S m a l l
B u s i n e s s
C o n c i e r g e
P r o g r a m
F e b r u a r y - A u g u s t 2 0 2 5
s r c i t y . o r g / D o i n g B u s i n e s s
b i z @ s r c i t y . o r g
At a Glance:
Report
Summary
T h e S m a l l B u s i n e s s C o n c i e r g e P r o g r a m h a s s u p p o r t e d o v e r 1 5 0 e n t r e p r e n e u r s a n d s m a l l b u s i n e s s o w n e r s t h r o u g h s t r e a m l i n e d s e r v i c e s a n d p e r s o n a l i z e d g u i d a n c e . W i t h a f o c u s o n e q u i t y a n d i n t e r d e p a r t m e n t a l c o o r d i n a t i o n , t h e p r o g r a m f a c i l i t a t e d o v e r 2 5 0 t o u c h p o i n t s a c r o s s p e r m i t t i n g , l i c e n s i n g , c o m m e r c i a l m a l l p r o j e c t s , a n d b u s i n e s s e n g a g e m e n t m e e t u p s . T h i s r e p o r t s u m m a r i z e s o u t c o m e s f r o m F e b r u a r y t h r o u g h A u g u s t 2 0 2 5 .
I n F e b r u a r y 2 0 2 5 , t h e C i t y o f S a n t a R o s a o f f i c i a l l y l a u n c h e d t h e S m a l l B u s i n e s s C o n c i e r g e P r o g r a m t o h e l p s t r e a m l i n e b u s i n e s s s u p p o r t s e r v i c e s , i m p r o v e c o m m u n i c a t i o n b e t w e e n c i t y d e p a r t m e n t s a n d e n t r e p r e n e u r s , a n d h e l p d r i v e e q u i t a b l e e c o n o m i c g r o w t h .
T h e B u s i n e s s C o n c i e r g e P r o g r a m w a s d e s i g n e d a s a h a n d s - o n , h i g h - t o u c h m o d e l t o g u i d e e n t r e p r e n e u r s a n d s m a l l b u s i n e s s o w n e r s t h r o u g h c i t y p r o c e s s e s , i n c l u d i n g p e r m i t t i n g , l i c e n s i n g , z o n i n g , a n d a c c e s s t o l o c a l r e s o u r c e s .
T h e p r o g r a m p r i o r i t i z e s o u t r e a c h t o c o m m e r c i a l c e n t e r s , d o w n t o w n d i s t r i c t s , a n d B I P O C - l e d b u s i n e s s e s , f o s t e r i n g c o l l a b o r a t i o n a n d r e d u c i n g b a r r i e r s t o e n t r y o r e x p a n s i o n .
M o r e i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t t h e p r o g r a m :
h t t p s : / / w w w . s r c i t y . o r g / D o c u m e n t C e n t e r / V i e w / 4 5 0 2 9 / C i t y - o f - S a n t a - R o s a - B u s i n e s s - C o n c i e r g e - P r o g r a m - P D F 2 ProgramActivity
Category Weekly Average
Inquiries Monthly Estimate 6-Month Total
(Est.)
Business
Entrepreneurs
Supported
3 to 5 ~16 ~96
Small Business
Owners Supported 2 to 3 ~10 ~60
Commercial Mall
Projects & Inquiries
Santa Rosa
Plaza
Montgomery
Village
2 to 3 ~10 ~60
Code Enforcement
matters related to
businesses have
been resolved
(i.e., graffiti,
nuisance,
trespassing)
1 ~4 ~24
3 Over 150 entrepreneurs and small business owners were supported with permitting, licensing, information, resources, and startup navigation guidance.
Common inquiries included mobile vending, retail startups, food service businesses, signage, tenant improvement costs, and façade improvements grant follow-ups.
Many clients were first-time business owners or sole proprietors seeking bilingual assistance and guidance on resources.
Several businesses included during this time period, to name a few:
Mitote Food Park
J&A Lounge
La Fondita DT
Aroma de Café
Nana’s Café
Belleza Latina Salon
Tamales Oaxaqueños
Chavez’s Paint
Fiber Snob
Bella Phytologic
B u s i n e s s
E n t r e p r e n e u r s &
S m a l l B u s i n e s s
O w n e r s
4 S h o p p i n g M a l l s :
S a n t a R o s a P l a z a – W e e k l y e m a i l c o r r e s p o n d e n c e w i t h G e n e r a l M a n a g e r .
Z o n i n g C l e a r a n c e s , s i g n a g e a p p l i c a t i o n p e r m i t s a n d a p p r o v a l s , b u i l d i n g p e r m i t s .
M o n t g o m e r y V i l l a g e – M e e t i n g s h e l d o n c e a w e e k w i t h t h e p r o j e c t m a n a g e m e n t c o n t r a c t o r a n d l e a d a r c h i t e c t .
P r o j e c t t r a c k i n g , T e n a n t I m p r o v e m e n t s , b u i l d i n g p e r m i t s , p l a n ch e c k a n d r e v i e w , a n d t e m p o r a r y r e l o c a t i o n o f s e v e r a l s t o r e s .
