Around the Upstate

York County workshop offers lender matchmaking with small business owners

COLUMBIA, SC - May 17, 2012 - The South Carolina Department of Commerce will host a day-long workshop this month to help small business owners with strategies on financing their businesses and meeting lenders. The event will be May 22 at York Technical College in Rock Hill. 
“The emotion and energy of Commerce is toward having an impact. Meeting the needs of small business through sessions like this one help us do that, and bring important resources right to small business owners,” said Bobby Hitt, Secretary of Commerce.
 
Attendees will have the chance to hear directly from lenders and small business service providers about how business owners can best position themselves to access capital. Small business owners will also learn from fellow entrepreneurs on how to improve their business strategies and prepare for marketing challenges.
 
The morning sessions will involve lender panels and a seminar on advice for small businesses. The afternoon session will involve an actual matchmaking event using a “speed dating” style concept to connect business owners with multiple lenders quickly.
 
Previous lender matchmaking events were held in August in Columbia and in March in Greenville.
 
The workshop will be in the Baxter Hood Center at the York Technical College, 452 South Anderson Road, and will run from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.  Registration will be held that morning at 8 a.m. or register online at www.regonline.com/LMM22May2012. There is a $30 registration fee. For more information, contact Greg Davis at the South Carolina Department of Commerce at gdavis@SCcommerce.com or (803) 737-0601.
 

About S.C. Department of Commerce
As South Carolina’s leading economic development agency, the Department of Commerce works to recruit new businesses and help existing businesses grow. Commerce received the Silver Award from Business Facilities magazine, placing second in the 2011 Economic Development Deal of the Year competition. Commerce has been part of recruiting world-class companies to South Carolina such as Boeing, Bridgestone, Continental, Monster.com, Heinz, ZF Group, BMW and Google Inc. Commerce also supports small and existing business, rural development initiatives and offers grants for community development. For more information, visit www.SCcommerce.com.