The REAP Women’s Business Center (WBC) had a stellar year. In the last 9 months, REAP Business Specialists provided 1,410 hours of business counseling to 341 clients. We offered 121 trainings to 1,302 people – 65 percent who were women. Approximately 45 startup businesses received assistance.

Collaboration with others is a key to WBC success. Local Economic Development agencies helped to host Business Plan Basics sessions in North Central and Northeast Nebraska. A Hispanic Business Plan Basics course was offered in the Northeast. An English Business Plan Basics course is in progress in the North Central region, and another is scheduled. A Hispanic session is planned for Central Nebraska.

We continue to collaborate with the Community Economic Development Clinic of Creighton University. Milo Alexander has presented sessions on Legal Business Structures in several locations, and more are planned. The Nebraska Department of Revenue offered several sessions on Sales and Use Tax laws for small business owners.

Local REAP Associations/Roundtables provide that critical support system for each other as small business owners. They offer opportunities to learn about techniques, tools and skills to improve their businesses. Members benefit from the networking too. Educational topics have included Social Media and Your Business, The Importance of Customer Service/Customer Loyalty, Secrets to Increasing Sales, S.W.O.T. Analysis for Business, Human Resource issues, Business Insurance needs, Branding Your Business, etc.

REAP’s Mobile Laptop Lab was put to good use across the state with QuickBooks training for members. Sessions were held in Central City, Tecumseh, Auburn, Falls City, Nebraska City, Alliance, Oshkosh and Scottsbluff. Approximately 75 businesses were assisted, and more sessions are planned in Southeast, North Central and Western Nebraska.

The REAP WBC is funded in part by an agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. We’re proud and grateful that this year will mark our 10th year of such funding. In October 2010, we entered our 5th year of sustainability funding – which anchors expansion of REAP WBC services to more rural women entrepreneurs in Nebraska.

For more information or to comment, contact Monica Braun, REAP Women’s Business Center director, at monicab@cfra.org or 402.643.2673.