Small Business Administration Designates Women’s Business Center as SBA Affiliate
The Western Women’s Business Center (WWBC) at The Support Center (TSC) announced its SBA affiliation at a press conference on Tuesday, April 12, 2016 at the WWBC office located at the A-B Tech Small Business Center on its Enka campus.
The Support Center; Tonya Snider, Zuri Anuel, Stephanie Twitty, and Candy Williams, associates of WWBC; Sharon Oxendine, Director-WWBC; Victor Palomino, WWBC; in back, Tommy Dennison, WWBC.
The SBA affiliation was made possible through a grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration Women’s Business Center (WBC) Program. This grant will allow the WWBC to expand its suite of business services such as training, coaching, workshops and technical assistance to existing and aspiring women entrepreneurs in western North Carolina to include low-income communities, people of color, veterans and artists. Additionally, capital will be an added component of the services provided through the lending program of The Support Center.
“We are delighted to partner with SBA in expanding our business services to the many women entrepreneurs and dreamers in western NC. We are especially gratified that our initial investment to begin this journey with the partnership of City of Asheville and Buncombe County positioned the WWBC to receive this grant opportunity. In addition to the business services, we have been able to invest over $700,000 in small business loans to women-owned businesses,” said Lenwood V. Long, Sr., President/CEO of TSC. “As an affiliate of the SBA, the WWBC will be able to expand its resources and continue to help women who seek growth not only for their business, but for their entrepreneurial skills.”
“The SBA North Carolina District Office is pleased to announce grant funding to The Support Center (TSC) for a SBA Women’s Business Center in Asheville, North Carolina,” said SBA North Carolina District Director, Lynn Douthett. “Like SBA, TSC’s mission is to assist, counsel and support small businesses to grow and succeed. This Asheville WBC will help women-owned businesses in Western North Carolina to help them achieve economic independence through entrepreneurship. We look forward to building a strong partnership with TSC as they expand their delivery of SBA programs and services throughout NC.”
“We are uniquely positioned to offer high quality business training and development services throughout western NC,” said Sharon Oxendine, WWBC Director. “We have helped over 600 entrepreneurs through workshops, technical assistance, coaching and counseling. Our goal with this affiliation is that we can continue to prepare women entrepreneurs to start their business.
The SBA WBC Program was established by the Women’s Business Ownership Act of 1988 to provide grants to private nonprofit organizations to aid and encourage the development and growth of small women-owned businesses through long-term training and counseling.
