Are you thinking of starting your own business
or taking your current business to the next level?
Then you have come to the right place.
Counseling, Services, Resources, and Incubation
The Small Business Center provides free one-to-one counseling for business owners or prospective owners to assist them in getting started or with a specific area of concern. Counseling can cover a variety of topics ranging from licensing and marketing to patents and trademarks. We also offer a variety of resources and services to help businesses start and grow, including business incubation.
Free Counseling | Services and Resources
Business Incubator Program | Student Business Incubator Program
Workshops, Seminars, Expos and Camps
Workshops, seminars, expos and camps are sponsored by the Center to assist the business entrepreneur with continuing education in the areas of management and supervision, communications, taxes and the "how tos" of operating a business, as well as other topics.
Class Schedule | Small Business Jump Start Day | Export Expo | YES! Camp | Living Your Dream
Living Your Dream
We are now offering a new program, “Living Your Dream”, that will provide real-life experiences for clients thinking of starting a bed and breakfast or a restaurant business. In addition, the program will generate income for existing businesses and help stimulate growth in North Carolina’s hospitality and tourism industry.
The program, “Living Your Dream,” will establish a network of model businesses that will expose Small Business Center clients to actual work practices, principles, and problems. The current model available to do a 3-day intensive work study program is The Big Mill, a bed and breakfast located in Williamston, NC. The current restaurant model is offered by locally owned, Savoy, in Asheville NC. Savoy has been recognized for "Excellence in Service" in the Southeast by Sante Magazine, Savoy has been voted Asheville's "People's Choice" for best restaurant at the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce's Annual Culinary Showcase four straight years in a row, and consistently sweeps the Best of Show awards.
2009 State of the Incubator Reception
On June 3, A-B Tech's Center for Business and Technology Incubation hosted its second annual State of the Incubator reception. This event was an opportunity to showcase current Incubator tenants and share many success stories. Per Russ Yelton, Executive Director, Entrepreneurial Ventures and Business Incubation, the businesses in the Incubator program collectively generated $12.7 million in revenue for 2007 and 2008 and paid an average annual wage of $31,000 to employees. In addition, even as the recession deepened during the first quarter of 2009, the companies in the Incubator program created 24 full-time jobs.
The following awards were presented to business owners who are currently participating in the Business Incubator program:
2009 Employee Growth Award – Endless Supply Company
2009 Million Dollar Round Table Award – Advanced Composting Technologies
2009 Million Dollar Round Table Award – BioVendor
2009 Fast Start Award – CFO Consultants, LLC
2009 Innovative Idea – AirplanesDIRECT
2009 Partner of the Year – NC Department of Commerce, International Trade Division
The Community's College, Dedicated To Student Success
