U.S. SBA Reaches Out to Grosse Pointe Chamber

Representatives from the Michigan Office of the U.S. Small Business Assocation and recently met for the first time with the goal of determining how both organizations could benefit from the other.

The meeting is the result of Nancy Grose and Catherine Gase, both Grosse Pointers and both representatives for the U.S. Small Business Administration's Michigan District Office, realizing they've never reached out to their own city.

"We want to work with the Grosse Pointe Chamber of Commerce to have collaboration," Gase said. "We offer a menu of services and we want to see what we can provide their members. We want to see what the SBA can do to help strengthen small businesses in the Grosse Pointes."

While the meeting is a first in Grosse Pointe, representatives from district offices reach out to chambers and other other business organizations frequently, she said. The Grosse Pointes have a heavy presence of small businesses, Gase said, noting it is truly an area that should be aware of the services the federal agency offers.

The timing of the meeting comes at a time when some of the Grosse Pointes are focusing more on economic development. The and in the council has formed a committee to study Mack Avenue business development. They are hosting a meeting next week with business owners and city officials.

To many small business owners, an SBA secured loan may sound familiar because that is what most people hear about, Gase said. This is when the SBA helps reduce the risk of a loan sought by a small business owner with the bank to enable it's approval. This is one of the services.

One that is less known but a free service to small business owners to simply make a phone call to request it is consulting, Gase said. The agency has business counselors who can help a small business strategize or adjust to market changes, she said.

Some examples of when such consulting might be appropriate are when there is a major construction project affecting the area in which a business is located, she said, naming to specific projects in the Pointes.

• The would have been a good one for many of the businesses, the owners of many said they were impacted by the loss of foot traffic. Many of those same owners said business returned to what it was before after Kroger re-opened.
• The . City of Grosse Pointe officials have said they plan to work closely with the business owners to ensure access is clear to customers and is the least hassle as possible. The work will be done one block at a time to limit its impact on the businesses.

Gase said counselors can help the small business owners with ideas of how to maintain business while such projects are going on, from the logistics of making sure customers know they can still enter to keeping sales steady. The counselors are certified and knowledgeable, she said.

A counselor recently helped a small downtown in northern Michigan with a similar project and the stores coped well, she said, noting they had fun creating construction zone sales and making the public aware that they remained open during the project.

Another service offered through the SBA is related to contracting, which is less likely to be of use to businesses in the Grosse Pointes, Gase said. Contracting services are generally used more by manufacturing or staffing businesses, she said.

Part of the hurdle to helping small business owners is making them aware of the availability of such services, Gase said. The counselors also have access to statistics that can sometimes help with analysis and strategic planning.

Their services are available to retailers, accountants, lawyers, restaurants and beyond, she said.

There are a variety of small Grosse Pointe businesses who have worked with the SBA and may already be aware, but part of the collaboration efforts in reaching out the chamber is to figure out all of the connections and to get word traveling, she said.

"I think it's another benefit to members," said Jennifer Boettcher, executive director of the Grosse Pointe Chamber of Commerce. "I can't believe it's taken this long for us to connect. It's a breath of fresh air."

There are 60-some district SBA offices across the United States. Some states have multiple offices while others, like Michigan, have only one to cover the entire state.

The Michigan District Office was first place in the entire country for the number of small business loans completed for fiscal year 2011, Gase and Grose said. So far this year, the district is in second place, they said.

It serves a large area but is impactful, Gase said.

While no exact plans have been determined yet between the two organizations, Boettcher said she is hopeful they will be able to schedule some educational opportunities for the the more than 500 members.

She believes the Grosse Pointes need to start being more creative in the way business owners market themselves and the way officials attempt to attract new businesses. This collaboration has potential to be of great value in those areas, she said.

Focusing on economic development in small business will "create and save jobs, contribute to the tax base and strengthen our community," Gase said, especially considering that 99 percent of the people living in the U.S. are employed by small businesses.

For more information about consulting or other services from the Michigan District Office of the SBA, which is located in Detroit, visit the organization's website, email michigan@sba.gov or call 313-226-6075.