 Learn More About SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet  SBA Region IV:  SBA Online Courses Go to www.sba.gov for information on SBA programs and services.
 Veterans, whether you are starting or growing your business, SBA can help. Visit the resources SBA has for Veterans here. Entrepreneurial Opportunities for Veteran Entrepreneurs  Are you a Veteran looking towards entrepreneurship? Find a Boots to Business Reboot course near you! It might seem a bit surprising it's absolutely possible to start and run a business from your smartphone. At the very least, you can start a business and run the majority of it from a smartphone and without a computer, from your home. Are You SBA's Next Winner? Are you a small business owner with an amazing success story to tell? If so, submit your nomination today for SBA's National Small Business Week awards.
Blog | Is Your Small Business Social Enough?
It is worth your time to build and nurture your social media presence even when your business — and your online audience — are small. How to Know When to Change Your Business Plan Sometimes you need to stick to your business plan to make it work. Even a mediocre strategy consistently executed over time is better than a series of brilliant strategies that keep going off in different directions. Strategy often takes time. Blog | 3 Technologies for Streamlining Customer Communications The rise of mobile search and shopping behavior has helped drive the effectiveness of out-of-home advertising.  Connect with lenders with the new SBA LINC tool to Find lenders in your area.
 Did you know the federal government buys nearly $100 billion worth of goods and services from small businesses each year? Government contracts can offer significant opportunities for small businesses, but selling to the government requires a very different approach than selling to the commercial sector. Understand how to: - Qualify as a small business
- Determine your NAICS code
- Register for government contracting
Learn more  CONTACT: www.sba.gov Main: 404-331-4999 region_4@sba.gov
Leadership: Cassius F. Butts, Regional Administrator SBA Office of Advocacy: Mark Berson, Regional Advocate mark.berson@sba.gov SBA Region IV Office Staff:
Tawana Farley, Regional Office Manager tawana.farley@sba.gov 404-331-4999
Lola Kress, Regional Communications Director lola.kress@sba.gov 404-331-2798  | | @SBASoutheast |
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Congratulations to the University of North Florida and the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce for being selected and awarded funding from the SBA for The ScaleUp America Initiative. The SBA's ScaleUp America Initiative is designed to help small firms with high potential grow their businesses so that they will create more jobs and have a greater economic impact, both locally and nationally. This community-focused initiative is designed to build and strengthen entrepreneurial networks within particular communities, so that firms grow by leveraging existing resources and expertise in their communities. Read More......... What's Happening Around the Region
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Tom Todt, District Director |
Year-end is looming and business is booming! The SBA Alabama District Office staff are busy wrapping up events to finish out the fiscal year—even while football season is ramping up again! JaWanda Henderson-Jones, BOS, and Rod Perkins, LRS, make presentations to attendees at the monthly Lending Overview workshop. | |  |
 | | Raymond Hembree, Deputy District Director, provides an overview of SBA programs and services to attendees at the monthly 8(a) seminar. |
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Wilfredo J. Gonzalez,
District Director |
The North Florida District Office (NFDO) recently signed a Strategic Alliance Memorandum (SAM) with the Orlando Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO). The groups will work together to increase training and other opportunities for women business owners. Donna Padgug, Women's Business Specialist/Economic Development Specialist facilitated the signing with NAWBO –Orlando.  L to R: Pamela Rogan, Immediate Past President, NAWBO Orlando, Jennifer Dickerson, Community Partnership Chair, NAWBO Orlando, Donna Padgug, SBA North Florida Women's Business Specialist, Lydia Chicles, President, NAWBO Orlando Photo Provided By: Nancy Jo Brown / 106FOTO The SBA NFDO also signed a statewide SAM on August 30 with the Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida. The Chamber is expanding its reach into several Central Florida counties to serve the growing population of business owners from Puerto Rico. SBA will partner with the Chamber to bring training and workshops and other resources to the area. The event was hosted at Sanford Airport, where the airport also announced there will be new direct flights to Puerto Rico 4 times a week starting in December.  L to R: George Seda, Vice President, Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida; Ed Ramos, SBA Senior Area Manager Orlando (North Florida); Amilcar Cordova, President, Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida; and Robert Chavarria, Senior Area Manager Tampa (South Florida).  | |
Francisco Marrero, District Director |
The summer of 2016 has been busy for the
South Florida District Office!!
