The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) hosted by College of the Canyons (COC) has served its 100th small business client with one-on-one personal business counseling in the San Fernando Valley since the satellite office opened in February 2009.

“We are delighted to be providing these valuable services to business throughout the San Fernando Valley,” said SBDC Director, Steve Tannehill. “We now have twelve business advisors providing a wide range of services to thousands of small business start-ups and existing businesses throughout northern Los Angeles County.”

The 100th client is a four-year-old industrial supply retailer and national wholesaler with more than $1 million in gross annual sales. The company was in need of overall business management assistance and help with securing new financing through an SBA loan to help lower their debt, explained Ben Tenn, SBDC business advisor who leads the team of SBDC counselors.

The COC-based SBDC, which launched in Santa Clarita in January 2006, is one of the most successful and effective centers in all of California and was ranked No. 1 in Southern California in 2007 and received the SBA Innovation and Excellence award for the Los Angeles District in 2009.

The SBDC, which provides programs and services to the small business community on behalf of the Small Business Administration, receives financial support from its host, COC and the State of California, local government and corporate sponsors. Those services include, but are not limited to, business start-up and expansion, business plan development, marketing and sales strategy, accounting and finance, access to capital and loan packaging, international trade and import/export, logistics, manufacturing, human resources and employment issues, legal issues, web site development, e-commerce and government procurement.

The SBDC also leads an ongoing monthly series of low-cost training workshops such as Effective Marketing for Small Business, How to Secure an SBA Loan, QuickBooks 101 and Advanced Email Marketing for Small Business among many more.

“I have been very busy meeting with several new entrepreneurs and experienced business owners in nearly every industry, product or service category who are confronting many issues in this challenging economy,” said Tenn, who specializes in business start-ups, marketing, sales strategy and overall business management.

Tenn has more than 35 years of business experience with a focus on marketing, sales and general management. He has been a corporate executive for Disney and Activision and the co-owner of a small business valued at $10 million. An independent business consultant since 1996, Tenn is a successful presenter of marketing seminars, a columnist for the San Fernando Valley Business Journal and a marketing instructor for UCLA Extension. He received his MBA from UCLA.

For more information about SBDC and its services, call (661) 294-9375 or visit www.cocsbdc.com