In 2013 alone, the Wyoming Entrepreneur Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which is part of the U.S. Small Business Administration SBDC system nationwide, helped 1,321 clients for a $22,630,812 capital impact.
“I’m an enrolled Arapaho Indian,” says Jesse Dorothy, owner of Homespun Electrical LLC in Riverton, Wyo. “I thought it would be fantastic if I could get other tribal members or minorities trained to become journeymen electricians because it was so good to me.”
Dorothy started Homespun in 2010. “I was doing great with soliciting business, but as far as keeping my records, I was pathetic,” he says. He hired his daughter as the company’s bookkeeper, and she worked with the SBDC to get everything straightened out and onto the accounting software QuickBooks.
“I don’t think anybody should have to go it alone,” says Jill Kline, state director of the SBDC’s seven locations. “The success rate for businesses increases tremendously if they’ve received assistance.
“If you have questions, need to find a resource or just need a sounding board, you can call us—we’ll help you through it,” Kline says. “We’ll help through the life of your business.”
Businesses looking to start up or expand often take advantage of the Market Research Center, which offers competitor and website analysis, demographic information and more.
“We give businesses access to information databases and resources that [they otherwise couldn’t afford],” says Manager Mike Lambert. “We try to provide information that is accurate, actionable and allows businesses to add jobs in Wyoming.”
Businesses interested in getting government contracts can turn to the Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC). “It’s a great way to enhance your business,” says Program Manager Brett Housholder. “The mission of the PTAC is to help any Wyoming business that wants to sell their product or service to a government agency.”
In 2013 alone, PTAC helped businesses get 104 contracts for a total of $9,842,523.
