Cheer, cheer the Holidays are here! A time to enjoy the company of family and friends, and a time to eat and drink shamelessly... knowing you'll be making those New Year's resolutions soon enough... and you'll bounce right back into that favorite pair of jeans that stopped fitting over a decade ago. Of course, live
today
and
pay
later... there's no other way to live but in the "here and now" which is the Zen-sational wisdom the Hippies profess since the 60s.
For small business owners like myself it's
pay
today and
panic
later as the New Year ushers in--way too soon-- them yearly fees that drop like a guillotine axing away the Holiday good cheer: business insurance, worker's comp, business registration license, license certificate, vehicle insurance,.... etc. With all these "insurance" fees, I just hope I'm insured to
stay in
business.
It's not just the high rents that are pushing business owners to give up on their dream undertaking. It's not just the challenge of finding employees that can work in a city they can no longer afford to live in. It's a slew of demands that nickle and dime you to the demise of your enterprise. You'd be shocked to learn that many small business owners are looking for work in order to subsidize their business, keep the doors open and employees employed, and to keep their vision alive so as to add charm to our City. In fact, the joke with small business owners is that to make a profit in San Francisco, you have to create a non-profit.
So, please make an effort to
support small businesses during the Holidays.
Small business owners generate employment, pay countless licenses and fees, collect sales taxes for the city, buy locally, prevent waste, and add character to our neighborhoods. The record shows that small businesses are the backbone of the economy and the economy is not as sturdy as some would like to think.
Fortunately, San Francisco has a valuable resource for small business owners in the Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center, also known as the Ren Center. The Ren Center is a pillar for small business owners and entrepreneurs and that is primarily thanks to the woman at the helm, Executive Director, Sharon Miller.
Sharon Miller's dedication to help entrepreneurs launch their businesses and to keep those businesses afloat is uncommon. She is one of those rare individuals that radiate steadfast values that carry over to her management
modus operandi
. Ethics and principles describe Sharon Miller, and in a swirl of organizations and groups that sacrifice standards to lead by the rationale that "the ends justify the means"--her code of honor is exceptional.
I've been a client of the Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center since 2009. I graduated from the small business training course and regularly consult with Sharon and her staff. When asked to cater their annual fundraiser, I get paid. So do many other graduates, giving all of us the opportunity to showcase our products and still get paid for our work. This is not the easy route for Sharon Miller which is why I maintain that this is a non-profit that walks the talk!
Following are some of the resources and events hosted by the Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center that you or someone you know may want to look into.
¡Feliz Navidad!
Paula Tejeda
Producer
Chile Lindo