 South Florida District Office welcomed the newest member to its 8(a) Business Development team: Ronald A. Brunner, Business Opportunity Specialist. Prior to federal civilian service, Ronald was a Service Engineer for Service Express in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He also served 14 combined years of active, National Guard and Army Reserve duty. He continues to serve his country as a commissioned officer in the Army Reserves.  Above: Members of the 2016 South Florida Emerging Leaders Class Felix Murillo of CAM International, Karen Vieira of The Med Writers, Steven Sarduy of Indemnity Security and Juan Arenas of Packing and Resources participated in the grand opening ceremony of Indemnity Security's storefront location, Sept. 20. Also this summer, the SBA South Florida District Office used their weekly "Let's Talk SBA" radio segment with Pete De La Torre, cofounder of World Business Radio Network and 2016 Media Advocate of the Year for the State of Florida to launch a SBA-themed "Roadshow" featuring regional administrators in an on-air Q&A platform. This show theme was designed particularly for small business owners who may be looking into growth potential and/or networking with businesses in other markets and as a way to hear more about the overall characteristics, demographics, challenges and trends in the various regions. In addition, the interviews also help to promote the regions respective SBA success stories! Region(s) 1, 2, 3 and 4 have been featured thus far and we are making our way across the U.S. in the coming weeks, so be on the lookout!  | |
Terri Denison,
District Director |
Access to Capital The Georgia District Office is pleased to announce the newest addition to the micro-lender community, Accion. Through its micro-lending program, it provides entrepreneurs with loans up the $50,000. Accion has also recently become a SBA Community Advantage Lender allowing it to provide larger loans up to $250,000. Even though they are based in Orlando, Florida, they can service clients throughout Georgia. Accion has been providing access to capital and small business consulting since 1991.  | |
Ralph Ross,
District Director |
KY SBDC Director Recognized as One of the Best Boots to Business Instructors The Boots to Business program of the Office of Veterans Business Development (OVBD) is acknowledging the six most outstanding Boots to Business instructors for 2016. Based on nationwide SBA nominations, these instructors were selected for their immense contributions and dedication to the program and our service members, veterans, and spouses in their business ownership endeavors, including Patricia Krausman, Director of the University of Kentucky Small Business Development Center in Elizabethtown. Patricia has provided exceptional business management consulting and training for over twenty years. Additionally, she served as the statewide program director for the Kentucky SBDC Veterans Assistance Program, which she grew from a concept in 2009 to a highly respected, go-to resource for veteran business support and advocacy. In 2013, she was chosen as the KY SBA Veteran's Small Business Advocate of the Year. Patricia has guided entrepreneurs in the successful development, management, and growth of small businesses. She is a hands-on leader and advocate, serving as a member of the KY Commission on Small Business Advocacy, the Lincoln Trail Workforce Development Board and the Governor's Veterans Interagency Task Force, among other voluntary roles. As a result, she was awarded the prestigious KY Association for Economic Development Allied Professional of the Year in 2014. Prior to joining the KSBDC program, she supported small businesses in both the for-profit and non-profit arena, working for Metro United Way, Safeguard Business Systems and others. Patricia graduated with a B.A. in Business Administration from McKendree College and an M.B.A. from Embry Riddle University. Congratulations, Patricia Krausman, and thank you for your tireless service to veterans and entrepreneurs. For more information, go to www.sba.gov/ky and look under Press Releases.  | |
Janita Stewart, District Director |
On August 23, 2016, the Gulfport Branch Office in partnership with AARP connected with Encore Entrepreneurs who were interested in starting or growing their businesses. The event provided audience members an opportunity to engage a panel of local business professionals in an effort to garner insightful information regarding several business centric topics: Some of the panel highlights included: Access to Capital, Counseling Resources, Social Media for Business, and Small Business Incentives.  Photo: Ivory Craig, AARP, Lance Foster, SBA, Mitch McDowell, SBDC Gulf Coast, Andy Collins, Mississippi State University Extension Service and Dorothy Wilson, Business Owner of DWilson & Associates, LLC
