Small-Business Experts Take to the Streets With Their Own Economic Stimulus Plan

PR Log (Press Release) – Jul 10, 2009 – Irvine, Calif. – Tired of waiting for the government’s economic stimulus plan to help your business? Three small-business experts are taking their own steps to stimulate the local economy. On July 21, 2009, Rieva Lesonsky, founder of GrowBiz Media and former editorial director of Entrepreneur magazine; Jennifer Kushell, founder of YSN.com “Your Success Network;” and Jane Pak, CEO of the National Association of Women Business Owners-Los Angeles, will offer entrepreneurs advice and answer their questions.

The price? Just $5 for 5 minutes—and, to help small business even more, all the proceeds from the event will be donated to a small-business-related cause.

Dubbed “Mod Squad on Main Street,” the event will take place from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Amelia’s Espresso and Panini in Santa Monica. “Anyone who has a business question, quandary, or issue that they need help with is welcome,” explains Pak.

“Billions of tax dollars have been poured into the economy, yet small businesses are still struggling,” says Pak. “The three of us are problem solvers—none of us can sit idly by when there’s something we can do to help. So we decided we were going to take this tiny step to stimulate the small-business community--one storefront, one business owner, one Main Street at a time.”

“Small business is the engine of our economy,” says Lesonsky, “and there can be no economic recovery until our nation’s entrepreneurs get the help they need. This event will provide practical solutions that can help business owners survive and thrive despite these tough times.”

In addition to getting advice from the three experts, business owners will also have the opportunity to network with each other and exchange ideas and solutions. “Networking with other entrepreneurs is more important than ever in today’s economy,” says Kushell. “By sharing their ideas and concerns, entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs can find new partners, tools and ways of working together to help their companies grow.

“Rieva, Jane and I have worked with thousands of entrepreneurs throughout our careers to help bring their ideas to fruition and take their ventures to the next level,” Kushell adds.  “We couldn’t be more excited to have the chance to join forces and infuse Main Street with a fresh sense of optimism, opportunity and potential in what lies ahead.”  

Amelia’s, a family-owned and -run business, is located at 2645 Main St., Santa Monica, CA, 90405-4001, (310) 396-9095 (www.ameliascafe.com).

About Rieva Lesonsky and Growbiz Media: Rieva Lesonsky is a nationally recognized speaker on entrepreneurship who regularly addresses audiences across the country. Lesonsky has appeared on hundreds of radio shows and numerous local and national television programs, including CNN, Good Morning America, the Today Show, Fox Business News, The Martha Stewart show and Oprah, and can regularly be seen on MSNBC’s Your Business. Lesonsky blogs about small business for AllBusiness.com, Microsoft Office Live and The Huffington Post. Prior to founding GrowBiz Media (http://www.growbizmedia.com) in 2008, she was editorial director of Entrepreneur Magazine for more than 25 years. GrowBiz Media provides resources, advice and information to help entrepreneurs start and grow their companies; content and consulting to help media companies reach the small-business audience; information and resources to help corporations and government agencies connect with and market to entrepreneurs; and products and services to help educational organizations promote entrepreneurship.

About Jane Pak and NAWBO-LA: Jane Pak currently serves as Chief Executive Officer of the National Association of Women Business Owners, Los Angeles Chapter (http://www.nawbola.org). Pak is responsible for the development, oversight, implementation, communication and evaluation of all strategies and activities related to the day-to-day administration of the organization.  NAWBO-LA is one of the largest and most dynamic of the 83 nationwide chapters of the National Association of Women Business Owners, representing the interests of an estimated 543,000-plus privately held, 50 percent or more women-owned firms in the greater Los Angeles region. Those firms employ over 692,000 people and generate nearly $125 billion in sales.  In her capacity as CEO, Pak also serves as founding chair of SCORE Chapter 705, the first chapter in the history of the organization created exclusively for women.

About Jennifer Kushell and YSN.com: Jennifer Kushell (http://www.jenniferkushell.com) is co-founder and president of YSN.com (Your Success Network) (http://www.ysn.com), an online universe that arms  ambitious people across the globe with the tools and resources needed to achieve success in their lives and careers. She is co-author of the New York Times bestselling book Secrets of the Young & Successful, and author of The Young Entrepreneur’s Edge and Solo Para Emprendedores. A global expert on emerging adults and the next-generation global work force, Kushell advises leading corporations, small businesses,
major nonprofits and youth organizations through strategic thought leadership, consulting, speaking, teaching and writing. She has been featured in major media such as CNN, CNBC, BBC, NPR, PBS, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, BusinessWeek and Brandweek.