Our Impact
Annually, CAMEO’s 220+ members serve about 34,000 very small businesses with training, business and credit assistance, and loans. These firms — largely startups with less than 5 employees — support or create 51,000 new jobs in California.
Small businesses have a multiplier effect on their local economies 2 times that of national chains
Small businesses create a total of $1.5 billion in economic activity
Over 70% of clients served are low- to moderate-income underserved microbusinessesLearn more about us or view recent news and events.
Why Our Work Matters
Tam Le and Richard Lai, Tam’s Restaurant and Sandwiches
Tam Le is no stranger to making food people can’t get enough of. Her bakery, aptly named Tam’s Bakery, was already a staple for dozens of Garden Grove families, college students, and locals. The immense popularity of an off-menu item, a soup served to royalty in her native Vietnam, prompted Tam and her husband, Richard Lai, to consider opening a restaurant.
Ivellisse Morales, bombilla
For a decade, Ivelisse Morales has been an expert in marketing, helping brands of all sizes with the power of creativity. In 2018, she decided to leave her career in corporate responsibility to start her dream company.
Shannen Enos Pousada, Enos CPR Services
When starting her medical career, Shannen Enos Pousada wanted to be a coroner. But she quickly realized that was not her path. The hospital where she did her coroner training had a busy emergency room with lots of opportunities to learn, so she switched to emergency medicine and became an emergency room nurse.
Dr. Rohini Rattu, Dimples Pediatric Dental
In 2007, Dr. Rohini Rattu obtained her Doctorate of Dental Surgery from Columbia University College of Dental Medicine in New York City. She soon realized her passion for Pediatric Dentistry and wanted to start her own practice.
Michael and Barbara Crosbie, Crosbie Chiropractic
Michael and Barbara Crosbie founded Crosbie Chiropractic in 1983 in Southern California and moved to Humboldt County in 2001. They first set up shop in Rio Dell, then in Fortuna in 2006. Dr. Michael Crosbie dedicates his life to alleviating a myriad of conditions, from low back pain to migraine headaches. He is the only local practitioner of the Koren Specific technique.Are You An Entrepreneur or Micro Business Owner Looking for Support?
Apply for a loan through one of our member organizations.
Explore a compilation of resources for micro business owners.
Upcoming CAMEO Events
View our full calendar of micro business events in California ›
Micro Business News
Highlights from our MicroBiz blog, Must Know from CAMEO, and op-eds on the micro business field.
September 17, 2020
Truth-in-Lending Updates | Upcoming CAMEO Virtual Meetings
September 16, 2020
Study Reveals Jobs Created by Micro-Businesses Provide More than Traditional Benefits
September 15, 2020
Central Coast Regional Member Meeting 2020
September 10, 2020