Consultant Archive
Minority Outreach Program extends services of South Carolina Small Business Development Centers
SC Small Business Development Centers is home to a new and much needed program created to assist minorities in starting or growing small companies. Leading this new initiative is Minority Outreach Manager Garry James.
Garry James, Minority Outreach Manager
James was a natural fit for the recently created position due to his 17 years working within the faith-based community and his nonprofit experience promoting life skills training, affordable housing opportunities and economic development. A pastor and small businesses owner, James possesses a unique combination of skills that will aide him in encouraging entrepreneurs in the Midlands.
“Churches are the hub of African-American and Spanish-speaking communities,” James explained. “I’ve worked extensively with these groups and I understand the cultural perspectives and limitations. Overcoming obstacles within our minority communities is about awareness, education and access to resources.”
As minority outreach manager, James will bring the considerable resources of the South Carolina Small Business Development Centers network to these communities. SC SBDC services include personalized, confidential and free business consulting concerning many aspects of running a small company. For example, consultants can assess the feasibility of a business idea, help write a business plan or provide marketing guidance. While the SC SBDC does not provide loans, their consultants guide entrepreneurs toward potential financial options.
“We can help walk you through the development of your business plan which will assist in determining whether your idea is feasible or not,” James said. “We can also assist in exploring ways to expand existing businesses and help determine markets for your products that you may not realize exist. One amazing area where we help is in government contracting. This is called procurement. We have procurement specialists with a wealth of knowledge and experience who help small companies secure state and federal contracts.”
James holds a doctoral degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary where he wrote extensively on child abuse and neglect. James has always had a personal goal of improving the quality of life of people that were having a difficult time getting their lives on track. He has observed firsthand how the stressors related to unemployment causes spikes in crime such as child abuse and domestic violence. By bringing awareness to the services and opportunities provided by the SC SBDC, James will assist in growing the state’s economy through small business development and job creation.
“I look forward to bringing the resources of the SC SBDC to our minority communities,” James said. “Nowhere else can the citizens of South Carolina access the expertise offered by the SC SBDC’s free of charge. When people take advantage of our services our state’s economy will grow and many families and individuals will be on the road to economic recovery and stability.”
For more information on the Minority Outreach Program, to make an appointment for consulting, or to extend an invitation to speak at a community event, contact Garry James at 803-777-4409 or gjames@sc.edu. James’s office is located in the Columbia Area SBDC at 1225 Laurel Street in downtown Columbia.
The Minority Outreach Program will strongly contribute to the core SC SBDC program, which focuses on job creation and comprehensive business services. The Minority Outreach Program is funded by a grant provided to the SC SBDC under the federal Small Business Jobs Act. The South Carolina Small Business Development Centers network is headquartered in the Darla Moore School of Business.
