[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Pages 4604-4605]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             RECOGNIZING SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTERS

  Mr. RISCH. Mr. President, on behalf of myself and my colleague 
Senator Shaheen, I would like to recognize the contributions made to 
our Nation and its small businesses by the good work of America's small 
business development centers. As chairman and ranking member of the 
Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, Ranking Member 
Shaheen and I understand the impact that boosting small businesses 
makes, with 99.7 percent of all firms across America being small 
businesses and their employees making up 48 percent of the total 
workforce.
  America's small business development centers provide small businesses 
across the country with high-quality, low- or no-cost consulting, and a 
variety of educational programs. These centers operate in all 50 States 
to support an established network of small businesses while encouraging 
new entrepreneurs to develop and execute their unique vision, helping 
innovators get their own small businesses up and running.
  Small business development centers are successful because they 
provide the services of a large consulting firm on a locally scaled 
level in areas that may go unnoticed by other programs. They provide 
tailored, individualized attention to over 450,000 entrepreneurs a 
year, which resulted in $6.9 billion in new sales in 2015. That same 
year, America's small business development centers aided in the 
creation of over 100,000 jobs, and the small businesses they serve 
averaged a growth rate of 15.5 percent, which is nearly eight times the 
national average.
  One of many success stories that can be told is that of Velma, a 
marketing software firm in Nampa, ID. Founded in 2006, the firm focused 
on empowering loan officers to create stronger relationships through a 
customized direct email program. The recession of 2008 hit Velma hard, 
and in 2010, the company entered into the small business development 
centers business accelerator program. The structure of the program 
provided organizational discipline, and the firm pivoted to providing 
email marketing for mortgage companies. Since the firm began 
participating in the accelerator program, Velma has quadrupled its 
employees and created a sustained positive cash flow.
  It is a privilege for my colleague and I to recognize America's Small 
Business Development Centers Day today, March 22, 2017, and we wish 
them continued success as they work to support the next generation of 
America's small business owners and entrepreneurs.
  Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, as ranking member of the U.S. Senate 
Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, it is a privilege to 
join Chairman Risch as we celebrate the first ever Small Business 
Development Center Day, which will unite the more than 1,000 small 
business development centers, SBDCs, across the country with the 
hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs they have assisted in their 37-
year history.
  Small businesses are the engine of our economy, creating two out of 
every three new jobs in the United States. As Chairman Risch stated, 
since 1980, America's SBDCs have provided these small businesses with 
high-quality, low- or no-cost consulting, and a variety of educational 
programs across the country. Together with SBA's other resource 
partners--women's business centers, veterans business outreach centers, 
and SCORE chapters--SBDCs have enhanced the ability of America's small 
businesses to grow and create jobs.

[[Page 4605]]

  To provide some context for what this means to our economy, the 
association representing SBDCs estimates that SBDC clients start a new 
business every 30 minutes, create a new job every 5 minutes, generate 
$100,000 in new sales every 7.5 minutes, and raise $100,000 in capital 
every 11 minutes. Job growth for SBDC clients is nearly 10 times 
greater than job growth for the average business.
  Under the leadership of Dr. Richard Grogan, the New Hampshire SBDC 
State director, New Hampshire SBDCs have helped thousands of small 
business owners and entrepreneurs realize their dreams, start new 
businesses, and create jobs. Last year alone, New Hampshire SBDC 
counseled and trained more than 2,500 businesses and assisted in the 
formation of more than $39 million in capital for New Hampshire's small 
businesses.
  For example, NH SBDC has been instrumental for Julie Lapham, the 
founder and chief sales officer of a startup in Dover, NH, called 
Popzup. Popzup is a family-owned business that provides a new popcorn 
product for health-conscious consumers. As Julie explained it, her 
local SBDC helped to prepare her for a Shark Tank-style pitch 
competition in which she took home a first-prize award of $10,000. They 
have helped her understand her financing options and continue to stay 
involved and support her company's growth.
  I hope my colleagues will join me and Chairman Risch in celebrating 
SBDC Day and acknowledging their local SBDCs for their accomplishments 
and the role that they play in helping small businesses create jobs.

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