SMALL business owners and entrepreneurs should continue getting more financial and technical assistance from the government and private sectors to jump-start the local economy, according to Gov. Juan N. Babauta.
Babauta described small businesses as the “backbone” of the CNMI economy that must be given importance and assistance.
At the proclamation signing of the 5th Annual CNMI Small Business Development Month yesterday, Babauta lauded SBDC for its major role in promoting economic progress and development through consultancy work.
“I commend SBDC for its role in developing entrepreneurship in the CNMI by encouraging small businesses. Certainly, that is something that we need a lot,” the governor said.
He said people interested in doing business constantly need technical advice as well as financial support through commercial banks and government financial institutions such as the Commonwealth Development Authority.
Established in 1989, SBDC is part of Northern Marianas College.
Through federal and local funds and the help of CDA, SBDC provides free consulting services and access to workshops and seminars to local entrepreneurs and small business owners throughout the commonwealth.
Taking into consideration the difficult economic situation in the CNMI, SBDC Director Eric Plinske said they have prepared four workshops for June: How to become a successful entrepreneur, computer troubleshooting for small businesses, business CPR, and legal aspects of small business.
The legal workshop aims to give businessmen fresh information about legal issues that they should know when starting their business venture.
The computer troubleshooting workshop deals with the technical expertise that each business owner must know about their computer software and hardware to back-up their system.
“The troubleshooting seminar will be presented by one of our faculty members. He’ll be talking about different things like viruses, specific computer issues that a lot of business owners have questions about. We will be able to show them how to resolve them,” Plinske said.
The workshop on business CPR will discuss how to revive business enterprises.
“The one on CPR will be presented by our hospitality and computer department chairman, Rick Villegas, who is also a business instructor here,” Plinske said.
Plinske said the workshops were designed to serve the business community amid the economic downturn on the islands.
“We realized that the economy is tough so we focused more on the challenges that our business owners and entrepreneurs are facing,” he said.
