A distinct, new resource to serve as a catalyst for the creation of new businesses and the growth of existing small businesses in Southwest Riverside County has been created in the city of Temecula and slated to open in July.

The Entrepreneurial Resource Center (ERC) is the result of a partnership with the Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE) at Cal State San Bernardino, the Riverside County Office of Economic Development and the city of Temecula.

The ERC will be an easily accessible hub for small business training and technical assistance services at the Temecula Valley Entrepreneurs Exchange (TVE2), located in the city of Temecula.

Occupying the entire second floor of the TVE2, the ERC will bring together a wide range of entrepreneurial support organizations to provide a complete set of training, technical assistance and access to resources for small business owners and entrepreneurs in the city and adjacent communities, said Paul Nolta, program director of the IECE Inland Empire Small Business Development Center.  

The new center will improve access to resources for all aspiring and existing entrepreneurs, increase the rate of business creation, and foster greater success and long-term sustainability for local small businesses. The ERC will also seek to address disparities in small business ownership and entrepreneurship through a deliberate focus and outreach to underrepresented groups in the region, Nolta said.

“The ERC in Temecula is exemplary in bringing together public education and local government to support the economic dynamism of our region through the creation of new companies and the growth of existing ventures,” said Tomás Gómez-Arias, dean of the CSUSB Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration.  

City of Temecula Mayor Zak Schwank said, “The city of Temecula is thrilled to be a partner and facility host to such a forward-thinking effort. Small businesses are the backbone of our local economy, and the ERC will raise the bar in providing the utmost in access and availability to partners and resources to help local business in the Temecula Valley grow and thrive.” 

Riverside County Supervisor Chuck Washington said, “Small business growth and entrepreneurship are the past, present and future of Riverside County’s economy. The county has a long history of supporting innovative programs for our small businesses and the ERC will be a significant asset to those efforts. The ERC is the first center of its kind in the inland region and will create a hub of diverse regional partners working together for business growth.”

The ERC will leverage the longstanding relationship of the three partners, who share a significant commitment to delivering innovative programs and resources that support entrepreneurship in the region.

The IECE, housed at the Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration at CSUSB, is one of the largest university-based centers in the world and has a 20-plus year track record of providing business assistance programs, having served more than 173,000 business owners and achieving an economic impact of more than $534 million.

The ERC represents another step in the evolution of the IECE.

Already widely regarded as the “go-to” resource for entrepreneurs in the Inland Empire, the new ERC will serve as an anchor for local entrepreneurs seeking the coordinated assistance of more than a dozen varied entities that offer support for those looking to launch or expand a new business. This will include training, technical assistance, funding, marketing and other services needed by owners and managers of new enterprises, said Mike Stull, a professor of entrepreneurship and director of the IECE and the CSUSB School of Entrepreneurship.

“The ERC is a great addition to the region that will work closely with and supplement existing efforts such as the Inland Empire Tech Bridge, ExCITE incubator and Murrieta Innovation Center,” Stull said. 

Each partner is making a significant commitment to ensure the success of the ERC, including the Riverside County Office of Economic Development’s investment of $1.725 million over three years, the IECE bringing in its major business assistance programs including the Inland Empire Small Business Development Center (IESBDC) and Inland Empire Women’s Business Center (IEWBC), and the City of Temecula providing the 10,000 square feet of physical space at the TVE2. 

About CSUSB’s Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship
The Inland Empire Center for Entrepreneurship (IECE) at Cal State San Bernardino is the largest and most experienced organization in the Inland Empire dedicated to supporting small business and entrepreneurship on campus for the Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration’s School of Entrepreneurship, and within the community throughout the Inland Southern California region. Established in 1999, the IECE has served over 173,000 individuals and business owners with comprehensive business counseling, mentoring, innovative training programs and engaging events. These services have resulted in the creation and retention of nearly 42,000 jobs and an economic impact of $534 million. The center is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion and strives to continue to expand its reach across all business owners to support them through the post-pandemic repopulation and beyond.

The top tier segments of the IECE include the Women’s Business Centers (IEWBC.org) (CVWBC.org), the Small Business Development Centers (IESBDC) (ociesmallbusiness.org) and the Cross Border E-Commerce-Asia program (CBEC Asia) (cbecasia.com) and the Spirit of the Entrepreneur Awards (spiritawardsie.com).

To learn more about IECE and all of the programs available, visit entre.csusb.edu.