When Kathy Brown was considering opening a Smoothie King store, she did what hundreds of other area business have done and turned to the Angelina College Small Business Development Center for assistance.
"We had no idea how to go about getting the financing or getting started in business until we called the SBDC. They provided us with the professional advice we needed and helped us reach our goals.
Joel Andrews/The Lufkin Daily News |
Kathy Brown sought help from the Angelina College Small Business Development Center when considering opening a Smoothie King store in March of 2003.
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Joel Andrews/The Lufkin Daily News |
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Brown joined hundreds of other area business people who have taken advantage of the SBDC's expertise. Begun in 1999, the center is celebrating 20 years of service to the community. In the past five years, the center has served more than 500 clients who have created more than 900 jobs in the area.
The center offers free consultations to people interested in starting a business and to those looking to expand their current operations.
Part of the University of Houston's Small Business De foment Center network, the local center serves businesses in Angelina, Nacogdoches, Wood, Polk and Crockett counties.
Center Director Brian McClain began work there in 1996 after a successful career in restaurant management and ownership.
"We work with people to help start a business and with business owners to analyze expansion plans and needs. Our objective is to create jobs in our community. We want people to succeed," McClain said.
All consultations are free and confidential. Besides McClain, Larry Cain and Richard Hughes are available to offer assistance and advice. They provide full-service business consultations. Areas of expertise include developing business plans, financial analysis, bank presentations, marketing advice and how to work with the Small Business Administration.
The center operates with the support of the City of Lufkin, Angelina County and area economic development organizations.
According to Jim Wehmeier, director of Economic Development, the City of Lufkin and president of the Lufkin/Angelina County Economic Development Partnership, "The SBDC is an essential element of the overall economic development process for our area and we are proud to support them as one of their major funders. Their focus is a little different than ours, but is complementary to our program. We send them a lot of clients that are not within our primary target and also occasionally work on projects together that fit into both of our scopes. We are blessed to have them in our community and as a partner in the overall goal of economic development for our area. We are especially blessed to have Brian McClain running the local program as he is honestly the best I have seen at what he does."
Besides consultation services, the center offers a variety of classes as part of its sustainable business program. Classes in planning, accounting, marketing advertising and operations are available for a nominal charge. The center offers classes online.
For more information contact the SBDC at (936) 633-5206 or online at angelina.edu/SBDC/index.html.
