SBRC Celebrates 10 Years of Serving District Residents and Businesses
DCRA launched the Small Business Resource Center (SBRC) in April 2011 to provide training and consultation services aimed at making it easier to start a business in the District of Columbia.
Through SBRC, customers can access trainings, workshops, seminars, one-on-one technical and educational assistance and other services at no cost. One-on-one counseling sessions include individualized business planning, management, marketing, sales, procurement, strategic planning and first-hand access to financing resources.
As we approach the 10th anniversary of SBRC, manager Jacqueline Noisette answered a few questions to reflect on the many achievements, successes and growth that she has seen in the department over the years.
Q: What led to the creation of SBRC?
A: When we would go out into the community we were continuously hearing from people that they needed help understanding how to go about starting a business. With this in mind, our aim was to create a way to meet each customer where they are in the licensing process and help them with the specific challenges they’re facing.
Q: From your work over the last 10 years, does a particular businesses come to mind that SBRC has helped?
A: Xavier Brown, a black farmer, who was customer of SBRC. He owns a company called Soilful City that makes a fantastic hot sauce. I’m really proud of what he’s been able to achieve.
Q: How has SBRC evolved over the past 10 years?
A: Before the current public health emergency, the biggest change was technology. Prior to going completely virtual, customers were requesting their one-on-one sessions be conducted over the phone instead of coming to the building. Customers can now apply for their business license completely online without having to meet someone in person. The number of partnerships for conducting workshops is also growing. In 2011 when SBRC started, we had 130 one-on-one sessions and no workshops. In 2020, SBRC conducted over 1,500 one-on-one sessions along with 58 workshops with over 1,500 attendees.
Q: What is the future of SBRC?
A: SBRC is working on programs to help people looking to enter the rental market. SBRC will also provide more step-by-step guides for people looking to start highly specialized businesses.
This spring, SBRC also began offering evening one-and-one sessions twice week from 5pm -6pm.
Q: How do you measure the success of SBRC? How do customers respond? Do some ever appear to be overwhelmed by all the available information?
A: We get customer feedback every day. Customers are often overwhelmed with joy. We walk them through the entire licensing process free of charge — customers have an open line of communication and direct point of contact throughout what often feels like a stressful process at first.
Q: What do you want DCRA employees to know about SBRC?
A: The SBRC has a dedicated staff that is passionate about our work and mission, and that shows through the high volume of customers we deal with on the daily basis. I will also say that the SBRC would not be successful without the support of the BPLA (Business and Professional License Administration) as well as other divisions in DCRA. It’s a team effort!
