 | | Cassius Butts Regional Administrator U.S. Small Business Administration |
Happy Earth Day 2014! We like to think of every day as Earth Day at SBA and we remind small business owners the importance of thinking green continuously while we are out in the communities talking to different organizations and community leaders. I have had the opportunity to work with the national organization Green For All on a couple of occasions in the Southeast Region as well as in Washington, D.C. Green For All is led by Nikki Silvestri, Executive Director, out of Oakland, CA and I have also worked with member of their Board of Directors, Lamman Rucker, in Atlanta, Georgia as well as in our nation's capital. Green For All helps keep small business owners and agencies and communities active in protecting our environment and engaging in sustainability not just on Earth Day, but every day. I have seen first-hand their commitment and dedication to the green effort. Keep in mind you can reach out to organizations such as Green For All and many other organizations as well as the SBA who can assist you in keeping your small business green. Please read the below blog article that was recently published by a colleague of mine here at SBA that I believe you will find interesting and please be sure to do something to celebrate Earth Day- not just today, but every day.
From Left to Right: Dr. Rustin Lewis, Executive Director, College Summit, Lamman Rucker, Actor/Board Member of Green For All supporting Nikki Silvestri, and SBA Regional Administrator Cassius Butts at the Green for All Event, Washington, D.C. April 8, 2014. | |  |
What's happening For Small Business in YOUR Area? | | Alabama District Office Tom Todt, SBA District Director On April 5, Lead Lender Relations Specialist L.D. Ralph served as a judge at the first Annual Tuskegee University and Concordia College Business Pitch held at the St. James Hotel in Selma, AL. The panel of judges determined suitability for financing based on the presentations. Sixteen entrants were judged. The winner was HBCU Fashion, a design house. Other entrants included several fashion designers, a topical pain relief manufacturer, a community garden food grower, luggage designer and an IT consultant. On April 7, Alabama Director Tom Todt presented a training session on ACA 101 at Childcare Resources, a non-profit 501 (c) (3) child care resource and referral agency based in Birmingham. CCR works to make quality child care available in Blount, Jefferson, Shelby and Walker Counties by: 1) helping families locate child care, 2) training child care professionals, 3) providing parent education services and 4) offering child care financial assistance to low-income, working families. This was the second session on the Affordable Care Act provided to CCR members, all of whom operate childcare facilities, including faith-based, private and non-profit. On April 12, Public Information Officer David Ramp presented ACA 101 training at the Tuscaloosa Area Black Chamber of Commerce 1st Small Business Empowerment Conference. The attendees were made up of area minority-owned businesses who were informed on a variety of topics including achieving a profit in business, entrepreneurship and the Affordable Care Act. |
 | | North Florida District Office Wilfredo J. Gonzalez, District Director The North Florida District Office hosted a training on April 2, 2014 on the General Supply Administration's (GSA) contracting opportunities. The training was provided by Linda Hosey, a recently retired representative of the GSA. Ms. Hosey spoke to a group of approximately 35 people regarding topics such as general GSA Contracting opportunities, how to market a business to the GSA, e-tools used by the agency, and reverse auction opportunities. The training was facilitated by Tisa Clark, SBA Business Development Specialist. Please contact the SBA North Florida District for upcoming similar trainings. www.sba.gov/fl/north. The SBA North Florida District Office is also partnering with resource partners throughout the district to bring training and mentoring opportunities to Encore Entrepreneurs (age 50 plus), as part of the National Encore Entrepreneur Mentor Month series. Events have been scheduled in Amelia Island, Daytona Beach, The Villages, and Ocala to help entrepreneurs over the age of 50 launch their second careers. A full list of activities scheduled for Encore Mentor Month for North Florida is located on the district website. Anyone interested in participating may also contact SBA's Annette Paulson, Economic Development Specialist at (904) 443-1900. |
SBA Regional Administrator Cassius Butts and staff from both North and South District Offices will be participating in the upcoming Florida 8(a) Alliance Annual Conference May 27-28th in Orlando, Florida at the Buena Vista Palace Hotel. All Businesses are welcome to attend (8(a) , 8(M), HUBZone, Veteran Owned, WOSB, SDVOSB, Large Business). For more information, please visit www.florida8a.org. | |  |
 | | South Florida District Office Francisco "Pancho" Marrero, District Director April has been a busy yet rewarding month for the SBA South Florida District Office (SFDO). On Apr. 8, I traveled to Cocoa, Fla. where we renewed a two-year, Strategic Alliance Memorandum (SAM) with the city during their monthly council meeting at City Hall. Our first Emerging Leaders class kicked off on Apr. 15 at the Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC), Florida International University (FIU) School of Business Downtown Miami Campus, one of our sponsors for the inaugural course. More Miami business owners registered for the course than in any other district Emerging Leaders class in the nation. The first class of 15 business owners will graduate later this fall. SFDO is working closely with the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce in hosting the headquarters initiative "The SBA and Yelp Present: Success with Online Reviews Miami". The free event will be held at the Coral Gables Art Cinema on May 2. It's being held in conjunction with Miami's eMerge Americas, a week-long entrepreneur event with emphasis on technology and working with our Latin American countries. Business owners interested in registering can sign up HERE. Finally, SFDO has begun a bi-weekly radio segment called "Let's Talk SBA." The segment airs the second and fourth Tuesday of each month on WZAB 880 AM "The Biz" during the 8-9 am drive time. Hosted by Pete De La Torre and former SBA lender Sally Villalba, SFDO representatives discuss local events, initiatives and the full range of SBA programs. |
