Celebrate SBDC Day on March 15th!
On March 15, 2023, the Small Business Development Center will celebrate its 7th annual SBDC Day. SBDC Day is a national, collective proclamation of the impact America’s Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) have on the success of our nation’s dreamers, innovators, and doers – America’s small businesses.
SBDC Day unites the nearly 1,000 SBDC centers across the country and the hundreds of thousands of clients they serve by sharing, in real time, the success stories and notable impacts SBDCs collectively have on the small business community at large. It’s a great time to review some of the programming and services our regional SBDC (SBDC-Lynchburg Region) provides Campbell County small businesses.
The Small Business Development Center - Lynchburg Region serves the City of Lynchburg, Amherst, Appomattox, Bedford and Campbell Counties.
How have Economic Development and SBDC-Lynchburg Region worked together to support the Campbell County small business community?
Start Small Campbell Grant Program Support
The SBDC-Lynchburg Region assists the Campbell County Department of Economic Development by providing Smart Start classes each month that help train new business owners on fundamental business skills such as developing a business plan, identifying necessary licenses and permitting, social media literacy, establishing websites. SBDC-Lynchburg Region advisors will also review business plans before grant applicants submit to improve the chances that the application will meet the minimum requirements.
Individual Counseling with Local Subject Matter Experts
Did you know you can request a meeting with one of the SBDC-Lynchburg Region mentors? It is a free and confidential service. Whether you are an established business looking to grow (or survive) or an entrepreneur with a great idea, you can receive targeted guidance tailored to the questions and challenges that matter most to your business. Get advice on branding, marketing, finance, business planning, government contracting, and more.
Guest Speakers at County Workshops and Events
With their expertise in a variety of business needs, Economic Development has utilized SBDC-Lynchburg Region staff to present at several events. Executive Director Stephanie Keener presented an overview of SBDC-Lynchburg Region’s offerings at the Campbell Connects networking event in Brookneal in last June. Jawanza Hall, on of the SBDC advisers, gave a very well-received branding and marketing presentation focused on farms and agritourism at the Campbell County Agritourism Workshop in February 2023.
Coordinated Altavista Small Group
At Campbell Connects in Altavista, Stephanie Keener assisted Codie Cyrus of C&C Piping and Fabrication to recruit a small group cohort to work through the GrowthWheel business development program.
How Can I Celebrate SBDC Day?
Follow the conversation online by following the hashtag #SBDCDay or celebrate by scheduling a counseling session with one of the SBDC-Lynchburg Region advisors. You can even enroll in a Smart Start online business class ("Get Your Business Up and Running" is on March 16th) as a step toward applying for the Start Small Campbell Grant Program.