El Paso District
 IDA Technology, LLC is moving forward fast with help from SBA contracting program Von Washington, a service-disabled veteran became 8(a) certified in March 2000. A retired U.S. Army officer, Washington runs a company that specializes in program management, project analysis, systems evaluation, weapons systems evaluations and facilities maintenance. He has created 72 jobs after three federal contracts. Washington is a dynamic leader who is taking his fast moving company forward with clear goals and objectives. Read More... |
Louisiana District
 New Orleans entrepreneur creates Topp Knotch Personnel company with SBA Within two years of becoming certified in the SBA 8(a) program, Diedria Joseph's Topp Knotch Personnel company received its first federal contract. Today, Topp Knotch is providing professional personnel through offices in Houston and Conroe, Texas, and Jacksonville, Fla. The company has employed over 10,000 personnel since opening doors in 1995, and is offering expanded staffing solutions to include drug testing, background checks and vendor management. Read more... |
Houston District
 Former pro basketball player dribbles to success with SBA assistance Reggie Slater's desire to help and encourage young people to live better lives
through health, fitness, and sports motivated him to start Slater’s Sports Zone in Fort Bend
County, Texas. With the help of Ft. Bend County SBDC Director Joe Decker, Slater was approved
for an SBA 504 Program loan to help finance the project. Read More... |
New Mexico District
 Embodying the Goddess - SBA counsels entrepreneur to succeed in her passion WESST, an SBA Women's Business Center, led Dr. Kamala Easton to transform her passion of spiritual healing and education into a successful business. Through workshops and one-on-one counseling, Dr. Easton has generated customers worldwide and now employs two part-time assistants. WESST's technical assistance has helped Dr. Easton expand into a wider market that inlcudes yoga events. Dr. Easton is also an author and speaker. Read More... |
West Texas District
An SBA loan helps African American U.S. Air Force veteran transition into a profitable music business
Nelson's Organ Service Center is the last music store standing in Abilene, Texas and owner, Nelson Wilson is gobbling up all the business. It's not because he's greedy. It's because when the other business owners had to shut their doors they recommended Wilson to their customers. The owners believed in Wilson's excellent work ethic, good reputation and quality service. Wilson is comfortable in his new career thanks to direct assistance from the Lubbock - West Texas District Office staff and First State Bank of Abilene who helped him secure an SBA backed loan. Read More...
SBA is here to help
Together
with our resource partners, SBA is engaged at every level to help all small
businesses reach their full potential. Explore what SBA has to offer at www.sba.gov.
Loan Programs. Across the
country, and particularly in underserved communities, small business owners are
often faced with the challenge of accessing the capital they need to start and
grow their business. Through a variety of loan programs, SBA can help you take this important step by facilitating a loan with a third
party lender, guaranteeing a bond, or helping you find venture capital.
One
option may be SBA’s Small Loan Advantage (SLA) Program, “SLA 2.0,” which offers
lenders the opportunity to invest in neighborhoods hit hardest by the
recession; streamlining the process to get more loans into the hands of small
businesses and entrepreneurs. The loan limit for the program is $350,000 and banks
may use their own documentation and underwriting process. In the South Central Region SBA approved $23 million in SLA loans so far this fiscal year. For more
information and a complete list of SBA’s loan products, visit http://www.sba.gov/content/sba-loans.
Free
Counseling. SBA is uniquely positioned to help you find ways to start and
grow your business. We have 175 different resource partners throughout the South Central Region to speak with you one-on-one about your business plan, marketing and other
strategies. Our resource partners include
Small Business Development Centers, Women Business Centers, SCORE, and Veteran
Business Outreach Centers. Visit www.sba/direct or contact
your local SBA District Office, listed below, for more information.
Government
Contracting. Our latest
contracting data shows $9 billion in federal contracts awarded to small
businesses in the South Central Region. SBA
can help you compete for set-aside contracts in the federal marketplace through
programs such as the Women Owned Business Certification Program, HUBZone
Certification Program, and the 8(a) Business Development Program. The 8(a) Program offers a broad scope of assistance
to socially and economically disadvantaged entrepreneurs the help them gain a
foothold in government contracting.
Interested
in learning more? Stay connected. Follow
us on Twitter @sbasouthcentral or Facebook www.facebook.com/southcentral.
