Small Business Development Centers
Definition:
Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) are cooperativeefforts among the SBA, a college or university, the private sector,and state and local governments. Their services include businesscounseling, training and technical assistance.
There are more than 1,100 SBDCs nationwide offering freeindividual counseling as well as low-cost business workshops. MostSBDC offerings are planned on a state and local basis, meaningthey’re tailored to your area’s economic needs.
Many centers specialize in just one facet of business, such asinternational trade, finance, procurement, marketing, technologytransfer or accounting. Some lucky cities have SBDCincubators–large buildings where fledgling businesses can not onlyrent office space but also receive secretarial support and start-upcounseling and assistance.
Because SBDCs are sometimes located on college campuses, manypeople have the misconception that the advisors are professors withlittle knowledge of the rough-and-tumble real world. But while SBDCstaff members may have academic training, they also have businessexperience. The counseling is offered on an ongoing basis for aslong as you need it, and you can see the same counselor each timeso he or she becomes familiar with your business.
Although small businesses vary so much that it’s difficult tosummarize all the types of help they can get from SBDCs, workshoptopics often include marketing, preparing a business plan andobtaining financing. SBDCs can even help you find start-up funds,whether from the SBA or other sources.
