On November 18 2022, the City Hall Rotunda was packed with more than 50 small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs eager to learn and network. The event was held to celebrate Entrepreneurship Month and bring the local business community together.

Then Mayor-elect Matt Mahan attended the event to greet business owners in the audience and opened the event with a warm welcome. The event was also attended by several community organizations who set up resource tables to provide business owners with information about technical assistance and other resources for their business. Food and beverages were provided by Mezcal Bistro and Bar, owned by downtown entrepreneur Adolfo Gomez.

The highlight of the event was the discussion panel featuring four successful San José business owners: Ashley Merz (Source Zero), Jo Lerma-Lopez (Luna Mexican Kitchen), Liza Navarro (Wizardrix Technology Solutions), and Jorge Carrasco (IcanBucket). The panel was moderated by Victor Farlie, lead on the City's Small Business initiatives. Business owners shared their inspiring stories and the challenges they faced on their entrepreneurial journey. They also provided valuable advice and insights to the attendees on how to overcome obstacles and achieve success.

The City of San José is committed to supporting its small business community and this Entrepreneurship Month networking event was a great way to bring business owners together to share experiences and knowledge and celebrate the City’s entrepreneurial spirit. The Office of Economic Development’s Business Development team intends to host more events like this one that will bring local business owners together to make new connections, learn from each other, and be inspired to continue building their businesses.

For additional information on small business assistance resources or networking contact Executive Analyst Jiawei Tang – jiawei.tang@sanjoseca,gov or (408) 535-6884