Empire State Development’s Post

America’s SBDC Launches New Annual Report and Nationwide Impact Numbers Washington, D.C. – Every year, America’s entrepreneurs take their dreams and ideas and start thriving small businesses with the help of Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs). Through cutting-edge training programs and advising strategies, SBDCs aren’t just helping create new businesses but also helping thousands of others grow. The hundreds of SBDC client success stories in the 2024 America’s SBDC Annual Report and the new national economic impact numbers paint a clear picture of the value and effectiveness of this small business assistance program and its effect on communities all over America. This year’s theme is Nurturing Dreams and Growing Futures. The focus is on how, through dynamic engagement at the local level, SBDCs are helping their clients start and grow their business dreams. Nearly 1,000 SBDCs nationwide provide clients with no-cost business advising services and at-cost training programs. Whatever the business - exporter, government contractor, high-tech, veteran-owned, women-owned, minority-owned, and wherever it is located - in an underserved community, rural or urban, at an accelerator or incubator, brick and mortar, online, or in an area affected by a natural disaster - SBDCs are there earning their reputation for steadfast support. According to the most recent Chrisman Survey, which collected data from clients in 2021-2022, America’s SBDCs provide impressive economic results. Nationwide, SBDCs helped generate 83,329 jobs, $8.4 billion in sales growth, $6.2 billion in financing and helped start 13,910 new businesses - proving that SBDCs are leaders in job creation and economic development. “For 45 years, SBDCs have been nurturing the dream of entrepreneurship in America. This year’s report is a stunning look into the awesome work SBDCs do and the amazing clients they serve in every state, region, and territory,” said Charles “Tee” Rowe, America’s SBDC President & CEO. He continued, “SBDCs continue to provide a return on our investment in the local and national economy, and they continue to rate high with their clients staying true to their reputation as the nation’s #1 most trusted small business assistance network.” America’s SBDCs commitment to nurturing entrepreneurial success underscores that supporting local businesses isn't just about economics; it's about building a better future for everyone in every community. See the America’s SBDC Annual Report online at www.sbdcimpact.org.

Happy Wednesday!!😀 It's NATIONAL SBDC DAY!🧑💻 On the third Wednesday in March, National Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) Day recognizes the thousands of SBDCs across the country supporting entrepreneurs in the pursuit of small business ownership. #NationalSBDCDAY Created in 1976, SBDCs provide innovative resources and tools that contribute to the success of start-ups and small businesses. Across the country on National SBCD Day, events and conferences present platforms designed to demonstrate the impact of SBDCs. From financial and business planning to technology, security, and marketing, SBDCs contribute to the overall success of small businesses. Across the United States, there are at least 62. Lead Small Business Development Centers assist current and prospective small business owners. There's at least one in every state, the District of Columbia, and its territories. They provide a network of locations throughout the country that provide assistance in a wide variety of expertise. SBDCs aren't limited to new small businesses either. If a small business is looking to expand, the SBDC offers assistance as well. HOW TO OBSERVE NATIONAL SBDC DAY: 👩🦰 Join an event and learn about all the benefits. To find out more visit americassbdc.org. 🏬 Find the regional office in your state. 💻 Learn what else the SBDC has to offer. 📲 Share your experiences with the SBDC. 🧔 Get involved! Volunteer your skills and expertise to the SBDC and help an entrepreneur get their start. 📲 Use #SBDCDay to share on social media. NATIONAL SBDC DAY HISTORY: SBDC Day was first observed in 2017. The House Committee on Small Business recognized the day in 2018. #mcmservices #businessstrategy #businesssuccess #measurement #businessplanning #strategy #businesscoaching #smallbusiness #businessgrowth #madisoncalabama #huntsvillealabama

Mini-Business Improvement Grants (Mini-BIGs) are a way to help San Pablo small business owners to achieve crucial milestones and foster growth. This program aims to provide education, capital, and business support services to help businesses thrive and create jobs. Through a virtual program, entrepreneurs will define their business goals, gain practical skills, and develop a customized business plan for growth. Participants will attend interactive and free DreamBuilder online courses in English and Spanish, with expert guidance and expert feedback. By completing five milestones, entrepreneurs can earn up to $2,500 in grants and a $2,000 matched grant component for further investment in their business. Eligible Businesses Must: 1. Be located in the City of San Pablo incorporated boundaries 2. Have a current business license 3. At least one (1) employee 4. Be an established business that experienced temporary or ongoing negative operations and/or revenue impacts due to the pandemic and post-pandemic economic conditions. Applications accepted from October 29 - December 3, 2023 Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gbPBpEWC #SanPabloEDC #Grants #SmallBusiness

