Business Development & Community Outreach Intern

About Amesi & Associates

Amesi & Associates is a women-owned accounting and business consulting firm dedicated to helping entrepreneurs, creatives, and small businesses build sustainable and profitable businesses. We provide tax preparation, bookkeeping, accounting, business consulting, entity formation, and capital readiness services while connecting entrepreneurs to funding opportunities, technical assistance programs, and educational resources.

Our mission is to empower business owners through financial education, strategic consulting, and community partnerships that create long-term economic success.

Position Overview

The Business Development & Community Outreach Intern will work directly with the Founder & CEO to help expand Amesi & Associates' presence throughout the Los Angeles County small-business and entrepreneurial ecosystem, develop strategic partnerships, increase client acquisition, and connect entrepreneurs with valuable business resources.

This is a locally focused, community-facing role. The intern will help represent Amesi & Associates throughout Los Angeles County by building relationships with business owners, nonprofit organizations, chambers of commerce, city agencies, Community Development Corporations (CDCs), entrepreneur-support organizations, workforce development programs, educational institutions, and other community partners.

This is not a traditional entry-level internship where the intern simply observes or completes administrative assignments. We're looking for someone who already has a foundation in business development, networking, outreach, sales, client relations, community engagement, or partnership development and is ready to apply those skills in a real-world environment.

From day one, you'll help identify opportunities, represent the firm, build relationships, conduct outreach, follow up with prospective clients and partners, and contribute ideas that support Amesi & Associates' growth.

We're looking for someone who is confident, proactive, resourceful, locally knowledgeable, and comfortable engaging with people throughout the Los Angeles business community.

Key Responsibilities

Business Development

• Research and identify new business and client acquisition opportunities throughout Los Angeles County.
• Assist in developing strategies to increase tax, bookkeeping, accounting, and consulting clients.
• Help expand Amesi & Associates' professional and referral network.
• Research businesses, organizations, programs, and potential partners aligned with our mission and services.
• Support client acquisition and lead-generation initiatives.
• Identify opportunities for strategic collaborations, referral relationships, sponsorships, and partnerships.
• Research emerging opportunities within the Los Angeles small-business ecosystem.

Community Outreach

• Represent Amesi & Associates at networking events, workshops, conferences, business events, community meetings, resource fairs, and other in-person activities throughout Los Angeles County.
• Build relationships with local business owners, entrepreneurs, community leaders, nonprofit organizations, chambers of commerce, business associations, educational institutions, and city agencies.
• Conduct outreach to organizations and communities that may benefit from Amesi & Associates' services and programs.
• Promote free and low-cost business resources available through Amesi & Associates' community and state partnerships.
• Assist in developing outreach campaigns that increase awareness of Amesi & Associates within local communities.
• Identify relevant community events, meetings, programs, and networking opportunities where Amesi & Associates should have a presence.

·

Partnership Development

• Help establish and maintain relationships with organizations such as: 
  • Community Development Corporations (CDCs)
  • Chambers of Commerce
  • Business Improvement Districts (BIDs)
  • City and municipal departments
  • Economic and community development organizations
  • Nonprofit and community-based organizations
  • Entrepreneur and small-business support organizations
  • Educational institutions
  • Workforce development organizations and programs
  • Professional and business associations
• Assist with partnership meetings and follow-up communication.
• Research prospective community and business partners.
• Maintain records of partnership contacts and conversations.
• Identify opportunities for collaborative workshops, events, referrals, educational programming, and community initiatives.
• Help strengthen existing partnerships and identify opportunities to expand those relationships.

Client & Lead Management

• Assist with lead tracking and CRM management.
• Follow up with prospective clients generated through networking events, workshops, referrals, consultations, community outreach, and campaigns.
• Schedule consultations and discovery meetings.
• Support client onboarding and document collection when needed.
• Maintain accurate records of outreach activities, prospective clients, partner contacts, and follow-up activities.
• Help ensure leads and community contacts do not get lost after events or initial conversations.

Community Programs & Events

• Assist with planning and coordinating: 
  • Small business workshops 
  • Networking events 
  • Educational seminars 
  • Community resource fairs 
  • Entrepreneur meetups 
  • The Amesi Small Business Summit 
• Help coordinate logistics, vendors, registrations, and event communications. 

SCALE & Business Resources

Assist in educating entrepreneurs about available resources through programs such as:

• California SCALE 
• Grant opportunities 
• Small business technical assistance 
• Capital readiness programs 
• Business education resources 

Help entrepreneurs connect with the appropriate programs based on their business needs.

Marketing Support

Work closely with the Marketing & Brand Strategy Intern by:

• Sharing ideas from community events. 
• Identifying frequently asked client questions. 
• Suggesting educational content topics. 
• Collecting testimonials and success stories. 
• Supporting outreach campaigns and event promotion. 

Administrative Support

• Assist with scheduling meetings and appointments. 
• Maintain outreach databases and partnership records. 
• Prepare presentations and meeting materials. 
• Draft professional emails and follow-up communications. 
• Assist with special projects as assigned. 

What We're Looking For

We're seeking someone who is outgoing, professional, resourceful, and passionate about helping entrepreneurs succeed.

While this is an internship, we're looking for someone who already has experience through previous internships, leadership roles, student organizations, volunteer work, customer service, sales, community outreach, or professional employment.

Los Angeles County Residency & Community Knowledge — Required

Because this is a locally focused community outreach position, applicants must:

• Currently reside in Los Angeles County.
• Be familiar with the Los Angeles County small-business, entrepreneurial, and community ecosystem.
• Have a working understanding of the types of organizations and resources that support local entrepreneurs, including chambers of commerce, nonprofit organizations, city departments, Community Development Corporations, Business Improvement Districts, workforce development organizations, entrepreneur-support organizations, and community-based programs.
• Be comfortable researching and navigating business resources across different cities and communities throughout Los Angeles County.
• Be willing and able to attend in-person networking events, community meetings, workshops, business events, resource fairs, and partner meetings throughout Los Angeles County.
• Be comfortable interacting with business owners, entrepreneurs, community leaders, nonprofit representatives, government agencies, and other professional partners.
• Be able to reliably travel to local meetings and events as required by the position.

The ideal candidate is someone who:

• Has experience networking and building professional relationships. 
• Is comfortable initiating conversations with business owners and community partners. 
• Can work independently and take initiative without waiting for direction. 
• Is confident representing Amesi & Associates at networking events and meetings. 
• Thinks strategically about growing a business through partnerships and community engagement. 
• Is highly organized and able to manage multiple projects simultaneously. 
• Brings fresh ideas and is eager to contribute from day one. 
• Has excellent communication and relationship-building skills.

Preferred Qualifications (but open)

Currently pursuing or recently completed a Bachelor's or Master's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, Entrepreneurship, Community Development, Nonprofit Management, Public Administration, or a related field or have equivalent experience ( degrees are nota requirement). 

Required Experience

We're looking for candidates who already have experience through internships, student organizations, volunteer leadership, or previous employment.

Applicants should have demonstrated experience in one or more of the following through previous internships, employment, leadership roles, student organizations, or volunteer work:

• Business Development 
• Community Outreach 
• Event Planning 
• Networking  
• Sales or Client Relations 
• Customer Service 
• Partnership Development 
• Public Speaking 
• Project Coordination 

The ideal candidate should be comfortable engaging with professionals, attending networking events, and representing the firm in a professional setting.