Opening a Business in the City of Rock Hill, SC?

This is information we've posted before, but since we get so many questions from people wanting to know how to go about opening a business in Rock Hill, we thought we'd post it again.  The City of Rock Hill actually has developed a very good program for making sure your new business (within the City limits) opens in compliance with all the local rules and regulations.   

If you're planning to open or relocate a business with the City limits, you'll want to contact the "Open for Business program to make sure you're doing everything correctly. "Open for Business" is a program to provide personal assistance to small business in choosing, building or expanding their business location. To contact "Open for Business," email ccarey@cityofrockhill.com or
phone 803 329-5590.

Download Open for Business Brochure

 

Welcome to our new Graduate Assistants in the Winthrop Region SBDC office in Rock Hill!

We are happy to announce that our SBDC office has two new consultants. This week we welcomed new GA’s to our Rock Hill office. They are very enthusiastic and ready to start working with our small business clients and helping them grow their businesses, whether they be start-ups or existing businesses that are expanding.

Eduardo Venegas Mejias

Pursing a General MBA degree

Graduated from Latin University of Costa Rica with a Bachelors Degree in Computer Systems and Engineering

Small Business experience as the Owner of Flor de Lis Naturalist Tours, Monteverde, Costa Rica

Former Logistics and IT Manager, University of Georgia, Costa Rica campus

Email: Eduardo.winthropsbdc@gmail.com

Phone: (803) 323-2283 -- (on campus, dial 6127)

  
   

Deidra Jones
Pursing a MBA with a concentration in Accounting

Graduated from the College of Charleston with a BS Degree in Business Administration

After graduation, worked as a Fiscal Technician for the College of Charleston, Treasurer’s Office
Email: Deidra.winthropsbdc@gmail.com
Phone: (803) 323-2283 -- (on campus, dial 6125)

Winthrop University "Among Best in the Southeast"

We're fortunate to have our SBDC hosted by the College of Business at Winthrop University ....

As you can see, it's a pretty special place.

Take some time to read this very interesting article on our university!

Looking to buy or sell a home?

Rock Hill, SC has been named #17 on the list of cities with the most affordable homes in the country. That bit of information alone could be helpful in bringing in retirees from the snowy north this winter, and boosting the area's homes sales.

Check out what CNN is saying about Rock Hill, click to read the article .

Avoid these 6 recipes for business disaster

Starting up a business can be a daunting experience and tips for business success can be very helpful to achieve your goals. But what if there are also some recipes for disaster? You may want to know them, right?
Here are 6, along with information on how to avoid them to increase your chances for business success.

1. Get rich quick
2. If things are going south, work harder
3. Nurture the weak
4. Measure revenue from the top line
5. Focus on your wallet

6. Turn your hobby into a business

To read more on these tips click on the following link:

Avoid these 6 recipes for business disaster

2012 Retail Trends

This is a short and sweet report on retail trends here and in Europe.  You'll find some of the wording awkward, as I believe it was translated from Dutch to English; but the information is good, especially the projections that appear to be right on target with what retailers are experiencing now.  Don't think "back to normal" -- think ahead to where the retail world is heading -- and don't blame China or the government .... blame it on the big changes of this decade including Internet shopping by the young, retirement of the Baby Boomers, and a variety of things that have more to do with who we are now, than who did or is doing what.  In the midst of all else that has gone on in business and banking, some clear signs have been missed .... but it's not too late to change and get your store on the right track to appeal to the new shopping public.

http://blog.retail-is-detail.org/2011/11/2012-retail-consumer-trends.html 

Hundreds of Companies Vying for Continental Tire Contracts

More than 300 businesses were represented last week at Central Carolina Technical College Health Sciences Center for the "A Place at the Table for S.C. Small Business" - Government Contracting Workshop.  They were all there to learn how to become contractors on the Continental Tire of the Americas construction project getting ready to begin in Sumter, SC at an estimated cost of $500 million. 


Walbridge Southeast is the contractor for the Continental project which is expected to open in January 2014, and eventually employ 1600 people.   Steve Helms, Walbridge's General Manager, said his company will begin to award the first subcontracts within the next few days, and hopefully will have the majority of the rest of the project awarded in a few months.  Potential subcontractors are advised to pre-qualify their companies on Walbridge's website at: http://www.walbridge.com/#!subcontractors/pre-qualification  to aid them in the bidding process.



It is expected that a minimum of 20 - 50% of all contracts will be awarded to South Carolina companies, and that competition for the contracts will be stiff.  Scott King, civil engineer for Continental, stated that things would be happening very quickly in the weeks ahead.  Interested sub-contracting companies should waste no time in making their interest in this project known.