Hollis McGuire, of the NH SBDC, which would be the Small Business Development Center. (If you’re a small business in need of information, help or guidance of any sort, the NH SBDC is the place to start. And it’s free, as in “free.”
Hollis is the Regional Manager of the Nashua office, and has been since 2004. As an ex-CPA with her own company, the lady knows business and knows finance and knows money and knows whether you’re thinking about money intelligently and thoroughly enough to make sure your small business is likely to survive the long haul.
Without Hollis, there would be no Dancing Lion Chocolate at 917 Elm Street in Manchester, NH 03101. Hollis, with her associate Amy Rodman began working over my cashflow reports and income statements six months before I even thought of opening the new shop. By the time they finished, my financials were black and blue and completely beaten up, but were also more realistic. And the realistic financials got the loans which got the building and renovation–my most excellent lending officer–Kevin Finke, who arranged the loans for Centrix Bank–will attest to that.
Last Friday, Hollis and the NH SBDC presented Dancing Lion Chocolate as a case study at an event designed to bring bankers and the Feds together with community and economic development folks. (Many hungry bankers made their way to our shop after the event finished!) And yesterday, we were honored to host a meeting with NH SBDC State Director Mary Collins and Congressman Frank Guinta* to discuss the impact of the NH SBDC on small business.
If you’re a small business and you’re not familiar with the NH SBDC, you probably should be. Call ’em–It won’t cost you a dime and it can gain you everything!
* Dancing Lion Chocolate supports no political parties or politics other than the politics of Micro-Business and that which is necessary to nurture it.