TCCC Small Business Center Receives State Award

Kathryn Jenkins, director for Tri-County Community College's Small Business Center, received an award for Business Success Story -- Most Impact.

Tri-County Community College’s (TCCC) Small Business Center Director Kathryn Jenkins recently received the Business Success Story – Most Impact Award from the North Carolina Community College System Small Business Center Network (SBCN).

“The Small Business Center and Premium Knife Supply of Hayesville collaborated to fulfill the owner’s goal of building a new manufacturing company, and to decrease order times and reduce the business’s dependency on foreign manufacturers,” Jenkins said. “However, the company would need capital to purchase inventory, and to cover developmental costs to create a new knife design for the U.S. Armed Services. Working with local partners, we helped Premium Knife Supply craft a business plan and secure funding totaling $200,000.”

The joint project between TCCC, Premium Knife Supply, Blue Ridge EMC’s economic development office, Clay County Government and the Southwestern Commission resulted in a new business start-up, including job creation, capital formation, and culminated in winning the Business Success Story – Most Impact Award at the SBCN Conference.

“TCCC’s Small Business Center exists for anyone who wants to start or expand a business,” Jenkins said. “Our classes are all available for free, and cover everything from building a business plan to assistance in securing small business loans.”

TCCC offers courses for anyone interested in areas such as effective business communication, building good credit, accounting and book keeping, as well as legal matters involved in owning a small business.

For more information on TCCC’s Small Business Center, please contact Kathryn Jenkins at (828) 835-9564 or at kjenkins@tricountycc.edu.

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