For Immediate Release
CONTACT: Jennifer Guess, 687-3322

Women's Economic Ventures Welcomes 29 New Entrepreneurs to the Ventura County Business Community

Women's Economic Ventures' 14-week Self-Employment Training program helps individuals start, operate or expand a business; enrollment is now open for February classes

Ventura, CA, December 5, 2007 - This December, Women's Economic Ventures (WEV) will honor close to 100 individuals at graduation ceremonies taking place in Ventura, Santa Barbara and Santa Maria. The graduates have recently completed WEV's intensive self-employment training course, and many are about to go out into the community and begin businesses of their own.

On Thursday, December 13 th, 24 individuals will graduate from the English program and 5 will graduate from the Spanish program in Ventura County. The ceremony will be held at the Knights of Columbus Hall, in Ventura. During the ceremony, each graduate will be recognized for their achievements, and will announce their new business venture. The event will conclude with a reception and "business expo" where graduates will showcase their new or pre-launch businesses. Ventura WEV graduate businesses include: [short list of example business here]

"This is a proud time for these entrepreneurs who have worked extremely hard to complete WEV's Self-Employment Training course," said Mary Anne Rooney, Ventura County Regional Leader for WEV. "We are thrilled to provide the stepping stones for women to take their business ideas from dream to reality."

There are now more than 1,200 businesses throughout Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties owned and operated by graduates of WEV's Self-Employment Training program or recipients of small business loans through WEV.

MEDIA OPPORTUNITY

WHAT: Graduation ceremony & reception honoring WEV's Self-Employment Training program graduates

WHEN: Thursday, December 13, 6 - 8 pm

WHERE: Knights of Columbus, 36 Figueroa Street, Ventura

WHO: WEV graduates, WEV executives and staff, community partners, friends, family and invited guests

MEDIA CONTACT: Jennifer Guess, 805-687-3322

WEV's comprehensive 14 week, 56-hour Self-Employment Training program is targeted at women, (and also serves men) to provide guidance on how to start, operate and expand a business. The program is offered in both English and Spanish, and provides week-by-week training in the most important aspects of organizing, financing, marketing and managing a small business. Topics include personal leadership skills, personal finances, marketing and sales, public relations and advertising, legal and insurance issues, record keeping, cash flow projections, and writing a business plan.

The Self-Employment Training course is offered twice each year, with classes starting in September and February. The class runs for 14 consecutive weeks, one night a week for 3 hours, and includes two full Saturdays. Classes are taught in Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, Oxnard, Thousand Oaks and Ventura. Open enrollment for the course means that participants can sign up at any time throughout the year, after attending a free one-hour orientation workshop. ( See below for orientation dates). English and Spanish language orientations are held in Santa Maria, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, and other locations throughout Ventura County.

Self-Employment Training courses are part of WEV's continuum of programs that help women entrepreneurs start-up, launch, grow, and sustain a business, including business counseling, advanced business training, quarterly conferences, professional networking events, and small business start-up and expansion loans.

About Women's Economic Ventures (WEV)

WEV is dedicated to creating an equitable and just society through the economic empowerment of women across the globe. Since 1991, WEV has been providing self-employment training, technical assistance and microloans to primarily low-income women. Today, WEV offers a continuum of programs to help women succeed at every stage of the business lifecycle. Services include comprehensive self-employment training program, advanced training, business counseling, coaching, and networking opportunities to help individuals to startup, launch, grow, and sustain a business. WEV's service area has grown to include north and south Santa Barbara County and Ventura County with offices in Santa Barbara and Oxnard. WEV's Small Business Loan Fund (SBLF) provides start-up and expansion loans to pre-bankable microenterprises. WEV was designated a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) in 1999 by the U.S. Department of the Treasury. In 2005, the Small Business Administration recognized WEV as the most productive Women's Business Center in the nation. The WEV website is at www.wevonline.org.

WEV is partially funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). SBA's funding is not an endorsement of any products, opinions or services. All SBA funded programs are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.

Orientation dates in Oxnard - Please call today to make a reservation (for 2008 orientations visit www.wevonline.org)

For locations and details please call 805-604-9000 or go online to www.wevonline.org.

English:

Dec. 19, 6-7 pm, Oxnard

Spanish:

Dec. 19, 7-8 pm, Oxnard

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