Bunnell business owners met with Joe Roy of the Palm Coast Business Assistance Center at a Roundtable meeting this morning to discuss items of interest to area small businesses. The business leaders also gave Joe some candid comments on training, accessibility of the BAC, and perceptions that the BAC only helps businesses in “trouble”. “This was a great exchange of ideas” said Roy “and I came away from the discussion with greater insights into how the BAC can become more effective”. Roy indicated that the monthly roundtable meetings in Flagler Beach, Bunnell, and at the Flagler Chambler would begin to focus on a specific training topic important to small business owners in Flagler County. The Business Essential Financial Series – 2012 will begin with the Roundtable meeting schedule on February 8th at the Flagler Chamber of Commerce from 8AM to 9AM. This is a 4 part series with the February topic develoted to “Essentials to Financing Your Business”. Additional topics to be covered during March, April, and May include Sales and Pricing, Managing Costs and Breakeven Points, and Cashflow and Working Capital respectively. Particiapnts for these Financial Series Training Events are asked to register at www.palmcoastbac.com. There is no charge for this seminar series. Registration is necessary to plan for food and beverages.
Archive for January, 2012
Bunnell Business Rountable
SBA Program Helps to Bridge the Small Business Gap
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Small Business Administration’s national network of Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) plays an essential role in the economic development of their states and local communities through their direct, face-to-face counseling for small businesses, according to a report released today by the SBA. The report, produced by the National Small Business Development Center Advisory Board, focuses on SBDCs’ impact on small business access to SBA’s programs and services, including access to SBA capital, procurement, disaster and international trade programs.
“SBA’s Small Business Development Centers give new and growing small businesses the resources they need throughout the year to grow and create jobs,” said SBA Administrator
Karen Mills. “The soundness of our economy depends on stable small businesses across the country and SBDCs are front and center helping entrepreneurs start, grow and expand their companies. These institutions reflect the diversity and individuality of their nearly 900 home towns and play an active and vital role in those.”
The report confirms that SBA’s SBDC program remains an essential part of the agency’s mission to help small businesses. The report, The SBDC Program: An Indispensable Partner in America’s Economic Development, demonstrates statistically the prolonged impact that
SBA-funded SBDCs have on the formation and growth of small businesses. The report can be viewed online at http://www.sba.gov/sites/default/files/White%20Paper%20-%20FINAL%20-%2007-15-2011.pdf.
A key finding of the report is that SBDCs help local economies by improving the odds for startup small businesses. “SBDCs,” the report says, “are solely focused on creating and supporting small businesses which in turn pay taxes, provide employment and diversify the economic base for their states. . . The businesses that work with the SBDCs are the job creators and enterprises that have the potential for survival and growth.”
The report also highlights the effectiveness of SBDC counseling in improving the chances of small businesses that are seeking credit. “SBDCs have intimate knowledge of what lenders really want and need from borrowers to increase the likelihood of them being able to make a loan. The SBDC Business Advisors provide solid technical expertise to coach borrowers through the lending process.”
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SBA News 12-3, page 2…
The report found that the 900 SBDC service locations provide a necessary local footprint in the communities they serve, delivering unique offerings tailored to the needs of its small business community.
The report also found that the SBDC program, for which the federal government covers half the cost, remains one of the government’s best investments because of its close associations with other SBA resource partners, federal, state and local government small business assistance programs and service providers; universities and community colleges; and private enterprise and local nonprofit economic development organizations.
The nine-member independent advisory board provides advice and counsel to the SBA Administrator and associate administrator for the Office of Small Business Development Centers on the SBDC program.
Last year, more than 557,000 entrepreneurs received business advice and technical assistance through the SBDC program. In its more than 30-year history, SBDCs have assisted millions of small business owners and entrepreneurs to successfully start and grow small firms by fostering entrepreneurship and growth through innovation and efficiency.
SBDC at UCF OPENS PROCUREMENT TECHNICAL CENTER
Derek Hudson PTAC Procurement Specialist
SBDC at UCF Opens Procurement Technical Assistance Center
Serving Volusia, Flagler, Lake and Sumter Counties
Orlando, FL – It just became easier for small businesses to bid for government contracts in Central Florida. The Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (SBDC at UCF) is increasing its support of the Procurement Technical Assistance Center program (PTAC) with the opening of a new center at Daytona Beach International Airport in the offices of the UCF Incubator which is partially funding the center. The PTAC in Daytona Beach will have a full-time, dedicated procurement expert focused on serving businesses in Volusia, Flagler, Lake and Sumter counties.
The Procurement Technical Assistance Center program helps Florida businesses understand the government procurement process and provides no-cost consulting services to businesses seeking to sell their goods and/or services to federal, state or local governments. Included is assistance with identifying government projects, proposal writing guidance, and small business program application assistance, for example HUBZones, SBA 8a certifications, etc.
Since its launch here in 2006, the PTAC program has been a boon to small businesses in Central Florida. Located in the offices of the SBDC at UCF in Orlando, the existing Procurement Technical Assistance Center has been assisting clients across 8 counties. In 2011 alone, PTAC consulted with more than 300 small business clients, helping them win almost $11.7 million in government contracts. Since inception, the local PTAC program has assisted on more than $94.2 million of government contracts going to Central Florida businesses. With the opening of the PTAC in Daytona Beach, the Orlando PTAC will now focus its efforts solely on assisting businesses in Orange, Seminole, Brevard and Osceola counties.
