Think Contra Costa Campaign Expands Business Growth Opportunities for Entrepreneurs and Businesses
Campaign partners create no- and low-cost business service hubs throughout the county.
Concord, CA (October 11, 2023) – Think Contra Costa, an initiative of the Workforce Development Board of Contra Costa County (WDBCCC), has launched a county-wide professional network of organizations that will focus on starting, growing and retaining companies within Contra Costa County. The goal is to make it easier for entrepreneurs and companies of all sizes to tap into valuable information, consultations, resources, tools, events and funding streams, both virtually and at in-person pop up events throughout the county.
There are several factors which led to the demand for this initiative, including retaining a diverse and talented talent base. Compared to the rest of the Bay Area, approximately 42% of residents commute to neighboring counties for work, leaving Contra Costa with a shortage of skilled labor. Housing shortages, homelessness, and a lack of affordable housing contribute to the specific issues in the county.
Contra Costa is affected by the same issues other California businesses are facing, from data privacy and security, digitization, inflation, supply chain issues, California employment laws, and the disadvantages minority business owners continue to confront, who account for 20% of all U.S. business owners, and 45% in California.
“We have extensively examined the themes facing entrepreneurs and business owners in our region. Think Contra Costa provides a dependable resource that will meet them where they are physically and at any stage in their business cycle, to keep local businesses not only open and surviving, but thriving,” shared Tamia Brown, Executive Director, WDBCC.
Available services include entrepreneurship & business startup consultations, advising, and coaching; funding and loans opportunities; regulatory and legal assistance; workforce talent and training; growth services; and business networking.
Inaugural partners in the initiative include a variety of organization such as East Bay Works, Bay Area Development, GoBIZ, the Latino Business Resource Center, Port Labs, LLC, the Small Business Development Center East Bay, chambers of commerce and city economic developers. Emerging and established entrepreneurs, small businesses, and interested partners are encouraged to reach out for more information via ThinkContraCosta.com or by calling 833-453-9555.
About the Workforce Development Board of Contra Costa County: a business-led board that builds public-private partnerships with education, economic development, labor, and community organizations to solve complex workforce challenges. Our work achieves equitable economic growth for Contra Costa County. We ensure a pipeline of diverse workforce talent is available to keep local companies competitive. Through our strategic connections and partnerships, we find innovative, sustainable solutions to solve complex workforce issues and leverage public-private resources to benefit the workforce and businesses alike.
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