During a crisis, it’s small businesses that suffer most. Large corporations like Amazon and Walmart have the resources to cope, but entrepreneurs need all the help they can get to survive.

Wake Technical Community College’s Small Business Center is working hard to support those who have had to close their storefronts due to the shelter-in-place order, lost customers because everyone is staying home, or both.

“We help people start and grow small businesses so whether it’s during a pandemic, or regular times, we assist small business owners,” said Cherith Roberson, director of the center. “Since this is such a critical time, most of our focus is on helping people navigate available resources.”

Some of the heightened resources at this time include free workshops, seminars, webinars and confidential, one-on-one counseling. The center will also provide guidance on applying for tax relief and pandemic unemployment assistance for contractors and other self-employed workers.

Since 2016, the SBC has assisted in the creation of over 500 jobs, 152 businesses, and has had 7,483 attendees at its seminars and workshops.

Next week’s disaster mitigation webinars cover topics like Business Planning and Strategizing as a Coronavirus Antidote on Tuesday, April 14, Marketing Outside the Box: Pivoting During the Pandemic on Wednesday, April 15, and Communicating with Customers and Employees in Light of COVID-19 on Thursday, April 16. Check out the full list here