Skyline debuts new entrepreneur center

The+grand+opening+of+the+center+on+May+29+was+a+celebration+as+%28from+left%29+Skyline+President+Regina+Stanback-Stroud%3B+Karen+Shwartz%2C+board+of+trustees+president%3B+Richard+Soyombo%2C+dean+of+global+learning+studies%3B+board+member+Thomas+Mohr%3B+and+the+Mayor+of+San+Bruno+Jim+Ruane.

Photo by Raul Guerra, courtesy of Skyline PR and Marketing.

The grand opening of the center on May 29 was a celebration as (from left) Skyline President Regina Stanback-Stroud; Karen Shwartz, board of trustees president; Richard Soyombo, dean of global learning studies; board member Thomas Mohr; and the Mayor of San Bruno Jim Ruane.

The newly opened Bay Area Entrepreneur Center is accepting people with ideas to help with their startups.

BAEC was created by Skyline College and aims to generate a “business incubator/accelerator and innovative resource center,” according to their website.

Catherine Fraser, director of BAEC, has a background in entrepreneurship, having created her own advertising agency, which also assists startups in marketing themselves. “In my opinion gone are the
days of a guaranteed job,” Fraser said. “There’s no such thing as job security. So as far as I’m concerned everybody needs to learn how to be an entrepreneur in some way. So that they can be a better employee or in fact start their own business one day.”

The center offers the monthly rental of a desk for $300 and to become a member of BAEC is $47 a month, which includes the workshops as well as access to their conference room for meetings.

Associate director, Raul Guerra, called the center a “hub of office space for small companies in need of resources.”

Upcoming workshops cover topics such as; how to pitch your idea to investors, business management courses, and how to use photography for product placement.

One of the companies to start using the office space is Transfer Hero founded by former Skyline student Melba Madrigal, dedicated to helping community college students get into their dream school.

“It’s great to have space to work out of,” Madrigal said. “We’ve been moving around so much. I’m also looking forward to meeting people who are motivated and in that environment.”