Made in California GO-Biz

Calling all Californians: #ShopSafeShopLocal – that’s what we’re talking about on this episode of Made in California!

As an op-ed written by California’s Small Business Advocate Isabel Guzman and Nextdoor CEO Sarah Friar reads, “Local has taken on a new meaning and California’s beloved small businesses need our help now more than ever.”

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 4.1 million small businesses operated in the state, employing 7.2 million people. Since COVID-19 many small businesses have faced financial hardship – contending with closures, decreased revenues and difficulty accessing capital. Yet we continue to hear inspirational stories of the indomitable spirit of California small business owners as they fight to survive and we remain committed to helping all of our diverse small businesses become more resilient and thrive. That’s what we’re talking about today! We are Calling ALL Californians to Shop Safe Shop Local a new campaign from the Governor’s Task Force on Business and Jobs Recovery encouraging Californians to support small businesses in their communities as they make modifications to protect public health and help our state’s diverse neighborhoods thrive.

Running through July, the campaign is a call to action to help all California small businesses operate safely amid the COVID-19 pandemic and grow their digital footprints. And joining me to talk about this campaign are co-chairs of the Task Force’s Small Business Subcommittee Isabel and Sarah, who are kicked this incredible effort off!

Safely Making California – that’s what we’re talking about in this episode of Made in California.

During this virtual road trip we've visited small businesses across our state, learning what they're doing to keep not only their customers safe, but also their employees as they work to reopen. A main part of that conversation is an acronym that has come to mean so much to ALL Californians. PPE, or personal protective equipment, is a vital part of our reopening process and that’s why today’s episode is a conversation around a new initiative announced by Governor Newsom.

A new partnership between the State of California, the California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA), and Autodesk has created the "Safely Making California” Marketplace to help fill a critical gap for all sectors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program will connect CMTA member manufacturers and other manufacturers to employers who have the need to purchase non-medical grade PPE.

It’s stop number four and we are headed to the North as our virtual road trip continues across the state. Californians have been staying home and saving lives since the a statewide stay-at-home order was issued by Governor Newsom on March 19. Because of these efforts, the state has been able to move forward on our roadmap for modifying the statewide order. As we move through the stages of reopening, the state has been issuing guidance to help workplaces reopen with the health of their customers and employees in mind.

So far, we have talked with business owners – and those working to support them - in Sacramento, Calaveras County, and Fresno. Now we are in the far North and once again, Isabel is in the virtual driver’s seat. In this episode we zoom, first, with Kristin Johnson, director of the Northern California SBDC Lead Center, Bryan Anondson, co-owner of Headwaters Adventure Company, and we end with a fantastic conversation with Kathy and Charles Byerly, the couple who owns Mary's Pizza Shack.

Take a listen and hop on in, the virtual roadways are clear and we are ready to go!

The road trip continues, and today we are in the Central Valley listening to and learning from California small business owners and leaders as they work to reopen – focused on the health of their employees and customers.

As Isabel Guzman, our Director of the Office of the Small Business Advocate, and host of these conversations frequently says: Main streets define our neighborhoods, small businesses are the touchstones of their communities, the fabric of our collective lives, and the men and women who run them are the soul of our innovative economy.

As we continue our exploration, we are reminded once more that, as Governor Newsom says, we are many parts but one body and that means county variations, regional differences all within one California. While we work to reopen, we must do so in a collaborative and inclusive way. Our individual actions don’t just impact the future of our immediate community members, they impact neighboring communities as well. We won’t succeed unless all regions rise and recover together, we won’t succeed unless all business owners, regardless of race or gender or zip code are considered and included in the conversation.

"You show up raw emotion and just... 'How can I help, how can I support?'"

It's round two of our virtual road trip across the state! We continue to "Zoom" around with California small business owners and business center representatives to find out how they're re-opening with safety in mind. In this episode, we're in Calaveras County -- gold country! -- hearing how small businesses there, which largely depend on tourism, are rolling up their sleeves, adhering to state and local guidance, and innovating their way through this pandemic. Join us!

As more California small businesses reopen around the state – focused on the safety of their employees and customers – we want to take a closer look… what’s working, what isn’t?

To do this, we’re embarking on a virtual road trip. Isabel Guzman, the Director of our Office of the Small Business Advocate and State Government Lead of California’s Entrepreneurship Task Force, and I will "Zoom" our way around the state, speaking with small business owners and business support centers. But before we hit the virtual roadways it’s important to remember, as Governor Newsom says, we are many parts but one body and that means county variations, regional differences all within one California. As we reopen it’s important we do so with inclusion in mind, that regions affect one another and recover together.

We hope you’ll join us as we travel across the state, learning from California’s indomitable small business owners, the core of our state’s innovative economy, as they adapt and pivot to this new marketplace.