By Duane Adams –
Since its inception in 1984, the Small Business Center Network (SBCN) has aided small business owners throughout the state of North Carolina in the form of confidential counseling, programs, and community outreach.
This statewide initiative started with less than a handful of centers and has expanded to include all 100 counties in the Tar Heel State. There is now a Small Business Center (SBC) housed at each of the State’s 58 community colleges, making the SBCN the most expansive business assistance network in the country.
Funded by taxpayer dollars, each center offers business services at no cost. Every location covers a specific territory, serving the direct needs of its designated communities. Much of the programming is geared towards meeting folks where they are, both physically and practically. Each center is charged with providing seven core programs annually. The program topics include start up, business planning, taxes, accounting and bookkeeping, marketing, and financials.
Outside of core programs, you can find topics such as website development, business communications, nonprofit development, time management, and others. Secondary funding, and strong community partners, allow the center the flexibility to provide additional programs that are in high demand, much of them based on the feedback received from clients or changes in the environment.
For example, this past year, there were several programs on artificial intelligence. The center also provided programming focused on business communication and civil discourse which can be extremely helpful in an election year when folks may be a bit more sensitive to messaging.
Since 1989, A-B Tech’s Small Business Center has served Buncombe and Madison counties and partnered with numerous local initiatives that engage a diverse audience. Located at A-B Tech Enka, we have partnered with programs like the Minority…
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