Meet Your Neighbor: Friends and helpers to small businesses

Sheri Trusty
·3 min read
Business Resource Center Manager Carolyn Rodenhauser, left, and BRC Coordinator Janet Quaintance spoke with workshop attendees about the many resources available to small business owners through BRC, which is based at Terra State Community College.
Business Resource Center Manager Carolyn Rodenhauser, left, and BRC Coordinator Janet Quaintance spoke with workshop attendees about the many resources available to small business owners through BRC, which is based at Terra State Community College.

OAK HARBOR - Local business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs learned they have access to a wealth of free support when they attended a small business workshop at the Ottawa County Resource Center on Feb. 6.

The Ottawa County Improvement Corporation (OCIC) and the Ohio Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which is based at Terra State Community College, hosted an SBDC Small Business Workshop to introduce current and future business people to the many resources available to them. The workshop was led by Ohio SBDC Director Miranda Hoffman.

“I offer one-on-one, in-depth, confidential, free business advising,” Hoffman said. “I help people with their business plan, financial projects, strategic planning and marketing. I help them register their business with the State of Ohio. I help with any in-depth advice they might need.”

Small Business Basics seminars are offered in several counties

During the workshop, Hoffman shared resources that help businesses reach for their best chance at success, including information on upcoming Small Business Basics seminars for people starting, buying or expanding a business. Stephanie Sprenger attended the workshop to obtain information as she makes plans to expand her business, Spa Catawba.

“I learned about being certified as a woman-owned business and the doors that will open up with financing,” Sprenger said. “Having all these resources available at our fingertips will be an enhancement to any small business.”

As she talked about financial resources, Hoffman shared information on small business loans and grants, especially for women, minorities and veterans. Traci Lender, owner of the online business Traci’s Sewing, wasn’t certain she would benefit from the workshop because she doesn’t own a brick and mortar store and isn’t interested in obtaining a loan, but she walked away with an abundance of new knowledge and resources.

Community members interested in small business and operations attended a seminar at at the Ottawa County Resource Center on Feb. 6.
Community members interested in small business and operations attended a seminar at at the Ottawa County Resource Center on Feb. 6.

“I want to talk with Miranda one-on-one about things like whether I should do an LLC,” Lender said. “I was surprised about all the resources available for women and veterans, and I got contact names of people who can help me.”

SBDC covers Sandusky, Ottawa, Seneca and Erie counties

In addition to Hoffman, Carolyn Rodenhauser, manager of the Business Resource Center (BRC), also shared information on resources for small business owners. BRC is also based at Terra State and often works collaboratively with SBDC.

“The Business Resource Center is more of a one-stop shop,” Hoffman said. “If you have questions, they will guide you to a resource. They will refer you to someone who can help, whereas I do one-one-one, in-depth advising.”

The SBDC covers Sandusky, Ottawa, Seneca and Erie counties. The BRC covers those counties in addition to Huron.

“The Business Resource Center is brand-new to the Kern Center at Terra this year,” Rodenhauser said. “Anyone with a small business can contact us for help. We offer training classes such as HR, social media and marketing.”

OCIC is committed to supporting the local business community, and the workshop was another means to empower local business owners.

“We wanted to introduce Miranda Hoffman to the business community, and we wanted to make sure our business community knew about the resources available to them,” said Jessica Grzechowiak, OCIC communications and programs manager. “I don’t think all of our businesses and upcoming entrepreneurs know what's out there. This allowed us to showcase the programs Terra is starting to offer.”

Kirsten Trammel of Silver Top Sports Bar & Grill, left, talks with Ohio SBDC Director Miranda Hoffman after the workshop on Feb. 6 about resources for improving her business.
Kirsten Trammel of Silver Top Sports Bar & Grill, left, talks with Ohio SBDC Director Miranda Hoffman after the workshop on Feb. 6 about resources for improving her business.

Many of the attendees, such as Kirsten Trammel of Silver Top Sports Bar & Grill, expressed surprise about how much they learned from the workshop.

“One of the big things is the training they will have, and she had a lot of resources for minority and women-owned businesses,” Trammel said. “I even learned about getting health care through the chamber. There was a lot of information here today.”

More information on OCIC can be found at ocic.biz. More information on Terra’s business resources can be found at terra.edu. Click on the Workforce and Community Ed tab and scroll down to Ohio Small Business Development Center or Business Resource Center. To schedule business advising appointments, email Miranda Hoffman at mhoffma05@terra.edu.

Contact correspondent Sheri Trusty at sheritrusty4@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Meet Your Neighbor: Local groups offer help to small businesses