Allan Hancock College’s Career Center will host Start Here, Get Funded, a free entrepreneurial workshop, 4-6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13 at the Fine Arts Complex (bldg. F) on the college’s Santa Maria campus.
The workshop is part of CEED to Success, a national pilot program designed to expand entrepreneurship and business financing education for underserved founders, with a focus on veterans, women’s and minority-owned businesses.
Through this initiative, Hancock is partnering with Baker Hill, the program’s founder, and the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship (NACCE) to bring these resources to the local community.
“At Hancock, we are committed to ensuring that every aspiring entrepreneur, especially those from historically underserved communities, has access to the knowledge, resources and strategic partnerships needed to secure capital and successfully grow their business,” said Tom Lamica, Hancock dean of Academic Affairs.
The workshop will bring together entrepreneurs, lenders and economic development experts to help attendees navigate the funding landscape, organizers said.
Programming includes an overview of resources for Central Coast entrepreneurs and a financing fundamentals presentation led by Montecito Bank and Trust.
“CEED to Success isn’t just a program; it’s a catalyst for systemic change,” said Dirk Soma, director of entrepreneurial ecosystems for Baker Hill.
“By working alongside NACCE, and aligning education, entrepreneurship and local partnerships, we’re building resilient ecosystems where underserved entrepreneurs don’t just start businesses; they drive lasting, community-centered impact,” Soma said.
The collaboration underscores a shared mission: turning entrepreneurial dreams into tangible success stories by making business loans more accessible, especially for underserved populations.
“Too often, entrepreneurs are told to ‘get bankable’ without ever being shown what that actually means,” Lamica said. “Through CEED, we have an opportunity to demystify the lending process, answer real questions, and help founders understand how to position their businesses for capital access and long-term growth.”
The importance of this effort is reflected in the broader small business landscape, organizers said.
Recent U.S. Census data show women-owned and minority-owned firms each represent more than one in five employer businesses nationwide, while veteran-owned businesses remain a significant force in communities across the country.
As these entrepreneurs continue to grow their economic impact, initiatives like CEED to Success help ensure they also have clearer pathways to the financing knowledge, relationships and resources needed to scale.
To learn more and register for the workshop, visit https://bit.ly/startheregetfunded.