About the Small Business Center Network (SBCN)

The Small Business Center Network (SBCN), comprised of 58 Small Business Centers throughout North Carolina, supports the development of new businesses and the growth of existing businesses by being a community based provider of training, counseling, and resource information.

A Small Business Center is located at your nearby community college. To locate a Small Business Center near you, click here.

Mission

The objective of the Small Business Center Network is to increase the success rate and the number of viable small businesses in North Carolina by providing high quality, readily accessible assistance to prospective and existing small business owners and their employees. Each Small Business Center (SBC) will be a community based provider of education and training, counseling, information and referral.

Vision

The vision of the North Carolina Small Business Center Network is to foster and support entrepreneurship, small business training and economic development in local communities.

Services

Confidential Business Counseling
Small Business Centers provide free, confidential counseling services for new and existing businesses. Available on an as-needed basis, this free, confidential service acts as a sounding board for ideas and concerns you may have about your business. Our professional staff will help you find solutions to your challenging business questions. No question is too simple or complicated.
Business Seminars and Workshops
Small Business Centers offer a wide variety of workshops and courses to help small businesses be successful. Some of the topics include:
» How to Start a Business
» How to Write a Business Plan
» Financing a Business
» Marketing for Success
» Bookkeeping and Taxes
Specific training can be designed for individual business needs.
Resource Centers
Each Small Business Center has a library of professional resources waiting to be tapped. Printed materials including books, pamphlets, magazines, trade journals, as well as, a wide variety of tapes and videos are available for your use. Some Centers offer business-related software, teleconferencing and access to the Internet.

Fees

Confidential counseling services and access to resource libraries are free of charge. Some seminars and workshops require a minimal registration fee.