The musical didn’t have it right: It’s not true that you can succeed in business without really trying.
Evidently it takes hard work and a lot of studying, according to Peter DeArmond, who is the director of the Small Business Development Center at Bakersfield College’s Weill Institute.
In fact, according to DeArmond, a lot of business proprietors often come to SBDC with “problems that could have been avoided because they didn’t do their homework,” not to mention disregarding the advantage of workshops, classes and counseling services offered by SBDC.
According to DeArmond, 95 percent of Kern County businesses could be classified as small businesses, so the need to educate small business owners on how to operate their establishments is great.
“Small businesses drive local economy!” DeArmond said enthusiastically. “Advice [on how to successfully operate a small business] is available. It’s out there. There’s hardly anybody we can’t talk to.”
SBDC classes and workshops are held not only at BC’s Weill Institute, but also in Mojave, Taft, Wasco, Ridgecrest, Delano and Earlimart.
“Our classes can be held anywhere,” said Ed Knudson, dean of BC’s Economic and Workforce Development, who further oversees SBDC along with DeArmond.
“Bakersfield College has provided education for small businesses since the 1930s,” Knudson said. “But the service became more formalized in the early ’90s.”
DeArmond stated that some of the SBDC classes and workshops offered include Marketing Tips for Small Business, Tax Tips for Business, The Importance of Cash Flow Management and others.
One-on-one counseling services offered can range from capital formation, procurement assistance, human resource management to economic and business data analysis. All of the services provided by SBDC are developed in accordance with a partnership between the federal Small Business Administration (SBA) and the University of California, Merced.
SBDC receives grants from the California Community College Chancellor’s Office and the federal SBA in conjunction with UC Merced.
The federal SBA defines a small business as an independently owned and operated business, which could include a franchise which is “not dominant in its field,” according to DeArmond. Also according to DeArmond, a small wholesale business can also be roughly defined as a small business if the number of employees is not more than 100.
A small manufacturing business with no more than 500 employees and a yearly sales receipt not exceeding 6 to 29 million can be considered a small business. A small construction business with a yearly sales receipt that does not exceed 12 to 29 million could be considered a small business. In regard to a small construction business, the number of employees is not “applicable” in determining small business status, said DeArmond.
“Not many small businesses in Bakersfield have 100 employees,” DeArmond said with a laugh.
Small businesses also include sole proprietors and some form of limited corporations with limited liability, Deèrmond said. The SBA definition is general, but with exceptions, DeArmond said.
“Over 95 percent of Kern County businesses qualify for free counseling from us,” DeArmond said.
DeArmond also stated that SBDC’s website has been updated, and that proprietors can sign up for workshops and counseling online. The website is: www. weill-sbdc.com.