Brenda Sheehy is director of the Tennessee Small Business Development Center housed at Cleveland State Community College.CLEVELAND, Tenn. – The number of people coming to the local Tennessee Small Business Development Center to start or strengthen a small business could triple this year, its director said Thursday.
Brenda Sheehy, director of the center based on the Cleveland State Community College campus, said 81 business owners sought advice and counsel at the center during snowy January. That’s more than one-third of the entire number, 276, recorded in all of 2010, she said.
“We are now the third-busiest center in Tennessee” behind Memphis and Nashville, Sheehy said. “We know people may be out of work, but we are seeing some really creative and solid ideas.”
Part of the increase may be related to last year’s industrial expansion and development announcements from Wacker Chemical, Whirlpool, Olin Corp., Amazon and others, officials said.
Gary Farlow, Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, said those industrial announcements over the past two years amount to $1.8 billion in capital investments, 2,500 jobs retained and 1,000 new jobs to come.
Asked if some small-business plans are aimed at the area around Interstate 75’s exit 33 near Wacker and Amazon, Sheehy said people “are interested.”
“It’s not a question of if but when,” she said.
The center recently announced a new round of grant money, some specifically aimed at technology-related small businesses, and a training schedule.
The center’s three staff members, Sheehy, Dave Hudson and Jennie DeCook, all are successful entrepreneurs. That experience, DeCook said, likely accounts for some of the big start to 2011.
TRAINING EVENTS
* Feb. 18: Creating A Positive First Impression, 8-9 a.m., CSCC Tech Building
* Feb. 25: Intermediate QuickBooks Training, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., CSCC Tech Building
* March 2: Careers in Franchise Ownership, 5:30-7 p.m.
* For more information: www.tsbdc.org or 423-478-6247