Small Business Center
About the Small Business Center
The Small Business Center (SBC) at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College is at the heart of small business resources in Concord, Kannapolis, Salisbury and surrounding towns. Whether you want to start a small business or grow an existing business, the SBC can help you develop a plan and connect you with vital resources for your journey.
Our goal is simple — to help help start and grow our local small business community through business counseling, entrepreneurial education and connection to resources.
Small Business Center programs and services are sponsored by the Small Business Center Network (SBCN) of the North Carolina Community College System. The SBCN assists in starting an average of more than 600 businesses each year. Centers have an economic impact in all 100 North Carolina counties, helping create and retain an average of 4,750 jobs annually.
Register for Business Counseling
The Small Business Center provides free, confidential business counseling for all stages of your entrepreneurial journey.
Schedule a chat with a small business counselor by completing our Request for Counseling Form.
Register for Upcoming Workshops & Events
Ready to learn? Start your entrepreneurial education with the Small Business Center by creating your online account and using your login credentials to register for workshops.
Most of our workshops are online, but some are offered in-person, so keep a close eye on the location and details for each event.
Note: Please register at least 24 hours in advance.
Regional Pitch Competition
Calling all entrepreneurs and small business owners! Do you have startup idea or a new product or service innovation to make your business better? Win $10K to kick-start your idea with the Southwest Region of the Small Business Center Network and Fifth Third Bank.
Here’s how it works.
Enter between May 1 and May 31 by completing the entry form and uploading a 53-second video sharing your great idea. Entry eligibility requires your residency or business to be in the 10-county Charlotte region. In your video, tell us who you are, the problem your product or service idea solves, who the target customer(s) will be and how you plan to turn your idea into a reality with assistance and funding.
Sign up for the available training programs to help you refine and develop your idea. These are required for those selected to move forward in the competition but are invaluable for all.
Judges will select the top 53 ideas to move forward in the competition and those contestants will create a 3-minute pitch with the help of program resources. All 53 will pitch virtually before judges in early July to try to secure a spot in the top ten.
The 10 finalists will receive $250 and will pitch in-person before judges to compete for $10,000, $5,000 and $2,500. The finale will be broadcast to an online audience on Thursday, August 3rd.
Small Business Resource Library
Small Business Center clients may access our online resources by visiting a Rowan-Cabarrus Library location near you or by visiting our Small Business / Entrepreneurship Research Guides.
Location & Directory
Our main office is located in downtown Concord at the Cabarrus Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. You can get started with our services by registering as a client online. All counseling sessions are by appointment only.
Cabarrus Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship
57 Union St. S.
Concord, NC 28025
Contact Us:
Megan Smit, Director
megan.smit@rccc.edu
sbc@rccc.edu
For More Information
Email megan.smit@rccc.edu or text RCCCSBC to 22828 to stay updated with our monthly e-newsletter.