On August 31, 2016, The Mississippi District Office and AARP hosted an Encore Entrepreneur Business Forum in Meridian, MS. Information was provided to local entrepreneurs on finding capital for businesses, government contracting, financial literacy, and also the advantages of becoming certified as a small business owner. The event lasted from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Not only was SBA involved in this event but representatives from SCORE, MDA, and SBDC were present.  Photo: Ivory Craig, AARP and SBA Mississippi District Staff  | |
Lynn Douthett, District Director |
 On September 16, the North Carolina district office hosted an all-day veteran entrepreneurship workshop at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Over 30 attended the workshop which covered various topics including business plan writing, setting up a legal structure, and securing funding. SBA Boots to Business: Reboot is a national training program that provides veterans and their spouses an overview of business ownership as a career, an outline of the components of business ownership, a practical exercise in opportunity recognition, and an introduction to available public and private sector resources. Since its inception in 2013, the Boots to Business program has conducted 1,795 workshops with over 37,500 transitioning veterans. In North Carolina, we have hosted 111 Workshops for about 1,850 attendees. The program is made possible by SBA's Office of Veteran's Business Development with the support of The Institute for Veterans and Military Families at Syracuse University and local SBA partners.  | | Attendees interact with members of an entrepreneurship panel during the Boots to Business: Reboot session. |
 (left to right) Don Spry, SBA Senior Area Manager for Wilmington and Southeast North Carolina; AARP North Carolina team members Rodney Statham, Suzanne Black, and Dennis Stokely. GOVERNMENT CONTRACTING WEBINAR SERIES FOR 2016-2017 – 2nd Tuesday of Every Month! · Did you know the U.S. Government buys over $500 Billion of goods and services every year? · Would you like to find out how your business can access the federal marketplace? · Want to learn about more Tools that might help you grow your business in addition to your Certification? The SBA North Carolina District Office presents a brand new webinar series to help you learn about contracting with the federal government. Throughout the series you will learn about: - Marketing to the Government
- Procurement Process and Contracts
- Application Process for 8(a) Certification
- The benefits of 8(a) certification such as Joint Ventures and Mentor/Protégé
- Access to Credit and Bonding For more information, contact Erin Connell at 704-344-6590 or e-mail. Erin.connell@sba.gov.  | |
Elliott Cooper,
District Director |
The South Carolina District Office met with the Center for Women and the South Carolina Women's Business Center (SCWBC) on 8/30/2016. It was a great meeting discussing our partnership and preparing our strategic plans for the next fiscal year. There are two new members to the team. Martin Short, Economic Development Specialist and Public Affairs Specialist joined the SBA in July and Gwendolyn Singletary, Program Coordinator, joined the Women's Business Center in May.  L to R: Martin Short- SBA Economic Development Specialist/Public Affairs Specialist, Amy Brennan-Executive Director Center for Women, Gwendolyn Singletary- SCWBC-Program Coordinator, Elliott Cooper- SBA District Director, and Leigh Ann Garrett- Programs & Events Manager John Mallano, Acting District Director  One of SBA's most popular and successful initiatives is the "Boots 2 Business" program. Initiated as a pilot in 2012 and expanded nationally in 2013, Boots to Business, and the more recent ReBoot program, utilizes SBA resource partners including the Veterans Business Outreach Centers (VBOC) Small Business Development Centers (SBDC), Women's Business Centers (WBC), SCORE, and the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University to deliver entrepreneurship education and training to transitioning service members and their dependents who are exploring or pursuing small business ownership and self-employment Boots to Business is available at no charge on military installations worldwide to Service members and military spouses transitioning or retiring from service. See www.boots2business.org for more information. ReBoot is a program presented off the premises of military installations and is open to all Veterans and their families, free of charge. On September 20 and 21, the Tennessee SBA District Office participated in "ReBoot" in downtown Nashville at Bunker Labs with the support of the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) and the Starkville, MS-based, Veterans Business Outreach Center (VBOC) along with the Veterans Business Development Officer for the Tennessee District Office, the SBDC and SCORE. All military service organizations were invited and please note our programs welcome all Veterans in the mid-state and neighboring states as well. For information on upcoming opportunities please visit www.sba.gov/tn. |
