SBA National Veterans Small Business Week on Georgia Business Radio
It's. Time once again for another episode of, Georgia, business, radio. Broadcasting. Live from the pro business channel studios, in Atlanta. And. Now. Here's your host rich. Casanova. All. Right rich Casanova, here live for another exciting episode of Georgia business radio and as, you may or may not know we're celebrating, and, honoring and, saluting our veterans that have served our, country and, as, a way to kind of give back and help. Share. The message of some of the organizations, that, provide. Services and outlets. And. Even. Individuals, that step up and and. Help those that. Are looking for opportunities, and speaking of opportunities, we, happen to have a, the. SBA Georgia district office here district, director Terry, Dennison in the studio are going to be talking all, things SBA. Which is the Small Business Administration which. Is close. To our heart being our middle name is business and we're on a business podcast. So Terry, welcome to the show no thank, you and, your, returning guests you've been in our other studio a couple of times yes so, welcome back and now we're in our pop-up studio here at serendipity a shout out to those guys yeah and, also joining us on set is a, Nick. Rodriguez. Our engineer, yeah how's. It going everybody. Loves. Doing the wave on the podcast yeah you got it you got to be in our studio to see that yeah. Exclusive. It's, a signature move yeah. All. Right so uh so Nick is gonna play the role of the listener so I imagine. If I was listening to the show what, questions might pop up so Nick feel free to jump in if, you like as well so, Terry let's jump into this so um Before. We jump into the. National, Veterans Small Business Week and. All the moving parts there tell us a bit about your background how, long you've been with an SBA and what you do in a former life oh wow. Seventeen. Seconds or less. BA. Since. 1987. Right out of graduate school, DC. Worked, in the headquarters office, and the. Washington. DC area, often, about. Ten years, been. Different. Roles in Indianapolis. As the deputy director there. I've, been in Wisconsin. As, the acting director, and a few other. Assignments. Here and there. But. This has been home for a while right at home yeah I guess I'm kind of like an SBA. Offspring. Do. You have family here in Atlanta or but where's most your family well actually my family is all over it's.
Just Me here in Atlanta, but have. A sister in Kansas, have relatives. In North Texas, Texas. Yeah they're getting there what the beauty of that you get to travel in whatever I do, nice. Okay, so, now. You. Know let's talk about some other folks in the to. Kind of give a the. Hierarchy, of the SBA right so start from, from. DC on down so kind of map out what's the SBA structure, is right okay of course Small, Business Administration is a federal government agency we're, independent we, report directly to the White House and the. Head of our agency, is the administrator. And our, current administrator, is Linda McMahon write a name. A lot of people know yes. Co-founder. Of that and has, been great, leader to work under, that's. The interesting dynamic, because normally you don't mess. With the boss but in her case you really don't mess with it maybe we'll, edit that part out yet. And. Then we, have under. Our. Regional. In a minute I'm in school and our administrator, we have 10 regional, administrators. Wow, and we have one here for the Southeast, region, that Georgia is a part of and, how many states is that eight states in this region eight states okay and our current, regional administrator, is Ashley. Mr., Ashley Bell yeah, and we've. Had Ashley in the studio, last. Time I think talking about National, Small Business Week but. That's just we were talking before we went on the air that guy says. It's just amazing his background that dynamic like we said not only is the ona business in the, past run, that and that's a definite. Skill set that really carries. Over and he can talk the language to. Of folks. Like us that are business owners right law, degree, and. All. Under, 40 I mean it's like we were saying before the year it makes me feel like a slacker right like, dude, where do you have time to do all this yeah but. Yeah he's been a great addition to the team and, it's, been great, working under, him as well and then shout-out, to Lola in the Atlanta, office here right yeah she's uh it works in the regional office with Ashley and then Lindsey right yeah he's our Georgia. Public, affairs. Officer, all, right so that gives us a little snapshot of the structure now. Before. We do. A deep dive in today's topic the SBA their mission is to help entrepreneurs. Or. Businesses, for, a funding. Right so, tell us a little bit about that sure we. Provide assistance, in a variety of ways but we always like to kind of boil it down to the three C's anadi so. Capital. Access, is one of those C's and we do that primarily through guaranteeing. Commercial. Loans we. Also support. Organizations. That provide micro, loans or loans that are