About the ASBDC

The Arkansas Small Business Development Center (ASBDC) is a University-based economic development program which provides assistance to entrepreneurs and small businesses throughout Arkansas via a statewide network of seven offices. As the state's premier business assistance program, the ASBDC is dedicated to helping small businesses achieve success and to promoting economic development throughout the state.

Vision Statement

The ASBDC will be a major contributor to improving the State's entrepreneurial environment and economic competitiveness by providing quality business services and technology assistance, by encouraging innovation in the business and economic community, and by stimulating growth-oriented emerging companies and existing businesses. The ASBDC will be recognized as a key player in Arkansas' economic development.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Arkansas Small Business Development Center is to achieve a significant positive economic impact by providing quality service to assist businesses and nascent entrepreneurs to operate profitable ventures. As an accredited member of a national program, the ASBDC is a statewide delivery network that pursues its mission in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration, the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, other institutions of higher education, and additional key strategic alliances.

The Arkansas SBDC offers the following services to the business community:

Consulting Services

The ASBDC provides, at no cost, one-to-one professional consulting for business owners and entrepreneurs. Help available includes: advice on operating challenges in existing businesses, review of business plans and strategies, guidance in starting new businesses, preparation of loan requests, financial analysis and budget development. A "New Venture Guide", available in the Consulting section of the web site at http://asbdc.ualr.edu/start/, offers guidance in handling new business operations and finances. The Arkansas SBDC neither lends money nor administers grants. However, business consultants can assist small business owners in meeting their operating challenges. Because the Arkansas SBDC is a statewide organization, consulting needs can be met even for those who reside outside of Little Rock.

New business owners are strongly encouraged to attend the Arkansas SBDC seminar, "Starting a Business in Arkansas" before meeting with a consultant. Additionally, submitting a copy of a completed business plan prior to the consultant meeting will enable the consultant to provide valuable feedback during the consulting process. Appointments are required to meet with a consultant and are usually able to be scheduled within a few days of the initial phone call.

Market Research Services

The ASBDC's lead center in Little Rock offers market research services free of charge to our small business clients. Our capabilities and tools are typical of those affordable only to larger firms. We provide our clients with the highest quality data and analysis they need to make sound business decisions.

The ASBDC subscribes to proprietary market research databases and has licensed special mapping software. These tools can give business owners an extremely effective visual representation of the marketplace. We can help business owners better understand who their customers are, what motivates their purchasing decisions, and who their competitors are.

The ASBDC specializes in gathering and applying market intelligence to solve real-world business problems. We can help clients identify the best location for a new store, improve the effectiveness of direct mailings, find and underserved niche, and much more. As a member of the university community, the ASBDC has access to a wide range of academic libraries and research institutes.

Training Services

Existing and new business owners can take advantage of the ASBDC's affordable small business training programs. The ASBDC offers live seminars in locations throughout the state as well as convenient and flexible online seminars. Training on a variety of business topics is offered including starting a business, writing business plans, marketing, financing, and technology and innovation.

Live seminar instructors and facilitators include ASBDC and business professionals such as accountants, bankers, attorneys, marketing professionals, small business owners, and more.

Online seminars focus on the 3Ms: Money, Marketing and Management. There are 20 courses offered and more than 350 tools and other resources are available with the courses.

Register or access information about live events and online training at: asbdc.ualr.edu/training

ENews Alerts

Web visitors who want to receive information from the ASBDC can subscribe to the ASBDC's Enews bulletins. Biz Bytes provides general business information, government regulation updates and details on upcoming small business training events. Tech Track is focused on providing technology news, grant opportunities, and SBIR/STTR information to growing high-tech firms.

Economic Impact

The Arkansas Small Business Development Center (ASBDC) offers a variety of services to assist entrepreneurs at various stages of business development and growth. Business consulting, training, market research, and innovation-based business assistance is provided via a statewide network of seven offices.

Arkansas businesses assisted by the ASBDC provided significantly more economic impact than the average Arkansas small business over the last decade. ASBDC clients have an average sales growth 19% higher than the average Arkansas business and average employment growth 17% higher than the average Arkansas business.

Over the last decade, ASBDC clients created 2.4 new jobs per day for a total of 8,575 new jobs. ASBDC clients made $260,000 in new sales per day for a total of almost $1 billion in new sales. ASBDC clients obtained more than $130,000 in financing per day for a total of more than $476.1 million in financing. Additionally, ASBDC clients generated $42.3 million more in state and $23.8 million more in federal taxes than if they had performed like the average business in the state.

Advisory Board

The ASBDC's Advisory Board, Friends of Small Business, is comprised of entrepreneurs, bankers, and individuals from organizations committed to growing and supporting Arkansas' small business community. The diverse membership contributes to furthering ASBDC's mission and vision. Members confer with the ASBDC's Executive Director on policy matters, serve as advocates for small businesses, and represent the mission and goals of the ASBDC to the business community.

Chair of the Advisory Board

Mary Ann Campbell
President
Money Magic, Inc.

Members

Phillip Baldwin
President & CEO
Southern Bancorp

Jerry Damerow
Associate Director of Business Development
UAMS BioVentures

Leonard K. Dunn
Broker
Rector Phillips Morse, Inc.

Jim Coffey
Vice President of Small Business Lending
Metropolitan National Bank

Lairie Kincaid
Vice President
Farmers Bank & Trust Co.

Marla Johnson Norris
CEO
Aristotle Internet Access

Clevon Young
Executive Director
Arkansas Human Development Corporation

Ad Hoc Member

Linda Nelson
District Director
U.S. Small Business Administration
Arkansas District Office

The Arkansas Small Business Development Center is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration through a partnership with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock College of Business and other institutions of higher education. All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA. It is the goal of UALR to eliminate discriminatory harassment and to promote equal opportunity regardless of race, gender, color, national origin, sexual orientation, age, religion, veteran’s status, or disability.