15th Annual San Francisco Small Business Week Kicks Off May 6

SAN FRANCISCO, April 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- San Francisco Small Business Week 2019 (#SFSBW2019) kicks off May 6, celebrating the 120,000 and growing small businesses and entrepreneurs who call San Francisco home. More than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, and they create about two out of every three new jobs in the U.S. each year.

"As a third generation San Francisco small business owner, it brings me great pride that the SF Chamber is the co-chair of San Francisco Small Business Week," said Rodney Fong, President & CEO of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce. "No one works harder than our small business community, and they should be celebrated for the vitality, diversity and innovation they bring to our city."

As the largest local Small Business Week in the country with more than 3,000 attendees, San Francisco Small Business Week includes a robust series of education and networking events targeted to the needs and interests of the small business community, small business awards presented by Mayor London Breed, the US Small Business Administration, the San Francisco Economic Development Alliance and Pacific Gas & Electric Company, as well as sidewalk sales in 11 distinct merchant corridors for the local community to enjoy.

"Small businesses are the heart of our neighborhood, employ thousands of residents, and make our local economy thrive," said Mayor Breed. "For 15 years, San Francisco Small Business Week has been leading the nation in celebrating small business, with events and programs for owners and entrepreneurs as well as pop-up shops, markets, and activities for residents to encourage them to shop locally and support our small businesses. San Francisco supports all of our local businesses and San Francisco Small Business Week is a reflection of that commitment."

Throughout the week, small business owners will connect and learn about resources that are available to them all year, and will have access to events and programs specifically designed to help them thrive as they face a mix of challenges doing business in the city.

The featured event, sponsored by Comcast Business, is the gala kick-off on May 6 called InspireSF at City View at Metreon, with a fun-filled reception catered by La Cocina Entrepreneurs, a host and sponsor expo and an inspirational speaking panel moderated by Rodney Fong, President and CEO of the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, including panelists; Ron Benitez, Co-Owner and Co-Founder, ASMBLY HALL, Robyn Sue Fisher, Founder and CEO, Smitten Ice Cream, Jay Foster, Chef, CEO & Director of Black Rabbit Hospitality and Heidi Gibson, Commander in Cheese, The Grilled Cheese Kitchen.

Free workshops all week at various locations around the City. A sample of titles are below.

• Succeeding as a Freelancer
• Accounting and Tax 101 
• Understanding Contracts 
• How to Grow Your Business Using Instagram, LinkedIn & Yelp
• Be Your Own Landlord: Purchasing Commercial Real Estate for Your Business
• Creating a Pitch Deck for Non-Tech Business

Free networking events include:

• Bunker Brews: Military Veterans and Spouses
• Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center's Women Mean Business: Revitalizing Retail
• Building Connections in the Construction Industry
• San Francisco Small Business Week Closing Party 
• Shop Local Events held throughout San Francisco 

For more information and a full detailed schedule, visit: http://www.sfsmallbusinessweek.com/ 

The 15th Annual San Francisco Small Business Week is presented by Bank of America, Office of Small Business, SFMTA, Pacific Gas & Electric Co., Postmates and Wells Fargo, among other companies.

The week is produced in partnership with the City and County of San Francisco, Office of Economic and Workforce Development, Office of the Mayor, Office of Small Business, Bunker Labs, Golden Gate Business Association, Golden Gate Restaurant Association, Main Street Launch, MEDA, NAWBO, Pacific Community Ventures, Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center, Office of Small Business, San Francisco African American Chamber of Commerce, San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, San Francisco Council of District Merchants Associations, San Francisco Small Business Development Center, SF Business Times, San Francisco Economic Development Alliance, San Francisco Filipino American Chamber of Commerce, Hispanic Chambers of Commerce SF, SF Travel, Small Business Administration, Start Small Think Big, Straus Events, USF Gellert Family Business Resource Center and Working Solutions.

?Press Contact: Adam Straus, Executive Producer, Straus Events, [email protected], 415-377-2327

SOURCE San Francisco Small Business Week Committee