It’s no small task to help small businesses and entrepreneurs make their dreams come true. The Tennessee Small Business Development Center (TSBDC), under the supervision of Jackson State Community College, has been working double time for the last year and a half. With over $2.5M capital investments in July 2017, this has been its best month-to-date since its beginning in the mid-1980s. July also saw six new business start-ups, the creation of 14 new jobs and the retention of 87 jobs. The center, housed inside the Jackson Chamber, operates under the direction of Ron Acree and Joel Newman.

“Ron and I are delighted with the results, and it shows a renewed confidence in the economy,” says Joel Newman, director of The West Tennessee Business Resource Center and small business specialist with the TSBDC. “Our goal has always been job creation and to help people realize their dream or to prevent it from becoming a nightmare.” They have helped a wide range of businesses - everything from a hair salon to a truck transport company, from manufacturing to retailing and from industrial waste to recycling. “We don’t treat every project like a template, each is individual and personal, and we try to make the development and the outcome as realistic as possible,” said Newman. “We let people know if we do not think something is sustainable.”

From left: Ron Acree, TSBDC; former client, Dessie Hardee and Joel Newman, West Tennessee Business Resource Center and TSBDC, talk business.

The Tennessee Small Business Development Center/Jackson State Community College is a collaborative effort with the Jackson Chamber to provide free business counseling. Ron Acree, director of the TSBDC, and Newman have a wealth of knowledge providing free, confidential business counseling which includes information on business start-ups, buying and selling, as well as expansion plans to move a business to the next level. They can help with cash flow analysis, accessing lenders, along with the ability to help develop a realistic and sustainable business plan.

“We are here to serve the nine-county area that includes Chester, Decatur, East Gibson, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Madison and McNairy counties” states Acree. “We are proud of our accomplishments, but look forward to every new project and to continue to help create new jobs.”

If you need business advice for either a start-up or existing business, take advantage of this free service. It is available to anyone by reaching out to Newman at jnewman@jacksontn.com or Acree at racree@tsbdc.org or by phone at 731-423-2200.