Deborah D. Hardison Heads RCC's Small Business Center

Hamlet, NC - February 9, 2010

 

Looking for a business partner who can provide sound advice and point you to financial resources? Deborah Hardison, new director of Richmond Community College's Small Business Center, has plenty of business experience and knowledge to help you start or improve your own business.

A business administration graduate of Clark Atlanta University, she majored in finance. She received her master's degree in cost accounting and financial entrepreneurship from Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts. She is the wife of Dennis Hardison and they reside with their two children in Bennettsville, South Carolina.

She was part of the leadership training program at Lucent Technologies, Inc. team for five years and developed a strong combination of technical and strategic skills. She also worked with William Preston and Associates, LLC, a research, consulting and finance company in Columbia, S.C. as a senior performance consultant. She specialized in finance, education, and healthcare initiatives in South and North Carolina.

"I come to the Small Business Center from the South Carolina State University 1890 Research and Extension program, where I coordinated economic development in three counties by promoting entrepreneurship through workshops, individual consultations, seminars, and collaborations with local, regional, and state organizations. Coming to RCC allows me to use everything from my background," said Hardison.

Hardison said the Small Business Center offers four main services: professional development seminars, Growing America Through Entrepreneurship (GATE), North Carolina Rural Entrepreneurship through Action Learning (NC REAL), and individual business consulting.

"The seminars are geared to sales, leadership, marketing, and human resources. 'Double Your Contacts, Double Your Income' would be good for a sales team. 'Leadership Disney Style' is for everyone. People underestimate their role in business. Whether you are the owner, manager, or shift supervisor, you need to understand the importance of developing leadership skills," she said.

The GATE program through NC Rural development and the counselors are housed at the Employment Security JobLink Centers in both counties. It is a federal initiative to help workers who have been laid off from their jobs start new businesses. Those eligible may continue to receive unemployment benefits including a waiver to suspend job search and visits to ESC while working on starting a business and also receive scholarships to take courses related to their business. She said several businesses in Richmond and Scotland counties have begun from this program.

Hardison is a certified NC REAL facilitator who can help anyone interested in starting a business develop a business plan and determine whether they can be successful. She was self-employed for 10 years and understands the challenges business owners face.

"Not every good idea is a marketable idea. Either through the NC REAL classes or through one-on-one consulting we can expand on ideas, look at the practicality of a business location, and establish the cash flow needs of the business. We'll also look at any licensing issues and tax requirements. We can also look at financing options. Our goal is to help you become successful in starting a business or expanding your existing business," she said.

The Small Business Center also houses books, CDs, and other resource materials that can be checked out. Computers are available for Internet searches.

"I will talk with people in the community over the next several weeks and am very interested to know what the needs are in the area of professional and business development," she said.

To contact Hardison call 410-1687, 276-3331, or deborahh@richmondcc.edu.