Front row (left to right): Johavany Kurokawa, Gregoria Sanchez, Ruth Estrada, Azucena Barrera, Fabiola Rojas, Silvia Garcia, Arcelia Diaz, Carmen Aguinaga, Gricelda Reyes, Manuel Zarate, and Lorena Aguilar.
Back row (left to right): Eliud Garcia, Ruben Mendoza, Ulices Osorio, Arturo Estrada, Francisco Zuniga, Raul Barrera, Inocente Garcia, Sergio Zepeda (WEV Instructor), Jose Cuevas, Guillermo Chavez (WEV’s Spanish Program Coordinator). Courtesy photo
SANTA BARBARA — Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) recently celebrated the accomplishments of 22 women and men who have successfully completed WEV’s Santa Maria-based Advanced Spanish Self-Employment Training (SSET) course with a graduation ceremony held at the United Domestic Workers (UDW) Hall in Santa Maria.
After 14 weeks of training on topics including finances, marketing and sales, public relations and advertising, legal and insurance issues, record keeping, and how to write a business plan, these graduates completed the course with the necessary tools and support needed to start or expand their businesses.
“We are inspired by the accomplishments of our newest Spanish Self-Employment Training graduates and are proud to welcome them to the WEV family,” said Guillermo Chavez, WEV Spanish Program Coordinator. “Through this program, each graduate now has the expanded knowledge and resources to take their businesses to the next level. We are excited to see what the future holds for each of them.”
The graduates range from first-time business owners to those who have turned to WEV to help expand their existing businesses. Graduate businesses and business concepts include an inventor, a contracting business and a specialty ice cream shop.
WEV’s Self-Employment Training course is part of the WEV continuum of programs that help entrepreneurs start, launch, grow, and sustain a business. With a robust menu of training, consulting, networking events, and access to capital through the WEV loan program, WEV has served over 12,000 clients, made over $3.5 million in microloans, and helped start or sustain an estimated 3,000 businesses supporting more than 4,000 local jobs since 1991.
Through the Self-Employment Training program (SET), WEV teaches aspiring and new entrepreneurs the nuts and bolts of business, and empowers graduates with the confidence necessary to overcome the inevitable challenges business owners face. WEV clients are armed with the skills to run better businesses, employing 3.7 people on average, with a 92% business survival rate within 12-16 months of working with WEV.
The next Advanced Spanish Self-Employment Training (SSET) course in Santa Maria begins in August. Orientation or meeting with Spanish Program Coordinator Guillermo Chavez is required to enroll. Guillermo Chavez can be contacted at (805) 456-2319. The next orientation will take place:
• Tuesday, July 12, from 6- 7 p.m. in Santa Maria.
Location will be given at time of RSVP and is subject to change. For more information or to register for the free orientation, call (805) 456-2319 or visit the website at http://www.wevonline.org/orientaciones/.
About Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV): WEV is dedicated to creating an equitable and just society through the economic empowerment of women. Since 1991, WEV has been providing a continuum of comprehensive services – training, consulting and loans – to help entrepreneurs start grow and thrive in business. WEV’s service area includes Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties, with offices in Santa Barbara, Ventura and Santa Maria. WEV provides start-up and expansion loans of up to $50,000 to pre-bankable microenterprises. For more information, visit WEV’s Web site at http://www.wevonline.org.