| Financial advisors often find themselves consulting to | | | | new customer segments. |
| successful entrepreneurs about how to continue to | | | | Investors and inventors find value in a flooring |
| grow their assets after the business has been sold or | | | | company start-up. |
| taken over through a carefully planned succession | | | | An environmental product company breaks past the |
| strategy. But developing a small business (defined | | | | $15 million mark with a new product. |
| here as having less than $50 million in annual | | | | An ornithology hobby becomes a successful business |
| revenues) is not so simple.After the initial burst of | | | | venture. |
| business success and survival in the first three years, | | | | An outdoor equipment manufacturer finds a |
| many small businesses encounter struggles that can | | | | potential acquisition. |
| leave them feeling isolated. What can assist a 30-year | | | | Customer purchase decisions and perceptions are |
| old consulting firm whose personal presence and | | | | revealed to a manufacturer. |
| paper products face a changing world of electronic | | | | An automotive aftermarket tool gains distribution |
| presence and high travel costs by helping them with | | | | outlets across the U.S. |
| development of electronic products? What can | | | | A "hot" tool is offered to the propane and plumbing |
| encourage a small playground equipment | | | | industries.Part of the success of these entrepreneurs |
| manufacturer to move from $1 million to $2 then $5 | | | | and a couple of hundred thousand others is due to |
| million in annual revenues by helping her with facility | | | | the one-on-one relationship of these advisors with |
| expansion issues? What can help a successful cookie | | | | their entrepreneurial clients. Developing business plans, |
| baker beat the competition through strategic | | | | wading through loan applications, securing critical |
| partners, cause marketing and high tech kitchen | | | | market research, exploring product design options, |
| equipment?Small Business Development Centers | | | | identifying a lasting competitive edge---these are |
| can.According to the Small Business Administration | | | | typical of the services that SBDC's can provide to |
| these SBDC's gave face-to-face help to more than | | | | the entrepreneur.These services are nothing to be |
| 247,000 clients last year. A treasury of business | | | | sneezed at. In another state, South Carolina, the |
| answers lies waiting and ready to assist at 1,100 top | | | | economic impact on the state's economy in 2005 |
| colleges and universities across the United States, | | | | alone was $86 million, resulting in a return on |
| according to the SBA. These centers are funded by | | | | investment of $121.11 for every dollar of state |
| a combination of federal, state and local government | | | | funding, according to Regional Director Jill Burroughs |
| monies as well as with private sector dollars.Here are | | | | as quoted in the Greenville News. Further explaining |
| just few examples from the State of Wisconsin. The | | | | the power of the program, Burroughs said that |
| University of Wisconsin at Whitewater hosts a Small | | | | breaks down to $45.7 million in capital formation, 1038 |
| Business Development Center at Its email is This | | | | jobs created, nearly $25 million in wages paid, |
| center is also affiliated with the Wisconsin Innovation | | | | $869,000 in additional sales taxes and $15 million in |
| Service Center, that "takes pride in an extremely high | | | | contracts awarded to 381 businesses.SBDC's are |
| rate of client satisfaction...nearly 75% of clients have | | | | located in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, |
| been referred by former clients and professionals. | | | | Guam, Puerto Rico, Samoa and the US Virgin Islands. |
| The Wisconsin Innovation Service Center charges an | | | | If you conservatively cut the impact of South |
| "affordable fee" to provide companies with enough | | | | Carolina in half and multiplied by the 50 states, you |
| information for improved product and market | | | | would have a $2.1 BILLION impact.This is a powerful |
| development decisions.A few diverse examples of | | | | treasury of real riches that spills over to the rest of |
| this university-related treasury of successes include | | | | the economy from the struggles of entrepreneurs |
| these:A local gardener gained international attention | | | | who refused to let their dreams be defeated by the |
| for a unique gardening tool. | | | | obstacles they encountered. They got help.By |
| An innovative drywall finishing product offers | | | | Simone J. Nathan, author of "Going for Gold After 50: |
| significant benefits over competition. | | | | An Illustrated Guide to High Probability Investing," and |
| A new product helps a honey producer grow. | | | | Managing Partner of GA50, Inc., founded to increase |
| A business in the electrical equipment industry finds | | | | savings sensibility and add quality to longevity. |