Business
An Open Letter to Inland Empire Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners — By Mike Stull
An Open Letter to Inland Empire Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners:
By Mike Stull — Director, Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship – Jack H. Brown College of Business & Public Administration
Could be worse. Not sure how, but it could be. -Eeyore
We hear you. For the entrepreneurs and small business owners in our community, particularly those we work with day in and day out, we wanted you to be aware that we hear and understand your frustration with the uncertainty that you are dealing with. Many of the team members at the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE) are themselves business owners, so the uncertainty and challenges hit close to home for us as well. Several of us have had to close businesses or put them on hold. This is an unprecedented time for business. This is not business as usual.
The good news in all this? The government is here and they want to help. In the face of the last great recession, such support was never there – the majority of the attention went towards the “too big to fail” category. Not this time around. It speaks volumes that our government is placing such a high priority on assisting small businesses.
Unfortunately, the Small Business Administration (SBA) programs were promoted via numerous media channels as if they were ready to go at the push of a button. They were not. The SBA, with programs such as the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), have never had to deal with the scope of such a pervasive national disaster. The SBA’s Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is a new program being launched in real time with no time for testing or fine-tuning. The process for setting up brand new procedures, taking in applications, reviewing docs, setting up accounts, making sure all info is secure, and delivery of the final product takes time.
Despite these challenges, the dedicated team of SBA professionals is delivering in a big way – overall, there has been outstanding progress and help reaching businesses –more and more every day. For example, in California, the SBA and its participating lenders processed nearly 113,000 PPP loans – a total of $33.4 billion – in just two weeks. According to the SBA, they processed more loans in that period than in the previous 14 years!
What can you do? Stay persistent and keep communicating with your lender if you are applying for any of these programs. Creatively do whatever it takes to gain access to the resources your business needs – just like the small business owner in Los Angeles who avoided the big lenders and sought out a small community lender in North Carolina to get his loan. Reach out to your peers and programs like ours for support – we are listening and helping business owners every day through our SBA-supported programs like the Women’s Business Center and Small Business Development Center. Our counseling services and webinars are some of the tools you can use to navigate these difficult times.
Don’t forget this – right now, you are the most important asset for your business! We believe the starting point for navigating the challenges is your resolve to survive and come out on the other side. As an entrepreneur, you already understand that NO is not really an option. You have operated a business long enough to know it takes an ownership mindset, drive for results, and the never-ending process of learning and adapting. This is what makes business owners unique from the rest of the population!
Will you come out on the other side? This situation will pass – just like the last recession. But will your business still be around? We cannot predict the future, and we know that some luck will be needed for every business. But WE are betting on YOU!
There are always options and you need to focus and analyze your true options – what is actually ready today and in YOUR control that will put you in a better place for your business. Many of you survived the great recession, when there were NO loan or grant programs to help. It is possible to get through this, but it may be the hardest challenge you will ever face as a business owner. We know that some businesses may be closed completely – yet if you have the ability to partially open and have the ability to forge on, pivot, or hold steadfast and be in some aspect of control, then do it! Take control and do those things that will keep you in operation and have you better positioned when one of the SBA or other support programs become available to you.
A final thought about the power of you. For many of you, when you first started your business, if we had told you that “you would not last 4 weeks let alone 8 weeks” the entrepreneur in you would have done everything in your power to prove us wrong. Entrepreneurs and small business owners are the strength of our economy and our nation. We need you now more than ever to dig in and hang tough! And remember we always stand for the entrepreneur and business owner – we are always here for you.
