National Small Business Week:
3 questions answered about the Small Business Development Center

  

At the Small Business Development Center,

Senior Consultant Karen Sharp and her colleagues work to help their clients “evolve to the next level of business.” Lone Star College houses the center and emphasizes the importance of strong businesses that create jobs and bring more people to the community, Sharp said. Clients range from start-up businesses to struggling businesses and those looking to expand.

What is the Small Business Development Center?

In 1977, the federal government created the Small Business Development Center network. Locally, the Texas Gulf Coast Region serves 32 counties across the state and is headquartered out of the University of Houston. A team of five former business owners with experience in diverse industries, franchising, and international business, offer free business consulting services.

Advisers can assist in business plan writing, market research, sales training, budgeting, information technology, problem-solving, improving efficiencies, government procurement, legal services, women and minority resources and affordable workshops on a wide variety of topics.

If resources are free, how is the center funded?

Free business consulting and low-cost training services are funded by the state of Texas, the Small Business Administration and the Lone Star College System. Sharp said the SBDC is included in the Texas House of Representative’s budget, but it was not listed in the state Senate’s proposed budget this session. This center is considered part of the $1 billion of higher education’s discretionary funding. However, the SBDC is proven to help the state’s economy, Sharp said. She said her clients achieve a 25 percent average in employment growth year-over-year, while the state average is about 2.4 percent. 

What kind of impact does the SBDC have on the economy?

In 2016, the SBDC’s Texas Gulf Coast Network helped create more than 5,000 jobs and save about 2,400 jobs in its 32-county coverage area. Throughout the last year, clients were able to invest $190 million, and their sales increased by $360 million, Sharp said. She said for every dollar invested in the SBDC, there is a return of about $10.25.

Chuck Reynolds
Contributor