Mini-Business Improvement Grants (Mini-BIGs) are a way to help San Pablo small business owners to achieve crucial milestones and foster growth. This program aims to provide education, capital, and business support services to help businesses thrive and create jobs. Through a virtual program, entrepreneurs will define their business goals, gain practical skills, and develop a customized business plan for growth. Participants will attend interactive and free DreamBuilder online courses in English and Spanish, with expert guidance and expert feedback. By completing five milestones, entrepreneurs can earn up to $2,500 in grants and a $2,000 matched grant component for further investment in their business. Eligible Businesses Must: 1. Be located in the City of San Pablo incorporated boundaries 2. Have a current business license 3. At least one (1) employee 4. Be an established business that experienced temporary or ongoing negative operations and/or revenue impacts due to the pandemic and post-pandemic economic conditions. Applications accepted from October 29 - December 3, 2023 Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gbPBpEWC #SanPabloEDC #Grants #SmallBusiness

The Oakland Metro Chamber is working hard to address the many issues impacting the long-term sustainability of our beloved small business community. That is why we are #OakProud to announce the Chamber's partnership with Verizon and their Small Business Digital Ready Program designed specifically for local small businesses and entrepreneurs. This program is designed to help you and your small businesses throughout Oakland and the East Bay. This no-cost program is solely designed to help your business grow by offering a variety of sessions & strategies for businesses to get ahead. Not only will you learn how to be more digitally savvy, but throughout the year, businesses can apply for grants worth $10,000. Here’s how it works. • When you sign up for the program, you’ll answer a series of questions about your business and your specific needs and interests. Based on your answers, Verizon and its partners will personalize a learning dashboard with content to match your needs. • Next, you’ll have access to short online learning modules created by actual small business owners on the topics most important to your business right now. • You’ll have the opportunity to sign up for coaching events and start networking with other small businesses. Not only that, as you participate in the program, you can become eligible to apply for an exclusive pool of grants, as well as benefit from an exclusive marketplace of tools, solutions, products, and services that can help move your business forward. Sign up here to access personalized tools to help your small business thrive: https://bit.ly/3VcExpn

PLEASE SHARE and REGISTER NOW! Proud to announce my February "Business Building Education Series", hosted by my awesome colleagues at WFG Title!!! February 14, 2024 10am - 11am WFG Title - Denver Tech Center "Your Sphere is NOT Your Friend: Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone to Build Your Real Estate Business." Almost every REALTOR (and entrepreneur for that matter), seeks to build that holy grail of creating a thriving and sustaining sphere based business. It's a goal for us ALL. But I would argue, one of the most crucial mistakes that young business professionals make is relying TOO heavily on their sphere to build their business(es)...at least initially. Rooted in social theoretical frameworks, in this seminar we examine how the structure of closed networks (spheres) can actually be a detriment to growing your business and social influence. We will also explore practical ways in business owners can begin to build their business outside of their sphere, and then "boomerang" social proof to help grow professional likeability and trust within the circles that they want to work with the most. This will be a fun one. Register using the QR code or link below (EASY!) Thank you to my partners at WFG Title - Lisa Suazo, Sandra Kuhlman, and Kim Douse - for making this happen!

Here’s some of the 💩 WORST business advice I’ve ever received. 📣 “Don't operate outside your county (Fife in Scotland)”. Stick with me, and I’ll give you three 💡 praktical tips when receiving business advice from ANYONE. Someone in the Entrepreneurial Ego-system advised me to operate in our region ONLY. The next part of this sentence, was UNsaid: “...otherwise you’ll be standing on our toes, and direktly kompeting with us”. 🤺 This was many years ago, when I ran my previous business, Acorn Enterprise. Klearly, they felt threatened 😱 by us (and they were right to be! 😜). Had I listened to this advice, Acorn Enterprise would not have run Business Incubators in THREE different 📍 regions (Fife, Dundee and Edinburgh). During 9 years, we worked with 120 business owners. In the final year of our programme (2019), the businesses we worked with in Dundee achieved total sales of £1.5 million 💸 (from 18 businesses trading). ⚠️ Just because someone gives you advice, doesn’t mean they have YOUR BEST INTEREST at heart! ⚠️ So, before you take business advice from anyone, challenge it 🧐 Ask these three questions ❓ to help QUALIFY their advice: 🔥 What experience do they have? 🔥 What have they achieved? 🔥 How relevant/kurrent is their business advice? In short, UNless they have relevant domain experience (e.g. they are a legal or finance professional), they run (or have run) their own business, or they’ve done what you want to do, you probably shouldn’t listen to them! 🙉 👉👉👉 What advice do you have on taking business advice? 😂 #UNpreneur #smallbusiness #smallbusinessowner Kallum with a K P.S. Pikture 📸 from the Acorn Enterprise Graduation of the 6th Business Accelerator Programme we ran at LibertySpace Rosyth Business Centre (June 2016).

