Room to grow: How small businesses can benefit from the Center for Growth

The Waukesha County Center for Growth, Inc. supports companies that vary in both size and industry. When business owners are looking to launch a new business venture or grow an existing small business, the Center for Growth is there to consult on next steps, connect them with the right people and help set the plan in motion. Here are just a few ways the Center for Growth can help small businesses in Waukesha County:

Small Business Development

Business owners might understand their current operation costs and management, but growing towards their targeted capacity might seem like a struggle. Their challenges could be anything from learning how to change a business plan into a business growth strategy to understanding what the projected cost of implementing that strategy would look like. The Center for Growth can work with business owners to evaluate what information and training they might need, which could include taking classes with the Waukesha County Technical College Small Business Center or enrolling in the entrepreneurial training program offered by the UW-Extension’s Small Business Development Center.

Workforce Development

Every business needs workers, and sometimes finding the right talent with the right skills is easier said than done. The Center for Growth can help determine what resources (financial or otherwise) will be needed to bring on more employees, and which organizations to connect with to help them find the talent they need. These resources might include the Waukesha-Ozaukee-Washington (WOW) Workforce Development, Inc. or the Goodwill Beyond Jobs program.

Small Business Loans

The Center for Growth can work with small business owners to help them develop financial growth projections and prepare them to apply for targeted loans and grants. These opportunities are built towards supporting companies looking to take the next steps in their market, and supplement general bank loans. Such resources include, but are not limited to: the Waukesha County Loan Fund and the Waukesha County Revolving Loan Fund, both in partnership with WWBIC – the Wisconsin Women’s Business Initiative Corporation. (These loans are available to both men and women.)

The Center for Growth is committed to growing businesses of all sizes and industries. To get started, reach out to Karen Taylor, Business Consultant for the Center for Growth, at 262-409-2622 or ktaylor@waukeshagrowth.org

By: Karen Taylor, Business Consultant for the Waukesha County Center for Growth, Inc.