SAFFORD — Safford City Manager Eric Bejarano said bringing back the Community Conversation series was spurred by the closing of a small business in Safford’s Downtown, a closure that took the community by surprise. He explained that 20 percent of all new small businesses fail within the first two years, 45 percent fail in the first five years and 65 percent fail within 10 years.
The goal of Wednesday’s Conversation at the Library annex, he said, was to help Safford businesses avoid being a part of those statistics.
“Over 99 percent of our economy is supported by small business. Small businesses are important to what we do (and) small businesses are definitely important to all of you in this room,” Bejarano said.
The City of Safford partnered with the Small Business Development Center at Eastern Arizona College to stage the Conversation about services and resources available to existing business owners and those thinking of starting a business.
Attendees also heard from Enrique Garcia, branch manager for OneAZ Credit Union, about the basic requirements of obtaining financing; about regulations and business licensing requirements from city officials; and the real-life experiences of owning a business from Jenny Howard, owner of the Tiny Bean Coffee Kiosk and former owner of Ginaveve’s Market Place.
– David Bell Photo/Gila Valley Central
Howard talked about marketing strategies, being able to pivot and evolve the business, listening to customers and staff, and, most importantly, paying attention to the accounting.
“That’s the main thing; you’ve got to watch your numbers and your profits. What’s selling, what’s not selling and when it’s selling,” Howard said.
Torey Cranford, business analyst with the SBDC, recommended business owners take part in the Dreambuilder program, a nine-week course designed to help entrepreneurs develop a business plan, as well as get input on accounting and marketing.
– David Bell Photo/Gila Valley Central
