The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Highline College offers personalized, confidential advising and coaching to support local businesses in South King County.
Denys Matsyuk/THUNDERWORD
The waiting chairs at the Small Business Development Center.
The SBDC assists in securing investment capital, creating jobs, and increasing business revenue for startup businesses that want to bring their ideas to life. They also help established business owners to market their business and bring in more cash flow.
“Our role with them is to help businesses in whatever phase of business they are in. If they are startup or established or if they are going through challenges or opportunities,” said the director of the center, Rich Shockley.
SBDC advising is a vital resource, offering comprehensive, confidential, and cost-free support for entrepreneurs. With a focus on financial analysis, growth planning, and cybersecurity risk management. SBDC advisors provide ongoing, one-on-one guidance tailored to each client’s unique needs.
“Students would need to have the business idea and the resources to start the business. We most often start with a group business planning class and then move to one-on-one advising,” said Shockley. “This is the student’s responsibility, but we will work with you. We can provide the advice but the business owner does the work.”
SBDC can help students kick start their business and they will walk you through steps and processes for you to start. After you schedule a meeting with them they will help you create a business plan to help you get marketing analysis including acquiring capital and managing your cash flow.
They will also help set up business systems that will work for your business. They have in-depth, one-on-one advising services which includes: financial analysis, cash flow management, access to capital, growth planning, marketing and sales, disaster planning, cybersecurity risk management, employer/employee issues and more.
SBDC can also help take businesses to the next level by helping with business expansion that can grow your reach for more employees and clients. They even assist with entering international markets, with human resources (HR) management, business sustainability, business resilience, succession planning, and marketing intelligence.
Washington state is connected to the national SBDC network (https://wsbdc.org/) which consists of multiple business centers and experts working together to provide resources, referrals, and confidential advising to support small business growth and success.
The mission of the Washington SBDC network emphasizes collaborative efforts with educational institutions, economic development organizations, and the Small Business Administration to facilitate business growth through free advising, education, and research.
The center is funded by various organizations, including the U.S. Small Business Administration. “The Small Business Development Center is part of a national program that’s been around for 40 years. We are a partner with the Small Business Administration but we are a separate organization,” said Shockley.
Through a commitment to client confidentiality and ongoing support, Highline’s SBDC stands as a crucial partner in the success of small businesses, ensuring that entrepreneurs have the necessary tools to thrive.
For more information about the Small Business Development Center here at Highline, you can visit their website (https://sbdc.highline.edu/) or contact Rich Shockley (rshockley@highline.edu) if you have any questions.