In a move that will benefit both organizations, the Central Florida Small Business Development Center at the Central Florida Development Council (SBDC) has relocated from Bartow to the University of South Florida Lakeland.

In partnership with USF Lakeland, the SBDC will continue to offer accessible, affordable and professional counseling, entrepreneurial training and resources to small startup and mature businesses throughout Polk County.

SBDC Director Doretha Brooks notes that her group was already under contract with the SBDC at USF Tampa to serve Polk County, so the move is a logical alignment. She welcomes the new partnership.

“We’re happy to be here and excited about our new home at USF Lakeland,” she says. “I’m excited about using the additional campus resources to better serve our clients. Being able to offer resources like the campus library is a great benefit. Some of our clients may also wish to pursue entrepreneurship training at USF Lakeland. And we’re looking forward to helping develop a business incubator at the new campus.”

Brooks also notes that SBDC will draw visitors to the USF Lakeland campus, which could help raise the university’s profile and attract future students.

Steve Budd, director of the USF Lakeland Entrepreneurship Program and adjunct professor in the College of Business, looks forward to the partnership.

“It’s an incredible opportunity to have the SBDC on the USF Lakeland campus,” he says. “I see a bright future with tremendous synergy. When you combine the talent, expertise and resources of both organizations it’s definitely a win-win situation.”

Budd also looks forward to an incubator at the new campus.

“Down the road, when we develop a business incubator, we could become Central Florida’s one-stop shop for entrepreneurs and small business owners.”

The partnership with SBDC could also support USF Lakeland’s polytechnic vision, says Budd.

“I can imagine our students gaining valuable hands-on experience by working closely with SBDC clients. Having an opportunity to work on a feasibility study or business plan would be an example of the type of applied learning we want to offer.”

A nonprofit organization, the Small Business Development Center provides free resources and one-to-one counseling plus educational and entrepreneurial training workshops for start-up and existing businesses. It supports the activities of the U.S. Small Business Administration and is part of the Florida Small Business Development Center Network (FSBDCN), a statewide partnership of higher education, economic development organizations, chambers and other sponsors dedicated to the economic prosperity of Florida.