WHAT TO EXPECT AS AN SBDC CLIENT
As a client of the Kansas Small Business Development Centers, you have the right to expect the following out of your consulting engagement.
Because the SBDC program is supported by funding from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and host institutions and other funders, consulting is provided to you at no charge.
However, SBDC capacity is limited and business consultants are only able to work with a set number of clients at any one time.
An SBDC consultant who will work to understand your needs, access SBDC services, and develop a customized work plan.
SBDC consultants do not do the work for you, they provide guidance, information, advice and resources that you, the business owner, need to successfully manage and grow your business.
All SBDC representatives agree to abide by the SBDC’s Code of Professional Conduct. Information you provide will be held in strictest confidence and will not be released to any parties outside of the Kansas SBDC network without your prior approval.
Sensitive trade secrets pertaining to unique facts of your business will not be used to benefit another client of the SBDC or any SBDC representative.
SBDC clients understand that it is their responsibility to inform the SBDC of any such trade secrets.
The SBDC program is an educational program. The SBDC will work with you on your specific issues to help build your management skills and knowledge. It is your responsibility to accept and implement recommendations.
The SBDC will not negotiate on your behalf, write your business plan or act as an employee of your business.
SBDC staff are experienced business management advisors.
Many possess first-hand business experience and hold advanced degrees in business management, law, engineering and have helped thousands of small business owners launch and grow their businesses.
RESPONSIBILITIES AS AN SBDC CLIENT
As a client of the Kansas Small Business Development Centers, you have the right to expect the following out of your consulting engagement.
Because this program cares about the quality of services provided, and because it is primarily funded with public support, the SBDC undertakes a number of initiatives to ascertain the quality and impact of services provided to you.
Your candid feedback is critical to the long-term success of the Kansas SBDC. You will be asked to participate in an annual client questionnaire sent at/near the end of the calendar year. Your consultant will provide you with a link upon request.
In recognition that you are ultimately responsible for the success or failure of your business and that all decisions pertaining to implementing plans and operating your business are solely your responsibility, you agree to waive any claims of damages against the Kansas Small Business Development Centers and the Kansas SBDC program, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and the Kansas Department of Commerce, based on any advice or information provided by the SBDC.
The Kansas SBDC cannot loan money to businesses or start-ups. However, the network partners with lending institutions across the state, and advisors can identify funding opportunities and help you prepare for applications.
We are mandated to work only with for-profit companies, but everyone is welcome to join us for training events. We have resources for nonprofits on our Resources page.
Due to our cooperative agreement with the SBA, the Kansas SBDC cannot assist clients who engage in the sale and possession of marijuana.
SBDC services are not available to individuals or entities that have been debarred or suspended by the federal government. By agreeing to receive assistance from the SBDC you are self-certifying that you are not currently federally debarred or suspended and also agree to cease using SBDC services if you become federally debarred or suspended in the future.
Our office’s volume of requests is high, so we are unable to take walk-in appointments!
We are also sometimes out of the office or have limited hours due to vacations, illness, traveling to other towns in the area, national conferences, etc.
To help ensure you get the assistance you need, we also have Live Assistance at our 7 day per week Statewide Call Center. The Call Center will be able to guide you through our online tools & resources, including our VIDEO LIBRARY of on-demand training, and be able to get you connected with the appropriate Advisor or 3rd party for more advanced topics.
To utilize our full suite of services you need to become a client first! Sign-up is free and only takes a few minutes. Signing up as a client allows our funding partners to know we are working with real people and that their funding dollars are being put to good use. Becoming a client also ensures your information is kept private through our strict client confidentiality policies.
Visit our Become a Client page to get started!
It depends.
When you sign up in our system, you will fill out a basic intake survey.
Depending on the stage of business you’re in (pre-venture vs. in business; see our determination definitions HERE), one of the following will occur:
- You might be assigned immediately to an advisor
- If you are assigned to an advisor, their schedules are all different. You will receive an email from our generic inbox (ksbdc@jccc.edu) letting you know your advisor is. You will also receive an email directly from your assigned advisor, which will provide steps on how to book an appointment with them. Most of their schedules are not available immediately – typically it’s a 2+ week timeframe, although sometimes another client who booked an appointment could cancel and the advisor could get you scheduled earlier than what their calendar shows.