SBA Regional Administrator Cassius Butts will be participating in the Department of Energy's 13th Annual Small Business Forum & Expo in Tampa June 10-12. For more information, please visit http://smallbusinessconference.energy.gov . | |  |
 | | Georgia District Office Terri Denison, District Director
In honor of Encore Entrepreneurship Month the Georgia District Office will host two SBA/AARP Events 1. Exploring Entrepreneurship After 50 (Monday, April 21, 2014) Are you an Entrepreneur? Ever wondered if business ownership was right for you or if you have the personality traits to run a successful business or maybe if that fantastic idea you have could be the next million dollar sensation? Join the SBA Georgia District Office, AARP, and the Georgia Small Business Development Center for a workshop on Exploring Entrepreneurship. 2. Ask the Experts (Tuesday, April 29, 2014) An SBA/AARP Teleconference for Encore Entrepreneurs SBA Georgia District Office and AARP have lined up a panel of experts especially for those 50 and over to field your questions about a wide range of interests to small business owners, including small business finance, management and operations, federal procurement, and small business certification programs. Whether you are currently in business or just thinking about the possibilities, our small business specialists can help clarify popular misconceptions about business ownership and start up, help you again clarity on what it really takes to own and operate a business and advise you on the resources available to you as small business owner in Georgia.
For more information please visit: www.sba.gov/ga |
 | | Kentucky District Office Ralph Ross, District Director
SBA KY District Office Honors Top Small Businesses Mr. Tommy Ray Cornett, President and Founder of Bleed Blue Tattooing and Piercing, Inc. in Lexington, KY is the Kentucky's SBA 2014 Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration's Kentucky District Office. Mr. Cornett, a lifelong artist and U.S. Army veteran who honed his skills in college, opened Bleed Blue Tattoo & Piercing Inc. in Lexington, KY in 2008. The company's mission, in addition to providing superb tattoos and piercings, is to educate the public on the appropriate safety and technical standards that should be expected from the industry, perform at the highest professional level, and eliminate stereotypes surrounding the tattoo and body piercing professions. Bleed Blue is a professional business that is also serious about its community involvement and supports many worthy causes. SBA's Kentucky District Office also honors Small Business Advocates each year, including: · Mr. Jeffrey Elswick, VP and Chief Commercial Lender at Kentucky Farmers Bank in Ashland, as the 2014 Kentucky Financial Services Advocate of the Year; · Mr. Mark Hill, VP of Operations for Messer Construction in Lexington, as the 2014 Kentucky Minority Small Business Advocate of the Year; · Ms. Marisa Neal, President of MMN Consulting, LLC in Louisville, as the 2014 Kentucky Women Business Advocate of the Year, and · Dr. Sharon Kerrick, Founder of the VetStart Program at the University of Louisville, as the 2014 Kentucky Veteran's Small Business Advocate of the Year. All five of Kentucky winners will be honored locally at the "Kentucky Celebrates Small Businesses" event in Lexington this June. Stay tuned for event details by visiting www.sba.gov/ky. |
 | | Mississippi District Office Janita Stewart, District Director
SBA Mississippi 2014 Small Business Person of the Year & Small Business Champion Winners Bhupender "Bruce" Patel, Owner of Fusion Hospitality of Tupelo, MS has been named the SBA 2014 Mississippi Small Business Person of the Year by the SBA Mississippi District Office. SBA's Mississippi District Office also honors Small Business Champions each year. Mississippi Small Business awardees include Marissa C. Simms, Owner of Royal Bleau Boutique, as the 2014 Young Entrepreneur; Regina Austin, Community Affairs Specialist with FDIC as the 2014 Financial Services Champion; Tania G. Bayne, Owner of Shanti Yoga and Counseling, LLC as the 2014 Women in Business Champion; Fred Boykin, Chairman of Military Veterans Association as the 2014 Veterans Business Champion. SBA Mississippi Statewide 2014 Lenders Conference: The Mississippi SBA District Office will host the 2014 Statewide Lenders Conference in Biloxi, MS on May 22-23 at the IP Biloxi Hotel. SBA Mississippi District Office will also honor the Top Lenders and Certified Development Companies for the FY 2013 lending year. For more information, please visit www.sba.gov/MS. Attention! Small Business Owners: Are You Looking for Health Coverage for You and Your Employees? Register for an upcoming webinar to learn about One, Mississippi. Through One, Mississippi you can enroll and select an Insurance Plan that is right for your budget and meets your business needs. Enrollment begins as early as May 1, 2014.Informational Sessions Via Webinar Thursday April 24, 2014 from 3:00—4:00 PM Or Friday April 25, 2014 from 11:00—12:00 Noon To register for one of these sessions, go to: www.onemississippi.com and complete a Small Employer Information Session registration form. If you have any questions, please call: 1-855-9MS-SHOP (1-855-967-7467) |
