Small Business Development Centers open at Santa Barbara City College campus

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. -- Two satellite Small Business Development Centers opened at Santa Barbara City College's Schott and Wake Campuses on Tuesday, giving business owners and entrepreneurs a place to work one-on-one with professional consultants to help them navigate the business environment.

“We are very excited to partner with the Economic Development Collaborative to establish satellite Small Business Development Centers on both the Schott and Wake Campuses," said SBCC Interim Vice President of the School of Extended Learning Carola Smith.

"The Centers will be able to serve small businesses in the community as well as the entrepreneurial interests of our students.”

The centers are a part of America's nationwide network, which is the most comprehensive small business assistance network in the country, according to Martha Swanson, spokeswoman for SBCC.

The satellite centers at SBCC are among the nearly 1,000 centers available to provide free business consulting to new and existing businesses.

The Small Business Development Center client services manager will begin accepting in-person appointments and walk-in consultations at SBCC during the first week of March.

The hours will be Wednesdays 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Wake Center location, and Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Schott Center location.

Virtual and phone appointments are available five days a week, by calling 805-409-9159.