SMALL BUSINESS INFORMATION CENTER Welcome

Transcription

1 Economic Development Department Board of County Commissioners SMALL BUSINESS INFORMATION CENTER Welcome (813) N. 56 th Street; Building 400, Suite 425 Tampa, FL

2 Our Mission The Small Business Information Center (SBIC) is committed to supporting economic development by assisting entrepreneurs in the creation or expansion of small, minority and women-owned business throughout Hillsborough County.

3 SBIC Office Location 7402 N. 56 th Street Corporate Square Building 400, Suite 425 (813) Busch Boulevard Sligh Ave. Corporate Square 7402 N. 56 th St. 56 th Street N The SBIC is in the Corporate Square Office Complex on the west side of 56 th Street between Hillsborough Avenue and Busch Boulevard. The office is located in the back of the office park in Building 400, Suite 425. Hillsborough Avenue King High School To I-4

4 The Small Business Information Center (SBIC) of Hillsborough County Our coalition of partners include Small Business Development University of South Florida USF), U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Hispanic Business Initiative Fund (HBIF), Disadvantaged Minority/Women Business Enterprise and the Small Business Enterprise Program (DM/DWBE &SBE) SCORE Service Corp of Retired Executives Tampa Bay Economic Development Corporation (TEDCO) The City of Tampa Hillsborough County Public Library Cooperative (HCPLC) The Greater Brandon Chamber of Commerce Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa, Inc. (CDC of Tampa, Inc)

5 Workshops and Seminars Small Business Information Center (SBIC) hosts a variety of workshops each month. These workshops are designed to help potential and existing businesses. *To see a schedule of upcoming workshops, look at the calendar in your information packet. To register for your next workshop, please call (813) OR visit sbic.hillsboroughcounty.org *A Sample calendar is shown to the left

6 The following are workshop topics presented by the SBIC and Partners: Bookkeeping Essentials Business Budgeting Preparing Your Business Plan Series Business Plan in a Day Business Start-Up Series Customer Loyalty Smart Start Your Business Understanding Business Contracts Business Survival in Today s Economy Growing Your Business Restaurant 101 Understanding Personalities Doing Business with Government Como Empezar un Negocio And more...

7 Business Counselor Available by Appointment Starting a business will prompt many questions and difficult decisions. The SBIC provides free individual counseling sessions by appointment, Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Fridays 8:30am -12 noon If you are starting a business for the first time, we encourage you to attend a Business KIT or a Business Start-up Series workshop before scheduling a counseling appointment. However, workshop attendance is not a prerequisite to counseling; it simply makes the counseling more beneficial to you. Visit the Web site at or call (813) option #5 to schedule a counseling appointment.

8 Resource Library Take time to visit our Resource Library for additional information. Computers and software are available for business purposes. Office Hours Mon-Thur 8:30am-5:00pm Friday 8:30am-12:00pm All materials MUST remain in our library so that everyone may benefit. Thank You!

9 SmallBizU Online Business Courses Free online courses Courses Include: Starting a New Business Accounting 101 Finding Money to Start a Business Pricing Strategy and Tactics Advertising and Promotion Choosing a Legal Structure And more...

10 Frequently Asked Questions Q: What do I have to do to get a loan? A: The lender will need to know: 1. How will you use the money? 2. How much do you need to borrow? 3. How will you repay the loan? 4. What kind of collateral do you have? 5. What is your credit score? 6. Do you have a business plan?

11 The Small Business Information Center. In 2007 alone The SBIC provided over 21,000 points of assistance, including walkins, phone calls and attendance at workshops to potential or existing small businesses.

12 99.7% of all businesses in the United States are considered small businesses 50% of America s private sector is employed by small business Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census

13 that 66% of all small businesses close within their two years!!! source : SBA 2005

14 Your First Stop for Information Starting and running a small business is a challenging task. Attend the various workshops, make an appointment with a counselor and utilize the resources to ensure that you have all the tools needed in order for your business to be successul. Small Business Information Center

15 Our Partners