Bakersfield,

CA

Transcript

Starstruck Entertainment Services

My name is Marcus Johnson. I am CEO of Starstruck Entertainment Services out of Bakersfield, California.

Essentially I was unemployed, laid off, worked for a great organization in 2009. I remember I called my wife up and said 'Hey I've got good news" and she's like, 'Great!" She says, 'What's the good news" I say, 'I got a promotion." She says, 'Great what's the promotion" I say, 'I got laid off" and her jaw about hit the ground. I had a concept for the business model of Starstruck which is providing entertainment guest support services. I actually happened to see an article in our local magazine, Bakersfield Live, and it talked about how the SBDC was willing to promote and provide support to local businesses and so from reading that article I immediately called the SBDC and they were on it. I had a great consultant. He took on the same passion of helping my business as if he had a vested interest in it himself. It kind of helps, if you would, to have somebody that you got an idea and say, 'Hey I'll come alongside and walk with you through the process." It makes it a lot easier. We reviewed over our employee handbook before we distributed that out, I brought in some individuals that were in marketing, HR, disclosed with him the business plan, the business model, just to have constructive feedback to see if it was sound and that is how the SBDC has been very supportive in that way. I could go on and on. Because of people like the SBDC, I'm in this position now. Now I look back and say 'Wow, I'm CEO of a company. Wow, there are eighty-some people that are employed. Wow, there are five branded divisions. Wow." So I definitely would recommend anybody that has an entrepreneur idea to consider it as an option or tour asset, the SBDC to at least move them in the direction to either developing to get to a plan to have a business or to enhance it to expand that plan.