Alameda Chamber of Commerce, 2004


It's lonely being the owner of a small business. The opportunity to be your own boss, to call the shots, to pursue your dreams without being constrained by the demands of a pesky employer has its downside.
All that freedom and independence can make you feel as if you're on your own without the peer support and advice that those who've chosen a more corporate path take for granted.

Upstairs at Tucker's Ice Cream on Park Street, ten business owners meet for half a day every month to gain the benefit of each other's experience and tackle all those issues that every small business faces.
Recent topics include:
• Hiring and training good people when you've had a history of questionable hires and you don't know if you can justify the cost of another employee;
• How to describe your business so people understand the value of what you do;
• Resolving trouble between long-time business partners

Companies participating in these monthly meetings range from well-established firms with several employees to new businesses with just one or two. The group, established in conjunction with The Business Group, which leads other similar groups in the Bay Area, is one of a number of programs offered by the City of Alameda to assist aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners.

So for business owners who need help with a business plan, or want to expand into a new market but aren't sure how to begin, or who just want to bounce a new idea off a neutral third party, the City of Alameda is one place to go for help.

The City's Small Business Assistance Program (SBAP) offers a range of business coaching and technical assistance to Alameda-based small businesses. The SBAP helps entrepreneurs who are in the planning stages as well as business owners who have managed successful businesses for years but want coaching to help navigate a new set of issues. What's the catch, you may wonder. Surprisingly, there isn't one. To qualify for these support services, you need a business based in Alameda. 

The City also has a program grant and low-interest loan funding for small businesses, which does have additional eligibility requirements, such as restrictions on income of the owner and a limit on number of employees.

"Small business owners all think their problems are unique, but people in our groups find that they have a lot of problems in common," says Mike Van Horn, head of The Business Group and author of How to Grow Your Business Without Driving Yourself Crazy™. "They learn a lot more from each other than they would from just working with a consultant or coach. There's a real power in the group. And I'm impressed by the way the City of Alameda is supporting this resource that's valuable for so many of its small businesses."

The program manager for the Small Business Assistance Program, Arden Koontz, also provides individualized coaching and technical assistance to business owners.

"Every small business owner and aspiring entrepreneur brings a wealth of experience and accumulated knowledge to the table," says Koontz. "My role as a coach is to help small businesses and entrepreneurs ask the right questions, identify their goals and strengths, and follow-through to achieve their dreams."

Koontz brings over ten years of business experience to his work as a small business coach. He has an MBA from UC Berkeley and has played an important role in a number of entrepreneurial ventures over the years. In addition, Koontz has worked in early-stage venture capital, international consumer products marketing, and software product management.
If you’d like to find out more, contact Koontz at 510-749-5904.