Santa Cruz County

2024 Small Business Summit

May 3rd, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. at Cabrillo College’s Samper Recital Hall

Experience the pulse of Santa Cruz County’s Small Business Community!

Experience the pulse of Santa Cruz County’s vibrant entrepreneurial scene at the highly anticipated Annual Small Business Summit on Friday, May 3rd, 2024. Presented by the Santa Cruz County Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Cabrillo College, this exhilarating day-long conference unites over 200 local small business owners with the region’s most accomplished business professionals, innovative entrepreneurs, and industry trailblazers. This year’s summit featuring keynote speaker Guy Kawasaki alongside 13 captivating educational sessions, equips attendees with invaluable tools and resources, while nurturing networking opportunities among driven, like-minded individuals. Happening from 8 am to 4 pm, this year's summit will be held at Cabrillo College’s Samper Recital Hall, with breakout sessions hosted across multiple campus locations.

LEARN FROM OVER 20 BUSINESS EXPERTS!

Find out the latest trends and learn insights from the best of Santa Cruz

Start the day by checking in early, grabbing a nourishing full breakfast, and engaging in meaningful conversations with fellow attendees. This time provides a perfect opportunity to connect, exchange ideas, and set the tone for an inspiring day ahead.
Join us for a brief event kickoff and welcome from the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) director Alexander Pedersen and Cabrillo College president Matt Wetstein
How to Grow a Remarkable Business

Guy explains how to grow a remarkable business that stands out in the crowd. He uses examples from his career at Canva, Apple, Mercedes Benz, and Google.

Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist of Canva, author of Think Remarkable, host of the Remarkable People podcast, and adjunct professor of the University of California, Santa Cruz. He was the chief evangelist of Apple, Mercedes Benz brand ambassador, and trustee of the Wikimedia Foundation. He has also written The Art of the Start 2.0, The Art of Social Media, Enchantment, and twelve other books. Kawasaki has a BA from Stanford University, an MBA from UCLA, and an honorary doctorate from Babson College.
Hear from SBDC Director Alexander Pedersen as he outlines the services offered by the SBDC and provides an overview of the event logistics.
1A: Transformative Networking for Women in Business
Location: Samper Recital Hall
Host: Amy Sousa, Director of Membership, Marketing, and Events, Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce

1B: Using Artificial Intelligence to Supercharge Your Business
Location: Room 5156
Host: David Dennis, Principal Product Manager at Microsoft and involved in sales, marketing, and business development for Ventana Surfboards & Supplies

1C: Nurturing Talent: Understanding the Employee Life Cycle and Enhancing Experience
Location: VAPA 1001
Host: Benjamin Slade, Vice President of Human Resources at California Giant Berry Farms and former SBDC advisor
2A: Championing Small Business Advocacy in the Political Arena
Location: Room 5156
Host: Casey Beyer, CEO, Chamber of Commerce

2B: El Pájaro Community Development Corporation
Location: Samper Recital Hall
Hosts: Cesario Ruiz, Kitchen Incubator Program Manager at El Pájaro CDC, and Claudia Manrique, Program Director at El Pájaro Regional Women’s Business Center

2C: From Surfboards to Solar Panels: The Evolution of Santa Cruz into a ClimateTech Hub
Location: VAPA 1001
Host: Will Wiseman, CEO of Climatize
Take a break to enjoy a delicious lunch while networking with fellow attendees, sharing insights, and making valuable connections!
Join us for a brief award ceremony where we will honor outstanding SBDC clients for their achievements and contributions to the business community.
Location: Samper Recital Hall

Host: Alexander Pedersen

Description: Sponsored by Grow America, this session features a panel of esteemed local and national lenders sharing their valuable insights on accessing capital.