 | | North Carolina District Office Lynn Douthett, District Director
SBA Microlender in North Carolina Receives $1 Million On Friday, April 4th 2014, Asheville-based Mountain BizWorks (MBW) was presented a $1 million dollar check from the U.S. Small Business Administration. MBW will use the loan to provide SBA microloans to small businesses in Western North Carolina. Since 2006, the organization has funded almost 160 businesses for close to $3 million in SBA microloans to more than 50 startups and over 100 existing businesses that created/retained about 650 jobs. "Mountain BizWorks has done a terrific job in meeting the financing needs of our small businesses here in Asheville and in the far-western counties of our state," said SBA North Carolina District Director Lynn Douthett. "That means job creation for the communities they serve, but also the opportunity for individual small business owners to realize their dreams of owning and running their own businesses." U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan, a member of the Senate Small Business Committee, visited Mountain BizWorks for the announcement. One of the speakers at the event was Meherwan Irani. He and his wife Molly own Chai Pani Indian Restaurant, in downtown Asheville. The pair received a $50,000 SBA microloan through MBW to expand into the lower level of the building and establish MG Road, the restaurant's cocktail lounge. The Microloan program provides small loans up to $50,000. Under this program, the SBA makes funds available to nonprofit intermediaries that, in turn, make the small loans directly to entrepreneurs. Proceeds can be used for typical business purposes such as working capital, or the purchase of furniture, fixtures, machinery, supplies, equipment, and inventory. For more information, go to www.sba.gov/microloans.
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Left to right: SBA District Director Lynn Douthett, U.S. Senator Kay Hagan, Eileen McMinn, MBW board chair and Brian Griffin, MBW Chief of Finance. | |  |
 | | South Carolina District Office Elliott Cooper, District Director
Join the SBA South Carolina District Office Wednesday, May 7, at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center in downtown Columbia for South Carolina's biggest annual small business event--the Salute to Small Business. Featured events: - Procurement Opportunity Matchmaker...Get one-on-one face time with buyers from over 30 big-name companies and agencies, including Boeing, Continental Tire, Palmetto Health and Joint Base Charleston. (9:00AM - 12:30PM)
- Exhibitor Showcase...Connect in a big way with a variety of businesses and resources. Find your next client or your next big deal. (8:00AM - 12:30PM)
- The Network Space...Network with participants and other attendees. Find potential suppliers, customers and partners. (8:00AM - 12:30PM)
- Small Business Awards Luncheon...Meet our state's top entrepreneurs and business advocates--the winners of the SBA's 2014 small business awards. (12:45PM - 2:45PM)
Click here for the full Salute to Small Business event schedule. Registration: - Registration is $25 for the morning events, which include the Procurement Opportunity Matchmaker, Exhibitor Showcase and Network Space. After April 30, registration goes up to $50.
- Registration is $60 for the Small Business Awards Luncheon.
- For additional registration information, contact event coordinator Marie Stiles at 803-604-9141.
For more information about the Salute to Small Business, contact Anna Huntley at anna.huntley@sba.gov. |
 | | Tennessee District Office Walter Perry, District Director
The Tennessee District was very active in promoting the Affordable Care Act Open Enrollment deadline of March 31st with eight events conducted statewide, including four radio appearances by District Director Walter Perry and Economic Development Specialist/PIO David Tiller who appeared on radio station WJBE-FM in Knoxville and, in Nashville at WFSK-FM radio at Fisk University and on SiriusXM Satellite Radio through American Baptist College. SBA's International Trade programs and initiatives were also high on the agenda with SBA participating in an Export Boot Camp with the Tennessee Small Business Development Center at Tennessee State University and export training at the Chattanooga State SBDC. The Emerging Leaders Class of 2014 kick off was held April 9th in Memphis, with a full class of fifteen small business owners committing to thirteen weeks of training that enables them to develop a growth plan specific to their business. Encore Entrepreneurship Month in April is highlighted by two radio appearances promoting the program on WFSK Radio by David Tiller while Economic Development Specialist Jacqueline Merritt will be conducting an Encore Entrepreneurship workshop, "Everything You Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask About Starting a Business," to be held April 28 at the Cleveland State Community College Tennessee Small Business Development Center. Another Encore Entrepreneurship event is scheduled for April 29th at the National Council on Aging in Nashville. Lisa Denson of the District's Lender Relations staff presented at the April 17 lender's conference hosted by South Central Tennessee Business Development Corporation focusing on SBA's 504 loan program attended by over 75 lenders. In Government Contracting, the District Office will also be participating in the Tennessee Valley Authority's Annual Supplier Diversity Outreach Summit in Chattanooga on April 30th. For more information on any of the above events, please visit the Tennessee District Office website www.sba.gov/TN. |
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