About the Entrepreneurship Center
Purpose
To help students explore their entrepreneurial dreams and turn them into reality.
Located in CHE 126, the E-Center is a place where students can get mentorship, network, and attend learning experiences around starting their own business. It is open to students of all majors/departments.
Contact wv.ecenterFREEWEST_VALLEY for more information.
Upcoming Events
| Event | Date and Time | Location |
|---|---|---|
| E-Center Open House | Thursday, February 19, 2026 Noon-2:30 p.m. |
CHE 126 |
| Business Idea Workshop & Pitch Competition Kick-off Come learn about the upcoming Business Pitch Competition and application process, then participate in a short brainstorming workshop on idea generation and refinement for your potential small business. Open to students of all majors and departments. Please RSVP. |
Monday, March 16, 2026 3-4 p.m. |
CHE 122/124 |
| Intro to Business Model Canvas Workshop Turn your idea into a real business. In this hands-on workshop, you’ll learn how to use the Business Model Canvas to build a clear, practical foundation for launching your venture. We’ll cover customers, suppliers, partners, and more (and of course, how to use AI to help). Hosted by Derek Cheng—known in Silicon Valley as “Uncle Marketing”—this session blends energy, clarity, and 30+ years of real-world startup and small business experience. Please RSVP. |
Monday, March 23, 2026 |
CHE 122/124 |
| Women Small Business Owner & Entrepreneur Panel Join us for an inspiring panel featuring esteemed local women small business owners and entrepreneurs from a variety of industries. They will share the challenges of being business-owners as well as valuable insights and practical advice for anyone interested in embarking on their own entrepreneurial path. The event will include 50 minutes of panel, 30 minutes of networking, and light refreshments. Panelist information to be announced shortly. Please RSVP. |
Thursday, March 26, 2026 |
CHE 122/124 |
| Pitch Competition More details to come |
Monday, May 4, 2026 Time TBD |
CHE 122/124 |
Signup for Our Mailing List
Receive bi-monthly emails throughout the semester on upcoming events and opportunities with the E-Center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Entrepreneurship is the process of starting a business and usually involves; forming the idea for the business, securing funding, and running the ongoing operations of the new organization.
It is a space on campus where students can gather with like-minded students to network, hear from industry guest speakers, and connect with mentors.
The E-Center is here to help students with their entrepreneurial pursuits and it strives to help students in becoming impactful and resilient entrepreneurs through thought-provoking curricula, inspiring speakers, and supportive mentors.
There is no minimum number of hours or events required. Simply join for any events that are of interest to you. Please check our website or Instagram to see if an advance reservation is needed for specific events.
No! All students and majors are welcome.
Check us out on:
- Web | westvalley.edu/e-center
- Instagram | @west_valley_e_center
- Dream It! Make It! Workshop Series (featuring local business owner guest speakers)
- Cohort entrepreneurship program
- Business plan competitions
- Field trips
- Student mixers
Download E-Center FAQ flyer.
- “Start with Why” by Simon Sinek
- “Smartcuts: How Hackers, Innovators, And Icons Accelerate Success” by Shane Snow
- “The Lean Startup” by Eric Ries
- 10-Minute Entrepreneur” with Sean Castrina
- “2BOBS” with David C. Baker & Blair Enns
Graphic Design student, Mia Shafer, created the Entrepreneurship Center’s new logo. Mia has been at West Valley College since 2022 and is currently working toward a certificate in Graphic Design. She loves seeing her ideas become a part of the final design and has long been interested in art and design. Her first classes at West Valley included beginning drawing and watercolors. Some of the classes she has enjoyed the most are her counseling classes where she gets to learn about all the different career options available that incorporate art.
In terms of her design of this logo, Mia knew she wanted to incorporate the “E” for the Entrepreneurship Center (called the E-Center for short) into the design and ended up making it the base of the lightbulb. The lightbulb concept came to her right away as it has long signified ideas and learning. And she said, “if it was a West Valley program, then it must contain parts of the West Valley logo”. This is why she decided to prominently display the college’s well known oak leaf into the final design. After some initial sketching, Mia used the graphic design program Adobe Illustrator to create the logo that was eventually, and overwhelmingly, selected by a vote of fellow students, staff, and college faculty.
Thank you Mia!
The E-Center works with the Democracy Institute. Come visit Professors Kea and Gutierrez in the E-Center to learn more.
The More You Know
Generally, if you make more than 3 sales in a 12-month period, you are required to register for a California's seller's permit and pay taxes on your taxable sales.
For more information, visit the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration.
Check out all the online training sessions available from the Small Business Development Center of Northern California. They range from Legal Issues for Small Businesses, Marketing Through Video and Image, and Raising Capital for Small Businesses. Many of these workshops are available for free and are offered in a live, online format.