(Left to Right) Leah Gonzales, WEV Program Manager; Danelle Mangone, WEV Development Coordinator and Devon Johnson, WEV Loan Fund Manager with Lisa Gaede, WEV client and owner of Carlyle Salon and Shanna Spencer, WEV client and Carlyle stylist enjoy the WEV Connects networking event hosted at Carlyle Salon and Style Bar. About 50 attendees enjoyed light refreshments and delicious bread samples from WEV client business, Genuine Bread Co. and connected with others in the local business community.

To show support for small business, Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV) hosted a free networking event at WEV client business, Carlyle Salon and Style Bar on Tuesday, July 16th, located at 350 Chapala Street #101, Santa Barbara, CA 93101.

WEV aims to boost economic recovery and support individual independence through the process of creating and supporting small businesses. The “WEV Connects” event at Carlyle Salon sought to allow anyone thinking about owning their own business to speak with other small business owners and connect with the WEV community of business people, donors, volunteers, and staff. Attendees learned more about how WEV helps small businesses succeed and checked out popular WEV business, Carlyle Salon and Style Bar, whose owner Lisa Gaede, has created a fun, sophisticated salon where old meets new and a great service and style are at the forefront of every occasion.

Gaede is a graduate of WEV’s Women’s Business Center’s comprehensive 14 week, 56-hour Self-Employment Training (SET) program that provides guidance on how to start, operate or expand a business. This week marked Carlyle Salon’s one-year anniversary and Gaede credits WEV for providing the tools and support needed to take the leap into successful entrepreneurship.

Since 1991, WEV has helped to create or expand over 2,000 businesses, creating or retaining over 3,000 local jobs through training, loans and other resources to help local women – and men – start or grow a business.

This September, WEV’s fall business training programs begin and WEV is offering free one-hour orientations throughout July and August. Attending an orientation is the first step to deciding if entrepreneurship is right for you! The next one in Santa Barbara is taking place Thursday, July 25th, 6-7pm. More information, dates and locations at http://www.wevonline.org/set-orientations.

About Women’s Economic Ventures (WEV)

WEV is dedicated to creating an equitable and just society through the economic empowerment of women. Since 1991, WEV has been providing self-employment training, technical assistance and microloans to primarily low-income women. WEV offers a continuum of programs to help both women and men start, stabilize and grow small businesses. WEV’s service area includes Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties, with offices in Santa Barbara and Ventura. WEV’s Small Business Loan Fund provides start-up and expansion loans of up to $50,000 to pre-bankable microenterprises. For more information, visit WEV’s Web site at http://www.wevonline.org.

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