Greater Cheyenne Chamber of Commerce Business Journal and Other Publications Q4 2015 Business Journal | Page 11

U.S. Senator Mike Enzi Celebrating 35 Years of Helping Wyoming Small Business Running a small business is not a simple task. Entrepreneurs need to be able to manage every aspect of their business, from finances to customers. In order to help these business owners navigate the challenges they face, Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) were established 35 years ago. I recently cosponsored a Senate resolution celebrating this historic anniversary and sharing my appreciation for the great work the SBDC does in Wyoming. diverse demographic of clients. For example, 44 percent of their clients are women and nine percent are veterans. The SBDC assists business owners from start-up to exiting. Eighty businesses have opened their doors in Wyoming with the help of the SBDC. Some of the areas of expertise include risk management, tax consulting, accounting and bookkeeping systems. The Wyoming SBDC offers confidential one-on-one business advising at no charge. They also offer training events virtually and throughout the state at minimal cost and their impact across the state is significant. There are 63 Small Business Development Centers in the United States, with at least one in every state and the District “The Wyoming SBDC is an In 2014, the of Columbia. Wyoming integral part of the state Over the past network that understands SBDC 35 years, assisted this to be true and Small Business 1,634 works daily to help Development clients, held Centers have businesses thrive.” 61 training assisted events and more than had a capital 22.5 million small businesses impact in Wyoming of almost $14 nationwide and have served a million. Over seventeen years of assisting clients, they have worked with over 40,000 across the state. When a small business flourishes, so does the surrounding community. The Wyoming SBDC is an integral part of the state network that understands this to be true and works daily to help businesses thrive. I am proud to support them in their efforts to help entrepreneurs and commend their work to make the American Dream more attainable for entrepreneurs today. Q4 2015 BUSINESS JOURNAL l PG 11