(OSCEOLA, IA – February 3, 2022)
The Small Business Development Center is here to help.
Clarke County Development Corp, in association with Southwestern Community College and eight other counties, provides services through the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to both existing and potential businesses. Jamie David is the Regional Director for the America’s SBDC Iowa center providing services in south central Iowa. She is here as a resource to ask the tough questions budding businesses need to address and find solutions to issues that may arise when opening a new business.
SBDC Regional Director Jamie David
David is a hometown girl. She was raised in southwestern Iowa. She graduated from Lenox High School, and lives there today with her husband and 2 children. David attended Southwestern Community College and graduated with a Bachelors in Accounting from Buena Vista University.
David knows what it is like to own a small business. She has been in the trenches working hard for the last 7 years to make her own family’s small Creston business succeed. David and her husband purchased a long standing business using SBDC services. At the time, she was working as an accounting manager for a large employer, but quickly realized running the day to day business was going to be something both her and her husband could be part of so she went to work full time at their business. Prior to taking the SBDC director position, David also enjoyed working part-time as a QuickBooks Online consultant for the previous SBDC director when he had clients that needed that type of assistance. When the previous director was leaving for a new position he told David about the opening. David saw this opportunity as a dream job. She was hired by representatives of the nine county region to be the new SBDC Director in 2021. The nine counties in the region include Clarke, Union, Decatur, Adams, Taylor, Madison, Adair, Ringgold, and Montgomery. David said,
”I think it is great to be a small part of making a potential business owner’s dreams come true”.
What exactly does the SBDC do? The most common task for David is to assist both new and existing businesses with a business plan. This includes financial projections, setting up budgets, determining the business needs and setting up appropriate accounting practices. David also assists businesses in conducting business valuations for those looking to sell their business. Another key role of the SBDC is to assist businesses in networking with beneficial resources. David said,
“Even if the SBDC isn’t the final stopping place, we are here to guide people to the right resources. Any need a business owner could ever think of, we can point them in the right direction”.
The regional SBDC has a working relationship with state resources to assist small businesses in grants and other services. The state offers assistance to small businesses with analyzing marketing strategies including website optimization and marketing aesthetics. They also partner with the ISU Extension to provide services to Spanish speaking clients. The SBDC hosts a variety of free workshops and networking opportunities to their clients in the 9 county region. These have included workshops for using QuickBooks, youth entrepreneurship workshops and women entrepreneur workshops. The primary service that SBDC offers is one on one counseling for small businesses. All work conducted by the SBDC in confidential. This allows the SBDC to help owners dig into the needed details to help meet their needs. This makes the SBDC one of the best kept secret resources available to small businesses. Bill Trickey, executive director of CCDC, states,
“One of the challenges facing business owners is who to go to when challenges arise. One of the benefits the SBDC brings is an educated confidant that can be both a sounding block and a resource to business owners”
Jamie David is available to meet with business owners by appointment. She travels throughout the 9 county region regularly. David is happy to help small businesses reach their goals and discover new opportunities to thrive. If you have an existing business that is struggling, a new business idea to explore, or are looking to make a succession plan to turn over a business to new owners, David is here to help.
If you have questions or would like more information about the Small Business Development Center, please contact Jamie David, Regional Director, Phone: 641.782.1483 email: david@swcciowa.edu