Nalin
Jain
Director,
Small Business Development Center and International
Trade Center
njain@gmu.edu
From
securing start-up financing and developing
a business plan to navigating the regulatory world of licenses and
taxes, the Small Business Development Center at the George Mason
School of Public Policy is a critical resource for entrepreneurs.
The
free community counseling service, available in five languages,
has helped establish dozens of successful local businesses since
its inception in 1988 by drawing on the resources of the School
of Public Policy, building a micro-economy of sorts within the Washington,
D.C. area.
"The
center makes a difference in real people's lives by giving entrepreneurs
the foundation and support they need to
make a go of their dreams,'' says Nalin
Jain, the center's director.
Jain
also directs the School of Public Policy's International Trade Center,
which helps small businesses enter global markets. Like the Small
Business Development Center, the International Trade Center offers
one-on-one counseling and a host of technical resources to help
prepare local products for export.
Small
Business Development Center