Building a cooperative platform: The Peninsula Economic Alliance helps businesses interact and win-win.

The Peninsula Economic Alliance (PEA) held a small community business exchange event at the Gateway in Millbrae on the afternoon of April 3rd (Thursday) to promote community networking, strengthen cooperation among businesses, and create a platform for mutual assistance and sharing for small enterprises.

PEA board member Marian Kong told Epoch Times that the alliance was officially established in January this year. Despite being only about three months old, it has already attracted 13 to 14 members and received sponsorship support from multiple businesses. The alliance holds networking events every six weeks, with events such as the one sponsored by OneByteOne providing members with opportunities to introduce products and build connections. Additionally, the alliance collaborates with Chase Bank and Eastland Bank to hold seminars on finance, 401K, health insurance, and tax preparation, helping small and medium-sized enterprises access practical resources and knowledge and encouraging mutual support among members by offering exclusive benefits.

Kong mentioned that PEA is also actively planning night markets and other promotional activities to help retailers increase visibility, attract foot traffic, and encourage young entrepreneurs to start from setting up booths and gradually move towards physical business operations. Night market activities are expected to expand to areas like Burlingame in the future, attracting out-of-town visitors and creating more business opportunities for the local economy. The alliance aims to realize its mission of establishing a business exchange platform to assist businesses in mutual growth.

OnByteOne, the event sponsor, offers professional information technology services, including network construction, system integration, and security monitoring. Michael Zhai, the company’s public relations and marketing director, stated that despite the alliance being in its early stages, many members have already joined, indicating anticipation for a collaborative communication platform. Such a platform is valuable support and resource for small businesses, whether for expanding networks or introducing products, proving to be highly practical.

He also hopes for more businesses and friends to join in the future, sharing resources and supporting each other. This platform serves not only the Chinese community but is open to all industries, integrating online and offline operations to facilitate easier trust-building among individuals. Zhai, an initial member of the alliance, has been actively involved since its inception, recognizing its long-term development potential.

Yulan Wu, Senior Vice President and Senior Commercial Financial Advisor at Eastland Bank’s Millbrae branch, also attended the gathering. She stated that as a local bank, they aim to deepen their involvement in the Peninsula community and provide financial support and services to local businesses. With a history of over fifty years and over a decade in Millbrae, Eastland Bank recently relocated to the South Sea Art Center, hoping to further expand their service scope and strengthen connections with the community and non-profit organizations.

Through their collaboration with PEA, Wu mentioned that four to five customers have been referred to the bank by the alliance. This interaction allows the bank to quickly establish a network of contacts and enables businesses to receive financial support such as deposits and loans, creating a mutually beneficial cycle.