Tag Archive for: Small Business Development Center

SOU's Small Business Development Center

SOU Small Business Development Center helps local businesses weather COVID-19

Southern Oregon University’s Small Business Development Center, in Medford at the RCC/SOU Higher Education Center, has done more than its part to make sure businesses in Jackson County survive the COVID-19 pandemic.

Oregon Gov. Kate Brown declared a state of emergency in Oregon to address the virus outbreak on March 8, and President Trump declared a national emergency five days later.

“We noticed a marked increase in the number of calls into our SBDC Center immediately upon the president’s declaration of the national emergency,” said Marshall Doak, the center’s director. “Initially, our volume doubled, then continued to rise until we were dealing with a ten-times increase in our workload, trying to respond to the panic we heard in the regional business people’s voices.”

The flurry of calls from local business owners typically focused on accessing Small Business Administration programs or unemployment services, how to deal with landlords who wouldn’t offer rent leniency and the closure of businesses. Confidential, one-on-one business advising is a core feature of the national SBDC model.

One of the local businesses that reached out to SOU’s SBDC for help is the Talent Café, which focuses on a diverse selection of breakfast and lunch comfort food. The walls of Talent Café showcase owner Denise O’Brien’s paintings, which she creates while working there.

“I moved to Talent from Kona, Hawaii,” O’Brien said. “I had owned salons for 30 years but got really tired of the dynamic. I saw the cafe for sale in Talent, got a job as a hostess on the weekends and then bought it.”

Then the pandemic hit Oregon. Gatherings of 25 people or more were banned, along with on-premises food consumption at restaurants, bars and coffee shops.

O’Brien’s dedication to her customers, some assistance from the SBDC and some changes in direction have enabled the Talent Café to stay afloat.

“(COVID-19) closed us down for three months, right as it was getting busy,” O’Brien said. “I have completely redone the café to be more geared to to-go food.”

Her cafe isn’t the only local business to benefit from the SBDC’s assistance. Even with the increase in calls, the center has maintained its caller satisfaction rate, according to surveys of clients. 

“Our SBDC has distinguished itself in the amount of client contact we have had,” Doak said. 

The SBDC itself was also affected by the coronavirus, beyond the increase in calls. Doak and others take pride in the SBDC’s one-on-one meetings with business owners, and in-person training such as the “Introduction to Entrepreneurship” and “Grow your Business/Grow your Online Presence” classes taught at the HEC. A Zoom webinar to help business owners “Develop Your Unique Post-COVID Strategy” will be held at noon on July 23.

But with the cancellation of all non-essential meetings, the SBDC had to adapt its offerings to remote delivery.

“We went to a virtual delivery method before our peers around the nation were able to,” Doak said. “The SOU IT Department was absolutely fantastic in getting us up and running, so we (didn’t) skip a beat.”

The Medford SBDC has also been able to leverage its connection to the Small Business Administration – the only cabinet-level federal agency fully dedicated to small businesses – to help its local clients. About 900 SBDCs operate across the country, usually located at colleges or universities and funded by a combination of state and SBA support.

“We have extensive resources for SBA lending programs, for updated information for the CARES Act, and the accumulated knowledge of over 120 highly-educated and experienced professional business advisers across the state at our fingertips to assist our client businesses,” Doak said.

The SBDC’s business expertise and familiarity with the CARES Act were critical resources for O’Brien and as her Talent Café struggled to survive the COVID-19 restrictions.

“I have greatly valued the advice of Marshall, my (SBDC) counselor,” O’Brien said. “He guided me through loan applications and let me rant.”

Doak and the Medford SBDC are committed to the one-on-one approach that sets the business assistance agency apart from other organizations of its type.

“In the immediate past and present, the most important work we do is to keep entrepreneurs and business owners solvent so that they are able to rebuild their businesses post-COVID,” Doak said. “Knowing how fast businesses can go from prosperity to poverty or bankruptcy has been a shocking revelation to us.”

Story by Blair Selph, SOU Marketing and Communications student writer

SOU center offers free presentation on debt-reduction for businesses


NEWS BRIEF (online at https://goo.gl/Fp4J2Z)
(Ashland, Ore.) — Southern Oregon University’s Small Business Development Center will offer a free presentation, “For Love & Money:  Reduce Debt and Increase Cash Flow in Your Business,” from 12:15 to 1:15 on Wednesday, Feb. 15, in Room 132 of the RCC/SOU Higher Education Center, at 101 S. Bartlett St., in Medford.
Certified financial coach Kathy Kali will serve as presenter at the session. She has been helping small business owners to grow and manage their income for 10 years.
Attendees will learn how to reduce debt by following the “seven baby steps to wealth-building in business,” retain earnings and pay themselves for their work, and use a monthly budget to maximize profit and cash flow.
Space for the presentation is limited, so those who are interested are advised to register ahead of time at www.sou.edu/sbdc.
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About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University provides outstanding student experiences, valued degrees, and successful graduates. SOU is known for excellence in faculty, intellectual creativity and rigor, quality and innovation in connected learning programs, and the educational benefits of its unique geographic location. SOU was the first university in Oregon—and one of the first in the nation—to offset 100 percent of its energy use with clean, renewable power. It is the first university in the nation to balance 100 percent of its water consumption. Visit sou.edu.

