BY THE NUMBERSTwo hundred clients were served at the Cleveland State Community College Small Business Development Center from January-June 30, 2010. White: 78.3 percentBlack: 6.5 percent Hispanic: 4.3 percent Asian: 1.6 percent Pacific Islanders: 1.1 percent Native American: 0.5 percentSource: Cleveland State Small Business Development Center
Dante Santana had owned a business before, but he’d never been counseled on how to develop a proper business plan until five years ago when he opened Complete Choice Bakery in Cleveland, Tenn.
Santana reached out to the Cleveland State Community College Small Business Development Center before opening the business with his wife, Miguelina. The center offered him classes on accounting, advice on human resources and managing issues and provided the information he needed to make better decisions for his vegan bakery, he said.
But he also had an advantage other Hispanic small business owners might not have. He speaks English.
He said you can be so focused on the production, sometimes you need help channeling your ideas through the right direction.