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National Small Business Week is May 5 through May 11, 2019.
"Entrepreneurs and small business owners are the lifeblood of our community. It is important that we take time to honor them and recognize their contribution to our economy", said Faye Bishop, director of the Small Business Center at Isothermal Community College.
This year, Bishop helped create awareness about the event by presenting proclamations to all of the town councils and commissions in Rutherford and Polk counties. The proclamations note the importance of small business activity to local economies.
Bishop offers free personalized small business consulting and counseling services at the Center, which is located in the new Engineering Technology and Workforce Development Center on the Spindale campus.
Every year since 1963, the President of the United States has issued a proclamation announcing National Small Business Week, which recognizes the critical contributions of America's entrepreneurs and small business owners. The social media hashtag to celebrate the event is #DreamSmallBiz.
More than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, and they create about two out of every three new jobs in the U.S. each year.
As part of National Small Business Week, the U.S. Small Business Administration takes the opportunity to highlight the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small business owners, and others from all 50 states and U.S. territories. Every day, they're working to grow small businesses, create 21st century jobs, drive innovation, and increase America's global competitiveness.
"Community participation with our local small businesses has valuable impact as the dollars we spend continue to help grow our businesses which employ our families and friends while strengthening our economy," said Bishop.
The U.S. Census Bureau reports that more than 50 percent of the working population works in a small business. A small business is defined by the Small Business Administration as one with 500 or less employees. Small businesses have generated over 65 percent of new jobs since 1995.
National Small Business Week is our opportunity to support the local small businesses that provide economic vitality and quality of life to our community. The SBCN encourages you to join us in celebrating these businesses and use the power of your dollar to support them and help make a lasting impact in the place you call home.
The mission of the NC Community Colleges Small Business Center Network (SBCN) 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. The SBCN assisted in starting more than 880 businesses in 2015-16. Small Business Centers have an economic impact in 90 percent of all NC Counties each year including helping to create and retain over 2,895 jobs in 2015-16.
For more information or to get free individualized small business counseling, contact Bishop at the Small Business Center at Isothermal Community College at 828-395-1667.
