Federal and Local Collaboration leads to Small Business Success for Columbia Entrepreneurs
COLUMBIA – The City of Columbia and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are committed to supporting entrepreneurial success; driving innovation, creating jobs, and further growing Columbia’s economy. Columbia Mayor Rickenmann and SBA Regional Administrator Allen Thomas have collaborated to assure that Columbia, South Carolina entrepreneurs have the proper resources, community support, and drive to continue to grow the small business ecosystem of the city.
“The City of Columbia is committed to our small business ecosystem,” says Mayor Daniel Rickenmann. “We are honored to work with the SBA team here in Columbia to help provide the tools and resources our small businesses need to grow and succeed. There is nothing more important than hearing directly from our existing entrepreneurs in Columbia and learning the challenges they face and where their successes lie. As a team, we can build a strong economic environment for our small businesses to last several generations.”
“The SBA Community (including resource partners, community partners and small business lenders) in South Carolina does an extraordinary job of caring for the South Carolina small business community,” says Allen Thomas, SBA Regional Administrator. “Over 650 businesses were approved for SBA loans (7(a) and 504 loans) valued at over $405 million in FY 2023. In Richland County, SBA approved nearly $33 million in loans creating over 600 jobs- and this is just in one year. Working with great collaborators like Mayor Rickenmann and the City of Columbia allows the SBA to reach an even greater number of entrepreneurs. It signifies our joint commitment to working together to build an ongoing successful small business infrastructure in Columbia and across the great State of South Carolina.”
Nearly 100 potential and existing small business owners participated in the Small Business Town Hall. They heard from Mayor Rickenmann, and Regional Administrator Thomas as well as interacted with local representatives from several small business resources from across the State. The speakers included: Vickey Evans, President & CEO of CORG Management Group (a successful, local small business), Pam Green from the Richland County Office of Small Business Opportunity, Kelly Smith from the City of Columbia Business License Office, Dominik Mjartan, President & CEO of Optus Bank, and Michelle Abraham of the South Carolina Small Business Development Centers. SBA South Carolina District Director Gregg White was on site facilitating Q & A with the attendees.
For photos of the event and for more information, please contact [email protected] or [email protected].
About the U.S. Small Business Administration
The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.