Mar. 15 is Small Business Development Center Day

MANKATO, Minn. (KEYC) - Almost every early business starts at square one: small.

But as these businesses grow, DEED’s Small Business Development Centers want to provide expert advice and direction throughout the journey.

With a total of nine SBDC’s around Minnesota, the possibilities are endless.

According to DEED, in 2022, statewide SBDC consulting resulted in the official development of 152 new businesses, creating nearly 4,500 jobs, and an addition of over $100 million in capital investment.

In Mankato, the SBDC actively serves around 500 clients a year.

Organizers say that SBDC Day is a great way to expose an underused resource across the state.

“I have a heart for small business,” admitted Mike Hahn, the Regional Director for SBDC State University, in Mankato “And I’m always kind of a, you know, promoter of the small guy. I want to see them come ahead. I believe in scaling deep and what I mean by that is helping businesses to be entrenched within their community. Because I think we’re all successful- the business, employees, community- when we scale deep compared to scaling up.”

Even though the Mankato SBDC won’t be hosting any special events on Mar. 15, any small business owner is welcome to stop in during business hours for free consulting.

And to keep the Mar. 15 celebrations going, the “One Minnesota Budget” proposed new funding for many areas of small business development, including the SBDCs, navigation and partnerships programs, and Launch Minnesota.

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