The Small Business Voice; Winter-Spring 2018
Brenda’s Letter
High Expectations for 2018
The New Jersey Small Business Development Centers (NJSBDC) network closed out 2017 on a high note. While our official 2017 statistics will not be issued and certified until mid-February, our preliminary system statistics show that our program helped our small business clients create and save more than 16,000 jobs and facilitated more than $104 million in financing last year. More than 560 SBDC clients created new businesses. It was another banner year and we are thankful to all of our network’s experts – who come from business ownership experience and private sector management – in driving these outcomes to assist our small business clients in all 21 counties.
What can we expect in 2018? We think our network will meet or exceed these 2017 statistics. The eventual outcomes will, however, depend on the level of resources from the Small Business Administration, State Government, and our private sector sponsors and grants. All these resources help drive up capacity to deliver assistance and resources to entrepreneurs and small business owners. Increased resource capacity translates into greater outcomes for small business owners and entrepreneurs.
With a new gubernatorial administration taking office, we look forward to our collaboration to ensure that the small business community is strengthened, strongly armed with knowledge, and ready to succeed in developing and growing to ensure that New Jersey residents gain employment and other existing New Jersey businesses buy and sell products and services from and to each other.
We look forward to another banner year!
Brenda B. Hopper is the Chief Executive Officer and State Director of America’s Small Business Development Centers — New Jersey Network.
