Web site promotes vendors to NCRC

Staff report

KANNAPOLIS — Local small business owners have a new, free tool to promote their goods and services to potential customers at the N.C. Research Campus.

A new Web site called Business Connector is a buy-local initiative sponsored by the Small Business Center at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. Business Connector is aimed at making it easier for newcomers and others at the Research Campus to find local vendors.

"Local small business owners are very excited about this initiative," said Barbara Hall, director of the Small Business Center. "We know the Research Campus will eventually generate significant business activity for our entire region. We wanted to make sure our local small business owners had a seat at the table early on, in a way that's more effective than relying on word-of-mouth."

The password-protected site allows small business owners to input detailed information about their businesses and update it at anytime, including links to their Web sites. Potential purchasers at the Research Campus will have a password to search the site.

"Business Connector is a unique, user-friendly business registry that gives potential buyers information about a business they may not get easily anywhere else or without contacting the business, such as dollar value of largest contract or food ingredients and references," said site developer David Ross, owner of China Grove-based Red Enterprises of NC.

The free site is available to any business headquartered in Cabarrus or Rowan counties with fewer than 100 employees that has been in operation for at least two years. Local businesses are invited to register at www.businessconnector.net.

Approximately 50 businesses have already registered on the site, and personnel at the Research Campus will have access beginning in February.

"We want to help foster an environment that values small business ownership, and Business Connector is an important part of that effort," Hall added.

The Small Business Center at RCCC is a community-based provider of education, training, counseling, information and referral, assisting entrepreneurs with business ideas and existing small business ventures.

The center offers numerous seminars with support from the Rowan County Chamber of Commerce, Cabarrus Regional Chamber of Commerce, the City of Kannapolis, the Rowan Business Alliance, the Small Business & Technology Development Center and Historic Downtown Salisbury.

The seminars cover a broad range of small business topics, including business start-ups, business financing, marketing, internet business, business growth and development, taxes, recordkeeping and customer service.

For more information about the Small Business Center, call 704-216-3512, e-mail sbc@rowancabarrus.edu or see visit www.rowancabarrus.edu/sbc/.