An issue that continues to be a mission of community leaders in Beaufort County is economic stimulation.

Students in the county school system now have access to a variety of tools and resources through different programs like Southside’s Fire and EMS Academy and the opportunity to attain Career Readiness Certificates (CRCs) prior to graduation. This not only prepares students, that may or may not seek continuing education, for the workforce, but also gives them an upper hand in the hiring process.

Not only do high-school students have access to these tools, there are resources out there to help adults who wish to delve into other fields or start his or her own business. An entrepreneurial resource prominent in the community is Beaufort County Community College’s Small Business Center led by Director Lentz Stowe. This center is a prime example of how small-business owners and entrepreneurs, who have worked in a certain field their entire lives, have the resources and tools to follow their dreams, or the money, in some cases. The center is the gas for economic engine components in the community.

The center offers tools to these small businesses and entrepreneurs, which aid them in creating business plans, financing their businesses, marketing and advertising, social networking, recordkeeping and much more. It contains a resource center, containing periodicals, handouts, books and videos that help in preparing to open a small business or making an existing business function more effectively.

In addition, the center offers one-on-one counseling with small business owners and entrepreneurs and paths to continuing education, which could increase skills and offerings and help businesses be not only sustainable, but thriving.

These services are offered free to the community. Why? Because better business leads to more patronage and tourism, resulting in more money flowing throughout the community. This, ultimately, means a better economy in Beaufort County and even its surrounding areas.

Those who have been thinking about opening a business or those who own a business and want it to expand should reach out to BCCC’s Small Business Center. It just might be the gas needed for their business to take off.