“Santa Cruz County has a long tradition of incubating vibrant, successful, one-of-a-kind businesses that employ the majority of our workforce,” County Economic Development Coordinator Barbara Mason said. “This conference is intended to help those just starting out become the next Joby or Santa Cruz Skateboards, or Pizza My Heart!”
“Santa Cruz County has a long tradition of incubating vibrant, successful, one-of-a-kind businesses that employ the majority of our workforce,” County Economic Development Coordinator Barbara Mason said. “This conference is intended to help those just starting out become the next Joby or Santa Cruz Skateboards, or Pizza My Heart!”
“Santa Cruz County has a long tradition of incubating vibrant, successful, one-of-a-kind businesses that employ the majority of our workforce,” County Economic Development Coordinator Barbara Mason said. “This conference is intended to help those just starting out become the next Joby or Santa Cruz Skateboards, or Pizza My Heart!”
Join 200 Santa Cruz County entrepreneurs and small business owners!
Experience the pulse of Santa Cruz County’s vibrant entrepreneurial scene at the highly anticipated Annual Small Business Summit on Friday, April 28th, 2023. Presented by the Santa Cruz County Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in partnership with Event Santa Cruz, this exhilarating day-long conference unites 200 local small business owners with the region’s most accomplished business professionals, innovative entrepreneurs, and industry trailblazers. This year’s summit featuring two inspirational keynote speakers and 20 captivating educational sessions, equips attendees with invaluable tools and resources, while nurturing networking opportunities among driven, like-minded individuals. Happening from 9 am to 4 pm, the summit’s central hub is the Museum of Art and History (MAH), with breakout sessions hosted across multiple locations in the bustling downtown Santa Cruz.
Our Sponsors are Rad!
Event Powered By
Sensational Speakers
Zachary Davis
Keynote Speaker
The Penny Ice Creamery
David Dennis
Co-Founder of Ventana Surfboards & Supplies and Principal Product Manager at Microsoft
Elizabeth Birnbaum
Founder and CEO of The Curated Feast
Jay Brown
Filmmaker, Producer, Mindset Consultant, and Founder of Mindfraime
Leilani & Ariel
Botanic and Luxe
Alexander Pedersen
Interim Director, Small Business Development Center – Santa Cruz
Jennalee Dahlen
Owner of Yoso Wellness Spa
Benjamin Slade
Human Resources Director at California Giant Berry Farms
Andrew Devlin
CEO | Co-Founder at PitchHub
Loree Van Bebber
California Coastal Rural Development Corporation
Nicole Fischer
Owner of Rootstock Collective
Kaleb Kim
NDC
Ted Holladay
Founder / Chief Creative Officer at Studio Holladay
Bryce Root
Marketing Strategist
Austyn Crispell
Social Media Specialist, CEO of Makhai Media
Matthew Swinnerton
Founder of Event Santa Cruz
Larry Hebert
Finance Advisor
Ashley Harmon
Lookout Santa Cruz
Jamie Garfiel
Lookout Santa Cruz
Leroy Elkin
Angel Investor
Will Wiseman
CEO & Co-Founder at Climatize
Candice Elliott
Fortress and Flourish, HR Nerd
Doug Erickson
Executive Director Santa Cruz Works
Jessica Yarr
Chef Owner of The Grove
Doug Fischer
SVP Director of Business Banking at Santa Cruz County Bank
Justine Willeford
CEO and designer, Pelican House Swimwear
Carolina Avalos
Artist and Owner, True Blue Studio
Céline Jennison
Founder & chief alchemist, Anato
Sonia McMoran & Dyane Villalobos
Home/Work and Childish
Alwa Gordon
Music Guest
Our Sizzling Agenda
“SBDC, the best support system from start to finish in the building and fruition of your dreams.”
—Bronwyn Parsons Owner of Willow and Wolf Salon
April 28, 2023 — 9:00AM – 4:00PM
9:00am – 10:00am
Kickoff, Interview, Music
Zach Davis, Alexander Pedersen, and Matthew Swinnerton
10:00am – 11:00am
Sizzle
Elizabeth Birnbaum
TBA
The Boardroom (MAH)
Jay Stone
Cultivate a mindset that helps make compelling and engaging content that will help your business grow
Botanic & Luxe
Ariel Stirm and Leilani Zehnder
From best Friends, to running a Successful Retail Business
The Garden Room (MAH)
Larry Hebert and Bryce Root
Seasonal Retail Shows Are Coming, Is Your Inventory Buying Strategy Ready?
11:00am – 12:00pm
The Garden Room (MAH)
Nick Burton, Loree Van Bebber, Doug Fischer, and Jeff Heitman
Access to Capital Panel
Cruzio - Doug Ross Room
Nicole Fischer
From Maker to CEO Panel Discussion
Childish
Dyane Villalobos and Sonia McMoran
Community Over Competition
Cruzio - Room 122
Ted Holladay
Branding / the process of discovery
12:00pm – 1:00pm
Lunch
1:00pm – 2:00pm
Cruzio - Doug Ross Room
David Dennis
Using Artificial Intelligence to Super Charge Your Marketing
The Boardroom (MAH)
Candance Elliott
Breaking the Stress Cycle: Roadmap to a Thriving Culture
Nextspace - Pacific Room
Austyn Crispell
How I make $100k per month through social media at 19 (AND HOW YOUR BUSINESS CAN TOO)
The Garden Room (MAH)
Jessica Yarr
No business is too small
2:00pm – 3:00pm
The Garden Room (MAH)
Nick Burton, Loree Van Bebber, Doug Fischer, and Jeff Heitman
Access to Capital Panel Discussion
Nextspace - Pacific Room
Ashley Harmon & Jamie Garfield
Earned, Owned, & Paid Media: Business Storytelling with Lookout Santa Cruz
Yoso Wellness Spa
Jennalee Dahlen
Having the face of a brand to build trust and connection
The Boardroom (MAH)
Andrew Devlin
The power of video for your business
3:00pm – 4:00pm
The Secret Garden (MAH)
Venture Capital and Santa Cruz County’s Startup Ecosystem
Leroy Elkin, Will Wiseman, and Doug Erikson
Register Now!
Locations for All the Sizzles
SCC Small Business Summit 2022
