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Q. What is the SBDC?
A. The Hampton Roads Chamber's Small Business Development Center of Hampton Roads, Inc. (SBDC) is part of a statewide network funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration as well as local hosts and partnering organizations and agencies. The Center is designed to provide support to the region's small business community and assist in the growth of the region's economy.
Q. Who uses SBDC services?
A. The SBDC was created to help you with your business problems:
It's for the experienced business person who wants to...
- expand his or her business
- solve business problems
- develop new ideas for products or services
- investigate new business opportunities
- expand into international markets
AND
for the inexperienced person who needs to understand...
- requirements for going into business
- financial management marketing
- business opportunities available in Virginia
Q. What services are offered?
A. Business Planning:
Assists the potential entrepreneur with the identification and evaluation of the most important factors related to the success of his or her enterprise.
Business Information
Provides access to a wide variety of economic and business data bases with include federal, state, and private sector.
Management Skills
Provides guidance and counsel to help businesses become more effective and efficient by improving management skills and operational effectiveness.
Workshops
Conducts workshops on many topics related to starting and operating a business in Virginia.
Networking assistance
Helps in identifying sources of information and services related to small business.
Other SBDC services include:
- Assistance researching business financing sources
- Loan application assistance
- Financial analysis
- Permits, licenses and taxes
- Site location analysis
- Marketing advice
- Business library resource
- Preliminary export assistance
Q. How much does this cost?
A. The information, management counseling and technical assistance services of the SBDC professional staff are provided at no charge. Fees may be collected , however, to recover specific client-approved charges for such items as printing, computer time, and postage. A nominal fee may be charged for training workshops.
Q. What about confidentiality?
A. Full disclosure of financial and other proprietary information to the SBDC by the client is usually essential to provide effective assistance. All clients are assured that such information is held in strict confidence at all times.
Q. Who are the SBDC personnel?
A. Our professional staff members are highly skilled individuals, each of whom has significant experience in the private sector. Some have extensive management and financial consulting backgrounds; some personnel are skilled at compiling and interpreting specific data. In addition to its permanent staff, the SBDC also utilizes business owners, corporate executives, business school faculty and students and other volunteers, as well as paid professional consultants. |