“We are thrilled to be opening a second PTAC in Daytona Beach dedicated to assisting businesses in Volusia, Flagler, Lake and Sumter counties,” said Eunice Choi, Regional Director of the SBDC at UCF. “PTACs have proven to be a valuable tool for small businesses seeking government contracts and they contribute to fulfilling the mission of the SBDC to help businesses start, grow and succeed.”
Assisting clients of the PTAC in Daytona Beach will be Derek Hudson, a procurement specialist and former U.S. Navy Supply Corps Officer with experience managing procurement as well as inventory budgets of up to $ 3.5 million. His areas of expertise include supply chain management, project management, contract management, and strategic communications planning in the private and government (military) sectors. For more than a decade he worked primarily as a consultant to the Florida Department of Transportation on Central Florida projects totaling more than $700 million. He has also worked closely with local and county governments. Mr. Hudson is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and earned his MBA from the Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College.
The Procurement Technical Assistance Program (PTAP) was authorized by Congress in 1985 in an effort to expand the number of businesses capable of participating in the Government Marketplace. Administered by the Department of Defense, Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), the program provides matching funds through cooperative agreements with state and local governments and non-profit organizations for the establishment of Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) to provide procurement assistance. The program in Florida is headquartered in Pensacola with branch offices in Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, Boca Raton, Ft. Myers and now Daytona Beach. The program operates under the umbrella of the Florida Small Business Development Center. Along with funding from the Department of Defense, the new PTAC in Daytona Beach is benefiting from financial support provided by the UCF Business Incubator.
– UCF–
With its main office in the National Entrepreneur Center (formerly the Disney Entrepreneur Center) now located at the Fashion Square Mall in Orlando, the SBDC at UCF is part of the UCF College of Business Administration and the Florida Small Business Development Center Network, providing business seminars and no-cost, one-on-one business consultation to small business owners. The SBDC at UCF serves an eight-county area that includes Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia counties and maintains seven satellite service centers. In 2010, the SBDC at UCF helped entrepreneurs create or retain 1,241 jobs, win contract awards worth $38.3 million, acquire $20 million in capital formation, and increase sales by $18.4 million. The SBDC at UCF is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
SBDC at UCF | 3201 E. Colonial Drive | Orlando, FL 32801 | p 407.420.4850 | f 407.420.4862
sbdc@bus.ucf.edu | www.sbdcorlando.com
Valuable Training For Business Owners
From marketing, cash flow and management to finance, growth and Google . . . the Palm Coast Business Assistance Center will now be offering the most comprehensive, affordable seminars available locally for business owners. Each session is designed to boost the bottom line, the local economy and the resolve of our business spirit.
An informative Business Success Training Series opens on Thursday, January 26th and extends through March. Sessions will be held at various locations throughout Flagler County, with fees beginning at only $15. Additionally, free monthly roundtable discussions will be held in Flagler Beach, Bunnell and at the Flagler County Chamber of Commerce. Training sessions are sponsored by the Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida, SCORE, the Flagler County Chamber of Commerce, City of Bunnell, City of Flagler Beach and the City of Palm Coast Business Assistance Center. For a more complete listing of classes and roundtable meetings, fees and locations, log onto PalmCoastBAC.com, the City of Palm Coast website at palmcoastgov.com or call 386-986-2499.
WE HIRE HEROES
It’s not enough to simply say we support our local hometown heroes . . .it’s time to do something to show our support and mean it.
Palm Coast/Flagler County is coming together to offer job transition, search and placement assistance for our local military heroes. The Palm Coast Business Assistance Center and the Flagler County Chamber of Commerce are partnering to implement a new ‘Hire a Hero’ program to encourage local businesses to employ local veterans and to guide new applicants through the intricate hiring process.
“With the unemployment rate for young veterans being a staggering 20%, our own government leaders and local business organizations want to take action and make a difference in the lives of our local hometown heroes,” says Joe Roy, area Manager for the Palm Coast Business Assistance Center. “The Center for Business Excellence, SCORE and officials from Flagler County, Flagler Beach and Bunnell are pulling together all of their resources to commit to this essential new initiative.”
If you are a local veteran who has been honorably discharged, reside in Flagler County and are eligible to go to work, contact the One Stop Employment Center at 386-323-7011 or the Flagler County Chamber of Commerce at 386-437-0106. Once you are registered, SCORE and the Palm Coast Business Assistance Center will assist you with creating resumes and practicing interviewing skills. Preference will be given to unemployed veterans, although ALL veterans are eligible for this program.
If you are a Flagler County business, we kindly request that you review your employee needs and commit to filling your vacancy with one of our hometown heroes. Tax credits may also be available to those who hire a hero as well as grants from the Center for Business Excellence. Acting to employ a local veteran will go a long way to boost our economy and honor the men and women who served our nation and our protected our freedom.
For more information about ‘Hire a Hero’, contact Joe Roy at 386-986-2499 or Doug Baxter at 386-437-0106.