?
Who is my competitor? What are
they charging? How am I uniquely
different? How will my customer
know me?’ Sometimes people be­
come very enamored with their busi­
ness idea, and believe they don’t
have competition. Everyone has
competition. Even before they come
to us they need to identify, what is
my company?”
The Portland SBDC hosts an ori­
entation every week, which is a great
resource for people considering
starting a business, or current busi­
ness owners who would like to grow.
Aside from gaining insight into the
world of small business ownership,
these orientations provide other
positive experiences.
“You learn you’re not alone,”
says Marquez-Oldham. The orien­
tations usually have about 30 atten­
dants, every week. Sitting side by
side with others interested in start­
ing a business, people begin to talk.
“Pretty soon, they start seeing how
they could work together, and this
really great networking takes place.”
The next New Client Orientation
will take place Monday, Oct. 6, from
1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the PCC CLIMB
Center. It is free of charge.
Chiropractic Auto Injury Clinic, PC
Zchon R. Jones, DC
333 NE Russell St., #200, Portland, OR. 97212
(503) 284-7838
Truly making a difference in the lives of
Auto Accident victims and Injured Workers for nearly 20 years.
If you or someone you know has been in an accident,
call us so we can help you with your needs. (503) 284-7838
We are located on the
comer o f MLK and Russell
Street, on the second floor
above the coffee shop.
P m kins Area
R o n W a s h in g t o n * Owner
50178 Columbia River Hwy
503.369.1347
Scappoose OR • 97053
info@ronricosbbq.com
UiNH
R iimc II
< U00
Russell St
S