Small businesses across Wisconsin can receive free advice and training

MADISON, WI. JAN. 15, 2025 – Small businesses throughout Wisconsin can now receive free advice and training thanks to a new partnership between the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) and the Universities of Wisconsin’s Office for Business and Entrepreneurship.

The Main Street Bounceback Technical Assistance and Training Program will provide small businesses – with less than 500 employees — training ranging from formal business classes to one-on-one consultations with experts in fields such as marketing, financial planning, and human resources.

“Strong communities are the key to a strong economy in Wisconsin, and small businesses are at the center of strong communities,” said Missy Hughes, secretary and CEO of WEDC, the state’s leading economic development organization. “The resources available through the Universities of Wisconsin’s Office for Business & Entrepreneurship, such as the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network of Wisconsin, are critical to the long-term success, viability, and resilience of our state’s small businesses.”

The U.S. Small Business Administration estimates there are more than 480,000 small businesses in Wisconsin, accounting for more than 99 percent of all state businesses and employing nearly half of the state’s workforce.

The training program builds on the success of WEDC’s popular Main Street Bounceback (MSBB) Grants, which provided $10,000 grants to nearly 9,400 businesses to help them move into new or expanded spaces in downtowns across the state in 2021 and 2022.

Last year, WEDC and the SBDCs began providing training and technical assistance to MSBB grant recipients. Beginning this year, those community-based resources are available to all small businesses in Wisconsin, including those that did not receive MSBB grants.

The SBDC is a statewide network supporting entrepreneurs and business owners and is easily accessible at numerous locations across the state. To find the nearest location, visit https://wisconsinsbdc.org/centers/.

The program offers services and resources that typically cost hundreds or thousands of dollars but will be available at no cost to eligible businesses. Services include:

• One-on-one small business consulting and mentoring offered statewide, in-person and virtually. The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) offers guidance in financing, sales, marketing, and operations. SBDC expertise allows business owners to navigate specific markets and network with others in the area.
• Clinics specifically addressing digital marketing or rural small business needs.
• Live training events and programs focused on leadership, communication, sales, marketing, financial planning, and more.
• How-to videos, including 10 new videos developed specifically for this program. Videos are available in English, Spanish, and Hmong.

The program is open to any owner, employee, or staff member of an open, Wisconsin-based business with less than 500 employees.

Find more information about the program and eligibility requirements at https://business.wisconsin.edu/initiatives/msbb/.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.