Our Impact
Annually, CAMEO’s 300+ members serve about 84,000 very small businesses with training, business and credit assistance, and loans. These firms — largely startups with less than 5 employees — support or create 101,000 new jobs in California.
Small businesses have a multiplier effect on their local economies 2 times that of national chains
These small businesses create a total of $7.5 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
Charina Vergara, Titas of Manila
Charina Vergara began her culinary career as a food vendor at local night markets where she offered original Filipino cuisine. In 2019, she was offered a business opportunity to take over an existing Filipino restaurant. Ms. Vergara & her business partner jumped on the chance and became the new owners of Titas of Manila in West Covina, CA.
Ken Granderson and Dale Dowdie, Black Facts
BlackFacts.com is the longest-running data-driven repository of Black history on the internet. BlackFacts.com was created in 1997 by Ken Granderson and Dale Dowdie, two black technologists, who saw there wasn’t a place to get facts about African-Americans online, so they built a place for Black communities to be in control of their narratives. A labor of love for over 25 years, Ken and Dale nurtured this site with no outside investment – no big team, no big venture capital dollars.
Marcos Murrilo, Tapa the World
Marcos Murrilo came here from Mexico in 1996. His first job in the U.S. was working at Tapa the World restaurant in Sacramento. There, he was the executive chef for 11 years. Marcos created several of the specialty dishes that are still on the menu today.
Monica Martinez, Don Bugito
In 2010, Monica Martinez had a vision for a highly sustainable, insect-based snack company. She wanted to honor the indigenous, pre-Hispanic culinary traditions of Mexico. Over the course of the next decade, Monica got the company off the ground mostly with her own funds. She worked as the sole employee of Don Bugito.
Jennifer Sutherlin, Delta Glass Co.
Delta Glass Co. was founded in 1953 by Nelson Palmer. Kenneth Frost later joined Palmer as a partner in the business. The business was originally located on Main Street, only one block east of their current location.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.
November 23, 2021
New Responsible Lending Policy Wins
November 22, 2021