T o t a l I n q u i r i e s : E s t i m a t e d 6 0 + o v e r t h e 6 - m o n t h p e r i o d N o t a b l e B u s i n e s s e s E n g a g e d :
P F C h a n g ’ s
D a v e & B u s t e r ’ s
S a l t & S a n d
S e a T h a i B i s t r o
T h e M e n d o c i n o
J . J i l l R e t a i l
A h H u e v o
U M E S h a k e s
C o m m e r c i a l M a l l
B u s i n e s s S u p p o r t &
E n g a g e m e n t
5 D o w n t o w n
B u s i n e s s
E n g a g e m e n t s &
M e e t u p s
N u m b e r o f B u s i n e s s / P a r t n e r M e e t U p s : T e n ( 1 0 ) M e e t U p s h a v e b e e n h e l d i n t h e n e w l y r e n o v a t e d B u s i n e s s L o u n g e a t C i t y H a l l . W o r k s h o p s a n d f e e d b a ck s e s s i o n s h a v e i n c l u d e d b u s i n e s s a n d p r o p e r t y o w n e r s , c o m m e r ci a l r e a l e s t a t e b r o k e r s a n d r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s f r o m t h e D o w n t o w n A c t i o n O r g a n i z a t i o n , R a i l r o a d S q u a r e A s s o c i a t i o n , K e e g a n a n d C o p p i n , I n c. , R o s s S t r e e t B u s i n e s s O w n e r s , A L a B o n n e F r a n q u e t t e ( b u s i n e s s r o u n d t a b l e h o s t ) , T r e l l u s , G o L o c a l , S B D C , R e d w o o d C r e d i t U n i o n , R i s e a n d T h r i v e , a n d o t h e r s .
T h e s e g a t h e r i n g s h a v e e n h a n c e d c o m m u n i c a t i o n w i t h b u s i n e s s a n d p r o p e r t y o w n e r s , a s w e l l a s c o m m e r c i a l r e a l e s t a t e b r o k e r s , a n d h a v e h e l p e d i n c r e a s e a w a r e n e s s o f a v a i l a b l e c i t y s u p p o r t a n d s e r v i c e s .
6 BIPOC Business Partner Meetups
N u m b e r o f B I P O C B u s i n e s s M e e t U p s : O f t h e t e n r e f e r e n ce d a b o v e , t h r e e ( 3 ) M e e t U p s w e r e h e l d w i t h t h e R i s e a n d T h r i v e g r o u p c o m p r i s e d o f o r g a n i z a t i o n s w h o s u p p o r t o u r B I P O C s m a l l b u s i n e s s e s a n d e n t r e p r e n e u r s . I t i n c l u d e s o r g a n i z a t i o n s s u c h a s :
T h e H i s p a n i c C h a m b e r o f S o n o m a C o u n t y T h e B l a c k C h a m b e r o f C o m m e r c e
T h e A s i a n A m e r i c a n a n d P a c i f i c I s l a n d e r C h a m b e r S o n o m a C o u n t y S B D C
T h e S a n t a R o s a M e t r o C h a m b e r
T h e S a n t a R o s a J u n i o r C o l l e g e A d u l t E d u c a t i o n C a r e e r T e c h n i c a l E d u c a t i o n
T h e S o n o m a C o u n t y H a r d s h i p F u n d S o n o m a C o u n t y E c o n o m i c D e v e l o p m e n t C o l l a b o r a t i v e A n d S C O R E
T h e s e s e s s i o n s h a v e i m p r o v e d c o l l a b o r a t i o n b e t w e e n c o m m u n i t y - b a s e d o r g a n i z a t i o n s a n d t h e C i t y , e n s u r i n g m o r e c u l t u r a l l y r e s p o n s i v e o u t r e a ch .
The first six months of the Small Business Concierge Program confirm a strong demand for personalized support and targeted outreach to businesses. With over 250 touchpoints and growing business sector engagement, the program has laid a solid foundation for long-term impact.
NEXT STEPS:
Expand outreach to additional commercial corridors and underserved communities in accordance with the Economic Development Strategic Plan.
Complete the launch of the new One Stop Shop digital intake form for appointment setting and efficient tracking, and follow-up of entrepreneurs and small business owners contacted.
Implement feedback tools in the virtual One Stop Shop to assess business satisfaction and impact.
C o n c l u s i o n &
N e x t S t e p s
7 Testimonials
“ O f f e r i n g t h e b u s i n e s s c o n c i e r g e s u p p o r t p r o g r a m h e l p e d u s g e t
t h r o u g h t h e c o m p l e x i t i e s o f t h e p e r m i t p r o c e s s a n d w e w e r e a b l e t o b e g i n o u r p r o j e c t w i t h o u t m a n y d e l a y s . ” - P r e s i d e n t , S l a v i k N e n a y d o k h , B e l l a P h y t o l o g i c .
“ T h e D a v e & B u s t e r ’ s t e a m w o r k e d c l o s e l y w i t h t h e C i t y ’ s B u s i n e s s C o n c i e r g e t e a m , p a r t i c u l a r l y R a f a e l R i v e r o , t h r o u g h o u t t h e p e r m i t t i n g p r o c e s s . R a f a e l ’ s g u i d a n c e w a s c r i t i c a l i n h e l p i n g u s n a v i g a t e a p p r o v a l s e f f i c i e n t l y a n d m o v e t h e p r o j e c t f o r w a r d . ” - A n g e l R o b i n s o n , P r o p e r t y D e v e l o p m e n t M a n a g e r , D a v e & B u s t e r ’ s .