say, 50,000. And under. We. Also provide, counseling. And training, services. Through. A variety of entities such, as score, our volunteer, market organization. We. Partner with the University of Georgia, to. Deliver the Small Business Development Center program. And there's 17, around the state well five here, in metro, Atlanta. We, have a couple women business centers that. Focus on, women. Entrepreneurs. And, their unique needs but they do serve men I think. Last that I heard they start about 15. Or 20 percent of their clientele, is actually men, right, and. Then for those who are interested in entering, the federal, government, contracting. Arena we, do have. Certification. Programs, and other resources, to help them be. Able to enter in and operate. Successfully in, that market, what's, the D the D a disaster. Assistance which. Is actually. Almost, like a separate, agency within SBA. But. When there is a declared, disaster, we. Work with FEMA right, and, we, actually provide. The. Recked. Low-interest. Loans to. Business. Owners to, help with physical damage, also to help them with what. They call economic, injury or being able to maintain operations. Until, the. Environment, improves, and business, gets back up and running. They, also provide assistance to homeowners and riches which a lot of people don't know, about yeah, because I, think. Last. Time Ashley. Was in the studio in Georgia business radio that was the first I think, I had heard about this idea of the. S be offering, disaster, relief and assistance, but. For businesses, because, you think you hear about the Red Cross a lot of organizations, actually just had to move team rubicon Rubicon, in the studio here this morning a veteran's based organization, happening with disaster, relief but, you, know if you're a business owner that small shop. Or you know local market, you. Know marketeer, or entrepreneur. If. Your business is wiped out the ripple effect of that of your employees, are now unemployed and, you struggle to get back to. Making a profit right yes, I don't think most people are aware of that yes and that, happens, when there's a declared, disaster and. Be declared by the President or by the administrator. Or the, Secretary. Of Agriculture. If it's an agricultural, related, disaster.
Okay, So um. So. And then finally on the SBA topic, is, what's. You know either the challenge, or the misnomer, or, what. Do you feel like most, business owners maybe. The why they don't take advantage of the services or, not. Aware of it or what's the kind of the biggest misnomer, if you will oh wow, I think probably one of the biggest, misnomers. Is the idea that we're, only there for startups. You. Know and that once you've started up the. Business well there's really nothing, else you, know. That's, available to help them in that continued. Journey and as. Long as you're a small business, are you're eligible for programs, and resources, or. Sometimes I think maybe they just go the traditional. Lanes. Of funding. And they don't really aware, that the SBA is there to help support them the, programs that they have and maybe they don't qualify or, right, you know yeah that's, I think true as well that, with the guarantee. They. May be able to get longer terms right yeah on the loan so they have longer to repay lower, monthly. Payments. And then, you guys partner with the banks and the financial institutions. To make that happen yes we do, okay. So that gives us a snapshot of the, SBA those folks that may not be aware. Of their whole array of services so. Now let's talk about today's, topic which is National, Veterans Small. Business Week so, give, us the backstory and. This is just the fifth year into it right that's close what was the idea behind that. I think. The idea was well, it really goes, back to SBA's. Long. Tradition. Of. Focusing. On and wanting to meet the needs of veteran. Entrepreneurs. Or prospective, entrepreneurs. As. We were talking about earlier it was President Eisenhower, yeah, who, actually. Advocated. For and, signed into law when, Congress. Passed the law the. Bill that created the US Small Business Administration and. Its basic. Programs, and, it's, just interesting full circle, of obviously, most people are aware he had the military background, and obviously as president but that's. You, know at home full circle so what, do you feel is kind of unique to veterans as opposed to civilians. In. Their challenges, and this idea of creating a week to, promote. The message of what you guys are you know services. To them yeah I think we. And we've done studies through, our office of advocacy, about. You. Know the success rates and the. Behaviors. Of veteran. Entrepreneurs, versus, non veteran, right and in. Every. Indication, they, you. Know stand out from the rest in. Terms of the. Rate of startup the rate of success, well. Once. They have started that business and I think it's because of the skills that they, developed. In, and. Embraced as, enlisted. Or officers, in the military I mean in that military. Environment it's very structured very disciplined, right.
