When Jaelyn and Tyler Rohrbough decided to start a deer farm in Bruceton Mills, West Virginia, they set out with no business experience–only a dream and the determination to make that dream a reality.
During a visit to the bank to set up the business account for Pointed Acres LLC, they were encouraged to contact the West Virginia Small Business Development Center for assistance in getting their fledgling business up and running. That’s when they connected to WV SBDC Business Coach Neeley Satzer.
A Helping Hand
Both the Rohrboughs have a background in science, which may be helpful in dealing with the farming aspect of Pointed Acres. But they needed expert guidance when it came to the business side.
“We work with a lot of people who are professionals in their area, Satzer said. “We on the other hand know a little bit more about the business side of it, so we’re a resource to those people that may not know so much about the business side.”
The WV SBDC offers a wide range of services at no cost to the client. The agency’s experienced business coaches can guide clients throughout the business process including concept, startup and growth.
“If there’s something that we don’t know, we are a whole statewide network of coaches, so we can reach out to other coaches and find out the answers, or we can work with other agencies in the state,” Satzer said.
Jaelyn Rohrbough urges anyone who’s thinking about starting a small business to contact the WV SBDC.
“It really helps to have a human being there to walk you through the steps,” Rohrbough said of Satzer. “She’s saved our butts multiple times. When we went into our tax appointment, our accountant asked us, “Did you pay for this? Did you file this?’ And we had, just because Neeley had told us to.”
Become a Client
The WV SBDC, an accredited partner program with the U.S. Small Business Administration, a division of the West Virginia Division of Economic Development, helps small businesses at all stages of development by connecting owners to programs, resources, and coaches.
WV SBDC business coaches have professional certifications ranging from Certified Business Advisor® (CBA), Entrepreneurship Development Professional (EDP), MBAs, design thinking, AI, cybersecurity, and exporting, along with experience in technology, innovation, manufacturing, finance, management, HR and marketing.
This program is supported by federal funding. Full disclosures available at wvsbdc.com/fundingdisclosure.
For more information about the WV SBDC and its services, visit wvsbdc.com.
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