Small Business Center Helps Small Businesses Succeed

Laura Brown Evans is director of the Small Business Center at Edgecombe Community College.

Small businesses account for nearly half of the United States’ economic activity, and they create two-thirds of net new jobs, according to a recent study by the Small Business Administration.

But for Laura Penny, her business would never have begun had it not been for the Small Business Center at Edgecombe Community College.

When Penny wanted to get her craft and T-shirt business, LP Creations, up and running, she turned to Laura Brown Evans, who directs the Small Business Center at the college.

“She really helped me because I didn’t know how to do a lot of the marketing,” Penny says. “She helped me register my business with the county. I’m not computer savvy, and she took her time to help with that, too.”

Penny and Evans started working together in November, and LP Creations enjoyed its best ever month in sales after an exceptional rise in Valentine’s Day sales.

“She showed me the best steps to get my business out there, to be recognized by the community,” Penny says. “I got a lot of sales from people I didn’t know because she helped me with my networking.”

The SBC at Edgecombe Community College is part of a 58-center state-funded network in North Carolina, and 98 percent of the services they provide are free, Evans says.

“We provide counseling to help start or grow a small business,” Evans explains. “So many people come to me with great ideas, but they can’t get funding to get the business off the ground.”

To facilitate those budding businesses, the SBC provides counseling and resource materials. The SBC offers classes and seminars on such topics as business start-up, finances, and writing a business plan.

Ash Taylor has been in the turf and pest management business since he was 8 years old, joining his father on job sites. By the time he turned 16, Taylor was working solo job sites. And although he has a full-time job, Taylor still was dabbling in the family business until recently when he decided he wanted to make a go on his own.

Ashley’s Spraying was born, and he enlisted Evans at the SBC for help.

“The biggest thing I needed was a website,” he says. “I tried to build one myself, but it’s very complex.”

The SBC provided the resources, and within a week, his new website was generating business for the company. But Taylor didn’t stop there. He’s taking a class through the SBC in advertising, and he’s looking at classes in marketing and bookkeeping, too.

“Laura Brown has been a tremendous help in getting my business off the ground,” Taylor says. “They’ve got so many resources there for you, and she’s open – you can call her anytime.”

Evans, who spent nearly 20 years as a supervisor at a local telecommunications company, took over the Small Business Center in February 2021. Since then, the number of clients and counseling hours through the center have skyrocketed.

She holds an MBA from Campbell University, and she serves on committees at the chambers of commerce in Rocky Mount and Tarboro, as well as the Tarboro Development Corporation and the Minority Economic Development Committee.

For small business assistance, please contact Laura Brown Evans at (252) 618-6655 or evanslb@edgecombe.edu.