The San Mateo SBDC is staffed with experienced leaders who assist SBDC clients grow and develop their businesses.
Our Team
John DeGaetano
Certified Business Advisor - Business and Financial Planning, Legal Structure and Loan Advisor
John DeGaetano is a former bank executive with a strong background in management and leadership. DeGaetano has extensive experience in administration, marketing, sales planning, training, operations, auditing, project management and financial analysis. He served as First Vice President and Regional Manager for a community bank in the Bay Area where he played a major role in the bank’s growth development. During his tenure, he designed and implemented marketing concepts, sales campaigns, training and quality assurance programs, client consulting/business development, operational functions, fraud awareness and security policy. John is a graduate of Ohio University with a Bachelor of Arts degree and recently earned the ASBDC national designation Northern California’s State Star for his outstanding performance in assisting small businesses. John is a certified NxLevel instructor in addition to advising new and existing business owners in the areas of business planning, sales and marketing, economic impact, structure and finance.
Paul Bozzo
Business Advisor
Business Planning/Financial Projections
Paul’s background blends over 25 years of professional experience in start-ups, business planning, angel/VC/SBA and crowd funding. His specialty is working with entrepreneurial ventures to refine their business model, create an investment-driven business plan, financial projections and an effective funding presentation. He also advises CEOs and founding teams on these common start-up issues: legal entity selection, equity financing structures, financial forecasting, and exit strategies. Paul is an adjunct faculty member in Sonoma State's Executive MBA program.
Jenny Huang
Marketing
Jenny Huang has over 20 years of experience as a strategic marketing consultant, a brand marketer and communicator in the hardware, software, telecommunications, and mobile-e-Commerce industries. She is passionate about working with funded start-ups, small and medium-sized companies at every growth stage of their business, offering a blend of business launch assistance, branding and marketing strategy development, and execution guidance to prepare and accelerate companies on the right path to success. Clients whom she has worked with appreciate her sense of marketing instincts and the level of energy that she brings to every client engagement.
Bob Komoto
Export/Import
Bob Komoto has worked with diverse types and sizes of businesses in technical, retail, and agricultural industries to help them successfully envision, create, nurture and grow their businesses. Bob has held positions in engineering, project management, business development and consulting.
Bob has started and grown businesses, launched new products, and qualified as a Certified NEI/SBDC Export and Trade Counselor and as a Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP). He has hands-on experience in launching products and services in the telecommunications, computer manufacturing, software, hardware, retail, agricultural and green/clean tech industries.
Today, as President of American Products International and as an entrepreneur, Bob consults for companies in the areas of global business development, product development and positioning, and go-to-market strategies. Clients include companies offering products and services domestically and globally.
Previously, Bob has taught chemistry and business in English and Spanish, and has been a project manager, consultant and engineer launching new processes, products and businesses.
Bob earned a B.S. from Harvey Mudd College, an MS from Santa Clara University and is ABD for a DMat University of Phoenix.
Asbury Lockett
Finance
Having honed his skills over many years, Asbury Lockett is very adept at and experienced in small business finance, executive coaching and process improvements. He has an undergraduate degree in Industrial Engineering from Stanford and a MBA from Cal. He most recently spent four years as a Certified Business Advisor with the Washington State SBDC and during that time he earned a JD degree from Concord Law School.
Ben Martin
Procurement, Business Planning
Benjamin Martin is an attorney whose practice focuses on the needs of small businesses such as: contracts, legal organization, government regulation, intellectual property protection, reducing liability, controlling business risks, litigation assessments, negotiation, business plans, estate planning and family law as it affects small business owners. He earned his Juris Doctor degree at Southwestern University School of Law and his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Cal State Los Angeles. He is a Business Advisor for the College of San Mateo’s Small Business Development Center where he conducts workshops and one on one counseling sessions to assist small business owners and managers to succeed.
Paula Mattisonsierra
Marketing
Paula Mattisonsierra is the Marketing Director of Power Marketing Consulting, working closely with business owners to develop and manage long-term, tactical marketing plans for both service and product based businesses. Working with Hal Riney & Partner, Paula managed an $85 million budget as well as assisted in the development of national media buying plans for the agency's largest clients, including Saturn GM, Subway Sandwich, and John Deere. Paula has also worked as a Corporate Event Planner for Mattison Inc., New York and The California Bankers Association.
Paula has successfully launched four businesses. In 2000, Paula founded Maximum Mama Maternity, an international wholesaler of maternity clothing with collections in over 85 retail establishments. As Lead Designer, Paula researched, developed and manufactured the apparel product lines as well as managed day-to-day operations and created the sales and marketing strategies.
Paula was a lecturer and faculty member specializing in Design/Merchandising with a marketing concentration at the Art Institute of San Francisco, California from 2004 to 2009. Paula has a BBA in International Marketing from City University of New York, Bernard Barucha. In addition she holds the Product Development Certificate, 1999 from Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, San Francisco.
Chuck Scifers
Business Advisor
Chuck is a graduate Industrial Designer who spent his first 15 career years in designing consumer products such as solar systems, passive solar homes, furniture, factory-built housing, graphics, etc. He has also owned several small businesses. He has devoted the last 15 years to business development, assisting start-up and small-business companies to generate revenue. Chuck uses "Design Thinking" to incorporate the processes and priorities of the client company and the needs of the customer to properly position the offering and insure that the marketing efforts take the company successfully to revenue.
Samantha Vargas
Program Coordinator
Samantha Vargas is the Program Services Coordinator for the San Mateo County Small Business Development Center. Samantha has an undergraduate degree in Hospitality Management with a minor in Business Administration from San Francisco State University. She was born and raised in San Mateo and is an alumni of the College of San Mateo, where the SBDC is hosted. Growing up, her family owned an ironworking business and prior to joining the SBDC in 2016, she worked as an Event Coordinator for a local family owned catering company. Samantha enjoys working with our clients and helping them pursue their dreams of opening a small business.
Rosie Zepeda
Business Advisor
Speaker, communication/Business Consultant Rosie is the creator of Compelling Conversations (TM), a transformational communication business system for success in sales, public speaking, peak performance and empowerment leadership. She helps entrepreneurs, leaders and organizations find success by learning to alter their language in order to effectively deliver the right message to their target market for consistent business success. She is an expert in sales, marketing and strategic plans for increasing cash flows. Spanish/English
