Kansas SBDC at Pitt State helps local businesses get started, gain traction

Jennifer Mowdy had a dream of owning her own business — a bookstore with cats! — but had no idea where to start. A series of free consultations with the Kansas Small Business Development Center laid the foundation, and this fall she opened the door to The Literary Cat Co. 

"I went there with a goofy posterboard and cut/paste vision board of my dream,” Mowdy said. “The fact that the director, Dacia Clark, took it seriously and didn’t laugh me out of her office was the only thing that kept me in that room.” 

The KSBDC is located on Broadway in the entrepreneurial hub of Block22 in the heart of Downtown Pittsburg — just a few blocks from where Mowdy opened her business.  

Operated by Pittsburg State University for 40 years, it serves as a regional consulting resource for prospective and current business owners in Allen, Anderson, Bourbon, Cherokee, Crawford, Labette, Linn, Montgomery, Neosho, Wilson, and Woodson counties. 

“Whether it's an existing business looking to boost sales or a start-up trying to get off the ground, we provide our clients with quality professional and personal care,” Clark said.  

Clark oversees a small team of individuals, each with a specific focus: Amy Sawyer is a small business advisor; Chris Pennington is a small business advisor with an emphasis on technology innovation; and Kathryn Kutscher and Ayelen Fretes are students who operate the SBCD Call Center. 

The majority of their services come at no cost — like the questions Mowdy peppered Clark with over the course of several months. 

“She was great about explaining everything in layman’s terms and not making me feel like an idiot,” Mowdy said. “When she gave me her genuine thoughts on if she thought my plan would work or be successful, that was hugely validating for me.” 

Mowdy continued to meet with Clark throughout the process of planning and opening The Literary Cat Co. 

“She pointed me in the right direction when I got stuck," Mowdy said. “The SBDC gave me the tools I needed to get from a vision board to a successful grand opening. It helped me go through the process step-by-step, explaining the steps along the way.” 

“I still have so much to learn, but I feel like my business is built on a strong foundation of knowledge and planning, not just my hopes and dreams of it working.” 

Mowdy plans on consulting again with the SBDC for advice and support as new challenges arise. 

"I have frequently caught myself worrying about things like tax season, hiring employees, and how to figure out if the way things are going is sustainable after a six- month period,” she said. “I always remind myself that, as a first step, I can always reach out to the SBDC for guidance. I don't have to panic and try to figure it out myself and worry that I'm doing something wrong. That's a great feeling!” 

Services 

The Kansas SBDC offers the following services: 

• • Help for start-ups including business registration basics, business licenses & permits, hiring employees, and more. 
• • Advice for obtaining loans and grants, and for making investor pitches. 

• • Guidance for marketing strategy. 
• • Strategic planning, including business plans, financial projections, industry comparisons, data analysis, and more. 
• • A video library in a range of topics, including Human Resouces, Loans & Grants, Marketing & Sales, Accounting & Sales Tax, Tech Commercialization, and more. 
• • Training events, both in person and virtual, in a range of topics. Fees apply. 

Learn more:  

Visit pittstatesmallbusiness.com , call the Kansas SBDC in Pittsburg at 620-235-4921, or email ksbdc@pittstate.edu