Local companies take advantage of BSU’s Small Business Development Center

Idaho’s Small Business Development Center has helped clients produce small businesses that outperform competition, this past year in Idaho.

According to Katie Sewell, the Deputy Director for the SBDC at Boise State, and SBDC literature, clients of the SBDC had employment growth over eight times the average, and sales growth twice as high as the average.

“We’re here to help small businesses be successful through consulting, training and education,” Sewell said. “Our clients perform better than the average, consistently much higher.”

According to Sewell, being located on campus gives the SBDC and its clients an important resource: students and faculty. Students and faculty work with the SBDC, and its clients, to develop various aspects of business. Specifically, they aid in developing business plans and marketing strategies as well as employee handbooks and the like. Also, students provide a pool of potential employees. As well as being the center for the Idaho SBDC Region three, BSU hosts the State Office of the Idaho SBDC. BSU West hosts an additional SBDC facility, the TECenter, which has the specific mission of aiding young technology based businesses.

BSU is only one of six schools to host a SBDC office. Each state institution, except the University of Idaho, hosts an SBDC office. However, the University of Idaho does contribute to the SBDC through its Law school.

Last month, the SBDC celebrated its 20th year in operation. One of their “Star Entrepreneurs” for 2006 is Sloan Fencing. Based out of Boise, Sloan Fencing has had multiyear relationship with BSU’ SBDC. Sloan Fencing is a company run by three brothers.

“Their parents started them out clearing brush,” said Sewell.

According to SBDC literature the “company has grown from 3 employees in 1991 to 30 employees today and from $25,000 in sales to over $4 million.”

Sloan fencing is one of 1,680 clients the SBDC aided in 2005, resulting 2,500 jobs created or saved and sales increase of $79.4 million, according to SBDC literature. The SBDC also provided a $5 return to the economy for every $1 used to support it, this past year.

Micah McLaughlin
Arbiter Staff

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