By Chris Comer

Starting and operating a small business is hard work.  Did you know that there are more than thirty small businesses in downtown Kernersville alone?  There are at least 100 more in the community.  We need to support these businesses by shopping and taking advantage of their individual services.  Many people recognize the value of small business which is why Kernersville has such a vibrant collection of them.  This is also evidenced by the growth of Small Business Saturday during each of the last few years.  It is great to see visitors shopping and walking up and down Main Street, taking advantage of unique local finds.

Our town offers diverse opportunities for you, your family, and friends to shop, share, and even create your own business.  There are local resources that exist with the primary purpose of helping small businesses achieve business success.  Some of these organizations provide FREE services.  Two of them are the Kernersville Chamber of Commerce and the Small Business Center at Forsyth Tech Swisher Center.  Collectively, we provide:

• Confidential One-On-One Business Counseling

• Small Business Seminars and Roundtables

• Assistance with Research and Networking

Our objective is to help small businesses succeed by providing high quality, readily accessible assistance to prospective and existing business owners.  Many of people that you may know have taken advantage of these services.  We hope that you will decide to do so as well if you are or plan to pursue becoming a business owner yourself.

The Forsyth Tech Small Business Center offers new, interesting, and helpful seminar topics each semester.  We encourage every current and potential business owner to commit to ongoing development of their entrepreneurship skills.  Recent and upcoming seminar topics include:

• Technology Clinic

• Marketing for Artists and Crafters

• The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team

• eBay

• Social Media

• Developing A Small Business Marketing Plan

• Website Building 101 for Small Businesses

• 10 Biggest Mistakes That Entrepreneurs Make and How To Avoid Them

Through these seminars and other services, we are here to help guide you and teach you so you know what to expect and how to improve.  As our town continues to grow, we must maintain an environment in which small business owners can be successful.  They are an essential component to what makes Kernersville YOURville!!!

Another great resource is Business Link North Carolina (BLNC).  BLNC, a service of the NC Department of Commerce, provides access to an extensive network of experts who can help your business succeed.  They will help you learn everything you need to know from licenses, government contracting, business plans, tax information to marketing and access to capital.  Business Link is a collaboration of state-wide, state-funded business resource providers who offer services from business start-up to expanding your multi-national corporation.  I invite you to visit www.blnc.gov for more information.

Visit the Community section of the Chamber website (www.KernersvilleNC.com) to discover learning opportunities for your current or prospective small business.  Feel free to contact us at kchamber@kernersvillenc.com or by calling 336-993-4521.