Empowering Small Businesses in Trying Times

Gil Gonzales knows what it means to struggle. During what could only be called a bootstrap childhood growing up in Central California, Mr. Gonzales dealt with poverty, disenfranchisement, and the destructive preconceived notions of others. After working hard during his school years and with the guidance of a few key figures along the way, Gil was able to graduate college and segue into a successful career as an economic development professional, serving at the highest levels of both state and municipal governments in his home state.

Once success was his, however, Gil never forgot his roots. He knew that he wanted to work to ensure the safety and success of the type of small, disenfranchised communities he had grown up in. Additionally, his extensive work with SMBs across California had given him valuable insights into the entrepreneurial spirit, how businesses thrive, and what they needed to know to succeed. That’s why he decided to become an entrepreneur in his own right, founding Aprise, a consulting service dedicated to empowering small to medium-sized businesses.

“Just for the Amazons of the world.”

What Gil had seen again and again during his time in economic development was that SMBs, more often than not, had no idea what resources were available to them, or else thought that certain resources were only for the multinational corporations of the world. When hard times hit, or when a business needed help or guidance on expansion or new hires, Gil saw that many SMB owners didn’t know where to turn. These businesses assumed that tax incentives, grants, and more were “just for the Amazons of the world” and could never be accessed by the “little guys.”

“This was always frustrating for me,” Mr. Gonzales says. “I knew that all of this was there and waiting for these business owners, but they just didn’t think they could do it.”

A Vital Link

That’s where Aprise fits in. Gil knew he had the knowledge and skill set in place to help these SMBs. Gil’s ambition was to provide a vital service to small to medium-sized business owners looking for support in a complex economy.

Gil works to be a facilitator, bridging gaps between SMBs and the programs that can help them succeed. Leveraging his 15+ years of work as a senior economic development professional serving the Mayor of Los Angeles and the Governor of California, Gonzales had gained an extensive amount of insight into how government incentives for SMBs worked. He now has worked to compile this information for SMBs, guiding them through application processes, pointing them in the right direction to access the right programs, and providing tips and insights along the way.

It’s not always easy. The system is complex, and it varies from state to state. Gonzales has worked hard to develop a

Guidance During Trying Times

With the advent of COVID-19, his work has become even more relevant than ever. Mr. Gonzales seeks to expand his work in the SMB sector, facilitating SMB access to vital incentives and packages that can help them get through what may be the most trying economic time in modern history.

“Now more than ever,” says Gonzales, “it’s vitally important for businesses to know they have help out there. My goal is and always has been to provide SMB owners with what they need to get through situations just like this.”

Gonzales sees a bright future for SMBs as our economy adjust to a new normal. The resources are there for businesses, and he hopes to connect more and more small business owners with the right inventive programs. “We can all get through this with the right help. I had the right help when I was young and made it through. We can do this together.”

For more information on Gil and his endeavors, visit Aprise.us