North Coast SBDC

ETA Humboldt

“We started with the North Coast SBDC almost two years ago with a broadly undefined intention of landing government contracts. We were registered with SAM.gov, but had no ideas about what that might mean for our small business. We had no Capabilities Statement, no government set-aside certificates, and very limited relationships outside the work we were already doing.”
-Mack O’Shaughnessy

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BACKGROUND

In the serene expanses of Northern California, ETA Humboldt stands as a staple in land use management. Founded in 2015 by Vanessa Valare, the company provides a set of services tailored to private rural landowners, offering everything from project design to implementation and reporting.

Vanessa’s journey into land management began with the challenge of managing her own property in Southern Humboldt. She encountered the complex web of regulations and bureaucratic hurdles. Determined to overcome these obstacles, she not only succeeded in her project but realized that her experience could benefit others facing similar challenges.

Mack O’Shaughnessy, a key member of the ETA Humboldt team, took on the challenge of communicating with large government agencies. The successful acquisition of government contracts facilitated significant growth, allowing ETA Humboldt to broaden its reach and enhance its service offerings. Mack is inspired to work for ETA Humboldt each day by two overarching factors: nature and community.

RESULTS

By 2019, she was able to expand her team, bringing on staff to support the growing demand for her services. Today, ETA Humboldt employs nine skilled professionals, all dedicated to assisting landowners across all of Northern California. Since its inception, the company has successfully assisted over 60 private landowners.