Attending the session with SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas G. at Clark Atlanta University was an invaluable experience, shedding light on the significance of personal presence and networking within the SBA realm. Her recognition of our university as a hub for future entrepreneurship underscored the importance of forging strong partnerships. Engaging with discussions led by the Office of Governmental Affairs and the School of Business at Clark Atlanta University highlighted the pivotal role of Black-owned businesses in addressing racial wealth disparities. The statistics from Fiscal Year 2022 starkly illustrate the necessity of active involvement. With only 9.6% of federal contracting dollars reaching minority-owned small businesses, and a mere 1.6% allocated to Black-owned enterprises, it's evident that there's much ground to cover. Establishing connections within the government contracting sector becomes not just beneficial but imperative in navigating these challenges. Moreover, gaining insights into avenues for accessing capital and strategies for wealth accumulation is paramount. In a landscape where financial resources are often disproportionately distributed, understanding how to secure funding and build sustainable wealth is crucial for the growth and prosperity of minority and Black-owned businesses. Thus, the firsthand experience of being in the room with key figures like Administrator Guzman underscores the importance of proactive engagement and relationship-building within the U.S. Small Business Administration ecosystem

Attending the session with SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas G. at Clark Atlanta University was an invaluable experience, shedding light on the significance of personal presence and networking within the SBA realm. Her recognition of our university as a hub for future entrepreneurship underscored the importance of forging strong partnerships. Engaging with discussions led by the Office of Governmental Affairs and the School of Business at Clark Atlanta University highlighted the pivotal role of Black-owned businesses in addressing racial wealth disparities. The statistics from Fiscal Year 2022 starkly illustrate the necessity of active involvement. With only 9.6% of federal contracting dollars reaching minority-owned small businesses, and a mere 1.6% allocated to Black-owned enterprises, it's evident that there's much ground to cover. Establishing connections within the government contracting sector becomes not just beneficial but imperative in navigating these challenges. Moreover, gaining insights into avenues for accessing capital and strategies for wealth accumulation is paramount. In a landscape where financial resources are often disproportionately distributed, understanding how to secure funding and build sustainable wealth is crucial for the growth and prosperity of minority and Black-owned businesses. Thus, the firsthand experience of being in the room with key figures like Administrator Guzman underscores the importance of proactive engagement and relationship-building within the U.S. Small Business Administration ecosystem

Celebrating Independence Day: Grateful for the Opportunity to Own a Business in America! As we celebrate Independence Day, we reflect on the incredible opportunities that freedom affords us—especially the privilege of owning and growing a business in this great nation. At Parker Construction Enterprises, Inc., we are deeply thankful for the chance to contribute to our country's growth and infrastructure through our construction services. Here are three amazing benefits that independence grants us as business owners: 1. Economic Freedom: • The ability to start and scale a business is a cornerstone of the American Dream. Our economic system allows for innovation, competition, and entrepreneurship, enabling us to pursue our passions and create value in the marketplace. 2. Access to Federal Contracts: • As a business in America, we have the unique opportunity to partner with the federal government. Providing construction services for federal projects not only helps us grow but also allows us to contribute to national development and infrastructure. 3. Supportive Business Environment: • From small business grants and loans to mentorship programs and networking events, the resources available to entrepreneurs in America are unparalleled. These supports empower us to overcome challenges and achieve success. Giving Back: Providing construction services to the federal government is our way of showing appreciation for the freedoms and opportunities we've been granted. Each project we undertake is a testament to our commitment to building a stronger America. By maintaining and enhancing federal facilities, we contribute to the nation's progress and demonstrate our gratitude for the chance to thrive as a business. On this Independence Day, let's celebrate the spirit of entrepreneurship and the freedom that makes it possible. We are proud to be part of this great journey and look forward to many more years of contributing to our country's growth. Happy Independence Day! #IndependenceDay #AmericanDream #Entrepreneurship #FederalContracting #BusinessGrowth #ParkerConstructionEnterprises #Construction