COLUMBUS – The Ohio Small Business Development Center at Springfield has been selected as the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Great Lakes Region SBDC of the Year after winning the Columbus District award and competing against other SBDCs in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
“Ohio’s small businesses play a pivotal role in driving economic development. The state is home to 960,000 small businesses that employ half of Ohio’s workers,” said SBA Columbus District Director Everett Woodel. “Director Rob Alexander and his team provide critical technical support to area entrepreneurs, revitalizing local communities and bringing new life to downtowns.”
The SBDC team’s customer-driven focus and creative initiatives have energized the Springfield and Clark County entrepreneurial ecosystem. Through director Rob Alexander’s leadership, Ohio SBDC at Springfield organized an investor pitch competition that drew in 133 entries from entrepreneurs, increased community partnership and generated extensive media coverage. In addition, Ohio SBDC at Springfield played a key role in disaster recovery after the Memorial Day 2019 tornados that impacted the area, connecting business owners and residents with needed resources.
“The SBDC at Springfield is having a tremendous economic impact, and we are proud they are our partners,” said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Development Services Agency. “Small businesses are the backbone of Ohio’s economy, and we are pleased with the exceptional work happening to help them grow.”
In fiscal year 2019, the Ohio SBDC at Springfield provided in-depth advising for 238 clients, helping to create 19 new businesses and 134 new jobs in the area, while retaining 29 at-risk jobs. The SBDC assisted small businesses in obtaining $3 million in capital and increasing sales by almost $400,000.
The Ohio SBDC at Springfield is one of 28 SBDCs in Ohio providing entrepreneurs with easy access to no-cost trainings and counseling. Ohio’s SBDCs are funded in partnership through the SBA, Ohio Development Services Agency, higher education institutions, and private donations. In fiscal year 2019, Ohio’s SBDCs collectively worked with 9,429 clients, helping to create 2,747 new jobs, retain 8,817 jobs and generate $179 million in new sales.
Nationally, SBDC clients start a new business every 35 minutes, create a new job every 5.6 minutes, generate $100,000 in new sales every 7.5 minutes, and raise $100,000 in capital every 8.9 minutes. Job growth for SBDC clients is 14 times greater than job growth for average businesses, and SBDC client sales growth is more than four times greater than the national sales growth for businesses in general.
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About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.
About the Ohio Development Services Agency
The Ohio Development Services Agency leads state economic development through programs and services that assist businesses, communities and individuals. The agency oversees the awarding of state and federal incentives, manages projects and programs that receive state and federal funding as well as marketing the State of Ohio through the Governor’s Office of Appalachia and TourismOhio.