The center had a similar arrangement to provide services for much of last year in downtown Miamisburg, and now wants to “formalize” its presence with a southern Montgomery County site to better serve small businesses in that area, Miamisburg records show.
The move may be particularly beneficial to downtown Miamisburg, a rejuvenated area in the past decade where the vast majority of tenants are small businesses, said Chris Fine, development director for that city.
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“I think it brings tremendous value to our downtown area and the small businesses in the city,” Fine said.
MVSBDC officials were out of the office late last week and attempts to reach them were unsuccessful.
The center is funded by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The local outreach specialists provide business support and consulting services, according to its website.
Among the areas of counseling:
•Goal setting
•Cash flow and profitability
•Employee management
•Business planning
•Market strategy development
•Export markets
•Financial projections
•Export readiness.
The MVSBDC’s current counseling sites are at the Russ Research Center Innovation Gateway in Beavercreek and at Edison State Community College in Piqua, according to its website.
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A memorandum of understanding approved by Miamisburg last week will provide the center an office in the Miamisburg Civic Center at least one day a week with “minimal” furnishings, city records state.
The office space is an “in-kind” contribution on the city’s part, the MOU states. The city will also provide referrals and recommend business training programs for the MVSBDC.
The center will provide a certified small business adviser to staff the office. Outreach Specialist Mark Lankford, who has worked in Miamisburg for MVSBDC, will fill that role, according to the city.
“I think Mr. Lankford has provided good service to businesses, many of those along Main Street,” Fine said. “He will just hop out of the office and walk along Main Street and talk to businesses and try to help them out.”
The MOU also calls for at least two counseling sessions each day the center’s office is open, with priority being given to Miamisburg businesses.
The agreement also call for the adviser to be a member of the Miamisburg Merchants Association and continue to take part in that group’s economic restructuring committee.
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