{"id":685,"date":"2017-07-12T05:07:54","date_gmt":"2017-07-12T05:07:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastandardnewspaper.com\/staging\/news\/business-1\/pacific-coast-regional-helps-small-businesses-thrive\/"},"modified":"2017-07-12T05:07:54","modified_gmt":"2017-07-12T05:07:54","slug":"pacific-coast-regional-helps-small-businesses-thrive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastandardnewspaper.com\/staging\/news\/business-1\/pacific-coast-regional-helps-small-businesses-thrive\/","title":{"rendered":"Pacific Coast Regional helps small businesses thrive"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">For 40 years, PCR has assisted small business owners with loan programs, classes, and consulting.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Looking to start a small business? Contact Pacific Coast Regional Small Business Development Corporation.&nbsp;<a href=\"http:\/\/pcrsbdc.org\/\" target=\"_blank\">http:\/\/pcrsbdc.org\/<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/pcrsbdc.org\/\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lastandardnewspaper.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/LA-Standard-Ad-Aug-2017-PDF.1web.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">By Jason Lewis<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Many small business owners struggle on a daily basis to keep their lights on, and many people who have ideas to start a business in their community cannot obtain the funds or other resources to get the business started. &nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Since 1977, Pacific Coast Regional (PCR) Small Business Development Corporation has assisted small business owners in obtaining loans, and they have low-cost classes and free one-on-one consulting to help people start and maintain their business.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.connectionsacademy.com\/california-online-school\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lastandardnewspaper.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/CA_CalCA_5x15-5_PRINT_Rev-web.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"pull-right\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Mom-and-pop shops are vital to the growth of a community.&nbsp; These businesses allow business owners and employees to work in the areas that they live, and gives local residents the opportunity to spend money within their own community. &nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">&ldquo;It creates a legacy of wealth in the community,&rdquo; said Mark Robertson, President\/CEO of PCR.&nbsp; &ldquo;That is the foundation on which a community is built.&nbsp; If you have a community of tenants, than ultimately there is no financial stability there in that community.&nbsp; So it&rsquo;s vital that the wealth be created by ownership, and then that wealth be passed on to subsequent generations.&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">PCR was created because many minority-owned businesses struggled to obtain loans from banks.&nbsp; Without small businesses, the amount of jobs that were created in certain communities were limited.&nbsp; Banks deny many companies access to capital because the owners are not in business long enough, do not have enough revenue, or do not have the proper credit score.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">PCR is an alternative lender.&nbsp; They help small businesses gain access to funding to sustain and grow the business through their various loan programs.&nbsp; People who are looking to start a business, or grow an existing business can take advantage of PCR&rsquo;s resources.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">One of PCR&rsquo;s clients was a barber who was looking to open her own shop.&nbsp; Twenty years ago, she contacted PCR.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">&ldquo;She had a lot of experience working at another barbershop,&rdquo; Robertson said.&nbsp; &ldquo;She came to us and said, &lsquo;I have my own book of business, I&rsquo;m ready to have my own shop, can you help me?&rsquo;&nbsp; And we were happy to.&nbsp; In fact, the loan that we gave her to open up the shop, she paid it off early.&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">That barbershop is still in business in the Crenshaw district today, and PCR is still supporting her.&nbsp; Many businesses were impacted by the construction by Metro&rsquo;s Crenshaw\/LAX Transit Project.&nbsp; PCR has given out roughly 200 grants through Metro&rsquo;s Business Interruption Fund.&nbsp; &nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/la_standard_news_photography\/\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lastandardnewspaper.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/02\/Jason-Lewis-photography-ad.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">&ldquo;Here she is, more than 20 years later, being impacted by Metro,&rdquo; Robertson said.&nbsp; &ldquo;And we&rsquo;re more than happy to help her again.&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">PCR offers business classes at their offices near downtown Los Angeles and in Compton.&nbsp; Classes are by topic, they tend to be three or six hours long, and the cost for each class is typically $50-$60.&nbsp; There are classes on creating a business plan, business financing, business management, analyzing financial statements, finding new customers, social media marketing, employee development, etc.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">The one-on-one consulting, where business owners can meet with experts in budgeting, business planning, and financing, is free.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Job creation is of great importance to PCR.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">&ldquo;It&rsquo;s our expectation and hope that jobs will be created when starting the business,&rdquo; Robertson said.&nbsp; &ldquo;Or from giving them a loan to expand the business.&nbsp; One of the questions that we ask is how many jobs will this create.&rdquo; &nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">For every $35,000 loaned, at least one job is expected to be created. &nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">&ldquo;We&rsquo;ve been able to come in way under that,&rdquo; Robertson said.&nbsp; &ldquo;In many instances, we&rsquo;ll have at least one job created for every $15,000, or every $12,000 that we loan.&nbsp; It&rsquo;s not a requirement that jobs are created.&nbsp; But it is our hope that jobs will be the results of our work.&nbsp; And in general it is.&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">For more information about PCR, contact them at (213) 739-2999, or visit their website at <a href=\"http:\/\/www.pcrcorp.org\" target=\"_blank\">www.pcrcorp.org<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/californiasciencecenter.org\/\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lastandardnewspaper.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/10x7_LAStandard_12Pgweb.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.metro.net\/projects\/crenshaw_corridor\/\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lastandardnewspaper.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/05\/metro-ad-web.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-684\" src=\"https:\/\/lastandardnewspaper.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/adversising-tutoringDoc1web.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"555\" height=\"629\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastandardnewspaper.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/adversising-tutoringDoc1web.jpg 555w, https:\/\/lastandardnewspaper.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/adversising-tutoringDoc1web-265x300.jpg 265w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 555px) 100vw, 555px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.saraaraya.com\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lastandardnewspaper.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/6S8R0568-900.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Piano Lessons for children and adults Sara Araya (323) 702-4191 <a href=\"http:\/\/www.saraaraya.com\" target=\"_blank\">www.saraaraya.com<\/a>.&nbsp; Mention the LA Standard and get the first lesson free!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.belladawnplanning.com\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/lastandardnewspaper.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/bella-dawn-ad-6-w.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">Plan your next event with Bella Dawn, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.belladawnplanning.com\" target=\"_blank\">www.belladawnplanning.com<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><strong><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\">For 40 years, PCR has assisted small business owners with loan programs, classes, and consulting.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":631,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[42],"tags":[489,93,487,488,161,156,157,75,163,486,162,101,102,158,160,159],"class_list":["post-685","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-1","tag-alternative-lender","tag-baldwin-hills","tag-business-classes","tag-business-consulting","tag-crenshaw","tag-ladera-heights","tag-leimert-park","tag-los-angeles","tag-mid-city","tag-pacific-coast-regional","tag-park-mesa-heights","tag-small-business","tag-south-los-angeles","tag-view-park","tag-west-adams","tag-windsor-hills"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastandardnewspaper.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/685","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastandardnewspaper.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastandardnewspaper.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastandardnewspaper.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastandardnewspaper.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=685"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastandardnewspaper.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/685\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastandardnewspaper.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/631"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastandardnewspaper.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=685"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastandardnewspaper.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=685"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastandardnewspaper.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=685"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}