Big ambitions for small businesses at the Paris SBDC

Published or Revised February 02, 2012

A new vision is emerging at the Paris Small Business Development Center on assisting local businesses improve their bottom line. "I'm thrilled to be in this position and looking forward to helping small businesses in the counties we serve," said Paris SBDC Director Brad Gottshalk after three months on the job. "We have big shoes to fill because Pat Bell built a tremendous legacy with 25 years of the organization's operation. The financial and in-kind support we receive from Paris Junior College gives us a big boost as well. I hope to bring a fresh perspective based on my banking and regulatory background, as well as knowledge of the greater Paris market area." Gottshalk says one of his strengths is reaching out to a business and seeing where it might need assistance to grow and prosper. "My focus is what is necessary in the business community," Gottshalk continued. "SBDC will still offer classes, but now we are going to dive in by going to the businesses themselves and ask what they need. We are here to help. Many times we find a loan doesn't solve problems – a business might really need training, competency awareness, or planning expertise. "We also plan to do more follow-up to ensure businesses understand and are implementing the information they receive from us." "If the business community likes us, they'll support us," Gottshalk added. "We are here to do outreach and provide help. We'll be assisting both lenders and small businesses alike explore and better utilize existing and upcoming programs from the U.S. Small Business Administration." Gottshalk is excited about helping businesses better understand how to improve their operations and access federal programs without fear of running afoul of the myriad regulations that can come with that assistance. The Paris SBDC office is housed at PJC in a building to the southeast of the main campus on Collegiate Street. PJC's support allows the SBDC to receive matching funding from the State of Texas and The U.S. Small Business Administration for SBDC programs. Gottshalk received his Masters of Business Administration in Business Management and Finance from the University of Texas at Tyler, and Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Economics - Agricultural Business at Texas A&M University — College Station. He has extensive experience with banks in Colorado and Texas, as well as having served as a Commissioned National Bank Examiner with the Comptroller of the Currency in Dallas, Texas.