Restaurant Small Business Management

Small Business Development Center’s RSBM Program

The Restaurant SBM Program has been engineered from the ground up to deliver relevant, robust content specifically for restaurant operators in The Columbia Gorge and smaller Oregon communities. It features Oregon experts with deep roots in the restaurant industry. The nine powerful workshops — plus monthly one-on-one advising sessions — are all geared to make the participants’ operations as successful as possible, and to make their work more enjoyable and rewarding.

The RSBM Program is for people already in the food business and looking to grow, either by improving their operation or making significant changes to their business model. For example, they may want to move from a catering business to a food truck or expand from a food truck to a brick & mortar, or, by building upon one success, add another location. In general, they are looking to improve their business to increase their income and have a better work/life balance.

We meet once a month for a three-hour class on Mondays, 9 am to noon, for nine months. Designed as an in-person class, the format creates a classroom cohort of peers who encourage and learn from each other, as well as from our highly respected instructors, allowing a rich opportunity for Q&A and networking. This in-person program is based at the Columbia Gorge Community College in Hood River. The college will record each session allowing people to watch a class recording when they have a scheduling conflict or weather conditions restrict driving to campus.

Tuition is $900. Limited scholarships of $550 or more may be available. Enroll now to reserve your spot.

RSBM Class Schedule All classes are 9am – Noon at the CGCC campus in Hood River, 1st Monday of the month. 1730 College Way, Hood River, OR 97031

October 6, 2025, SESSION 1: Tracking Your Money: Basic Bookkeeping for Restaurants Instructor: Natalie Bronson, SBDC QuickBooks Expert & Advisor

November 3, 2025, SESSION 2: Standing Out from the Competition: Branding & Marketing for Independent Operations Instructor: Chef Tselani Richmond, SYSCO Consulting Chef

December 1, 2025, SESSION 3: Essential Digital Marketing Tools Instructor: Jen McFarland, Jen McFarland Consulting

January 5, 2026, SESSION 4: Managing Your Money for Sustainable Profits. Instructor: Kurt Huffman, Managing Partner, ChefStable

February 2, 2026, SESSION 5: Attracting & Managing Employees
Instructor: Chef Lisa Schroeder, Executive Chef & Owner, Mother’s Bistro & Bar, Portland

March 2, 2026, SESSION 6: Revising Menus to Attract Customers & Control Food Costs Instructor: Chef Cory Schreiber, SYSCO Consulting Chef

April 6, 2026, SESSION 7: Local Sourcing & Sustainability Instructor: Laura Anderson, founder of Local Ocean in Newport

May 4, 2026, SESSION 8: Bar Management & Remarkable Customer Service Instructor: Chef Ken Henson, Consultant, former Executive Chef, Pelican Brewery

June 1, 2026, SESSION 9: Financing, Managing Debt, and Exit Strategies Instructor: Arnie Hendricks - CMA, CFBA, CEPA, CM&AA. Financial Management Resources

June 2026, SESSION 10: Graduation/Celebration, TBD

If you have questions, or are in the start-up phase, contact our program manager, Leslie Hildula. Lhildula@cgcc.edu Text or call: 503-939-8648