Small business is big at Clemson Clemson is working to see that entrepreneurs like Tom and Mike have every chance to succeed, or continue to succeed, through the Small Business Development Center , an outreach program of the University's College of Business and Public Affairs . The center has been helping smaller businesses in South Carolina for 17 years. Supported mostly by federal and matching state funds, the Clemson center is a consortium member of state universities. What helps small businesses in the state also helps the state's economy and the overall quality of life for its citizens. And 95 percent of that commerical growth is deemed 'small business' by definition.
Clients range from restaurateurs to kennel owners to machine parts providers.
It's about getting a product that people need, or want, to market at a reasonable price. The center not only helps start-up businesses, but also businesses that have started up just fine and are suddenly experiencing growing pains. Take oobe inc., for example. Mike and Tom had put together their first catalog of caps and shirts after surveying the outdoor markets and pursuing an aggressive campaign to satisfy the outdoor specialty retailer and their customers. As they began selling the line, they discovered yet another unexpected element.