SOU small business leader to address entrepreneurs


NEWS BRIEF (online at https://goo.gl/A5DpTF)
(Medford, Ore.) — Going up? Three easy steps to creating an elevator speech – a brief pitch to sell yourself to clients – will be outlined on Thursday, Jan. 12, when Simone Stewart of Southern Oregon University’s Small Business Development Center addresses the Women Entrepreneurs of Southern Oregon.
Stewart will discuss how to create a persuasive elevator speech and when to use it. A compelling conversation as brief as 30 seconds is often the tipping point for a business person seeking to gain a client or investor, she says.
As the SBDC’s client services manager, Stewart’s work is aimed at community outreach and economic development. She is a member of the planning committee for the SOU Women’s Leadership Conference and is a Medford Chamber of Commerce Ambassador. She previously owned and operated a consignment and antiques shop in Ashland, and most recently served as director of operations and marketing for a technology services company.
The cost of the Women Entrepreneurs’ January dinner and program – which is open to all – is $25 for members and $30 for non-members. A $3 discount is available for online registration and prepayment, and reservations should be made by 9 p.m. on Jan. 9. The event at the Rogue Regency Inn, 2300 Biddle Road in Medford, will run from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m., and include networking, dinner and the program. For questions or reservations by phone, call Carol Vandell at (541) 292-6326.
-SOU-
About Southern Oregon University
As a public liberal arts university, SOU focuses on student learning, accessibility and civic engagement that enriches both the community and bioregion. The university is recognized for fostering intellectual creativity, for quality and innovation in its connected learning programs, and for the educational benefits of its unique geographic location. SOU was the first university in Oregon—and one of the first in the nation—to offset 100 percent of its energy use with clean, renewable power, and it is the first university in the nation to balance 100% of its water consumption. Visit sou.edu.

SOU’s Small Business Development Center offers business workshop


NEWS RELEASE (online at https://goo.gl/TAQZak)
(Medford, Ore.) — The Small Business Development Center at Southern Oregon University’s Higher Education Center in Medford will host a free, one-hour workshop on “The Art of Buying or Selling a Business” at 12:15 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 15.
The workshop will be held at the Higher Education Center, at 101 S. Bartlett St., in Medford.
Gary Einhorn, who operates the Entrepreneurial Ear business coaching service in Ashland, will be the featured presenter. He will discuss how to determine what a business is worth, when may be the best time to buy or sell, and the pros and cons of using a business broker to facilitate a sale.
Einhorn has created, owned and managed seven successful businesses over the past 35 years and has faced many of the same challenges as other business owners. He also hosts a local radio show called “The Entrepreneurial Ear” on KSKQ 89.5 FM.
The workshop is presented by SOU’s Small Business Development Center and sponsored by Umpqua Bank. To register or for more information, call (541) 552-8300.
The Small Business Development Center, which offers no-cost guidance to business owners and prospective entrepreneurs, is partially funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration. A total of 293 clients met with the center’s counselors in 2015, and 671 people attended its 48 public events.
-SOU-
About Southern Oregon University
As a public liberal arts university, SOU focuses on student learning, accessibility and civic engagement that enriches both the community and bioregion. The university is recognized for fostering intellectual creativity, for quality and innovation in its connected learning programs, and for the educational benefits of its unique geographic location. SOU was the first university in Oregon—and one of the first in the nation—to offset 100 percent of its energy use with clean, renewable power, and it is the first university in the nation to balance 100% of its water consumption. Visit sou.edu.

SOU Workshop to Help Small Business Owners


NEWS RELEASE (online at https://goo.gl/jhw10V)
(Medford, Ore.) — An event to be offered this Friday in Medford will be aimed at local entrepreneurs who love creating and owning their businesses, but could benefit from improved understanding of their enterprises’ finances.
The Southern Oregon University Small Business Development Center (SOU SBDC) will present the workshop, “Understanding Financials for the Everyday Business Person.” Facilitators Jack Vitacco and Russ Kennedy will speak in down-to-earth terms that will increase participants’ confidence in managing their money and businesses.
The three-hour, interactive workshop will cover:

  • Why business owners must understand income statements, balance sheets and cash flow analysis
  • How to use financial statements to make intelligent business decisions
  • How to determine if a business is fiscally fit and sustainable

“The ‘Understanding Financials’ workshop is part of our ‘Fueling Up!’ series, where we offer in-depth information on topics our clients most often request,” says Jack Vitacco, SOU SBDC director. “Managing expenses and income are essential to the health of any business.”
The workshop will be from 9 a.m. to noon on Dec. 2 at the SOU Higher Education Center in downtown Medford. The investment is $40 for those applying for a scholarship made possible by Umpqua Bank (without a scholarship the fee is $75). Register online and download a scholarship application at sou.edu/sbdc/fuelingup.html
About Southern Oregon University Small Business Development Center
The SOU SBDC is partially funded by the Small Business Administration and the Oregon Business Development Department. In-depth and confidential, no-cost business advising services and affordable workshops, presentations and access to business resources are available.
SOU SBDC Director Jack Vitacco has worked with small business owners throughout his career. Areas of expertise include business start-up, marketing, sales, distribution and strategic planning. Russ Kennedy, an SBDC Business Advisor, was chief financial officer for various Silicon Valley businesses and is a former CPA. He has extensive experience in financial planning, business buy-outs, high-tech start-up companies, business planning and international finance.
For SOU SBDC information
Contact Simone Stewart, (541) 552-8300, stewartv@sou.edu or sou.edu/sbdc
-SOU-
About Southern Oregon University
Southern Oregon University provides outstanding student experiences, valued degrees, and successful graduates. SOU is known for excellence in faculty, intellectual creativity and rigor, quality and innovation in connected learning programs, and the educational benefits of its unique geographic location. SOU was the first university in Oregon—and one of the first in the nation—to offset 100 percent of its energy use with clean, renewable power. It is the first university in the nation to balance 100 percent of its water consumption. Visit sou.edu.