NO-COST BUSINESS CONSULTING (TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE)

The Women's Business Center provides no-cost business consultations as one of our primary services. We have an elite team of consultants that have extensive expertise in fields including marketing, organizational development, finance, business management, to many more. Consultations are offered as an individual service or as a supplementary benefit to our entrepreneurial training course graduates to assist individuals in starting or profitably growing their business.

Carrie Asuncion

Business Consultant

Human Resources, Business Mindset

Carrie is a high energy, powerhouse who helps business leaders & teams build profitable, sustainable businesses. She has over 20 years experience in transformational leadership. Initially as a Human Resource executive, then later as a business coach. She’s guided thousands of clients to trust themselves as they bust through what holds them back. She offers group facilitation, retreats and coaching to clients around the world.

Uli Billington

Marketing & Business Consultant

Owner of Scoop the Magic

Uli is a highly accomplished Marketing and Sales Executive with 20 years of experience building and growing international brands and managing and leading global teams. She holds a degree in Hospitality Management, Event Management, and Marketing and is fluent in English, German, and French. A native of Germany, Uli moved to San Luis Obispo in 2013 and has since become an active community member, giving back through her involvement as a consultant with MCSC since 2018.

In 2017, Uli left the corporate world to pursue her entrepreneurial spirit and started working as an Online Business Manager and Business Consultant. She is an expert in guiding her clients on many aspects of sales, marketing, operations, and business development, helping them stay focused on what truly matters for their business. In 2019, Uli started her second business, Scoop the Magic - locally made small batch dairy-free ice cream.

Uli values community and is involved in several local networking organizations. She has a love for food and creating delicious meals and brining people together around the table. In her free time, she enjoys the outdoors with her daughter and dog.

Carla Blandon
Bilingual Business Consultant

Start Up, Operations

Owner of Essence Beauty Store in Pismo Beach, California

Supporting Latino Entrepreneurs
Latino entrepreneurs, like myself, all come to America with a dream, but the barriers they encounter can be crippling to their success. Not understanding the language, culture, and just not knowing where to start in business can all affect our success.

I have partnered with local nonprofits that support and teach Latino entrepreneurs how to start their own businesses and provide them with the tools and skills to be successful.

I was always inspired by my parents and their entrepreneurial culture. They owned a hotel in Nicaragua and they taught me that the entrepreneurial world is not for everyone, but if you put the work into it and have the drive, it will pay off. I have always had a passion for beauty and fashion and when the opportunity arose, I did not think twice; I knew this was the business that reflected who I am and what I love.

Brian Burgess

Business Consultant

Tax, Finance, Process improvement, QuickBooks and Accounting Software

Brian earned his B.S. in Business Administration concentrating in Accounting and Finance as well as his Masters of Accountancy in Taxation from Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo. After working in public accounting, he attained his CPA license and moved into the private sector. In his 10 years of business experience, he has spent time in the accounting, education, printing, apparel, and construction industries including 5 years as the CFO for a small but long established printing business.

Brian has hands on experience improving manufacturing processes, business acquisition, Human Resources, contract review, and IT. He specializes in accounting, data analysis, and process improvement. He joined MCSC as a consultant in 2021.

Steve Burgess

Business Consultant

Startup Mentor, Operations, Technology

Steve Burgess is the president of Burgess Consulting and Forensics. A founder of the data recovery industry in 1984 and a pioneer of today’s burgeoning computer forensics and electronic discovery industry, Steve is active as a digital forensic specialist and testifies widely as an expert witness in the field. He is a tech writer & speaker, startup mentor, and an internationally recognized computer forensics consultant. He is a nanotechnology activist and worked with The Foresight Institute in Silicon Valley for 5 years, the last 3 as President.

Steve regularly writes on cyber issues, tech tips, and CSI stories and recently published 1000 Syllables, a book of Haiku with photos of San Luis Obispo County. Steve has been an entrepreneur for almost 4 decades and is passionate about helping others. He joined MCSC in 2021.