Panelists:
Chris Horton, District Director, U.S. Small Business Administration
Conor McCarthy, Director of Lending and Portfolio Operations, Grow America
Armando Vidauri, AVP SBA Loan Underwriter, Santa Cruz County Bank
Alicia Kretsch, Commercial Lending/Business Banking/Leadership, Santa Cruz Community Credit Union
Jeff Heitmann, Lead Business Relationship Manager, Bay Federal Credit Union
Juan Melgar, Director of Lending, El Pájaro Community Development Corporation
3A: County of Santa Cruz Broadband Initiatives and Their Impact on Small Business

Location: VAPA 1001

Host: Tammie Weigl, County’s Director of Information Services

3B: Santa Cruz Works

Location: Samper Recital Hall

Host: Doug Erickson, Santa Cruz Works

3C: How Economic Development can help small businesses

Location: Room 5156

Host: Sarah Domondon, Business Liaison and Josie Buchanan, Economic Development Coordinator
4A: Leadership Agility for Small Business Success

Location: Samper Recital Hall

Host: Nada Khorchid, CEO of Lead For Impact

4B: Navigating the Future: Integrating AI in Marketing

Location: Room 5156

Host: Molly O'Kane, SBDC Marketing Advisor

4C: Small Business Strategies for Big Challenges: Pivoting to Success

Location: VAPA 1001

Host: Nada Miljkovic, Entrepreneur, Artivist (artist/activist) and Educator at UCSC
As our scheduled sessions come to an end, we will not be reconvening formally. However, we encourage all guests to continue networking and to enjoy the beautiful surroundings of the Cabrillo campus. This is an excellent opportunity to build lasting connections and reflect on the day’s insights and experiences

Hear from Keynote speaker Guy Kawasaki!

How to Grow a Remarkable Business

Guy explains how to grow a remarkable business that stands out in the crowd. He uses examples from his career at Canva, Apple, Mercedes Benz, and Google.Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist of Canva, author of Think Remarkable, host of the Remarkable People podcast, and adjunct professor of the University of California, Santa Cruz. He was the chief evangelist of Apple, Mercedes Benz brand ambassador, and trustee of the Wikimedia Foundation. He has also written The Art of the Start 2.0, The Art of Social Media, Enchantment, and twelve other books. Kawasaki has a BA from Stanford University, an MBA from UCLA, and an honorary doctorate from Babson College.

Free Event Parking in Lot L!

The Summit will commence at Samper Recital Hall and continue with breakout sessions in VAPA 1001, VAPA 5156, and Samper Hall. All venues are within walking distance of each other. Parking is complimentary in Lot L. Should Lot L reach capacity, additional parking is available in other Cabrillo lots for a fee. Please ensure to pay for day parking if utilizing these overflow lots.

Click Here for Google Maps

Alexander Pedersen

Santa Cruz SBDC Director

Guy Kawasaki

Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist of Canva, author of Think Remarkable, host of the Remarkable People podcast, and adjunct professor of the University of California, Santa Cruz

Amy Sousa

Director of Membership, Marketing, and Events at the Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce

David Dennis

David Dennis is a principal product manager at Microsoft on the Outlook team. He also runs sales, marketing, and business development for Ventana Surfboards & Supplies.

Benjamin Slade

Benjamin Slade is a seasoned HR executive with a proven track record in human resources management, organizational development, and strategic leadership.

Casey Beyer

CEO, Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce

Cesario Ruiz

El Pájaro CDC's Kitchen Incubator Program Manager

Claudia Manrique

Regional Women's Business Center Program Director

Chris Horton

SBA San Francisco District Director

Conor McCarthy

Grow America (formerly NDC), Director of Lending and Portfolio Operations

Armando Vidauri

Santa Cruz County Bank AVP SBA Loan Underwriter

Alicia kretsch

Santa Cruz Community Credit Union Commercial Lending/Business Banking/Leadership

Will Wiseman

CEO and Co-Founder of Climatize

Tammie Weigl

Santa Cruz County’s Director of Information Services

Doug Erickson

Executive Director of Santa Cruz Works

Sarah Domondon

Santa Cruz Economic Development Business Liaison

Become a Sponsor!

This year's summit wouldn't be possible without our incredible sponsors! Their commitment and enthusiasm embody the spirit of collaboration and community in Santa Cruz. We are immensely grateful to each of our sponsors for playing a pivotal role in bringing this dynamic gathering of business minds to life. A heartfelt thank you to all our sponsors!