1. Welcome to the Mississippi Statewide 8(a) Application and Statewide HUBZone Application Conferences Presented by Mitch McDowell Business Counselor Mississippi Small Business Development Centers Um Gulf Coast Office Phone: 228-396-8661 E-mail: gcsbdc@olemiss.edu Website: www.mssbdc.org

2. Mississippi Small Business Development Centers MSBDC is part of a ASBDC (America’s Small Business Development Centers) America’s Small Business Development Center Network is the most comprehensive small business assistance network in the United States and its territories. The mission of the network is to help new entrepreneurs realize their dream of business ownership, and assist existing businesses to remain competitive in the complex marketplace of an ever-changing global economy. 50% of our funding comes from the U.S. Small Business Administration 50% of funding comes from the State of Mississippi and our host institutions – University of Mississippi for GC MSBDC Most services are provided at no charge = paid for by your tax dollars MSBDC provides services throughout the State of Mississippi Website: www.mssbdc.org Website: www.mssbdc.org (training videos, workshop schedules, submit requests for counseling or find the MSBDC closest to you)www.mssbdc.org

3. Who do we work with? 1) Pre-venture – individuals that exploring the possibility of owning their own business 2) Start-ups – individuals actively starting a business 3) Kind of in business – individuals that are making money on some kind of business enterprise but need assistance with proper business set (i.e. I’m starting to make money and I don’t want to get into trouble with IRS, MS Department of Revenue, MS Health Department, local authorities, etc.) 4) In Business – individuals that are currently in business

4. What we do Business Workshops 1) Think Like an Entrepreneur 2) Starting a Business – First Steps 3) How to Develop a Business Plan 4) Cash Flow Projections for your Business Plan 5) Boots 2 Business (for individuals transitioning out of the military)

5. What we do continued One-on-One Counseling 1) Help obtain market research 2) Assist with writing business plan and cash flow projections 3) Provide assistance with identifying financing sources, completing loan and other applications 4) Make sure that clients understand the procedures for proper business setup (business structure, licenses/permits, insurance, business checking account, bookkeeping systems, etc.) 5) Customize the counseling sessions to fit the specific needs of our clients

6. Thank You! Questions