There's Accountability a, lot, of the skillsets that. You need right going into business yeah. Absolutely, are. There any skills, that. They that, they have. Are. Those teachable, to, people who. Didn't. Serve I guess they'll yeah they're just, concrete. Yes that's course one of the great debates out, there you know as entrepreneurship, something, that's inherent, to someone's, character. Can they learn and, I think it's a combination for some it is truly. A gift and it comes naturally, but I think, we've observed and studied and, and worked. With entrepreneurs, over the decades, and we see common, threads, and skillsets, and knowledge bases, that they need and part. Of our mission is to take that whole. Broad, wealth, of experience, and knowledge and impart. That to entrepreneurs. Well. That's a great question because I. Mean, especially if they're in a leadership position in the military they have that skill set to teach right. And so now if the SBA steps in and helps them navigate. Through the waters of Finance, and. Get. Get underway now they can you know kind of teach a man to fish kind of thing right yes and also like we have a couple of veterans. Who actually, have. Been on the battlefield Lindsay. Right them, and. When. You're in that situation especially. Lot. Of times you have to have a common, entrepreneurial. Mindset. Or, approach, because, you're. Not in a perfect environment things. Come up supplies. And resources are scarce and you, have a situation you've got to figure out how to address it to keep to. Fulfill. The objectives of what your actions, are and also that. You're trying to achieve but also to keep you and your troops. Safe and just stay alive that's, I hadn't thought about that idea but that's that's right on the mark right because you have to think, quick on your feet you. Have to use the resources your hand you can't just say well. I'll wait til a corporate sends me the next money or whatever right or I'll call corporate hit correct right on the field and, a lot of times as entrepreneurs, you, feel like you're, you. Know on your own right, and you're struggling and having challenges so, I mean to have the SBA as kind. Of that and, that's what they're used to in the military having, that support structure in place right yes. Which actually kind of is similar to score cuz we participate, in some of the score events right so you have mentors that have been, there done that in business so, it's almost like the veteran they've. You. Know been on the frontline right. And so but. And, you have the numbers to prove it that typically, they probably are more successful in their business ventures yeah. So. Now talk to us about. This. Other thing we were talking about before he and the the veterans advantage. Mmm. The vet advantage program yes, that, is one of our is a variation, of one, of our main, loan. Guarantee, programs, normally. I. Guess. The short explanation. Is, normally when we guarantee, alone there are some fees that are attached to that to cover the cost of the guarantee, so, that we don't take, that from the public. Coffers right yeah with. The veteran, advantage, we waive. Either. All or part of those fees well for. Not, only veterans, but, like, military. Spouses. Also. People. Who've been in reserves National. Guard as well, could. You go into a little bit more detail about specific. Fees. I guess I just, what kind of fees there would be okay. Well we have what we call the guarantee, fee and is basically it. Depends. The percentage, depends, on the amount of the loan that's being guaranteed a dollar value so the, larger, the loan, will. Guarantee anywhere, from fifty, to. Some. Cases ninety percent depending. On the type of loan guarantee. Program, okay so there's, a fee that's attached to, you. Know that's there's a formula for figuring that out gosh, we normally. Can fold that into the. Financing. Or the you know the the. Amortization. Of the loan but we can actually with veterans, under veterans, Advantage just waive like, I say most well, or all, of it if it's a smaller loan now well yes, speak of thank you yeah speaking of smaller loans like you mentioned before and they're the micro, loan which. Is the fifty thousand or less right.
