{"id":142128,"date":"2024-08-28T15:15:00","date_gmt":"2024-08-28T20:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/?p=142128"},"modified":"2024-08-28T14:52:19","modified_gmt":"2024-08-28T19:52:19","slug":"small-business-development-center-clients-excel-in-statewide-awards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/small-business-development-center-clients-excel-in-statewide-awards\/","title":{"rendered":"Small Business Development Center Clients Excel in Statewide Awards"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Mississippi entrepreneurs credit network for growth and recognition<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">by Erin Garrett<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The <strong>Mississippi Small Business Development Center Network<\/strong>, headquartered at the <strong>University of Mississippi<\/strong>, is celebrating clients that won 2024 <strong>Mississippi Small Business Administration Awards<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/usw2.nyl.as\/t1\/306\/ktlwmiblk7ro5k85d8jzozm6\/1\/c54fd1fc14f77be5dd5a2e262994c917703b0d0e46b055d8558da78a124bfe59\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mississippi SBDC Network<\/a>\u00a0clients won seven of the 10 awards presented at the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/usw2.nyl.as\/t1\/306\/ktlwmiblk7ro5k85d8jzozm6\/2\/70941dff352becd82d26f1488c5fbb61f9b3ef5d39752ecdc59bd505be24c701\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">SBA<\/a>&#8216;s annual ceremony in July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;We are incredibly proud to celebrate the remarkable achievements of our clients, who have been honored with seven <strong>SBA<\/strong> awards, including the prestigious <strong>Business Person of the Year<\/strong>,&#8221; said <strong>Sharon Nichols<\/strong>, the network&#8217;s state director. &#8220;This recognition is a testament to their hard work, innovation and resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;At the Mississippi SBDC Network, we are honored to support and be part of their entrepreneurial journey, and these awards underscore the collective commitment to fostering excellence in our business community.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The award winners were:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Small Business Person of the Year,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/usw2.nyl.as\/t1\/306\/ktlwmiblk7ro5k85d8jzozm6\/3\/cb71c496b9ea2e82f077fe4fa95b04d1ecd7b82343ef4b3a05bc959e898c1663\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>John Ruskey<\/strong><\/a>, Quapaw Canoe in Clarksdale<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Exporter of the Year, <strong>Hagan Walker<\/strong> and <strong>Anna Barker<\/strong>, <strong>Vibe LLC dba Glo<\/strong>, Starkville<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Rural Small Business of the Year,\u00a0<strong>Cedric and Joan Anderson<\/strong>,\u00a0<strong>CJ&#8217;s Seasoning<\/strong>, Taylorsville<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Veterans Small Business of the Year,\u00a0<strong>James Burch<\/strong>,\u00a0<strong>Coleman Farms LLC<\/strong>, Lexington<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Minority Small Business of the Year,<strong>\u00a0James and Doris Louis<\/strong>,\u00a0<strong>Wholly Fire Foods LLC<\/strong>, Hattiesburg<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Woman Owned Business of the Year,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/usw2.nyl.as\/t1\/306\/ktlwmiblk7ro5k85d8jzozm6\/4\/931be542c0ee5c754ba20d278aa8a5b50f5f2554c0f7fafc58b0627a58762b93\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>Christy and Roberto Amay<\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0<strong>Amay Jewelry<\/strong>, Hattiesburg<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Young Entrepreneur of the Year, <strong>Abigail Nichols<\/strong> of <strong>Abbikadabbi&#8217;s Baking Co. LLC<\/strong>, Olive Branch.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The network has 16 offices across the state, as well as&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/usw2.nyl.as\/t1\/306\/ktlwmiblk7ro5k85d8jzozm6\/5\/30de2fea87320712af2b016fe7f8162b4849e159ad1638b1884bd6f4b00fb999\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">virtual sites<\/a>. Budding entrepreneurs and small-business owners can get free services such as business plans, market research and international trade counseling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/John-Ruskey-1-scaled.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"332\" data-id=\"142132\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/John-Ruskey-1-1024x531.jpg?resize=640%2C332&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-142132\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/John-Ruskey-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1024%2C531&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/John-Ruskey-1-scaled.jpg?resize=300%2C156&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/John-Ruskey-1-scaled.jpg?resize=768%2C398&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/John-Ruskey-1-scaled.jpg?resize=1536%2C797&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/John-Ruskey-1-scaled.jpg?resize=2048%2C1062&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/John-Ruskey-1-scaled.jpg?w=1280 1280w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/John-Ruskey-1-scaled.jpg?w=1920 