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Tiffany Henry earns statewide ‘Rookie of the Year’ award

2014-11-26



Photo of Tiffany Henry, director of SCC’s Small Business Center
Tiffany Henry, director of SCC’s Small Business Center, has been named “Rookie of the Year” by North Carolina’s Small Business Center Network.


Some clients are long-established business owners who just need assistance with specific aspects of running their day-to-day operations.


Others are aspiring entrepreneurs with promising ideas, and they just need help determining whether the concepts are viable.


Some attend seminars while others get one-on-one, confidential counseling. While they all had unique goals and needs, the more than 800 clients who sought help were part of a banner year for Southwestern Community College’s Small Business Center and first-year director Tiffany Henry.


For her efforts, Henry has been named “Rookie of the Year” by North Carolina’s Small Business Center Network.


“We are so proud of Tiffany, and I’m so amazed at how much she’s already accomplished here,” said Sonja Haynes, dean of workforce innovations at SCC. “With her banking background, she’s been able to go out into the community and help new and longtime small business owners achieve their goals. She spends so much time listening to their needs, and she works hard to provide training to address those.”


Among Henry’s clients is Bernadette Peters, owner of City Lights Café in Sylva.


“Tiffany has been amazing helping me through the loan process with the Support Center,” Peters said. “She put me in touch with their representative, coached me through the process and helped me tighten up the application before sending it.  She is very knowledgeable regarding what lenders look for and how to make a good case for funding.”


In her first year at SCC, Henry helped 21 business start-ups. Southwestern’s Small Business Center held 57 seminars that were attended by 798 clients.


She also counseled 50 distinct clients for more than 250 hours.


 “Tiffany is an incredible resource and asset to any small business,” said Nicole Dexter, co-owner of Innovation Brewing. “Her work is efficient, prompt and professional.  She did a tremendous amount of work polishing and improving (on) our business plan, which enabled us to get approved for a loan. It also helps that she is just wonderful to be around and work with.”


Matt Bateman of Stay and Play in the Smokies added: "Tiffany has always been willing to help the local business community out.  From informing the public about free resources through the SCC small business center, to helping organize and promote a regional cash mob to help an entire business community out, Tiffany is willing to step in and do whatever it takes to get things done."


To learn more about how Henry can help with your small business needs, contact her at t_henry@southwesterncc.eduor 828.339.4211.

 

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