So Sometimes people think I need a million dollars would it right. So, speaking, of micros what would be a macro, loan what's the largest loan you guys have ever done. Well, we, currently. Are maximum, loan that we can guarantee, is five million dollars, okay if, it's with. One of our programs if it's a manufacturer. That can go up to five point five million. Well. So, our engineers given us the halfway mark here, so we're halfway through the show already well we got a lot more content, to kick. Off here but we want to let remind, our listeners you, listen in to Georgia business radio with your host rich Casanova, alongside our engineer Nick, Rodriguez, and we're having a conversation with Terry Dennison. She is the district director for. The SBA Georgia, district office all, right so next let's, talk about obviously. Our middle name being business we're on a business a program. You guys are the Small Business Administration and we're talking about veterans so a veterans a Small Business Week. What's talking about this program that you guys mentioned beforehand, the veterans, business, outreach, program, sure, veteran. Business outreach centers they've been around probably. About. Seven. Eight years, and. Basically, it's a place that we partly, fund. For. Entities, that normally. Ideally, are working, with veterans already but, this is to provide. Another. Dimension, as it relates to small. Business, meet of opening. A small business, or if. You have an existing small business. So. They, provide one-on-one, consultation. That's free you know all our counseling. Services, how through, our various again. It's free well actually. Not. Really free because you know it's supported by tax dollars well yeah if you're doing the right thing we, should take advantage of you take advantage of that so Europe you you've already paid for it might as well take advantage of what you invested. In yeah well. Said and. So. Who. Would participate in a program like that okay. Well, of, course those. Who've been in the military or those, who are maybe getting ready to get out okay, we have. Done. Programming, around those, who are getting ready to process out and they're, trying to decide. What. They want to do once, they go, back into civilian life and we, like to offer entrepreneurship. As an option, in addition to the traditional, employer, job awesome. So we've got a few more questions here but, they. Can find out about the programs and, what you guys are doing it's very simple right just, sba.gov. Slash. Georgia GA GA, yes okay all. Right so um now. You mentioned the three C's or the yeah. Three C's D before the air so uh we. Talked about capital, right yeah you. Mentioned you touch a little bit on counseling, where does that come into play, well. Where are some examples, of that I guess okay sure of course the most I guess common, example everyone thinks about first. Is someone, who's thinking about starting, a business and. They have an idea and, ideally. They should say. Let's see if I let me get this vetted, right to see if it really could be developed, so our. Resources. You know score, counselor. Consulted. At the Small Business Development Center or Women's Business Center or the VBox right out of business Outreach. Center they, can help someone. Kind of walk through kind. Of be a sounding board to their idea maybe, point out what. Their observations. And ask some questions ask, a lot of questions to, get the person to think about okay, is this, something that's really viable and if so what do I need to do next to make that happen another. Example, and this is one I really, try to push because once again people don't think once, they've started a. Busy. They don't necessarily need us but someone maybe have started a business, and. There's a new opportunity that's been presented to them you. Know they can go through that same process. If. They want to know how, to export. Okay I want to grow my business and. I. Want to look at markets. Outside of the United States to help me accomplish that, we, have resources, that can help them, learn. About how to do business abroad well, there's, programs to support and try to reduce the risk and address, some of the concerns people. Would normally have about doing, business with someone that's thousands. Of miles away, you don't know separate language culture. And. Right so our. Small business development center has a great, international, trade team to, help people. Walk through that process. They, have a program called export, Georgia that they do every, year which, is I believe like six weeks where.
You Actually walk, through you, know and. You get assistance. With, some of the students. And UGA, they. Help them research, different. Markets, to determine, which markets, might be viable for them abroad, for. Their product, and services. You. Mentioned. Georgia. And abroad, and so forth I think, that it's, a seventh year in the row now that Georgia has been, number. One in the country right. For doing business and a business, business, friendly state so I mean we're just you know bragging about ourselves in the you, know right here in our own backyard right yes and that's what makes I think in law ways my job, very you know a lot easier and maybe some of my counterparts. Another place, because. We're just naturally entrepreneurial, and, have so many opportunities. Available. That. Would be right for small business, so so. What's next what's. On the horizon some. Events you got cooking. And planted on well. One. Thing of, course as, we go towards. Thanksgiving. You, know for the several, years we. Have worked, with American. Express on, Small, Business Saturday right, the Saturday after Thanksgiving you. Know you have Black. Friday and you have a Cyber, Monday and, so, it's like why not have something to. Focus on the. Products, and services, of small business, the local merchants right so that. Saturday. Immediately. After Thanksgiving, we encourage, people. When, you're out there doing your shopping. You, know and looking for gifts think, about a small business, that a lot of times will offer something unique or, trendy, as opposed, to one of the kind, of established, big-box, stores that have standardized. Merchandise. And. Keeps it local to the community, at the economy, the ecosystem. Within your within your town exactly, and. Correct. Me if I'm wrong but I think you guys were kind of the first to bring that, concept and then later become you know the, similar things like you mentioned you, know cyber monday obviously, is a still. Recent, phenomenon, so. And then you guys actually do get. People on a tour bus from when. You get visit National Small Business Week or Small Business Saturday right, well as this. Past National. Small Business Week artist, Raider. National. Business, tour bus. Tour she. Came through Savannah. And. We had a lot of fun with her there it's all that on social media which you guys were pretty active. Your, Twitter account for here in this region is your office is a just. Twitter / SBA. Underscore, Georgia and once, again to find out more information about. All, the services here, in the the, Atlanta the, SBA Georgia. District office would be sba.gov. Slash. GA. Alright. So um any. Closing, thoughts here questions, yeah I just had a question, when. It comes to the I, guess you called it V Bock yes are, there opportunities, to, volunteer or what. Is the. The. Hiring process I guess for you guys to bring in those experts. That you guys. It. Can expose to people okay well actually what we do is we support, partly.
