Tampa Bay's Latest Business News

As the first day of January passes and business owners gear up in hopes of a prosperous year, the Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at the University of South Florida region is rolling out the first round of this year’s 450 plus business training events.  Add 6,000 plus consulting hours and hundreds of business networking events, the total impact of business assistance skyrockets. What’s most impressive is that these numbers only represent the impact in the 10-county area.  On average, the Florida SBDCs helps entrepreneurs create/retain 13,000 jobs, win contracts worth $450 million, acquire $174 million in capital formation and increase sales by $157 million.

 

Visit www.SBDCtampabay.com to see our monthly business training calendar, which includes seminars in QuickBooks, Internet marketing, financing, exporting, government contracts and starting a business.

 

Events: Year-at-a-glance

 

*Dates subject to change and new events added monthly. Sign- up for our event updates to stay in-the-know.

 

Winter:

·         The Road to Business Success – : starts Jan. 17, six weeks

·         Automated Export System Compliance Seminar and AESPcLink Training:  Jan. 18 – 19

·         Café  con Leche (business networking)  hosted by the SBDC & Tampa Bay Hispanic Chamber of Commerce :   Jan. 26

·         Florida Export Series :  Starts Feb. 2

·         Maximizing Profits in Healthcare Practices: Feb. 28

 

Spring:

·         International Trade Certificate Program:  April

·         25th Annual Government Small Business Conference:   May 2-3

·         SBDC Small Business Week Growth Conference:  May 20-26

 

Summer:

·         Government Contracting Series

·         Finance Fair – In Tampa & Clearwater:  August

·         Florida Export Series

 

Fall:

·         Government Contracting Series

·         Basic Economic Development Course:  October/November

·         Government Surety Bonds:  November

·         MacDill SDVOSB/VOSB & SB Conference & Expo:  November

·         Florida Export Series

 

Monthly Events:

 

·         Free entrepreneurial networking  breakfast in  St. Pete – Contact: rwbrass@usf.edu

·         Small Business Resource Network: Member luncheon/speaker program with guest invite opportunities – 2^nd Monday of each Month.

 

 

Active in the business community, the SBDC participates and presents in key small business events.  New events are added monthly, here’s a preview of what’s to come in 2012

 

·         American Business Women Association (ABWA) SBDC tax presentation : Jan. 11

·         International Days, Tallahassee:  Feb. 7-8

·         International Business Summit: March  29

·         Tampa Bay Host Committee Business Action Group (RNC):  spring and summer events

·         National Small Business Week:  May 20-26

·         Florida Economic Development Council Conference:  July 18-22

·         Florida Minority Supplier Development Council  (FMSDC) Conference:  Aug. 15-18

·         MED Week (Minority Enterprise Development Corporation of Tampa Bay):  September

·         Office of Supplier Diversity Annual Conference: November

·         National Entrepreneurship Month:  November

 

SBDCs in the 10-conty area: View center contact information and address:

·         Regional office: Small Business Development Center at the University of South Florida (located in Tampa Port Authority at intersection of Kennedy and Channelside Dr.)

·         Small Business Development Center at Pinellas Economic Development Center

·         Small Business Development Center at the Central Florida Development Council

·         Small Business Development Center at State College of Florida

·         Small Business Development Center also has offices in Hernando, Heartland and Pasco

 

 

State Designated as Florida’s Principal Provider of Business Assistance [288.001, Fla. Stat.], the Florida Small Business Development Center Network has more than 30 locations from Pensacola to Key West. The SBDC at USF region spans a 10-county area providing free, one-on-one consulting and offering more than 300 entrepreneurial programs each year. Its Certified Business Analysts are specialized in industry-specific sectors to help small businesses make sound decisions in a complex and ever-changing marketplace.

 

The Florida Small Business Development Center Network is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration (www.SBA.gov) and partnerships with higher-education institutions, economic development organizations, chambers of commerce and other organizations dedicated to economic prosperity through small business success.

 

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