Welcome Letters from Hosts
About Us
San Francisco Small Business Week (SF SBW) is a partnership that honors and supports San Francisco’s small businesses through a series of educational and networking events that inspire, educate and connect the business community. SF SBW is part of a national celebration of the contribution of small businesses and entrepreneurs. San Francisco takes great pride in being the home to over 85,000 small and new startup businesses.
The eighth annual SF SBW, is presented by Wells Fargo, produced in partnership with the Small Business Administration, The San Francisco Mayor’s Office, Small Business Commission, San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, SFentrprenuer and the Golden Gate Business Association.
Greetings from Mayor Edwin Lee
Greetings from SBA District Director J. Mark Quinn
Greetings from Wells Fargo Regional President Michael Billeci
It is with great pleasure and excitement that I invite you to join me during the 9th Annual San Francisco Small Business Week. As we celebrate the theme of “Small Business: Shaping Our Communities,” I am so proud to dedicate this week to honoring San Francisco small businesses, which make up 95 percent of all businesses in San Francisco. You are the creators of jobs, innovators that put us on the map, builders of diverse neighborhoods, and most of all, shapers of our communities. You are the heart and soul of our economy and our unique character.
Between the Office of Small Business, Office of Economic and Workforce Development and other City Departments, we are helping small businesses access City programs and services that can help them cut red tape and navigate City government and services. That is why I launched the Invest in Neighborhoods Initiative and the Job Squad to provide focused, customized assistance that meets the specific needs of San Francisco’s neighborhood commercial corridors by leveraging existing programs from across multiple departments and nonprofit partners to create jobs, fill vacancies, and bring positive change to a neighborhood. Through partnerships, proactive outreach and case management services for your small business and connecting you to existing services such as the Small Business Revolving Loan Fund, Americans with Disability Act (ADA) Small Business Assessment and Grant program, SF Shines Façade and Tenant Improvement program and other resources, we are supporting our City’s small businesses and helping them to create jobs. All these efforts are intended to help you make San Francisco the ideal place for your small businesses to start here, stay here, grow here and succeed.
San Francisco’s neighborhood commercial corridors provide a unique sense of place for businesses and residents, and as each neighborhood takes an economic step forward, so does our City. Join me in celebrating San Francisco Small Business Week 2013, and let’s celebrate small businesses this week and every week!
With warmest regards,
Edwin M. Lee
Mayor
Small Business Week is a time to celebrate small business owners, entrepreneurs and advocates. This is our ninth year partnering with the City of San Francisco and our co-sponsors to present a week- long program of recognition, education and seminars for the small business community.
We are proud of the fact that we provided a record level of loan guarantees this year, as well as offering more technical training for business owners and lenders than any other district in the nation. During this special week in May, we recognize the determination and ingenuity of the American entrepreneurs who we serve.
SBA’s local recognition of outstanding small business owners will be announced during Small Business Week. We’re proud to congratulate our winners, and we’ll continue to work with others who may have a need to take advantage of our many programs, including financing, government contracting, counseling, and disaster recovery assistance.
J. Mark Quinn
District Director
U.S. Small Business Administration
San Francisco District Office
www.sba.gov/ca/sf
Greetings from Wells Fargo, San Francisco’s Community Bank
As president of Wells Fargo’s San Francisco Bay region, I am excited that we are the presenting sponsor for Small Business Week 2013. I look forward to this year’s celebration of small businesses and the work we will do to empower small businesses with sessions, trainings and workshops.
Since 1852, Wells Fargo has been committed to helping businesses succeed financially. We started as a small business in what is now the financial district, and we are still headquartered in San Francisco. Over the past 160 years Wells Fargo has helped businesses realize their financial goals—spanning from the Gold Rush, to the technology boom, through our current economic recovery.
Wells Fargo wants to share that journey with you. Our experienced bankers, business specialists and commercial lending officers have insights on how to help turn your vision into a reality. Wells Fargo knows the challenges that local businesses face because our bankers and specialists live and work here in San Francisco and the Bay Area.
Additional good news is that we continue to lend, to help small business grow across communities. In 2012, Wells Fargo net new loan commitment to small businesses increased more than 30 percent year-over-year.
In addition to providing assistance to small businesses, Wells Fargo makes charitable investments to support economic and workforce development programs to help create jobs, stimulate the economy and help our community. In 2012, Wells Fargo donated more than $20 million to nonprofits and schools throughout the Bay Area.
A strong community starts with a strong economy. We are proud to sponsor this event to help San Francisco’s small businesses.
Sincerely,
Michael Billeci
President of Wells Fargo’s San Francisco Bay region