Support, The V Bock operation. They have to provide matching funds, so. Actually. Here in Georgia it's a vector. Which if I remember the acronym is veterans, education. Career Transition Center. The. Government they love their acronym. And. So. They will actually do the hiring of the counselors. Or, staff. There, but, we provide the funds in part, to help them do that got. You thank you yeah any, other signature, events that you guys do throughout the year. That. Kind of stand out or I mean call to action or invites or almost like necklacee maybe saying how can people get involved or what are some opportunities for people to I, mean. Score is kind of an, easy one right yes and they're, always looking for. People. Who are either been, business owners or actually. You could still be a business, owner and. Volunteer. Time with score, or if you've had a corporate background. That. Will you, know suffice, as well as having, those skill sets a business, owner a prospective. Business owner would need and. You guys do I know I don't know about the other offices, but here I know I say, get the newsletters, I'm on your newsletter list and so forth and you. Do a series of workshops that are typically hosted, either it. You, know in-house or you bring in subject matter experts, right yes I've seen like on QuickBooks and. Some other topics, yes we've done a lot of those there. At the Georgia district office which is at Peachtree, Center, downtown I think one of the things we'd like to do our. New year, started, October 1st you know physical year now one of the things we'd like to do in fiscal year 19, is to try and get out more, into, the communities, and maybe, look at places, outside. Of our offices, not, only around the metro area here, but also in other parts of the state and bring, some of that programming, to them well. We'll definitely talk off-air about this because two thoughts came to mind as I was kind of closing and thinking about you know what's next so the workshop series I think I reached out to Lola's been awhile back so I need to kind of touch base with you or her but I mentioned, this idea about we've, been kicking around this idea of a. Podcast. For master class as a workshop and she, said we had an email exchange he said that'd be great we'd love to host, you guys to do a workshop for that right for people that in business, wanna you. Know create, or generate a podcast, yeah we. Could kind of teach that as a class, and. Then and then the other thing is about getting out of the community I know Cassius, but such a doubt to him right formerly. In, the office for many years right and, so we I we had a panel. Event so we did we have a show called the co-founders podcast, for, startups and co-founders, and we did actually live at, an event and he was on the panel we invited him on the panel so that's, what we're opportunity you're looking for in the commutative community so. We have, to talk of, course I think that the, apex. Of our year if you want to look at it that way is, National. Small Business Week which will be the first full. Week in May okay. Yeah, awesome. All right Terry we'll always a wealth of information a, knowledge, you. Keep everybody on your toes here are on our toes or your toes or someone's, sometimes, so ystös yeah, so. Once, again I love you give. The call to action how folks, reach out one more time yeah I'd find out about y'all sure to learn more about us, go to our website. Wws. Be. A.gov. 4. /g a for, things all Georgia. Related. And, then if you want to learn more about what's. Going on National, Veterans Small Business Week you could do sba.gov.
Forage. Slash, that. B is TBI. Z awesome, yeah well, Terry our pleasure thanks again for your time and being here it's casanova signing. Out alongside, Nick. Rodriguez, our engineer. I look, forward to our next conversation on, Georgia business radio. Thank. You again for joining rich, Casanova, and our guests, on the Pearl Business Channel. Use. The social media links here to share today's show and stay, tuned for the next episode of, Georgia. Business. Radio.
2018-12-31 15:55
