Southwest Small Business Development Center "Building New Mexico's Economy One Business at a Time." A partnership program with the U.S. Small Business Administration Are you a small business owner or are you thinking about becoming an entrepreneur? The Small Business Development Center at Western New Mexico University can help you climb the ladder of success. The Southwestern New Mexico SBDC offers FREE management consulting and training courses for Catron, Grant, Hidalgo, and Luna counties. Left photo: Rob and Tyler Connoley, Owners Curious Kumquat - 2007 Client of the Year When Rob & Tyler realized that Silver City was the place that they wanted to put down long lasting roots, Rob (the non-profit manager) and Tyler (the author) fell back on the old adage to create a business doing what they know and love, and for them that meant food. The two surveyed the community and repeatedly heard a desire for gourmet and international foods, and for the gadgets and knowledge to use those foods. In the fall of 2004, the Connoley's opened The Curious Kumquat in historic downtown Silver City following a financial mentoring process with the SBDC. The store was committed to a mission of bringing joy to the tables of its customers, and committed to giving back to the community. In the fall of 2006, with consistent performance and growth, the Connoley's returned to the SBDC for assistance in securing an SBA loan for the purchase of a building. Since the opening of the store, sales grew 17% in the second year, and 12% in the third year. In 2007 the store was named the Silver City MainStreet Project Business of the Year for its impact on the downtown vitality of Silver City. The store claims its greatest achievements are when tourists from major cities remark about the world class products that they've never seen in their hometown stores. Rob Connoley commented, "We've been able to create something truly special and one of a kind here. Something that Silver City can brag about. The SBDC gave us some new tools and the confidence to take the next step." Rob and Tyler are already eyeing future growth to give Silver City even more to be proud of. As they mature as business owners, and continue to grow with the community, they look forward to creating many joyful meals. The Curious Kumquat 111 E. College Avenue Silver City, New Mexico 575-534-0337 or 866-KUMQUAT (586-7828) info@curiouskumquat.com Curious Kumquat Southwest Small Business Development Center Western New Mexico University Besse-Forward Global Resource Center 817 West 12th Street P.O. Box 680, Silver City NM 88062 Voice: (575) 538-6320 Fax: (575) 538-6341 Deming Office Mimbres Learning Center 2300 East Pine (575)546-6556 x106 sbdc@wnmu.edu International business information: www.NMIBA.com Office hours: 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday • Director: Mary Vigil-Tarazoff • Business Advisor: Victor Carbajal • Special Projects: Linda McArthur • Administrative Assistant: Christine Staley Don't let your business problems get you down. The SBDC can offer the kind of help that can make your business more successful. If you need to: • Improve your business and management skills • Create alternatives for solving business problems • Develop new products or services • Investigate new business opportunities or If you want to: • Explore international business opportunities • Understand financial and regulatory requirements • Learn how to develop a comprehensive business plan • Learn effective record-keeping and inventory control procedures Goals • Serving the southwest four county area of Catron, Grant, Hidalgo, and Luna • Helping existing businesses become more successful • Helping new businesses get off to a good start • Providing practical professional expertise Counseling – FREE One-on-one counseling on a wide range of business topics including: • Business start-ups • Business plans • Feasibility studies • Organization planning and analysis • Business loan packaging • Budget and cash flow analysis • Marketing and sales planning • Computer and MIS systems • Accounting and taxes • Managing people Resources - FREE • Volunteer and paid counseling from business and industry leaders • Limited access to on-site experts in technical areas such as legal, financial, and investment services • Free access to computers and specialized computer programs to aid you in the operation of your business International Trade - FREE • Import/export operations • Training and education • NAFTA Institute Workshops A nominal fee may be charged for workshops, and subjects may include: • Computer literacy • Business development and expansion Contract training We will custom design specific workshops and training seminars for you and your employees. Nominal fees are charged. Categories include: • Management • Human relations • Employee training • Learning skills • Writing skills Partners IBA (International Business Accelerator) 575-589-2200 SIGRED (Silver City-Grant County Economic Development) 575-534-1045 Western New Mexico University 575-538-6336 Silver City-Grant County Chamber of Commerce 575-538-3785 Town of Silver City 575-538-3731 New Mexico Economic Development Department 1-800-374-3061 Mimbres Region Arts Council 575-538-2505