What Kind of Help is Available for Female Entrepreneurs and Others Who Want to Start a Business?

By Jack Etzel

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953. Today, as then, it remains the only independent agency of the federal government with the sole purpose of assisting small business to start, grow and prosper. For the past four years, the Pittsburgh office of the SBA has been headed by District Director Carl Knoblock, who has a deep passion to help small business succeed and to encourage economic development is southwestern Pennsylvania. Through the SBA, established small businesses and start-ups can receive counseling and technical assistance, pre-business and business planning workshops, and information on starting and managing a small business. The agency also offers a Minority Enterprise Development program and assistance to help business owners recover in the aftermath of a disaster.

North Hills Monthly Magazine: At the outset, Carl, how do you define a small business?

Carl Knoblock: The state of Pennsylvania defines a small business as 100 employees or less in manufacturing, and 500 employees or less in the federal government. If you’re in the aeronautical industry, that number is 1,500. Then, there’s a factor of how much business you’re doing in dollars. Go to our website, www.sba.gov/pa/pitt/ and you can see where your business fits in.

NHMM: Isn’t there a misconception that people think that the SBA makes loans?

Knoblock: There was a time, years ago, when I thought that myself. We are only the guarantor—we’re not the lender. We help small businesses in many ways, including coming up with the best possible business plan, and we point them in the direction of lenders, whether that be a lending institution such as a bank, an investor or another source. But we do so much more than just help acquire financing. We help business owners, even those who are already established, grow and expand their businesses every day. We provide support of all types for 275,000 businesses within the 27 Pennsylvania counties we serve.

NHMM: Are you seeing a lot more women starting businesses these days?

Knoblock: There absolutely are more women today who are trying to find ways to create their own revenue. Not always, but often, they are single moms who don’t have many choices to do that. Other women begin making money on their own parttime, and then move up to running a business fulltime. Compared to just a few years ago, we see more women wanting their own businesses. Women are willing to take risks when they see opportunities. On the other hand, men seem to remain in the status quo.

NHMM: When it comes to being your own boss, how else might you compare women and men?

Knoblock: One thing that becomes obvious in my position is that women are more willing to ask for assistance. And that’s exactly what we’re designed to do. We consistently find that it’s women who are taking advantage of resources including Procurement Technical Assistance Centers, Small Business Development Centers and SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives), with whom we work hand-in-hand. Men typically wait to contact us until they’re having a problem.

NHMM: Guys still don’t ask directions?

Knoblock: (laughing) That’s really true.

NHMM: Years ago, if there was a woman in business it was likely a small beauty salon or a sandwich shop. I think we can all see how that’s changed.
Knoblock: Many women may still have a hair salon in mind, but today her salon will likely offer manicures, pedicures, massages and perhaps advice on health and nourishment. Other women are thinking about a full-range spa, and that’s become a sizable market. You must realize that some of this is possible because women, in general, are more educated today. There are more women enrolling and graduating from college than men. That results in women being qualified and able to go out into sectors that traditionally were thought as being so-called ‘men’s businesses.’

NHMM: Some examples?

Knoblock: We’re seeing a lot more women involved in construction and project management. Women are now in so many places, including the environmental field, all types of engineering, the nuclear industry—they’re opening laboratories of every description, including tissue labs, genome and DNA labs. Women are moving heavily into the financial markets, and growing strongly in the marketing arena and all things creative. Now we’re seeing more and more women in manufacturing; for example, there’s a glassmaker in Jeannette, another woman in DuBois who’s running a machining company, and a woman in the Greensburg area who makes controls for the heating, ventilation and air conditioning industry.

NHMM: I know that this SBA office is involved in many college-based entrepreneurial programs. One of the first I heard of years ago was at Seton Hill University.

Knoblock: Thanks for bringing that up. The Women’s Business Center at Seton Hill is fantastic. Before they got involved with SBA, they already had a dynamic program. They know how to use and maximize technology. They have a strong support network, and women learn to be very proactive. The school has even stepped up all of their students; every student has to take an entrepreneurial class. If you’re an English or chemistry major, you still have to take a class on entrepreneurship. This is important because if you’re going to advertise for a job interview, for example, you’re marketing yourself. This is no different from marketing a product, or marketing for a contract. Seton Hill was among the first to create such an environment for women business owners. Their list of successful women business owners is quite impressive.

NHMM: What should prospective business owners do to learn more?

Knoblock: To find out about all of the services that the SBA offers, they can call for a free copy of our magazine, Small Business Resource, by calling us in Pittsburgh at (412) 395-6560, or faxing a request to (412) 395-6562. They can also visit the SBA website at www.sba.gov/pa/pitt.