The Small Business Voice; May 2018
Brenda’s Letter
Reaching Expectations And Going Beyond
Expectations were more than met in 2017 with our NJSBDC network helping clients create and save more than 14,500 jobs and helping them access $126.8 million in equity and loan financing. Beyond those strides, 630 of our SBDC clients started new businesses. Sixty percent of all of our clients in all 21 counties were established and existing businesses in all stages of growth. Our 12 centers, with their expert business practitioners, delivered more than 21,000 service hours – including one-on-one management consulting and training in every business topic imaginable. We have a large footprint, counseling and training thousands of small business owners each year.
So, NJSBDC is on the move and we expect to blaze a trail, achieving another high impact year in 2018. With the Legislature’s funding support and the Governor’s commitment to small business, we expect to have the proper level of resources so we can best match the federal funding that comes back to New Jersey on the basis of population. Our congressional delegation has supported annual congressional appropriations for the program that is then channeled to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to be allocated to SBDCs nationally. That enables us to provide the comprehensive assistance small businesses deserve. We deliver services for the taxes these small business owners pay to our state. They deserve even more!
Our 12 centers and the network’s specialty programs such as International Trade, Procurement, Technology Commercialization, E-Business, and Sustainability are assisting clients throughout the year to increase their sales and attain fiscal health and success. The services of our network empower our small business clients to develop and grow in domestic and international markets as well as obtain federal, state and commercial procurement contracts. We also provide very specialized services for firms and start-ups in the science-technology sectors to help them commercialize their technology and products in various fields.
We thank our funding partners and collaborators including PSEG, Bank of America, PNC Bank, Eisner Amper LLC, City National Bank, Peapack-Gladstone Bank, NJIT, UPS and all of our Educational Host Institutions that provide brick and mortar and support for our small business assistance services in their regions.
This program, part of the national America’s SBDC, has amazing opportunities as we move ahead. We look forward to working with all of you to maximize resources for the small businesses and entrepreneurs around the State.
Brenda B. Hopper is the Chief Executive Officer and State Director of America’s Small Business Development Centers — New Jersey Network.
