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About this Center
The MBDA Business Center – Columbia, SC is part of a national network of funded centers located in major cities throughout the United States. The Center, through its partnership with MBDA, champions economic parity for minority-owned business enterprises in the state of South Carolina, in particular, and in the nation, as a whole.
The Center is committed to helping minority-owned business enterprises generate increased financial and contractual opportunities, as well as helping its clientele create and retain jobs. The Center achieves this commitment by providing its clientele with several Core Business Services, namely Client Assessment, Strategic Business Consulting, Access to Capital, and Access to Markets. The Center also provides its clients with managerial and technical assistance.
Performance Overview
In FY2011, MBDA helped South Carolina minority-owned businesses obtain 40 contracts totaling $53,743,287 and $3,547,299 in capital through eight financial transactions.
For clients with gross annual revenues of $500,000 or more, the MBDA Business Center completed 31 transactions totaling $55,532,894. For clients with annual gross revenues below $500,000, the MBDA Business Center completed 17 transactions totaling $1,757,692.
MBDA assisted South Carolina minority-owned businesses in creating 165 new jobs in FY2011.
Core Business Services
Client Assessment
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The MBDA Business Center – Columbia, SC customizes services for our clients’ business enterprises by utilizing a Business Needs Analyzer (BNA), which develops and implements a roadmap for growth and success.
Strategic Business & Marketing Consulting
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The MBDA Business Center – Columbia, SC makes use of strategic business consulting to fulfill the specific needs of our clientele, as well as capitalize on the strengths of our clients and minimize their weaknesses. In doing so, we empower each minority-owned business enterprise to be a viable competitor in the market.
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To increase the exposure and visibility of our clients’ business enterprises, we work closely with each individual client to create and implement comprehensive marketing strategies and materials.
Access to Capital
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The MBDA Business Center – Columbia, SC provides its clientele with access to financial institutions that can increase business capital.
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We evaluate our clients’ increased capital and recommend strategies to create higher revenues.
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We directly supply our clientele with opportunities, such as procurement notifications and bid notices.
Access to Markets
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The MBDA Business Center – Columbia, SC researches our clients’ individual niches in the market in order to increase market presence and share.
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Through client advocacy, we assist our clientele in receiving attention from public and private sectors.
Strategic Tools
Hoover’s
Hoover’s provides “comprehensive insight and analysis about the companies, industries and people that drive the economy, along with the powerful tools to find and connect to the right people.” To stay competitive and up-to-date with proprietary business information, the MBDA Business Center – Columbia, SC utilizes Hoover’s as a one of our many strategic tools. Through Hoover’s online database, we are able to connect our clientele with a network of approximately 65 million corporations and 85 million people. Visit Hoover’s website for additional information.
GovWin
GovWin is the “largest and most comprehensive government market research and analysis” database; therefore, the MBDA Business Center – Columbia, SC utilizes GovWin to inform our clientele of and assist them in obtaining federal, state, and local government contracts.
Location
1515 Richland Street, Suite C
Columbia, SC 29201
Telephone #: 803-743-1143
Web: http://columbiambdacenter.com/
Contact Center
Staff Information
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Ms. Salley has spent more than 20 years developing small and minority businesses throughout the Southeast. She has earned certification through the National Development Council as an Economic Development Specialist. She concentrates on providing management and technical assistance, identifying and facilitating business development opportunities, counseling, administrative management and strategic business growth and development. Ms. Salley earned her Bachelor’s degree in public administration and her Associate’s degree in business management. |
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The MBDA Business Center – Columbia, SC is operated by DESA, Inc. Visit DESA, Inc.’s website for additional information. |
The MBDA Business Center – Columbia, SC operates under the direction of Cheryl Salley, Program Director.