Free Business Assistance ... What? ... Really? By: Judith Collins
The Dallas Small Business Development Center (SBDC) provides free in-depth counseling, consulting and coaching services to small businesses to help them grow, expand, innovate and exit their businesses courtesy of tax payers' dollars.
We do this in partnership with the Small Business Administration (SBA), the State of Texas and the Dallas County Community College network. These networks help us link resources to federal, state and local governments, as well as colleges, universities and the private sector in order to meet the needs of the small business community.
We assist startups and existing businesses including manufacturers with the following services:
- Conducting financial analysis to help improve profitability and bankability
- Developing competitive strategies
- Coping with government regulation and taxes
- Designing strategic business, marketing and sales plans
- Hiring and managing employees
- Understanding and securing loans and other sources of capital
- Website development and social networking
- Evaluating the purchase of an existing business to expand internationally with the assistance of our International Trade Development Center, which provides free market research and develops entry strategies in foreign markets
- Diversifying your client base using the assistance of our Center for Government Contracting Center, which educates and provides assistance with minority, veteran and women-owned certifications and bid proposals for government contracts
- Developing systems, policies and procedures that minimize, transfer or eliminate risk factors with the assistance of our Risk Management Center
- Improving efficiencies and effectiveness of manufacturing processes or management systems using the assistance of our Enterprise Excellence Center
- Understanding patents, trademarks and copy-write processes for new products and services and bringing unique technology to the market with the assistance of our Technology Commercialization Center. Get assistance with pro-bono legal counseling, developing prototypes and intellectual property strategies
- Assistance with valuating and identifying sales brokers for those interested in selling their business
For more information or to schedule an appointment with our SBDC counselor, please contact Kisha Allen at (469) 326-7454 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . The Garland SBDC satellite office is located at the Garland Chamber of Commerce, 520 N. Glenbrook Dr., Garland, TX 75040.
The Dallas SBDC also hosts various seminars, workshops and events on business management concepts at no or low cost. For more information on these and other Dallas SBDC servies and meetings, visit www.ntsbdc.org.
