Tara Lynn Gray’s Post

These are the days💫💝 A big Thank you🙌🏼to Marquita Thomas 🌞CEO of California LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce and City of West Hollywood 🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️for inviting California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA) 🐻to be an🚪Access to Capital💵panelist🎤with U.S. Small Business Administration Leigh K. 🕊️, Jabari Grant 🐅City National Bank , Mark Morales 🐐AmPac Business Capital. A full day of a wonderful 🏙️collection🔋of experts and resources from our friends💕 at California Department of General Services Danetta Jackson🐞, California Department of Insurance Chandara P. 🐎, and Caltrans Dalia Demian🐯This event supports LGBTQ small business owners 🤙🏽with certifications 🔖, supplier diversity 🚀, procurement opportunities 🥐 and business development opportunities 👯♀️ Event moderated fantasticly🎯by KTLA 📺 Omar Lewis🌟🤵🏽♂️!! #calosba #calgbtqchamber #westhollywood #shopsmallshoplocal

This is what impact looks like! Access to capital with U.S. Small Business Administration and the City of Turlock, Anthony Sims, Gil Cardon, Miguel Preciado. The Central Valley Women’s Entrepreneur Center putting on a fantastic event in Turlock today! Participants were treated to a presentation on SBA loan programs and an overview of the requirements necessary to working with lenders and Small Business Advisors. Well done! #supportingsmallhelpsusall #turlocksmallbusiness #communityimpact #womenbusinesslaunch

We had the immense pleasure of attending the grand opening of Liberian Girl Kitchen, a vibrant new addition to Southern California’s culinary scene. This amazing venture is the brainchild of Virginia Embree, a talented and passionate entrepreneur who immigrated from Liberia. 🍲🇱🇷 Virginia's journey has been nothing short of incredible, and we’re immensely proud to have supported her through our Business Readiness Program for Faith-Based Entrepreneurs. With unwavering dedication, hard work, and a small business grant, she has transformed her dream into reality, sharing the rich and delicious flavors of Liberian cuisine with our community. Transitioning from a home kitchen to a brick-and-mortar restaurant is no small feat, but we are confident that Virginia has everything it takes to build a solid, successful business. Investing in small businesses like Liberian Girl Kitchen is crucial for the growth and vitality of our communities. Business trainings such as the Caravanserai Project's Business Readiness Program for Faith-Based Entrepreneurs, combined with access to startup funding awarded by the Employment Training Panel, are essential in empowering entrepreneurs to turn their dreams into reality and contribute to our local economy. Virginia's story is a testament to the power of resilience, faith, and community support. Her vibrant dishes are more than just meals—they are stories of heritage, love, and perseverance. Let’s all come together to celebrate and support Liberian Girl Kitchen! 🎉✨ We would not be able to invest in these inspiring entrepreneurs if it were not for supporters like California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA), Employment Training Panel, Tara Lynn Gray, Clair Whitmer, Robert Meyer, Rebecca Eusey, Jordan Fetsch, Jessica Grimes (Matthews), PhD Jenny Lopez Lowe! Thank you for all your support!

I was one!!!

📸🌱 Last week, we had an incredible meeting with some amazing small farmers who are part of our Small Farmer Business Training and Technology Transfer Program. This initiative wouldn’t be possible without the invaluable support of the Riverside County Office of Economic Development, California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA), and From The Land LLC Land. 🚜👩🌾👨🌾 We make it a priority to meet entrepreneurs where they are, understanding their work, challenges, and dreams. This visit was no exception! Learning about their stories and future plans is the best way for us to understand how to serve them better. These entrepreneurs, and many others like them, are the backbone of our agricultural community, and it’s an honor to support their growth and development. Originally from Mexico and El Salvador, they embody resilience, dedication, and hard work. Their commitment to sustainable and innovative farming practices as well as building small businesses that provide jet fuel to the entire community is truly inspiring. Our program, designed in collaboration with From The Land LLC, is all about empowering our local small farmers with the tools and knowledge they need to thrive. We support their on-the-ground work and teach them about innovative agricultural techniques from both technical and business perspectives. Providing seed capital to boost their small farms is as important as the technical support, and we couldn’t be more grateful for our partnership with Riverside County Office of Economic Development County. Witnessing their passion for sustainable farming and innovative business practices is inspiring for us all. 🌾💡 Joaquin Tijerina María Guadalupe González Tara Lynn Gray Gina Oliver, PhD Richard Hutchison Rob Moran Clair Whitmer

Supporting Native American Small Businesses at the Central Valley Native Economic Summit at the beautiful Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino! Great panel discussions, of course delicious breakfast and lunch with partners and attendees. Thanks to Rich Mostert, MBA, CBEP for guiding our discussion and to David Mendoza for inviting the California Office of the Small Business Advocate (CalOSBA) to participate in the event!

ICYMI: California is now home to the most Fortune 500 companies in the country! Yesterday, Fortune announced that for the first time since 2014, California is home to the most Fortune 500 companies in the country – beating out Texas, Florida, and all other states. From tech to finance to entertainment, the state’s diverse economy has 57 companies on the list, while Texas and New York are tied in second with 52 companies each. https://lnkd.in/gYQiirbf