Gina Cinardo

Business Consultant

Advertising and Marketing, Social Media, Facebook, WordPress Websites, Studio Photography

Owner of Ginici Studios, Gina is a Professional Photographer and Graphic Designer. She specializes in portrait photography and helping new businesses set up starter websites in WordPress and develop a social media presence.  She networks regularly in the local community and is currently the BNI SLO Founding Chapter President in San Luis Obispo. 

Gina received a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art Photography from ASU in Tempe, AZ. After receiving her degree she worked as the lead photographer and manager of a very busy photography studio in Mesa, AZ for 11 years. After which she became a contractor for the Air Force Research Laboratory as a Media Specialist, designing logos, laying out presentations and signage, training packets and photographing employee and military portraits, special events and research exercises. 

In 2010 Gina moved to the Central Coast and started her own business in San Luis Obispo to help small businesses with their marketing and/or presentation challenges of their own. Her mission is to “tell a story” and develop designs and images that convey the right message effectively about a business to their customers. In the beginning of launching her business Ginici Studios, Gina successfully completed the Start, Run and Grow Your Business course offered through the MCSC Women's Business Center.

Adela Contreras
Bilingual Business Consultant
Startup Mentor

Adela has been helping small business owners launch and streamline their businesses for over 20 years. Her specialty is solving problems and she enjoys helping small business owners find administrative support, create training and client support processes, and project management.

Adela comes from a family of entrepreneurial women and is proud to follow in their footsteps.

Jen Dudley

Business Consultant

Startup Mentor

Founder and owner of Jenerator, Inc., Jen is an intuitive and diverse business consultant. With a commitment to business owners being aligned and fulfilled by their businesses and lives, Jen is able to jump in anywhere a business owner is being challenged. She can help create clarity, find focus and build momentum. She specializes in strategic branding based on strong mission/vision/values statements, streamlined operations, efficient and effective teams and smart marketing. She offers sound business guidance to scaffold entrepreneurs into confident business management and profitability. She is certified with multiple leading entrepreneurship communities including Intuit’s Design for Delight and Entrepreneurial Leadership Initiative/Ice House. 

Jen received a B.S. in Communications from Boston University and has since worked in all areas of marketing and business management including directing multi-million dollar teams and businesses. Jen’s greatest joy is helping business owners see their way to business success while staying fully aligned with their core values and maintaining a healthy life balance.  She has supported hundreds of business owners nationally (and some internationally) and she enjoys working with passionate, mission-driven business owners. She joined MCSC as a consultant in 2017. 

Heidi Parr Kerner

Business Consultant

Networking, Sales, Mindset, Marketing

Heidi career spans 25 + years and she is a leader in the arena of women's empowerment, business networking, motivational speaking, sales training, and transformational change.

She provides step by step guidance to assist others out of their comfort zone and live boldly and confidently in their business and personal lives. She is especially passionate about mentoring women entrepreneurs and professionals and joined MCSC as a consultant in 2021.

Heidi is very involved in community theater, the arts, and dancing and she loves to travel with her husband, Phil.

Christine Marie
Business Consultant

Emergency Relief Funding

Christine is an artist with over 20 years experience in the creative industries in Southern California with a focus on design in the graphics, interior, fashion, TV/film and events industries; with an emphasis on strategic alliances, client, community relations, marketing and development.

Before returning to San Luis Obispo, she worked with A-list clients to create memorable client experiences, increased revenue streams, funnel marketing campaigns, efficiency optimization protocols and sales strategies.

Utilizing industrial design fabrication techniques and her previous experience of bringing products from design-to-market, Christine has recently expanded her artwork to produce new life for found objects, continues to curate exhibits around the county and has a start-up in progress. She has been a consultant with MCSC since 2019.

Jennifer Magana

Monterey County Business Development Consultant

Small Business Coach, Mentor & Public Speaker

Founder and CEO of Jennifer Magana & Associates, LLC., Jennifer mobilizes entrepreneurs to start their own businesses and mentors them along the way. She is also recognized in her community for taking existing businesses to the next level. She specializes in business formation, permit & licensing, business strategy, tax preparation and contract negotiation. She is an active member of Salinas Chamber of Commerce and Professional Women’s Network of the Monterey Peninsula. Jennifer Mission is to help as many women find their passion and turn into a profitable business to create generational wealth to leave an impactful legacy for their families.

