The Connecticut Small Business Development Center is partnering with the Town of West Hartford to provide advice to entrepreneurs at no charge.

The CTSBDC team includes business advisors (from left): Gregory Lewis, Denise Whitford, Shelly Koehler, and Matt Nemeth. CTSBDC website photo

By Ronni Newton

The Town of West Hartford has partnered with The Connecticut Small Business Development Center (CTSBDC), and will be offering weekly office hours at Town Hall that will offer support to local entrepreneurs of all types, in all stages of their business development, with training and access to vital data and reports on demographics, consumer spending, market research, and industry-specific information.

Business advisors will hold office hours in Room 407 at West Hartford Town Hall, 50 South Main St., every Thursday from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. beginning Feb. 7.

Advice is confidential, and advance appointments are required.

“I am pleased to offer new advising opportunities at the West Hartford Town Hall. These new office hours put us directly into the path of serving new and existing businesses in the West Hartford area, which is our primary purpose. This location also gives us an opportunity to facilitate economic growth and business retention in the area,” said CTSBDC Business Advisor Denise Whitford in a statement.

According to the Small Business Administration, there are 342,443 small businesses located in the state, and the mission of the CTSBDC is to help them “start, grow, and thrive.”

CTSBDC State Director Joe Ercolano said that it’s important to be embedded within the communities they serve, and partnering with the Town of West Hartford, and holding office hours at Town Hall, will help “us to better understand the unique needs required of West Hartford small business owners and therefore provide customized, beneficial business advising services to help increase economic development in this area.”

“This beneficial affiliation ensures that West Hartford’s small businesses have access to necessary resources ready to assist the entrepreneurs,” West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor said in a statement regarding the new partnership. Entrepreneurs will also have access to economic development, planning and zoning, and various other town staff within Town Hall, creating one-stop shopping to better suite their needs.”

West Hartford Economic Development Specialist Kristen Gorski said that the town is very excited about the new partnership, and the opportunity to offer direct support to the town’s business community through CTSBDC.

To schedule an appointment, contact Whitford at 860-576-5135 or visit www.ctsbdc.com and register for business advising.

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