Wells Fargo Center for Small Business & Entrepreneurship
See What Nazarian College Can Do For Your Business
What if your business could receive professional consulting, research, and strategic guidance without the cost of a traditional consulting engagement? Through the Wells Fargo Center for Small Business & Entrepreneurship, local businesses gain access to the resources, expertise, and talent of CSUN’s Nazarian College, completely free of charge. Since 1977, the Center has helped thousands of businesses throughout Southern California with research-based guidance and practical recommendations tailored to their unique needs.
Through our Consulting Program, businesses work with faculty-led teams of CSUN students who research their business, identify opportunities and challenges, and develop actionable recommendations using CSUN’s academic resources and databases under experienced faculty guidance.
The Center also creates opportunities for students across the Nazarian College to gain meaningful, real-world experience. Through our collaboration with the CSUN American Marketing Association (AMA), AMA students have been able to engage with the Center’s consulting and entrepreneurship initiatives, gaining hands on experience applying their marketing knowledge to real business challenges. This has included a successful consulting engagement with Drink Juice LA, which later served as inspiration for the Fast Pitch Competition topic presented by six student candidates at the Center’s 20th Annual Celebrating Success Event.
The Center serves as a business coach and strategic resource, connecting businesses with student talent, research, and fresh perspectives, all while providing these valuable consulting services at no cost to participating businesses. (For more additional information, please review the “CSUN Wells Fargo Center for Small Business & Entrepreneurship Participation Guide.”)
Annual Fast Pitch Competition / Celebrating Success Event
Each year, the Wells Fargo Center for Small Business & Entrepreneurship celebrates student achievement through its annual Celebrating Success event. A highlight of the celebration is the Fast Pitch and Investor Competition, where CSUN business students showcase their entrepreneurial ideas through two formats: a 60-second Fast Pitch and a five-minute Investor Pitch. The competition gives students the opportunity to apply their classroom knowledge in a real-world setting, gain valuable presentation experience, and receive recognition for their entrepreneurial achievements. The Spring 2026 Celebrating Success event marked the 20th annual celebration, commemorating two decades of student success, entrepreneurship, and community engagement.
Apply or Refer a Business
Interested in participating? Download the “Client Application Form Wells Fargo Center for Small Business & Entrepreneurship 2026–2027” and complete the form. Once signed, email your application to Franck Vigneron (franck.vigneron@csun.edu) or Lauren Stamper (lauren.stamper.845@my.csun.edu).
Have a client you think could benefit from our services? We also welcome client referrals. Please email Franck Vigneron (franck.vigneron@csun.edu) or Lauren Stamper (lauren.stamper.845@my.csun.edu) with the client’s information, and we would be happy to connect with them and provide additional information about the Consulting Program.
We look forward to learning more about your business and supporting your goals through our Consulting Program.