Small Business Development Centers open in rural South Carolina
March 11, 2015
Rural communities in South Carolina are receiving new consulting centers from the South Carolina Small Business Development Centers (SC SBDC). In partnership with the SC Department of Commerce (DOC), the SC SBDC is focusing on rural development through the opening of new centers in rural areas where the business population was deemed to be underserved. Each center will support the needs of existing businesses, as well as assisting entrepreneurs considering opening a new venture.
“It is important that we serve all of our constituents,” said SC SBDC State Director Michele Abraham. “The businesses in rural parts of our state are just as important to us as the ones located in more urban areas.”
The first center to be opened was in Allendale, followed by one in Union, Cheraw and then Georgetown. Consultants are reaching out into the communities and establishing relationships that will bring attention to the services their center provides. While each of the new centers are open on a part-time basis for now, if demand for services and local support is strong enough it is possible a fulltime center could open in these locations in the future.
“Small business is important to South Carolina’s overall economy, particularly in rural areas,” said Chuck Bundy, Deputy Director for Small Business and Existing Industry at South Carolina Department of Commerce. “The SC SBDC is a flexible network that is able to touch the more remote parts of our state in a meaningful way.”
Contact for any of the SC SBDCs around the state can be found on the locations tab on the top menu at www.SCSBDC.com. People are encouraged to call or email for appointments at the new rural centers.
Lewis Jeter
Business Consultant
Union Area SBDC
103 West Main Street
Union, SC 29379
John Mahon
Business Consultant
Cheraw Area SBDC
Northeastern Tech
Continuing Education Dept.
1201 Chesterfield Highway
Cheraw, SC 29520
Lee Mednikow
Business Consultant
Georgetown Area SBDC
Georgetown Library
405 Cleland Street
Georgetown, SC 29440
Starr Dunbar
Business Consultant
Allendale Area SBDC
465 James Brandt Blvd.
Allendale, SC 29810
Mailing Address: PO Box 617 Allendale, SC 29810
Twenty-one South Carolina Small Business Development Centers across the state offer individual, confidential business consulting at no cost. Consultants assist both existing and startup companies through a variety of services that include advisement on business plans, fiscal and operations management, financing options, marketing strategies, human resources and much more. Centers conduct affordable education workshops and provide referrals to useful business resources. Specialized services include government contracting, exporting, technology commercialization, veterans business assistance and minority outreach. Visitwww.SCSBDC.com to find a center and make an appointment. Follow small business news atwww.facebook.com/SCSBDC and @SCSBDC.