Our team is here to work with you on planning for your business operations now and beyond:
- Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE) – entre@csusb.edu
- Inland Empire Women’s Business Center (IEWBC) – www.iewbc.org
- Coachella Valley Women’s Business Center (CVWBC) – www.cvwbc.org
- Small Business Development Center (SBDC) – www.iesmallbusiness.com
- State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) – www.californiaexport.org
About the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE) Established in 1999, the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE) supports and celebrate Entrepreneurship & Small Business through innovative programs and educational resources. IECE coordinates academic programs that lead to business degrees in Entrepreneurship for undergraduate and graduate students as well as delivering experiential learning and student support programs such as the Fast Pitch Competition. In the local community, IECE offers existing and aspiring entrepreneurs a wide array of business advisory and mentoring services and entrepreneurial training programs that help them achieve greater levels of success in their business ventures. IECE was recognized internationally by The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and received the Entrepreneurship Spotlight Challenge award for demonstrating leadership in creating (and incubating) cutting-edge business innovations through enriched student learning and experiential education; which ranked them among the top 35 entrepreneurship programs globally. California State University, San Bernardino is a preeminent center of intellectual and cultural activity in Inland Southern California. Opened in 1965 and set at the foothills of the beautiful San Bernardino Mountains, the university serves more than 20,000 students each year and graduates about 4,000 students annually. CSUSB offers 48 undergraduate, 35 graduate, and 1 doctoral degree programs and 14 academic programs with national accreditation.
Business
Sweet Success: The Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce Teams with The Freaky Cookie to Elevate Local WBENC-Certified Business
How The Freaky Cookie Grew with Chamber Support: A WBENC Success Story in the Inland Empire
At the Inland Empire Regional Chamber of Commerce (IERCC), we pride ourselves on championing business growth and recognizing the powerful stories of our members. One standout example is Sheila Cavalier, founder of The Freaky Cookie—a fun and rebellious cookie catering company she launched in 2018 alongside her son, Marcus.
What began as a direct-to-consumer venture has grown into a business-to-business powerhouse, fueled by innovation, strategy, and strong community ties. The Freaky Cookie specializes in custom-labeled, individually wrapped cookies for corporate gifts, bulk orders, and special events. Their nostalgic family recipe, dating back over 90 years, delivers both flavor and flair. As Cavalier puts it, “There’s never not a need for a large amount of cookies.”
Recognizing a unique market opportunity during the pandemic, Sheila pivoted the business model to focus on custom-branded cookies—meeting the surge in demand for individually packaged baked goods that also serve as creative marketing tools. “Corporations were tired of traditional marketing,” she recalls. “Our custom-labeled cookies became a fun, fresh alternative.”
In 2022, Sheila connected with IERCC President Edward Ornelas Jr. during the Multi-Chamber Mixer at Ontario International Airport. That meeting led to The Freaky Cookie joining IERCC, which soon opened doors to strategic partnerships and increased visibility. Through the chamber’s vast network and advocacy, Sheila has built relationships with organizations such as Bank of America, Fifth Third Bank, Top Golf, and Southwest Airlines, which featured The Freaky Cookie in their 50th Anniversary celebration at ONT.
“The IERCC has been a warm and welcoming space,” Cavalier said. “Having the chamber validate our business really means something. It’s helped us get our foot in the door with so many great companies.”
The impact has been tangible. With increased revenue and expanded operations, The Freaky Cookie is no longer just a clever name—it’s a growing force in regional commerce. As Sheila puts it, her goal now is simple but powerful: “Deliver smiles.”
Riverside’s Phenix Technology Leads with Inclusion, Empowering the Disabled Community Through Workforce Training and Employer Education
Written by Logan Rosselli, IEBJ Content Contributor
In the heart of Riverside, off of Chicago Avenue, a small, but mighty team has been quietly manufacturing life-saving equipment for firefighters across the world for over 50 years. Phenix Technology Inc. is an internationally recognized fire helmet manufacturer who builds their products from start to finish right here in the Inland Empire. For their great products, they’ve received numerous awards such as the Greater Riverside Chamber of Commerce’s 2025 Innovator of the Year, a 2016 “E” for Exports award from the U.S. Department of Commerce, a finalist position in the “Coolest Thing Made in California” competition and more. However, their most recent accolade doesn’t involve their products at all.
In 2024, Phenix founded the ground breaking “Opportunity for All” program to provide disabled community members with the opportunity to access career education, hands-on experience and employment opportunities through an 11 week training cohort. In this program, neurodivergent individuals wanting to find stable employment learn about standard hiring practices, writing a resume, effective interviewing and professional attire while getting on-the-job training with a partnered employer in the community. It has helped dozens of disabled community members to find a new sense of independence and achieve their full potential while helping local employers find dependable employees who bring a unique perspective to the workplace.
