Statewide entrepreneur help center opens two new offices in region

The Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of South Florida is opening a pair of satellite offices in the region to kick off 2024. 

The Florida SBDC provides no-cost assistance to aspiring, emerging and established businesses through consulting, training and market research. The Florida SBDC at USF covers 10 counties in the region. 

One location, scheduled to open Jan. 8, according to a statement, is in Manatee County, in the Manatee Chamber of Commerce’s Lakewood Ranch office. That office will be staffed with a Florida SBDC at USF consultant three times a week (every Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday). The office is at 4215 Concept Court, Lakewood Ranch, 34211.

The other location will be in Pasco County, in Wesley Chapel, according to the statement. Scheduled to open Jan. 18, that office is in the SMARTstart @ the Grove Entrepreneur Center at 6013 Wesley Grove Blvd., Suite 202 Wesley Chapel, 33544. A consultant will be available the third Thursday of the month. 

The Florida SBDC at USF is a member of the Florida SBDC Network, a statewide partnership program nationally accredited by the Association of America’s SBDCs and funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Department of Defense, State of Florida and other private and public partners, with the University of West Florida serving as the network’s lead host institution. Florida SBDC services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Language assistance services are available for limited English proficient individuals.