Orange County Small Business Conference
Enjoys Eight-Year History

George Blanc, who teaches small business classes at OCC and serves as a small business coach, founded the Small Business Conference & Expo in 2000 while he was the Administrative Dean of Economic Development and Community Education at OCC.

As a past small business owner himself (his family owned a restaurant), Blanc had a keen interest in small business. He joined six Chambers of Commerce near the college’s Costa Mesa campus, and quickly embraced the business community.

“Chambers would constantly be asking me if OCC would assist small businesses so they could stay in business,” Blanc recalls. He responded by creating the Small Business Assistance Center, where fledgling entrepreneurs could drop by for free business counseling. (Blanc now owns and manages his own consulting business, GEES and Associates Business Advisement.) But something more was needed.

Blanc envisioned a big event that would attract wide attention and keep the college and the business community connected. He hasn’t been disappointed.

Compared to the most recent Expo, the inaugural program seven years ago was a modest affair that featured a guest speaker, a handful of workshops and tables set up for exhibitors. The following year, Blanc hired a professional event planner, Sharon Jansen, who recruited sponsors, developed an Expo online web site and launched OCC’s “Small Business of the Year” Award.

Fast forward to the most recent conference which served up an exciting day of activities: three panel discussions and special guest speakers. During the past two years, KNX NEWSRADIO 10.70 has supported the business event as a media sponsor. Union Bank has continued its eight-year relationship as the conference's executive sponsor.

In 2007 the conference changes dates from March to June and revamped its format to a late afternoon, early evening event. The move was made to make the conference more assessible to working entrepreneurs and those who are working for others but thinking about starting their own businesses.


Blanc continues to participate on the Expo’s advisory board, “The Expo has provided services that busy business owners desperately need,” he explains. “The Expo has always been well-received.” He predicts that the event will continue to provide pertinent information that small businesses need to prosper.

“Small businesses in California are overwhelmed by the many regulations that are coming out of Sacramento,” Blanc explains. “Busy entrepreneurs need to have a source of information to survive in this business climate.”

Reinforcing the success of the Small Business Expo and Conference is Janis Dinwiddie, conference coordinator for the past five years. As owner of Dinwiddie Events, she has a wealth of experience when it comes to managing special events, including the recent First Team Real Estate Regatta for Hoag Hospital and the recent Newport Centennial Celebration.

Dinwiddie says the conference is of particular value to new entrepreneurs. "In Orange County, hundreds of new business licenses are issued every year," she says. "Lots of new small businesses start up, and the first two years are crucial. A very high percentage of new businesses never reach the third year -- for an assortment of reasons. "The purpose of this conference is to give new owners the skills and resources they need to maintain viability."

The event is held right after OCC's spring semester when classes are not in session. "We have everything on campus at our disposal, and all the parking lots are wide open," Dinwiddie says. Parking for the expo is free.

Exhibitors this year will include human resources organizations, banks, marketing firms, logo designers, uniform companies, designers, attorneys, companies that create promotional products, and a host of other products and services.

Individuals interested in presenting workshops at the expo, or exhibiting their wares and services in the trade show, should contact OCC's Foundation at (714) 432-5126. To contact Dinwiddie directly, call (949) 548-2411, or email her at: sbce_contact@yahoo.com .