Photo by Frank Lopez | From left, Lourdes Chavez and Karina Silva Chavez are a mother-daughter duo that is part of Mar River Co., which provides tree and maintenance services.

Dozens of budding entrepreneurs gathered at the Fresno Pacific University campus recently to offer a peak at the future small business community of the Central Valley.

FPU’s Center for Community Transformation (CTT) held its second-annual “Start-up Fest” on May 23, highlighting the area’s newest business enterprises, resources and connections with experts for entrepreneurs to gain knowledge and grow their business.

The event also included six workshop sessions, with an afternoon portion featuring vendor displays and other opportunities for the community to engage.

Nearly 48 startups attended the vendor portion, offering services in education, food, crafts, health and wellness, construction and more — all supported through the CTT’s entrepreneurial programs and partnerships.

Bryan Feil, CCT associate director, said the purpose of Start-Up Fest is to highlight emerging small businesses and to celebrate the resources that are available for them.

Partners for the event include Access Plus Capital, Central Valley Women’s Entrepreneur Center, Center Valley Immigrant Integration Collaborative, Fresno Area Hispanic Foundation and the Valley Community Small Business Development Center.

Feil said he has noticed an emerging trend of new food truck operations, and e-commerce sites for selling products such as jewelry and hand-made crafts.

He said the more-established business community can help new businesses with more than just financing.

“Sign up to be a business mentor for some of these organizations,” Feil said. “Help the business leader who was you 10-15 years ago and just need some guidance. Also, sponsoring these types of events and letting people know your business is here and how it’s impacting the community.”

Mar River Co.

Karina Silva Chavez is the owner of Mar River Co., providing tree services including removal, stump grinding, lawn maintenance and more. She works with her daughter, Lourdes Chavez, who helps run the family business.

Karina said they’ve been in business for about a year, and mostly do maintenance, residential and commercial.

Demand for tree services has been stoked because of drought conditions.

Lourdes said events like “Start-up Fest” help provide small businesses with connections.

“There are businesses around us,” Lourdes said. “Just today we have met new people with new businesses and created these connections. It also helps us to expand. As owners there is an inside comfort of connection.”

The business was founded by her father, an immigrant, and has been licensed for about a year after having taken the test seven times.

Being a business owner has always been a goal of her father, she said.

Lourdes helps out with social media, promotion and coming up with new business ideas.

 

Tink Construction

Ben Strickland is the owner of Tink Construction, providing framing, drywall, painting, demolition, roof repair, tile and electrical services. He opened about a year and half ago, and is busy with numerous projects.

This is his second time attending the event. He takes part in online FPU programs that help jumpstart small businesses.

“They get you to open your eyes on what’s out there. Going through their online program helped me figure out marketing, strategy and resources. There are all these different outlets out there and they can help you with different things to help get you going,” Strickland said.

Strickland said he set up his booth to promote his business, hand out business cards, talk to people and hopefully meet clients.

He said he has observed many new brick-and-mortar businesses springing up, with many needing remodeling work.

The work is out there, Strickland said.

And the winner is…

Five participating businesses were selected by the “Start-up Fest” partners for the “Ignite Awards,” which highlight small businesses that have shown excellence in leadership and management, a customer centric approach in operation, execution, being flexible, embracing the entrepreneurial spirit and showing passion and resilience.

The businesses that won the “Ignite Awards” are bakery Wake Me Up Farms owned by Ciara Cerro; E-Z Cleaning Services owner Evelia Zepeda; Tostichingon owner Carlos Hernandez, Fonzo’s BBQ owner Alfonzo Mende; and Chez Maryse bakery restaurant owned by Xiamy Ly-Yang.