- You might be required to attend our Business Startup Bootcamp class (classes can be viewed HERE) OR asked to send in your business plan draft if you have one.
- Some of our classes are provided on-demand, and some of them are scheduled for specific dates. Depending on the schedule for classes, it could take a few weeks before you receive your advisor. Typically when you attend our startup class, you are assigned to an advisor the following business day.
- You might receive additional questions to make sure you’re eligible for our location or need to work with a different SBDC.
- Sometimes addresses can get entered incorrectly, and our database defaults to a random SBDC location. If you’re located in Johnson, Wyandotte, or Miami counties then you would work with us at the JCCC location. If you’re in a different county, we’ll verify your information and transfer you to the correct center based on your location. Other centers may have different procedures than ours based on client volume, availability of advisors, etc.
- We may also verify that you are eligible to work with the SBDCs. Due to our federal funding, anyone who has been debarred from working with the federal government will not be eligible. We ask about this during the intake survey as well.
Most likely the answer is yes*. We help entrepreneurs thinking of starting a business, business owners needing help growing or making their business more profitable and we also help business owners who are at the stage where they are ready to exit the business thru transitioning leadership to an employee or thru a sell of the business. Not for sure the SBDC can help? Contact us anyway, if we can’t help you we will know who can.
*EXCEPT – we do NOT write business plans. We have templates (view HERE) but otherwise we require you to write your own business plan.
The majority of our services come at no cost due to our funding partners at the Federal/State/Local levels. Sometimes there are small fees for some of our training classes to help offset the additional costs for food/drink/space rental/user licenses and/or 3rd party presenters. Any fees are disclosed on our course registration pages through JCCC.
Yes!
To use our full suite of services you need to be signed up as a Client. Sign-up is free and only takes a few minutes. Signing up as a client allows our funding partners to know we are working with real people and that their funding dollars are being put to good use.
Becoming a Client also ensures your information is kept private through our strict client confidentiality policies.
Visit our Become a Client page to sign up!
No, the Kansas SBDC is part of the America’s SBDC network with locations serving every state and most US territories.
If you live outside of Kansas but your business is or will be located in Kansas, the Kansas SBDC will help you. If your business is near Kansas and our services are more convenient for you to access, the Kansas SBDC can usually also help you – as part of America’s SBDC network our primary mission is to help U.S. businesses when they need help.
If outside of Kansas, an internet search with your state name & “SBDC” will show local SBDC options.
While our Advisors are knowledgeable about available Loans & Grants and experienced with application processes, we do NOT provide the actual dollars.
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No, the SBDC helps businesses at all stages and phases!
We help entrepreneurs thinking of starting a business, business owners needing help growing or making their business more profitable and we also help business owners who are at the stage where they are ready to exit the business thru transitioning leadership to an employee or thru a sell of the business.
Not sure the SBDC can help? Contact us anyway, if we can’t help you we will know who can. Visit our GROW Your Business section for more information.
We are able to work with all industries that meet SBA eligibility guidelines for a “small” business. More information about eligibility and the SBA’s table of size standards can be found HERE.
We are not able to work with businesses involved in illegal activities such as prostitution, drug dealing, etc.
Due to our cooperative agreement with the SBA, the Kansas SBDC cannot assist clients who engage in the sale and possession of marijuana.
The SBDC can typically help any business up to 500 employees (There are industry exceptions that can decrease/increase that employee number or businesses with really large revenues that are excluded. See the latest info on size standards a SBA as “Small Business” is defined differently for different programs at the Federal Level). 99% of Kansas businesses meet the criteria that the Kansas SBDC can help, so rest assured that we can probably help your business.
More information about eligibility and the SBA’s table of size standards can be found HERE.
SBDC services are not available to individuals or entities that have been debarred or suspended by the federal government.
By agreeing to receive assistance from the SBDC you are self-certifying that you are not currently federally debarred or suspended and also agree to cease using SBDC services if you become federally debarred or suspended in the future.