News Taffy

By Laura Miller, Lead Consultant, ASU Small Business and Technology Development Center 

What’s in it for me?  We get calls daily from people asking just that.  They want to know why they should use the services of the Arkansas State University Small Business and Technology Development Center.  I’ll answer a few of our most common questions.

Why should I use the services of the Small Business and Technology Development Center?  First, the assistance is objective, confidential, and offered at the right price…free!  All ASBTDC consultants have advanced degrees or numerous years of experience in related industries.  Herb Lawrence has been with the ASU SBTDC for 14 years (and ran a similar business assistance program for 5 years prior to that), Laura Miller for 10 years (and also 4+ years in another state), and Robert Bahn for 1 year (and has over 30 years of banking experience).

Who can get assistance?  The Arkansas State University SBTDC provides management assistance to small business owners and entrepreneurs in a 15 county territory in Northeast and North Central Arkansas.  If you are not located within our service territory we can refer you to one of our other six centers who will also take good care of you.

How can you provide free assistance?  The U.S. Small Business Administration partners with universities and colleges nationwide to fund the program.  In Arkansas, the SBA partners with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock who in turn contracts with Arkansas State University to offer the services in a specified territory.

What Kind of Assistance Can I Expect to receive?  The SBTDC will provide one-on-one confidential guidance and feedback.  Remember, you are not paying us so we cannot do your homework for you!  Our goal is to help you find the information you need to start or run a successful small business.  Our primary areas of assistance include:

More specifically, we:

Often we serve as a sounding board for our clients who want to discuss ideas and concerns about starting a business or expanding their business or just need resource referrals to answer your quick questions.

Do I have to work with a consultant?  Of course not (but we wish you would!).  Many small businesses are able to get the information they need through our low-cost training programs.  Live seminars on a variety of topics are conducted throughout our territory.  We also have online classes for those who prefer that learning environment.

Why do you do this?  We love our jobs.  No two clients are the same.  So, in a sense, all of our assistance is customized to you and your specific needs.  We enjoy sharing in your success and we hope that you will become one of our success stories!

How do we get started?  It’s simple—give us a call.  We’ll need to sign you up as a client which involves completing a one page “Request for Counseling” form (painless, I promise).  Then we can provide assistance in person, by phone, via email, or use Skype—whatever works best for your situation.

Laura Miller, Lead Consultant for the ASU SBTDC.  Laura has been helping small businesses  for 10 years.   Talk to Laura and find out how she can help your start-up or existing business reach it’s full potential.  Call Laura at (870) 972-3517 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (870) 972-3517      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or e-mail her at lmiller@astate.edu.   The ASU SBTDC provides assistance in 15 counties of Northeast and North-Central Arkansas.  Even if you are outside of our “territory” contact us and we will put you in touch with and SBDC in your area!