OUR SERVICES
Our Services
We serve Oconee, Pickens and Anderson Counties
Partnerships with Tri-County Technical College and South Carolina Small Business Development Center at Clemson University
Basic Business Plan Assistance
SBA Financing guidance
Business Counseling
Oconee Business Center -
A Small Business Incubator
The Oconee Business Center (OBC) is a small business “incubator” designed to support small businesses during start-up and early growth stages. The OBC is operated by the Tri-County Entrepreneurial Development Corporation, in partnership with the Oconee Economic Alliance and is a recognized 501 C 3 entity.
The Oconee Business Center provides:
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Advocacy, support and encouragement for business start-ups that have the potential for job creation.
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Business mentoring and resource assistance to the small business community in the Tri-County area.
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Accelerated opportunities for businesses with well-developed business plans.
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Service as an initial location for business seeking to expand in Oconee, Anderson and Pickens counties by providing reduced rent office, workspace and manufacturing space.
About the Oconee Business Center:
The Oconee Business Center (OBC) is located in downtown Walhalla, South Carolina. The physical address is 104 Browns Square Drive Walhalla, S.C. 29691. The OBC facility provides 10,000 square feet of office space and 5,000 square feet of open space with overhead door access for prototype development and light manufacturing support activities. The facility has internet access, 110V and 220V power, a shared reception area, a shared conference room, various meeting rooms, restrooms, a break room and adequate parking.
The Oconee Business Center provides flexible solutions for the entrepreneur by providing attractive rental terms through the initial start-up period. Included in the rent is: electricity, internet access, air conditioning, heat, parking, trash removal and water/sewer fees. Facility services are provided on a shared-use basis. Special and/or unique services will be available on a negotiated basis or be paid for by the tenant on a case-by-case occasion.
“Graduation” from the incubator is generally expected to be within three years from entry. Tenant accomplishments will be reviewed quarterly to insure that the business continues to meet the TCEDC requirements and goals. This includes progress towards self-sufficiency, participation in the seminar programs and utilization of mentoring services. A “post-graduation” tenancy may be offered by TCEDC if it is determined that there is sufficient justification of need, and that the program goals will be substantially enhanced by such an extension. Leases will be offered for one year terms.
All OBC tenants are registered SCORE clients. SCORE is bart of the SBA and its mission is to mentor small business owners to improve their chance of success. Receiving a SCORE mentor is one of the benefits of being a tenant of the OBC.
Business Training & Mentorships
TCEDC is proud to partner with SCORE for small business education, training, and mentoring. SCORE is a nonprofit association dedicated to helping small businesses get off the ground, grow and achieve their goals through education and mentorship.
Because SCORE is supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and thanks to a network of 10,000 volunteers, SCORE is able to deliver services at no charge or at very low cost.
SCORE provides:
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Volunteer MENTORS who share their expertise across 62 industries
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Free, confidential business MENTORING in person, via email or by video
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Free business TOOLS, templates and online tips
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Inexpensive or free business WORKSHOPS (locally) and webinars (online 24/7)
SCORE is the nation’s largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors, with more than 10,000 volunteers in 300 chapters.
As a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), SCORE has helped more than 10 million entrepreneurs through mentoring, workshops and educational resources since 1964.
Our local Piedmont chapter has 40 volunteers committed to helping entrepreneurs start a new business or grow an existing business.
Learn more at www.piedmont.score.org
TCEDC client, Travis Holmes of Red Barn Marketing teaching "Your Business's Online Presence" workshop for SCORE.
Entrepreneur Training Seminars
The TCEDC conducts free entrepreneur training programs on a regular basis at Tri-County Technical College in Pendleton, South Carolina.
The “Small Business Start-Up” workshop addresses the early steps involved in starting a small business and is offered to area individuals interested in beginning the process. The workshop is also available for those who are already in business but need to supplement their skills.
Learn more at https://www.tctc.edu.
For more than forty years, entrepreneurs have turned to South Carolina Small Business Development Centers (SC SBDC) for help expanding an existing business or starting a new enterprise. Through free consulting, low-cost seminars and links to resources, the SC SBDC helps jump-start startups and makes existing businesses thrive.
Learn more at https://www.clemson.edu/centers-institutes/sbdc/about/index.html