HISPANIC BUSINESS CONSULTANTS -2010

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owners and new entrepreneurs are expanding their businesses in this economy. The difference is that they are adapting their products, services, systems, personnel and technology to the changes in the market. Through our program, we train and teach Hispanic business people how to adapt and change their strategies to the needs of the market and the challenges of this economy. Several participants. in our technical assistance program in Spanish have changed their businesses after they developed a business plan and a marketing plan. Some of them found that they needed to reduce their size, others that they needed to increase it and re-think their marketing strategies. Some had to completely change the type of business that they had due to changes in the market. According to the Small Business Administration {SBA), 80% of new businesses close or fail to succeed during the first year due to a lack of business knowledge and information. While a vast quantity of business-related information and start-up programs exists in English, there is a huge void in the Latino entrepreneurial marketplace. These trends lend urgency to the promotion of Spanish-language programs that have as their objective the preparation of capable and well-informed business leaders. Helping dislocated Latinos look at the possibility of becoming self-employed and generating new jobs by starting up a business as an alternative to a traditional career transition is an important step along this path. The above-mentioned factors demonstrate the need for the type of training Hispanic Business Consultants (HBC} is recommending with this proposal: to procure WIA / ARRA funds for an innovative and special project category consisting of entrepreneurial training for the Spanish-speaking community to complement existing job placement services in Santa Ana. Our program will assist laid-off Hispanic workers in coping with their job transition and help prepare them to create their own jobs by providing an alternative as business owners, The intention of this project is to seek support in fulfilling a need that is still clearly unfilled in Orange County. In this weakened U.S. economy, we are seeing some of the highest unemployment rates in history and a great number of businesses closing their doors, especially among Latino workers. Many are now pursuing financial independence through the creation of small businesses as an alternative to continuing work as an employes. Expected results Regarding expected performance and measurements of success, our past experience suggests that approxima#ely 75% of the participants to our business courses who have an existing business will strengthen that business. 50% will expand and hire (on average) one additional person and will also increase sales and profits, Some may decide to close their doors, while others may start a new business in a completely different industry. Hlspantc tiuslness Consu€tants - Rapid fteaponselARRA- eustness Asslsiance program, October 30, 2009 EXHIBIT A