The mission of the Small Business Center (SBC) is to increase the success rate and number of viable small businesses in North Carolina by providing high quality, readily accessible assistance to prospective and existing small business owners which will lead to job creation and retention. Business seminars, confidential business counseling, loan program information and vital resources are offered to residents of Columbus County free of charge.
The Center works cooperatively with businesses, civic leaders, organizations, state and local governments, universities and other colleges in promoting assistance to small business firms. It operates a Microenterprise Loan Program that provides technical training and access to loans from $500 to $25,000 on a group lending basis for business start-up or expansion and offers entrepreneurship training in adult students through a 24-hour continuing education program entitled REAL—Rural Entrepreneurship through Action Learning in which the participants develop entrepreneurial traits, knowledge and skills to create and operate a small business.
The Small Business Center has a resource library that contains books, pamphlets, cd’s, business magazines, and other related materials, all available on a checkout basis.