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It is the first SBDC office in Ignacio and it will open every Wednesday starting next week. The executive director of the development center, Liz Ross, will offer one-on-one consultations.
The Southern Ute Indian Tribe is hosting the center rent-free in the tribal annex building, Ross said.
“They recognize the importance of entrepreneurship and business development,” she said.
It will also provide a space for staff from other groups, such as Rocky Mountain Indian Chamber of Commerce, to meet with community members.
More people from the Ignacio area have been coming to the SBDC for help, and Ross has been meeting at different places around the community, but this will provide a permanent home.
“There’s been a lot of interest in small business development and some of our workshops,” she said.
It will also be more culturally sensitive, said Ross, who is an Alaska Native, with Inupiaq tribal affiliation.
“One of the things I fully understand, is that sometimes our culture is such we are a little hesitant about asking for help, but if you have somebody offering help ... you are more prone to drop in,” she said.
The office offers many types of help to people looking to grow a business such as loan proposals, industry research, marketing and government contracts.
Government contracts could be a major opportunity for minority entrepreneurs, including Native Americans, women and veterans, because the area has many public lands offices.
“This area has not taken advantage of those as much as they could,” she said.
She also sees opportunities for online and tourism-based businesses in the Ignacio area.
In addition to the satellite office hours, she will be recruiting business advisors from the Southern Ute community to be mentors.
She also recently started working with on a business incubator in Towaoc and she is looking for office space where the participates can develop their ideas.
The SBDC also runs satellite offices in Cortez and Pagosa Springs, which are staffed by volunteers
mshinn@durangoherald.com
If you go
Hours: 9 a.m. til 4 p.m. every Wednesday starting Oct. 19.
Address: Tibal Annex Building, 116 Memorial Drive, Room 136, Ignacio
To make an appointment: Call Mary Shepherd at 970-247- 7009
Note: The office will be closed Oct. 26.
