Big resource for small businesses

Published 10:52 am Thursday, October 29, 2015

By BOB VAN LOAN / Guest Columnist

Do you want to start a business?

Is your business ready to grow, but needs some direction?

Need help finding the right source of financing?

One of the best-kept secrets in the local business development world is the Alabama Small Business Development Center Network.

The Alabama Small Business Development Center Network is a statewide program established to enhance economic growth by providing management and technical assistance to small businesses. (Contributed)

The Alabama Small Business Development Center Network is a statewide program established to enhance economic growth by providing management and technical assistance to small businesses. (Contributed)

The Network is a statewide, inter-institutional program that was established to enhance economic growth in Alabama by providing management and technical assistance to small businesses.

The Alabama SBDC Network provides no-cost confidential business counseling at 10 locations throughout the state, including a convenient location at the Innovation Depot on 1st Avenue North, in Birmingham’s Entrepreneurial District.

A Small Business Development Center (SBDC) counsels and trains business people in a wide variety of business topics and provides comprehensive information services and access to experts in many fields.

Counseling is provided free of charge to small business owners.

SBDCs develop and maintain partnerships among community organizations and local, state and federal agencies, providing a focal point for a broad network of public and private resources at the community level.

SBDC partnership programs and activities serving small businesses have contributed significantly to economic growth in Alabama and across the nation.

According to its 2012-2013 Impact Report, Alabama SBDC Network served 3,286 small businesses with one-on-one counseling and provided educational training to 7,670 individuals to enhance their business skills.

As a result of technical assistance, 184 new small businesses were started; SBDC counselors helped 128 businesses secure $31.4 million in external financing; 519 new jobs were created; and 695 jobs were retained as a result.

For anyone looking to start or grow a business, the Alabama SBDC Network specializes in one-on-one business counseling and educational training for small businesses.

Programs of assistance are developed in response to small business needs and growth opportunities for expansion of the state’s economy.

The Networks offers a wide variety of programs, some of the most popular of which are:

  • Starting a Business
  • Growing a Business
  • Accessing Financing
  • Government Marketing and Procurement
  • Online Training
  • Disaster Assistance and Business Continuity
  • Women’s Business Assistance
  • Veterans’ Business Assistance
  • Starting a Non-Profit Organization
  • Grants to Start a Small Business.

For information on these programs and others, go to the Alabama Small Business Development Center Network’s website at Asbdc.org or call the Alabama Small Business Hotline at 1-877-825-7232.

You have nothing to lose other than the opportunity to succeed!