Funding Your Small Business

savings, finances, economy and home concept - close up of man with calculator counting money and making notes at home

Cash is to a business what oxygen is to a human…necessary for survival. Finding the needed cash for your business can be challenging, but with the growth of alternative lenders, there are more options available now for established companies.  Startups on the other hand, may find it more difficult to gain access to cash without […]

Five-Step Operating Plan for the New Year

In December many businesses find themselves busy with year-end sales and shipments, holiday parties, tax and inventory considerations, and many other priorities. Finding a little time to plan for the New Year can put you in control in 2018. Create an operating plan now to map out the priorities for 2018. Many small business owners […]

UGA Outreach Program Helps Farmers Build a Better Business

Dennis Hollingsworth was fresh out of college the first time he tried running a farm.  It was the early 1980s in south Georgia, and he stuck with it for four years in some of the roughest economic conditions since the Great Depression. Then he left for an IT job. “I went to Atlanta and I […]

Cybersecurity & Cybercrime for Small Business

I recently attended a presentation made by a manager from Microsoft.  The topic was cybersecurity and cybercrime.   It was eye opening and scary. She talked about what she called Level 100 and Level 200.   Level 100 Level 100 is what most business owners are pretty much aware of.  It involves protection, detection, and response.   […]

Small Business Owner’s Checklist for Year-End

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]As a Business Consultant with the UGA Small Business Development Center, I spend a lot of time with business owners looking ahead and planning how to implement improvements.  So, with two months left in 2017, here are some thoughts for year-end planning and positioning yourself for 2018.   Year-end taxes Get with (or at least […]

Strategy In Action: What’s Your Plan?

If you had your own sports team, would it be okay with you if the players only showed up on game day?  Do you go on vacation by jumping in the car and setting off randomly? These questions are slightly ridiculous, but many business owners do the equivalent with their business planning. Some may have […]

Continual Learning Leads to Continual Growth for Columbus Sign Business

Richie Grantham first came to the UGA SBDC in Columbus in 2008. He had purchased Sunshine Banners and Signs and was seeking guidance on how to best structure this business and prepare it for growth. The SBDC’s GrowSmart program was accepting applications, so Grantham applied and was accepted. After attending the five-week program, Grantham learned […]