Small Business
Development Centers
Assistance
For Entrepreneurs
Haven’t the foggiest idea
how to harness your entrepreneurial spirit, pull yourself anywhere using
bootstraps, or think in or out of a box? Starting and running your own business
is tough, but fortunately for prospective and current small business owners,
SBDCs (Small Business Development Centers; asbdc-us.org) dispense with the
cliches and offer training, counseling, and other assistance to help you craft
your vision into a real-world success.
Run
A Small Business
Pooling resources from
federal, state, and local governments, as well as the private sector and the
educational community, The Association of Small Business Development Centers is
truly a joint venture with a vested interest in fostering small business
growth. For an overview of what the SBDC can offer you and your small business,
visit bit.lv/dKYe2a . The SBA (Small Business Administration; www.sba.gov) is
partnered with SBDCs.
Help
On Your Turf
You may be surprised to
learn that there's probably an SBDC branch nearby; there are locations in all
50 states, in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and even in the US. territories.
There are 63 nationwide Lead Small Business Development Centers coordinating
program services for every sub-center and satellite location in each state.
Centers are made up of directors, full-time staff members, and various
part-time staff and volunteers.
The best way to contact
your nearest SBDC is to visit the Association of Small Business Development
Centers' Web site (asbdc-us.org), input your ZIP code into the Find Your
Nearest Small Business Development Center text box, and then click Go. The
results page will highlight Lead Centers but rank centers in order of those
closest to your location. Often, SBDCs partner with universities and colleges,
and tend to be found on campuses across the country. On the search results
page, you'll also find a link to the local office's Web page, email address,
phone number, a fax number if available, and address.
The
Closest Thing To A Free Lunch
The services offered may
vary by location, but all SBDCs offer many services free of charge. Some
typical services you can expect from your nearest SBDC include help with
financial, marketing, production, organization, engineering, and technical
problems and access to feasibility studies that can flesh out a fledgling
business plan. Some SBDCs also offer affordable training seminars to help with
various aspects of running a business. You can also rest assured that your
business with the SBDC will remain confidential.
Women's
Business Centers
The SBA offers WBCs
(Women's Business Centers), which directly serve female entrepreneurs through
nearly 100 educational centers nationwide. This organization strives to assist
women in overcoming the hurdles they face in today's business environment by
offering business management training and technical assistance to all women,
with a special emphasis on economically or socially disadvantaged women. The
services and training programs are also commonly offered in multiple languages
to enable those who speak English as a second language or are still learning
English. To find your nearest WBC, visit bit.lv/hs3st2 .
Small
Business, Big Payoff
Small business owners know
that achieving success is about taking risks, innovating, and making tough
decisions day in and day out. Thanks to the services offered at the SBA, SBDCs,
and WBCs, you're not on your own.
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Frequent
Question
If
you're like many other people starting a small business, funding is at the
top of your mind. A common question that entrepreneurs have for SBDCs is:
"Am I eligible for grant money?"
The
answer depends on the nature of your business. Grants.gov (www.grants.gov)
will give you a clear picture of your options before your visit to a Small
Business Development Center.
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