1920w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Screenshot<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Quapaw-Canoe-1-1-scaled.jpeg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"853\" data-id=\"142133\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Quapaw-Canoe-1-1-768x1024.jpeg?resize=640%2C853&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-142133\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Quapaw-Canoe-1-1-scaled.jpeg?resize=768%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Quapaw-Canoe-1-1-scaled.jpeg?resize=225%2C300&amp;ssl=1 225w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Quapaw-Canoe-1-1-scaled.jpeg?resize=1152%2C1536&amp;ssl=1 1152w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Quapaw-Canoe-1-1-scaled.jpeg?resize=1536%2C2048&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Quapaw-Canoe-1-1-scaled.jpeg?resize=1024%2C1365&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Quapaw-Canoe-1-1-scaled.jpeg?w=1920&amp;ssl=1 1920w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Quapaw-Canoe-1-1-scaled.jpeg?w=1280 1280w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">John Ruskey, owner of Quapaw Canoe in Clarksdale, speaks after being named the SBA Small Business Person of the Year for Mississippi. Submitted photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Ruskey&#8217;s business, <strong>Quapaw Canoe<\/strong>, provides guided canoe, kayak and paddleboard tours on the lower Mississippi River. He sought out the SBDC for assistance in finding a business partner. He also credits the SBDC for providing crucial guidance during challenging times, such as during the <strong>COVID-19<\/strong> pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;The center provided invaluable counseling during that process, helping me formulate a clear plan for what I wanted in life and how my business could make that happen,&#8221; Ruskey said. &#8220;The SBDC has been instrumental in our survival,&#8221; Ruskey said. &#8220;They helped us in applying for PPP (payback protection program) loans, which kept our staff employed and helped us diversify our services.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Christy Amay began working with the SBDC in 2018. Her husband, Roberto, was then working for a jeweler who was retiring and closing their business. So, the Amays were considering opening their own store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;I had never owned a business before,&#8221; Christy Amay said. &#8220;The SBDC started us with classes covering everything from business plans to finances. We had a soft opening in just 90 days, and I don&#8217;t think we could have done it without the guidance from the SBDC.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Amay, who is celebrating the fifth anniversary of Amay Jewelry this year, said she is quick to put other entrepreneurs in contact with the SBDC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;When someone aspires to open a business in our area, I&#8217;ll get tagged on Facebook to point them in the right direction,&#8221; she said. &#8220;I am the center&#8217;s biggest cheerleader in addition to taking advantage of their services.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/TheLocalVoiceLigature-25web.jpg\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"25\" height=\"16\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/TheLocalVoiceLigature-25web.jpg?resize=25%2C16\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-14544\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mississippi entrepreneurs credit network for growth and recognition by Erin Garrett The Mississippi Small Business Development Center Network,<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":123462,"featured_media":142129,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[25263],"tags":[29987,21073,29986,29976,29974,29979,29985,29980,29981,16052,29977,29983,29982,22114,5,29972,29971,29975,29973,17220,655,29978,29984],"class_list":["post-142128","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-university-news","tag-abbikadabbis-baking-co-llc","tag-abigail-nichols","tag-amay-jewelry","tag-anna-barker","tag-business-person-of-the-year","tag-cedric-and-joan-anderson","tag-christy-and-roberto-amay","tag-cjs-seasoning","tag-coleman-farms-llc","tag-covid-19","tag-hagan-walker","tag-james-and-doris-louis","tag-james-burch","tag-john-ruskey","tag-mississippi","tag-mississippi-small-business-administration-awards","tag-mississippi-small-business-development-center-network","tag-quapaw-canoe","tag-sba","tag-sharon-nichols","tag-university-of-mississippi","tag-vibe-llc-dba-glo","tag-wholly-fire-foods-llc"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Amay-Jewelry-Designs--scaled.jpeg?fit=2512%2C2560&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142128","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/123462"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=142128"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142128\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":142136,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142128\/revisions\/142136"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/142129"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=142128"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=142128"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=142128"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}