The Small Business Center Network (SBCN) of the North Carolina Community College System commemorates 40 years of dedicated support and assistance to small businesses and startups throughout North Carolina. Small Business Centers (SBC) are an integral part of the state’s community colleges and provide confidential business counseling, seminars and resource referrals to small business owners and entrepreneurs.
Founded in 1984 with the establishment of eight SBCs funded by the North Carolina General Assembly, the SBCN expanded in 1995 to include at least one center at each of the state’s 58 community colleges. Annually, the centers contribute to the creation of an average of 650 companies and the creation and retention of more than 3,000 jobs.
Today, with more than 60 locations, the Small Business Center Network stands as the largest state-funded small business technical assistance program in the United States.
Dr. Jack Bagwell, President of College of The Albemarle, said, “We are incredibly proud of the impact our Small Business Center has on the local economy. It offers a wealth of resources for small business owners and those thinking about starting their own businesses. “Our center fosters the growth and success of countless small businesses in our community.”
Holly Staples, COA Small Business Center Director, added, “We are honored to be a part of SBCN and be at the forefront of economic development in COA’s seven-county service area. Our center advises dozens of small business owners and would-be entrepreneurs each year, and hundreds attend our impactful and relevant workshops and seminars. Working alongside creative, bright, hard-working entrepreneurs in the Albemarle area is a privilege, helping them achieve their dreams of business ownership.”
College of The Albemarle Small Business Center Highlights:
- The center supports people from the exploratory stage of starting a business to established and expanding businesses, offering personalized business advice, training opportunities and resource referrals.
- All services are free and available to the public; you do not need to be a COA student.
- Popular seminar topics include writing a business plan, marketing and branding, social media marketing, website design, NCDOR and IRS compliance, and access to capital.
- In 2016, SBCN named the center a Center of Excellence under the leadership of former Director Ginger O’Neal, recognizing her initiative and collaborative spirit in guiding a local company through the start-up process.
Testimonials from local entrepreneurs:
- “The Small Business Center has been instrumental in my success as a small business owner/operator. I reached out several times for help and received the best professional and valuable information and guidance. Thank you very much for the support and faith in my business.” – Stephanie Blanchard, River City Craft Co.
- “The Small Business Center has been an incredible source of information and knowledge of resources when starting my business. “They were able to advise and guide me to understand how to move forward.” – Local entrepreneur
- “The SBC is a valuable resource for our small business community and has helped my company tremendously.” – Local Entrepreneur
The mission of the Small Business Centers is to increase the success rate and number of viable small businesses in North Carolina. Each center is committed to providing high-quality, easily accessible assistance to existing and potential small business owners with the goal of creating and retaining jobs.
For more information about the center and its services, contact: