Dear Small Business Community Members:

It is that time of year again: the Small Business Commission is currently planning events for San Francisco ’s celebration of national Small Business Week, presented this year by the U.S. Small Business Administration, together with the City of San Francisco , Wells Fargo Bank, Microsoft , and others. We have established a Small Business Week Executive Committee to make this year’s celebration the biggest in the country! This year, San Francisco ’s celebration of, Small Business Week will take place May 15-20. We have the following schedule of activities planned:

Monday: Kickoff Celebration and Resource Fair, featuring Flavors of San Francisco and hosted by Mayor Gavin Newsom, SBA District Director Mark Quinn, San Francisco Treasurer Jose Cisneros and the Small Business Commission. The Kickoff Celebration and Resource Fair will occur at 6:00 pm in the City Hall Rotunda and North and South Light Courts. This is a networking event with the opportunity to taste the diverse flavors from our unique restaurants and to network with small business resource providers. Everyone is invited to attend and the event is free of charge; RSVP information will follow.

Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday: Seminars and Forums, hosted by the U.S. Small Business Administration, in partnership with our sponsors. Examples of forums: Getting Your Business Started 101, Access to Capital, Information Technology, Emergency Preparedness, Procurement-Business Matchmaking.

Wednesday evening events:
•The San Francisco Chamber of Commerce hosts a “Business Afterhours
Grand Expo” – San Francisco Concourse (8 th & Brannan) – 5:30PM-8:30PM. •Green Business Celebration, networking, free bio-dynamic wine, panel
speakers from the green business industry -- “Varnish” 77 Natoma Street –
5:30PM-7:30PM.

Friday: Neighborhood networking events throughout the city, hosted by community business organizations and merchant associations.  

Saturday: Citywide Saturday Sidewalk Sale.

If your department or merchant organization is interested in having a free exhibit table at the San Francisco Chamber’s “Business Afterhours Grand Expo” event, please e-mail Jason Kleimola at the SF Chamber at [email protected] or contact him directly at (415) 352-8840.

Additionally, there are outstanding marketing opportunities available this year. Once again, the San Francisco Chronicle will publish special supplement honoring the contribution that the small business community makes to the City. Advertising opportunities are available in the supplement; if you are interested and committed please contact James Seraphine, Account Executive – General Advertising, at [email protected] / 777-7268, no later than March 28 th.

Furthermore, the Small Business Week Neighborhood Events Sub-Committee is currently seeking the following information from community leaders:
1. Will you host a networking event? on Friday?
2. Will you participate in the Saturday citywide sidewalk sale?

The deadline to advise the Small Business Week Neighborhood Events Sub-Committee of your participation in these events is March 28. Hopefully this will provide you with enough time to add these items to your February or March agendas for discussion. The Commission intends to request a citywide permit from the Board of Supervisors for the sidewalk sale, which will allow merchant districts to put on sidewalk sales free of charge. Please send your indication of your intent to participate to Jim Maxwell, President of the Council of District Merchant Associations, at [email protected].

If you have any questions, please email Jordanna Thigpen at [email protected].

We look forward to your participation this year to celebrate our contribution to the character and diversity of the San Francisco economy!

Sincerely,

Jordanna Thigpen, Small Business Commissioner