Norcal APEX Accelerator
Community Digital Channel Network
“I was stuck with just one client, and I was having a hard time getting information about the other agencies so I can expand. [Norcal APEX Accelerator] was able to see my problem immediately, and within two sessions showed me how to find the right buyers and make professional contact with them. This worked immediately and I now have 2 new accounts within a matter of a few months.”
| Community Digital Channel Network is a sole proprietorship that delivers multilingual TV advertising to renter communities. They focus on short, 30-second commercials produced in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese to help the community by increasing awareness and access to local resources, health bulletins, and assistance services. Hemantkumar Desai is a part of these communities and began this business after realizing the importance of laundromats as hubs for the community. His goal was to amplify important health and safety information by meeting people where they are and in a language they understood. He founded Community Digital Channel Network with this in mind but found a challenge in connecting with the government agencies in the area. He knew there was a need, and with the business in place, he reached out to Norcal APEX Accelerator for help after meeting with us at a San Mateo small business event. |
Challenges
When first connected with Norcal APEX Accelerator, Community Digital Channel Network had already contracted with the County of Santa Clara and had their Local Business Enterprise (LBE) certification. However, they could not find footing within any other government agencies. To do so, they would need to identify the agencies that could benefit from their services but were at a loss when trying to engage them. Jumping into the world of government contracting can be very confusing – even at the local level, it can be difficult to find purchasing contract information. Each city and county have their own vendor registration as well, and some may honor certifications at the State and local level, while some may not. With so many different factors to consider, and learn, it was difficult to even know where to begin. But after connecting with Norcal APEX Accelerator, they positioned themselves with a winning strategy.
Actions
Once connected with us, Community Digital Channel Network met with their counselor one-on-one to begin forming their marketing plan. First, they identified the agencies that they wanted to target their marketing efforts towards and ensured that their company was registered in each agency’s vendor registration portal. Next, they needed to begin working on their marketing materials. This included a capabilities statement and an elevator pitch, alongside discussion of what an effective emailing strategy looks like for government contracting.
Results
Within 5 counseling sessions with Norcal APEX Accelerator, Community Digital Channel Network was able to grow from a single contract with the County of Santa Clara to obtain contracts with 4 other local entities: the cities of Gilroy, Milpitas, Fremont, and San Jose. These contracts range in value, from a few thousand dollars up to $10,000, marking a turning point for Community Digital Channel Network. They now have the confidence to expand their services even more, knowing that they have the support and resource they need with Norcal APEX Accelerator.
If you have more questions, please contact us at info@apexnorcal.org or (707) 267 – 7561
