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Business Development Center Continuing Its Success
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The Small Business Development Center (SBDC), in conjunction with the City of Oakdale and Oakdale Chamber of Commerce operates an enhanced program to assist entrepreneurs and existing businesses in the City of Oakdale by providing no-cost one-on-one professional business consulting and low-cost business training programs.

Once a month during the coming year, the SBDC and Chamber of Commerce will continue to offer business workshops including QuickBooks, Social Media, Tax Planning, Business Planning, and others based on needs expressed by local businesses and residents.

Another 11-week Business Management course will again be offered in the fall at the Chamber of Commerce office on Yosemite Avenue. The course is specifically designed to help existing business owners learn to operate their businesses more profitably and efficiently. The course is scheduled to run from Sept. 15 to Nov. 24, meeting each Monday evening from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

“The SBDC has continued to build on the solid foundation for this program by using local consultants providing assistance in human resource management, marketing, I.T. solutions, insurance and risk management, business plan development, and financial management,” said Kurtis Clark, Director of the Alliance in a report to the Oakdale City Council. “In addition, the SBDC also has many other consultants available in Stanislaus County specializing in other business areas that are brought into the community as needed to serve the needs of local business owners and residents considering starting a business.”

As a direct result of the enhanced level of services offered through this program the SBDC has seen significant outcomes for many entrepreneurs and local businesses.

In the last year three new businesses were started in Oakdale by SBDC clients and 38 clients received 370 hours of no-cost business consulting.

Clark reported that Oakdale clients reported adding 10 new jobs and seven jobs were retained as a result of SBDC assistance with over $850,000 in increased sales as a result of SBDC assistance. Three Oakdale clients were able to obtain business loans totaling $362,050.

The SBDC plans to continue working with the city and other community based partners to maintain enhanced levels of service in Oakdale for the 2014-2015 fiscal year. To fund the continuation of the program, the Alliance SBDC requested and received a continuation of the $7,022 in annual funding that Oakdale has provided to the SBDC over the past two years.

According to Clark, these funds will leverage SBA as well as other SBDC funding for a comprehensive assistance program totaling approximately $25,000 in professional consulting and training services delivered directly within the community of Oakdale.

“Growing and strengthening local economies are the primary purpose of the SBDC program,” said Clark. “This collaborative effort of the Alliance SBDC, the City of Oakdale, Oakdale Chamber of Commerce and other local supporters will provide business management and technical skills training, private one-on-one consulting, referrals to sources of funding, and professional business mentorship to a wide variety of entrepreneurs and existing businesses.”

Anyone interested in the upcoming programs can contact the Alliance SBDC at (209) 567-4910 or visit their website at www. alliancesbdc.com.