SBDC debuts website redesign, easier access to business expertise

EDWARDSVILLE - Accessing essential information that prepares an entrepreneur to launch a new business in Illinois, just got easier. The Illinois Metro East Small Business Development Center at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s newly redesigned website offers clear, concise and current business expertise for the region.

“The SBDC website’s new, modern design will allow our clients easy access to the numerous small business resources that the SBDC provides,” May said. “With the update, we’ve added county-specific information, too. Our site keeps entrepreneurs and small business owners informed about Metro East SBDC workshops, as well as content-rich seminars that occur throughout the year.”

The redesigned site’s homepage, siue.edu/business/sbdc, features color photos of a number of former and current SBDC clients who have gone on to succeed in the small businesses they created with assistance from one-on-one specialists.

Operating out of two locations – the SIUE campuses of Edwardsville and East St. Louis – the nonprofit subsidiary of the SBA brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and guidance to SBDC clients. Calls and emails from individuals requesting business counseling often include the need for help crafting a business plan, information on how to seek a small business loan and much more.

“This site keeps entrepreneurs and small business owners informed about valuable, practical SBDC ‘how-to’ workshops and seminars occurring throughout the year,” May said. “It also includes contact information for county resources.”

Menu options on the refreshed website offer visitors resources in categories such as “Starting Your Business,” “Growing Your Business” and “Economic Development.” There are also options to gain information about the SBDC’s array of consulting partners.

A section touting some of the hundreds of business success stories also appears on the new site. Information about entrepreneurial business pitch contests, such as the annual SIUE Metro East Start-Up Challenge, is also available.

The Metro East SBDC assists new companies and existing businesses headquartered in the nine-county Metro East region of Calhoun, Jersey, Madison, Bond, Clinton, St. Clair, Washington, Monroe and Randolph. It is a service to the community supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity, and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. 

By aiding entrepreneurs and companies in defining their path to success, the SBDC network positively impacts the Metro East by strengthening the business community, creating and retaining jobs and encouraging capital investment. It enhances the region’s economic interests by providing one-stop assistance to individuals by means of counseling, training, research and advocacy for new ventures and existing small businesses. When appropriate, the SBDC strives to affiliate its ties to the region to support the goals and objectives of both the SIUE School of Business and the University at large. To learn how the SBDC can help your small business, contact the Metro East SBDC at (618) 650-2929 or sbdcedw@gmail.com.

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