FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 25, 2006
Conference to Focus on First Years of a Business In the increasingly competitive world for small business, demonstrating business viability is critical to obtaining necessary capital for business growth. According to a 2005 study, two-thirds of new employer establishments survive at least two years, and 44 percent survive at least four years. Thriving in these critical first years has never been more important to the long term success of a small business. At the Oct. 31 Dream and Discover Entrepreneur Conference, Lina Ramos, president of San Diego-based Emerging Growth Enterprise, will deliver insights on strategies to catalyze business growth and secure expansion capital to take a start-up business to a new level. Ramos' proven track record in growth planning, business building and financing high-technology, biotechnology and service-based businesses includes successful customer acquisition, strategic alliances and grant/equity financing. Prior to founding Emerging Growth Enterprise, Ramos held profit-and-loss responsibility at the division, category, and products and services levels for Fortune 1000s, including Booz Allen Sales Estimating System, Procter & Gamble and Monsanto. "Start-ups, spin-outs and small businesses drive economic development and contribute innovative solutions to unmet market needs," said Ramos. "A start-up's transition into rapid growth is critical, and that's why Emerging Growth Enterprise dedicates its entire practice to advancing successful commercialization of emerging companies." A veteran entrepreneur who successfully led early enterprises through those critical first few years of expansion, Ramos' demonstrated results in operations, enterprise growth, and strategic alliances/acquisitions include a $185 million acquisition approval and 28 percent division sales turnaround establishing market leadership for a 105-person spin-out division, which she built and ran; $10 million-plus multi-product launch for franchise expansion; and $25 million equity raise for an emerging San Diego-based software company. Her presentation at the conference will draw upon these experiences as she shares her insights on the topic of business expansion. According the U.S. Small Business Administration, 550,000 small businesses are started every year. California is home to 2.6 million small businesses, with half the state's employment in small business. The Dream and Discover Entrepreneur Conference will speak to the needs of entrepreneurs who have a desire to start, expand or develop their business. The conference is sponsored by the College of the Canyons Center for Applied Competitive Technologies, the Small Business Development Center hosted by College of the Canyons, and the California Community College Economic and Workforce Development Division. To learn more about the conference, visit www.canyonsconference.com or call the College of the Canyons Economic Development Division at (661) 259.3874. For more details on Emerging Growth Enterprise, visit www.emergingenterprise.com. | 
