Columbia MBDA Business Center to host economic forecast for small & minority-owned businesses

The MBDA Business Center – Columbia, SC will host SB Connect, an economic outlook summit for South Carolina’s small and minority-owned businesses. The daylong event will take place on March 10, 2017at Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, located at 1101 Lincoln Street in Columbia, SC.

The Center has assembled speakers, panelists and presenters from federal and state government agencies, as well as local industries, who will provide procurement information and business insights to business owners. Key segments include an economic outlook summary and three targeted panel discussions. The panels will highlight procurements opportunities within the transportation, infrastructure and commercial/ residential development industries. Representatives from federal, state, and local governments will sit alongside industry leaders on the panels.

“The purpose of SB Connect is to give small and minority business owners the information they need to make smart decisions about the growth and expansion of their business,” says Center Director, Camille Shaw. “We want everyone who attends to walk away with firsthand information on each sector so they can determine how they fit into the federal, state, and local procurement process. They can then use that information, as well as the connections they make, to grow their business.”

In addition to the panels, the Center will provide opportunities for attendees to interact directly with agency procurement representatives, including Shaw Air Force Base.

The MBDA Business Center – Columbia, SC helps minority-owned businesses (at least 51 percent minority ownership) compete in the global economy and stimulate the national and local economy through job creation. The Center is partially funded by the U.S. Department of Commerce and operated by DESA, Inc. This is its second year hosting SB Connect.

Registration for SB Connect is now open. Check-in begins at 8 am with the opening session beginning at 9 am. Small and minority business owners from throughout South Carolina are invited to attend. Visit

SBConnect-SC.com to register.

About the MBDA Business Center

The mission of the MBDA Business Center – Columbia, SC is to assist Minority Business Enterprises compete in the global economy and to stimulate the national and local economy through job creation. To fulfill this mission, we assist MBEs with access to contracts and capital, strategic business counseling, and becoming export-ready. Complete information about the MBDA Business Center and its services can be found b visiting www.ColumbiaMBDACenter.com or by calling (803) 743-1152.