Jennifer graduated from Heald College and Central Coast College where she obtained her Paralegal & Accounting diplomas. As an inspirational business influencer, she loves sharing her knowledge and inspire other women to get out of their comfort zone and live a life they are proud of. She is fluent in Spanish and English.

In her free time Jennifer is a voracious reader and enjoys spending time with her family, watching movies, home decorating and traveling.

Kristin Mehiel

Business Consultant

Marketing and Sales Strategist

Kristin is a sales and marketing expert with a 20+ year track record. As the co-founder of a successful manufacturing company, she has first-hand experience bringing a business to profitability. Kristin’s experience includes serving as an executive in 2 national companies, Head of Sales and Market Development and Director of Market Development with an eCommerce company. She has extensive experience working with small business owners at all levels.

Prior to moving to the Central Coast, Kristin was the founding publisher of a leading publication for fine dining and specialty restaurants.

Bernard “Bernie” Ringer-Britz

Bilingual Business Consultant

Start Up Mentor, Generalist

For the past three decades, clients have appreciated Bernie’s reliable and creative solutions across the U.S. and abroad. Focusing on small and medium sized businesses has provided him connection and perspective to the governance and development required by those businesses to operate, by sharing knowledge acquired as Operations Manager for an international publicly traded company.

His passion for nurturing small businesses has led him to seek out opportunities to give back to the community as well. As a consultant Bernie offers guidance and direct support to local and international entrepreneurs. Fluent in Spanish, he has volunteered to teach business basics to microloan recipients in impoverished nations like Nicaragua and Guatemala. He continues his contributions as a consultant for the MCSC Women’s Business Center of San Luis Obispo, helping women starting local businesses from idea to execution.

Bernard has developed a broad knowledge and experience in business operations, contracts, and interpreting complex regulations and codes through the operation of his business, and in the simultaneous managing of several others. His passion thrives in the vision and creation of business and architecture through listening and collaborating on the ideas of others.

Patty Ross

Business Consultant

Social Media Marketing

Patty has well over 20 years experience in marketing and has been in the online space since 1998 where she developed an e-commerce program for a gourmet gift company into a million dollar business. She has spent 14 years helping the wine industry gain traction online and has since branched out to help other industries grow their brands including financial, legal, health and beauty, motorsports, landscape design, political activism and non profits. Golden State Marketing and her other business, California Wine Marketing, were founded in 2006. 

Patty is a California native, born and raised in Los Angeles where she attended college with an emphasis on journalism and public relations. She brings 21 years experience helping businesses with customer support, e-commerce and marketing and owns Golden State Marketing. When not working, Patty loves to ride her motorcycle and play with her pugs at the beach.

Lorelei Sibet

Business Consultant

Experienced Founder, Board Member, Marketing, and Investor Relations executive.  Lorelei spent over 10 years with Discovery Channel and 14+ other networks creating software and managing online advertising campaigns that generated over $35M in annual advertising revenue. She is a driven entrepreneur; her strengths include executive leadership, startup strategy, and attracting key investors. Most recently, Lorelei led a team that completed the business plan and pitch deck for a Series A and within two months secured $900k in soft commitment.

She is a Founding Investor and Board Member of SLO MakerSpace and is helps oversee their community reach and growth, including identifying and developing strategic partnerships with the County of San Luis Obispo Public Libraries and the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Lorelei is also the Founder of the San Luis Obispo County Women Entrepreneurs Group, a social and networking group for women entrepreneurs and business owners in SLO County. She joined MCSC as a consultant in 2018.

Justin Stoner

Digital Marketing Consultant

Justin is a passionate communicator with 18 years experience helping small business owners develop realistic and dynamic marketing strategies. He graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Political Science from the University of Southern California. He worked for many years as a journalist covering politics and public policy before entering the world of politics, working for members of Congress and the State Legislature. 

Returning to his love of communication he now serves as a media consultant for the San Luis Obispo Tribune where he helps real estate companies develop marketing plans that combine print, digital and social media tactics to reach buyers and sellers. He is deeply versed in digital marketing with the latest technologies that target consumers by their specific interests. Justin joined MCSC as a consultant in 2018.