(May 1, 2014) The Small Business Development Center National Information Clearinghouse (SBDCNet) conducted its 70,000th business information request in May. SBDCNet is dedicated to meeting the needs of the 1,100 small business development centers (SBDC) across the United States by providing timely, relevant, web-based information, and training services to SBDC advisors and their clients.
Using Web-based subscription services and other databases available through the UTSA Library, SBDCNet researchers can collect data on industry trends, geography and demography, customer profiles, competitive company details, regulations, intellectual property, location suitability and more. Each request consists of several different reports totaling over 350,000 individual reports during the SBDCNet’s history.
SBDCNet is headquartered at the University of Texas at San Antonio South West Texas Border SBDC Network. UTSA was selected to host the SBDCNet for a fourth consecutive term last year, which makes it the first time in the history of SBDCNet that an institution has hosted the program for that many consecutive terms.
“The SBDCNet is a service that our clients say ‘places big business tools into the hands of small businesses’. The information that we provide to SBDC clients nationwide is information and data not normally available to them without a tremendous investment of time and money. Each request for information is customized to a client’s particular industry, geography, financial and market trends,” said SBDCNet Director Deborah Schueneman.
Any small business owner engaged in a consulting relationship with an SBDC Business Advisor has access to the research services of the SBDCNet. Advisors submit requests on behalf of the client to the SBDCNet, and devise best practices and strategies based on the provided reports.
“I cannot thank my advisor enough. When I am working with people who are risking moving here to start a business and change their lives, it helps that they are as informed and prepared as possible. SBDCNet helps provide the needed information in an organized and effective manner that is easy for people to understand,” said Maine SBDC client Betty Egner.