It’s for this program that the National Association of Workforce Development Boards (NAWB), a representative of over 570 workforce development boards across the United States, honored Phenix with the prestigious W.O. Lawton Business Leadership Award in late March.
“While we take tremendous pride in the products we make, we also believe we have a mission to create a better world through developing opportunities,” said Angel Sanchez, CEO of Phenix Technology in a statement released in early April. “Opportunity for All has helped prove that individuals who have historically been excluded from the workforce don’t just contribute — they elevate organizations. We are honored to receive this national award and grateful to the partners who have helped us make this vision a reality.”
CEO Angel Sanchez Jr. accepts the NAWB Award
Though “Opportunity for All” is certainly the cornerstone program for the company, Phenix’s leadership team was not satisfied to leave their mission there. Thus, in 2024, the company founded its nonprofit arm, Phenix Gateway to offer more programs and advocacy to the community. Through Phenix Gateway, the company offers workforce development workshops for individuals who don’t need the full scale of the “Opportunity for All” program, but want to improve a specific skill like resume writing or workplace social skills.
However, Phenix knows that preparing disabled people for the workforce is only one end of the equation; the workforce also has to be prepared to accept the unique skills, perspectives and challenges of the disabled community. For this reason, Phenix Gateway offers employer training workshops as well as educational materials available to businesses and the community. Training programs cover a lot of ground, ranging from assistance with optimizing interviews for people with neurodevelopmental disorders to creating sensory-friendly environments in the workplace.
In Riverside, these programs have had a huge impact on the local community. As of March 2025, Phenix’s Opportunity for All program has had over two dozen participants and 44% found stable employment through or after the program. Their one-off workforce development workshops have seen over 200 participants learn new skills and help them find employment and the nonprofit currently partners with close to 90 businesses to assist them in their endeavor to create a more inclusive workforce.
Phenix Gateway staff helps a program participant with his skills
For businesses or community members interested in learning how they can support or participate in these programs, Phenix encourages them to reach out by email to info@phenixgateway.org and to attend their First Annual Gala: Rising Together, A Phenix Gateway Celebration, on Thursday, May 15th. Tickets for this event are available at phenixgateway.org.
Empowering Economic Growth: CALED Conference Set to Unite Industry Leaders in Ontario
CALED’s ‘Growing Local Economies from the Ground Up’ Conference is being held in Ontario at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Ontario Airport on May 7-9. This event is co-hosted by the City of Ontario and San Bernardino County, with Jennifer McLain Hiramoto, CALED’s Chair of the Board and Derek Armstrong respectively representing their city and county as Co-Chairs of the event.
With over 950 members and 45 years of empowering economic developers, CALED is the largest economic development association in the country and the annual conference is the number one place to meet and connect with the boots-on-the -ground, decision makers in our communities.
The conference will include a pre-conference teaching tour, ‘Building & Paying for Development Projects’ on May 6th and then begin in full on May 7th, with a welcome session and breakouts. Overall, there will be four general assembly sessions and 18 breakout sessions, which will delve into local economic development practices and innovative tools.
In addition to compelling content, the conference will have numerous opportunities to connect with community leaders and valued peers through networking receptions, the culinary crawl, and new this year, the Tournament of Champions, where conference attendees will navigate a gauntlet of games to win the grand prize on the evening of Thursday, May 8th.
To learn more about the conference and register, visit the CALED website at www.caled.org.
|
Business Journal Newsletter
|
-
Technology2 months agoLA Tech Week Highlights Southern California’s Expanding Tech Ecosystem
-
Entertainment1 month agoROI: Return on Insanity—Lucha VaVoom’s High-Yield Investment in the Pomona Arts Colony
-
Food & Lifestyle2 months agoFogo de Chão Heats Up Rancho Cucamonga Dining Scene
-
Bizz Buzz3 weeks agoRegency Centers Unveils Oak Valley Village: A New Retail Hub Coming to Beaumont, CA
-
Travel & Tourism3 weeks agoFly Ontario, Calif., to Honolulu aboard Southwest Airlines starting in June
-
Transportation1 week agoRegional Leaders Launch “Coalition for Our Future” to Advance Urgent Safety Solutions for I-15 Corridor