An International Institute of New England program that last year expanded into Rhode Island to help small businesses on tight budgets has served 33 clients in the Ocean State through classes and counseling. Among them was Jose Garcia, owner of Garcia Insurance in Central Falls.
Since taking the Bridges to Business program earlier this year, Garcia said he has been able to add new clients and business has improved. Garcia bought the company from his uncle, after working there part time to learn the business.
“I never had my own business before,” Garcia said. He said the classes taught him how to set prices, promote his business and invest in new technologies, among other things.
“It’s been working,” Garcia said. “We have a lot of new customers coming in. They didn’t know we were here. If you see the business now, it’s totally different.”
Run through the International Institute of New England, the Bridges to Business program began in 2009 in Massachusetts thanks to funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration.
In 2010, the group received additional funding to expand into Rhode Island.
All participants take a 15-hour Business 2.0 class. After the class, they can receive counseling and assistance with other aspects of owning a business. Unlike other courses, there is a fee; $195 for the classes. However, financial assistance is available.
“Our program is different because it focuses on helping entrepreneurs manage their time,” said Ryan McDonnell, a staff member who specializes in microenterprise and asset development for the International Institute of New England. “That’s a key hallmark to our program.”
“Another thing is that the program is really not a theoretical program,” McDonnell said. “In most cases there are entrepreneurs that are already running a small business or are looking to start very quickly, so they’re looking for hands-on tools.”
Garcia said that the next step for his business is creating a website.
“Taking advice from people who know about business, it would be very good for new businesses,” Garcia said. “Sometimes they don’t know little things that help the business.”
While the class may help give owners tools, does it create sustainable businesses? McDonnell said that the program hasn’t been around long enough to be sure.
“Not every business that we’ve worked with is still going, but I think that what we’ve seen is that our program model supports long-term … development of local business,” McDonnell said.
Given the current economic climate, many business owners are seeking more training.
The Rhode Island Small Business Development Center is a resource partner of the Small Business Administration that is hosted by Johnson & Wales University. They offer classes, workshops and counseling to business owners, often free of charge.
Adriana Dawson, associate state director for the Rhode Island Small Business Development Center, said they have seen increased attendance at their workshops regardless of the training topic.
“In our startups and pre-venture workshops, the numbers have increased,” she said. “We’ve seen a lot more people who have been displaced or laid off and are trying to see if being an entrepreneur is a lifestyle they want to pursue.”
Dawson said that in addition to new businesses, existing and mature businesses are attending classes or sending their staff members to classes.
“They are empowering their staff to also be equipped to deal with some of the challenges,” she explained.
In 2010, the Small Business Development Center held 118 training events, which were attended by 1,414 people.
McDonnell agrees that the economy is creating more opportunities for entrepreneurs.
“I think that the current economy in some ways has created new opportunities for entrepreneurship,” he said. “We have folks who a few years ago might have been comfortable as someone else’s employee.” However, he explained, they’ve been laid off and are looking for a new way to support their families.
McDonnell added that owning a small business is always a challenge. “There’s always precariousness to that, whether the economy is robust or not … many people who start or think about starting aren’t around in the next few years.”
McDonnell believes that has less to do with the economy and more to do with how the business is structured and how the entrepreneur manages their time.
The Small Business Development Center will also be holding classes throughout the year. •
