SBA Offers Disaster Assistance

Release Date:  July 16, 2013	Media Contact:  Richard Jenkins
Release Number:  CO 13662-01	Phone:  (916) 735-1500

SBA Offers Disaster Assistance to Colorado Small Businesses

Economically Impacted by the West Fork Fire Complex

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Karen Mills, Administrator of the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA), today announced that SBA is making low-interest Economic Injury Disaster Loans available to small businesses economically impacted by the West Fork Fire Complex that began June 5, 2013.  SBA acted under its own authority to declare a disaster in response to a request SBA received from Gov. John W. Hickenlooper on July 10, 2013.

The declaration makes SBA assistance available in the primary Colorado counties of Hinsdale, Mineral and Rio Grande and the neighboring counties of Alamosa, Archuleta, Conejos, Gunnison, La Plata, Ouray, Saguache and San Juan.

“The U. S. Small Business Administration is strongly committed to providing the most effective and customer-focused response possible to assist Colorado’s small businesses with federal disaster loans.  We will be swift in our efforts to help these small businesses recover from the financial impacts of this disaster,” said Administrator Mills.

“Beginning Tuesday, July 23, SBA customer service representatives (CSRs) and counselors from the San Luis Valley and Western Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) will be on hand at the following Disaster Loan Outreach Centers to help small businesses impacted by the West Fork Fire Complex,” said SBA’s Colorado District Director Greg Lopez.  “The centers are designed to provide key financial and counseling services to businesses impacted by the fires,” he continued.  The centers will be open on the days and times indicated. No appointment is necessary.

RIO GRANDE COUNTY Disaster Loan Outreach Center Carnegie Library, South Fork Branch 31 Mall Street South Fork, CO  81154 Tues., July 23 thru Fri. July 26 10:00 am to 4:30 pm

MINERAL COUNTY Disaster Loan Outreach Center Creede and Mineral County Chamber of Commerce 904 S. Main Street Creede, CO  81130 Mon., July 29 thru Thurs. Aug. 1 8:30 am to 4:30 pm

HINSDALE County Disaster Loan Outreach Center Lake City DIRT 231 N. Silver Street #5 (Upstairs from the bank) Lake City, CO  81235 Mon., Aug. 5 & Tues., Aug 6 8:00 am to 4:30 pm

According to Lopez, SBA CSRs will answer questions about SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, explain the application process, and help each business owner complete their application.  Colorado SBDC State Director Kelly Manning said, “Our SBDC counselors will provide free counseling on a wide variety of matters designed to help these businesses overcome the effects of the disaster and plan for their future. Services include assessing business economic injury, evaluating the business’s strength, cash flow projections and most importantly, reviewing all options to ensure each business makes decisions that are appropriate for its situation.  They will also help businesses apply for this much needed financial help.”

  

“Small, nonfarm businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private, nonprofit organizations of any size may qualify for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) of up to $2 million to help meet financial obligations and operating expenses which could have been met had the disaster not occurred,” Lopez continued.

“These loans may be used to pay fixed debts, payroll, accounts payable and other bills that can’t be paid because of the disaster’s impact.  Disaster loans can provide vital economic assistance to small businesses to help overcome the temporary loss of revenue they are experiencing,” Lopez added.

Eligibility is based on the financial impact of the disaster only and not on any actual property damage.  These loans have an interest rate of 4 percent for small businesses and 2.875 percent for private, nonprofit organizations with terms up to 30 years.  EIDLs are restricted to small businesses without the financial ability to offset the adverse impact without hardship.

Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure Web site at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela.

For owners of these impacted small businesses, SBA disaster loan information and applications are available by calling (800) 659-2955, emailing disastercustomerservice@sba.gov, or visiting SBA’s Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance. Individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing may call (800) 877-8339.

The deadline to return economic injury applications is April 15, 2014.

SBA Field Operations Center - West, P.O. Box 419004, Sacramento, CA 95841

Chamber Business Network Meeting

 August 7, 2013

Bistro Rialto,

Alamosa, CO

6:00-8:00  p.m.

Free

Chamber Business Network Meetings are held once a month. You do not have to be a Chamber Member to attend.  This is a great opportunity to network with other local businesses and promote your business.

  Bring your friends!  

 Please RSVP at: http://events.constantcontact.com/register/eventllr=osznaxbab&oeidk=a07e7o1uc7x1357e9a3

Or call the SBDC at 589-3682

Open Skies Acupuncture is a Community Style Clinic New Business in Alamosa

It seems like one business closes and another opens quite frequently.  At 407 State Avenue in Suite D, that is exactly what happened to allow Tanner Fritscka an opportunity to locate his new clinic, Open Skies Acupuncture (former business was Open Skies Yoga Studio).  Tanner is professionally educated in acupuncture and Chinese medicine but wanted to try a different business model.  He wanted to make his practice affordable and accessible to everyone who could benefit from multiple treatments.  In working with the Small Business Development Center (589-3682), he received assistance in setting up and managing the bookkeeping and other logistical issues.  He was provided networking and relevant marketing ideas and assistance with finding a location.  He attended the workshop “Starting Your Own Business,” which he found helpful in guiding him on the steps necessary to get the venture started.

