Kelly Hunt: SBA helps entrepreneurs keep New Year’s resolutions

Taylor Bryner-Spaw and James Kunkel are having a busy January.

Both are coaches for Fayette and Westmoreland County residents hoping to make good on New Year’s resolutions.

Bryner-Spaw, 25, owner of the newly launched Spin Unlimited, is busy coaching cycling classes so attendees can achieve their fitness goals, while Kunkel and his team at the Saint Vincent College Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in Latrobe help entrepreneurs whip their small business dreams into shape.

Kunkel said the college’s SBDC gets a lot of queries in January. The center provides free, one-on-one counseling to prospective business owners.

Bryner-Spaw was one such client, and she credits Kunkel for helping her dream come true.

“My husband and I both love cycling classes and noticed there were no centers in our area,” she explained. “So we decided to pull the trigger and open our own studio in Uniontown. After my initial meeting, the team helped me with a business plan, illustrated our potential and even assisted us with funding to purchase equipment and rent space.”

She isn’t alone. The Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy recently reported two very positive statistics. At the end of 2020, small business openings were greater than the number of closures and have stayed that way throughout 2021. Additionally, proprietors’ income has been on the rise and is well above pre-pandemic levels.

For Bryner-Spaw, fueling her passion served as the catalyst for small business ownership. Developing a business idea that meets a community need is great path to success for a startup business. When evaluating their “big idea,” entrepreneurs need to establish there is a need or want for the business they are proposing. This assessment should be done as part of the business plan.

SBDCs are U.S. Small Business Administration and state-funded entities helping small businesses in every phase of development. In Western Pennsylvania, eight SBDCs offer free counseling, as well as low-cost training to help both startups and established businesses. Many small business owners elect to remain clients long after they’ve rung up that first sale. They’re a great source for advice and a sounding board for ideas, from expansion to online sales.

The Saint Vincent College SBDC staff is entrenched in neighborhoods, working alongside our office, local economic development organizations and lenders.

Last year, Kunkel and his team aided in 25 new business starts. He tied that statistic to SBDC services.

“Most people have never started a business on their own and need to think strategically,” he told me. “We offer seasoned expertise to help you avoid any landmines before hanging up your shingle.”

For more information on how SBA and SBDCs can help with small business planning, visit www.sba.gov/offices/district/pa/pittsburgh.

Kelly Hunt is director of the Small Business Administration’s Western Pennsylvania District.