Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
The director of the local New Mexico Small Business Development Center office wants to make sure the people of Roosevelt County, including business owners and entrepreneurs, are utilizing its services.
The NMSBDC office is on the campus of Clovis Community College, but Director Sandra Taylor-Sawyer says her office serves Roosevelt, Curry and De Baca counties.
"We provide that one-on-one business advising in a confidential setting," Taylor-Sawyer said. "We work with startups, existing business owners, from those who have money to those that don't. We provide advice in moving their business forward or their idea forward."
Taylor-Sawyer said the center's purpose is to provide education on making good business decisions on whether to expand their business or even to start a business.
"We also try to have different workshops or seminars and those topics include quick books, or a pre-venture seminar for people who have never ran a business," she said.
Taylor-Sawyer said the program runs on state and federal funding and often partners with the Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce when holding workshops and seminars.
Although the NMSBDC has a quieter presence in Roosevelt County, Portales business Signman Signs was recognized as the office's success client in 2012 based on the growth of the business.
"We like to look at folks that we've helped from when they first came to us for assistance just to see how they either have increased their business or how they've grown or even how they've maintained," Taylor-Sawyer said.
She added her office is also veteran-friendly, especially for veterans interested in starting a business.
Here's a closer look at some of the services the NMSBDC has to offer:
Business advisors are available to help develop strong business plans. Although you'll write the plan, advisors will offer detailed advice and research and review each section. Business plan outlines are also available for download on the NMSBDC website.
The NMSBDC works closely with local lenders, the Small Business Administration, and a variety of government and non-government lending programs serving New Mexico. Though the NMSBDC does not provide direct financing, it helps people identify their specific financing needs and develop proposals and loan packages required by various financial institutions.
NMSBDC advisors can teach business owners how to interpret business and personal financial statements.
NMSBDC advisors can direct business owners through the proper steps when hiring help, making sure they follow regulations.
Advisors can direct business owners to the proper agencies that will help in determining what taxes they must pay. Advisors have information on state, federal, local and employment taxes as well as how to obtain a federal tax ID number.
For more information about the NMSBDC, contact the Clovis office at 769-4136 or visit http://www.nmsbdc.org/sbdc_services.html.