                Tanner identified his own challenges in becoming a small business owner: “Being a great acupuncturist does not always mean that a person has the personality or skills to market, network, and thrive on the business end of the spectrum.  I had to learn how to market my services and myself. It was not an easy task, mostly because I don’t like to be a “salesman.”  In overcoming this challenge, Tanner decided to try a different business model that allows him to offer affordable care without being pushy.  He said, “The more my clients can afford to come back, the more they feel better.”

            When speaking with the SBDC Director, Donna Wehe, Tanner described how his atmosphere will be different from other places.  Tanner explained, “I decided to streamline and simplify a lot of things, which allowed me to lower my prices.  The ability to come in for treatment as much as a person needs to has made a huge difference in the health of my patients.

                At our clinic, people pay whatever they feel comfortable with on our scale of $15 to $45, keeping in mind that folks often need a series of frequent treatments for acupuncture to be the most effective.  We can do this because we provide Community style acupuncture.  This means that treatments are given in a large, quiet, comfortable room; in a recliner, rather than lying on a table; and people do not need to disrobe, they just need to roll their sleeves up to your elbows and their pants up to your knees; people can stay as long as they want, and there are other people getting treated at the same time in the same way, in the same room.  People love it because it makes it easy for people to get treatments whenever they want, to be treated with their families and friends, to feel comfortable rather than isolated, and to create a palpable calming and healing energy that makes the individual treatments more effective.”

                The best way to find out more about the business is the website: www.OpenSkiesAcupuncture.com, or his Facebook page, Open Skies Acupuncture. People are always more than welcome to call Tanner as well.  His number is 719-588-7113.

Mineral & Rio Grande Counties Business & Employees Disaster Assistance Center

Disaster Assistance Center

Creede Community Center

503 Forest Service Rd #9

Tuesday, July 9, 10 am - 4 pm.

Services will be directed towards businesses and employees who are being affected by the fires.

Services/Resources will include:

 Department of Labor and Employment/Workforce Center
 Small Business Development Center
 San Luis Valley Development Resources Group/Council of Government
 San Luis Valley Mental Health & San Luis Valley Victim Resource Unit
 Rio Grande/Mineral Department of Social Services
 Mineral County Public Health
 Department of Regulatory Agencies/Division of Insurance
 Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association
 Colorado State University Extension Service
 Chambers of Commerce
 USDA Rural Development
 Colorado Rural Housing and Development Corp
 Local Financial Institutions
 Red Cross

Grampa's Gourmet Honey opens Retail Location in East Alamosa

Brent Edelen is a sixth generation beekeeper and a fourth generation domestic beekeeper.  He was recently telling Donna Wehe (Small Business Development Center, 589-3682) about how his family ended up here in the Valley:

“My great grandfather, Edward Haefeli, passed through Elis Island around the turn of the former century. On his way from Switzerland, he had come to America to seek work and medical help for Tuberculosis. He made his way to Illinois, where he had family, but found the high humidity of the area aggravated his T.B. He continued west towards California. While crossing the Rockies he found the high dry mountain air helped this condition considerably. He eventually settled in the San Luis Valley.”

Today Brent manages about 500 colonies of bees.  They have two brand names for their company: Grampa’s Gourmet and Simply Honey.  They strive to produce real varietal honey for real people and educate people. They bring a quality honey product to the market.  I asked them if there is a difference between locally produced hone and something commercially produced.  Brent replied, “You have to be careful and understand the source.  Sometimes when you buy honey in the store you do not know exactly what you are getting. I have been in business in Alamosa now for about 10 years, selling honey exclusively wholesale and at various venues. This year, through acts of fate, we opened a retail location. The store is not just to sell honey, but rather to help educate.  The popularity of bees has exploded, and our goal is to provide a platform where people can come and learn about honey, bees, and most importantly heritage, sustainability, and showcase what makes the SLV so special.”  A story about Brent’s business ran in the Cooking Light magazine in August, 2012.  For more information or to order their products online, go to www.grampashoney.com.

At Brent’s location in east Alamosa (across from the Southway Crane, one mile east of the bridge), Karen Lemke will be using part of the building to offer Honey Lab Workshops, where participants can make their own beeswax lip balm, candles, cooking techniques and much more.  Email Karen at SLVWannaBee@gmail.com to get a list of classes.

The SBDC and Consultant Esteban Salazar have been guiding Brent in the new retail venture, with assistance from marketing to sales tax and much more.  In fact, Esteban is going to be working there part time, so stop by and greet Brent and his crew at their open house.  The open house is scheduled for July 5^th (free sopapillas & honey samples) and 6^th (free barbecue).  The regular hours are Wednesday-Friday, 8:00 – 6:00 and Saturday & Sunday 10:00-4:00.  They can be reached at (719) 588-5863.

Mineral & Rio Grande Counties Business And Employee Disaster Assistance Center

Rio Grande County Annex

965 6th Street, Del Norte, CO 81132. 

Friday, June 28, 10 am - 7 pm.

Services will be directed towards businesses and employees who are being affected by the fires.

Services/Resources will include:

· Department of Labor and Employment/Workforce Center

· Small Business Development Center

· San Luis Valley Development Resources Group/Council of Government

· San Luis Valley Mental Health

· Rio Grand County Social Services

· Department of Regulatory Agencies/Division of Insurance

· Rocky Mountain Insurance Information Association

· Chambers of Commerce

· USDA Rural Development

· Colorado Rural Housing and Development Corp

· Local financial institutions