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Blog

10 Jul 25

What Technical Assistance Really Means at BBRC

At the Birmingham Business Resource Center (BBRC), we’ve spent the last 29 years doing something that doesn’t always show up neatly in a business plan or a grant report: we’ve built relationships that are real. With small business owners who walk through our doors with ideas, questions, dreams, and sometimes…
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03 Jul 25

The Importance of Networking

In the world of business, what you know is important—but who you know can be just as critical. Whether you’re launching a startup, scaling your company, or navigating the challenges of entrepreneurship, building strong relationships through networking can open doors, spark collaborations, and fuel long-term success. At the Birmingham Business…
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26 Jun 25

Understanding Business Certifications: DBE, MBE, WBE, and More

For small businesses, especially those owned by minorities, women, and other historically underrepresented groups, certifications like DBE, MBE, WBE, and VBE can open doors to lucrative government contracts, private sector opportunities, and business development support. But with so many acronyms, it can be hard to understand what each certification means…
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18 Jun 25

The Top 10 Hidden Realities of Starting a Business

Starting a business is often glamorized. From social media entrepreneurs showcasing success stories to motivational content encouraging you to “be your boss,” it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of entrepreneurship. But behind the glossy highlight reels are the unspoken truths that can make or break a business—and…
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16 Jun 25

Mental Health & Burnout Prevention for Business Owners

At the Birmingham Business Resource Center (BBRC), we work with some of the hardest-working entrepreneurs you’ll ever meet. Many of them don’t just run businesses—they juggle full-time jobs, raise families, and manage everything else life throws at them. During a recent session, one client told me about her daily routine…
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10 Jun 25

How Small Businesses Are Using AI to Work Smarter in 2025

For many small business owners in Birmingham, the term “artificial intelligence” used to sound like something out of a sci-fi movie. Today, it’s becoming a powerful, affordable tool to solve real-world challenges—right here in our local economy. AI isn’t replacing small business owners—it’s empowering them. From saving time on repetitive…
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03 Jun 25

Scaling Up Smart: Financial Planning for Business Expansion

Growth is the goal of every business, but expansion without a solid financial plan can quickly turn opportunity into chaos. Whether opening a second location, adding new services, hiring staff, or investing in equipment, expanding your business requires more than ambition—it requires strategy. For entrepreneurs in Birmingham and beyond, there’s…
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22 May 25

The Widening Racial Wealth Gap

Recent data confirms a troubling truth: the racial wealth gap in the United States is not only persistent—it is widening. For Black small business owners, this growing disparity poses both challenges and opportunities that must be addressed with urgency and strategic action. The Numbers Behind the Gap According to the…
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28 Feb 25

Investing in the Future: Supporting the BBRC During Black History Month

Every year, when Black History Month arrives, Americans pause to reflect on the achievements and contributions of African Americans—visionaries who have enriched our nation’s heritage and championed social progress. This commemoration extends beyond remembering the trailblazers of the past; it also highlights the work of contemporary leaders who are continually…
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21 Feb 25

Carrying Forward the Dream: How Dr. A.G. Gaston’s Legacy Inspires Bob Dickerson and the BBRC This Black History Month

Every February, communities across the United States celebrate Black History Month—a time to reflect on the achievements, struggles, and enduring spirit of Black Americans. When we honor history’s greatest trailblazers, our attention often goes to icons of civil rights and social justice. Yet, there is another essential dimension to Black…
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07 Feb 25

Empowering Black Entrepreneurship: How Bob Dickerson and the Birmingham Business Resource Center Are Making History

In the tapestry of Black history, the narratives we celebrate most often revolve around the champions who propelled progress despite adversity—from civil rights leaders and groundbreaking educators to trailblazing entrepreneurs who reimagined what Black economic empowerment could look like. In Birmingham, Alabama, one such champion is Bob Dickerson, whose work…
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13 Feb 25

Credit Repair vs. Credit Building: What’s Best for Your Business?

For many entrepreneurs, credit is the foundation of financial success. Whether you’re launching a startup or expanding an existing business, your credit profile affects your ability to secure loans, attract investors, and negotiate better terms with suppliers. However, there’s often confusion between credit repair and credit building—two distinct strategies that…
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Beware Predatory Business Loans: How BBRC Can Help

I’ve seen several ads from companies that promote small business loans. Most seem to target businesses who can’t or who don’t believe that can get bank financing. Lets be clear, banks are conservative and there are many, deserving entrepreneurs who are in the market for financing but, aren’t deemed “bank…
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Redefining Capital: Beyond Traditional Business Loans

A common misconception persists in small business funding: when we say “capital,” we’re often really talking about debt. For most small businesses, including those served by the SBA, BBRC, and other lenders, what’s offered isn’t true capital—it’s debt, designed to facilitate specific activities but not to fuel transformative growth. Here’s…
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The Three-Legged Stool: Capacity, Capital, and Customers

Capacity capital and customers. You’ll see these referred to on our websites, social media and on other material developed and distributed by the Birmingham Business Resource Center. I began using that combination of words as I conceptualized the center as a one stop for small business financing and related technical…
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20 Dec 23

Conference in Review: How Mayors are Accelerating Minority Business Growth and Economic Equity

Background The 2023 NMSDC Annual Conference & Exchange and Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) National Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week, organized collaboratively by NMSDC and the MBDA, was held at the Baltimore Convention Center Oct.22-25. The gathering brought together mayors and high-level federal partners to deliberate on the ramifications of recent…
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05 Dec 23

Entrepreneurship: A Workforce Development Strategy

Throughout its evolution, the landscape of workforce development has shifted gradually. However, the profound significance of entrepreneurship as a cornerstone strategy remains somewhat underestimated. Despite its transformative potential, entrepreneurship’s pivotal role in sculpting a versatile and resilient workforce has yet to receive widespread recognition within traditional frameworks. In this article,…
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15 Sep 23

Access to Capital through FinTech

Access to capital is like the heartbeat of small businesses, driving growth and innovation. But here’s where things get interesting: fintech companies have swooped in, like modern-day superheroes, with solutions tailor-made for business owners like you. Picture this: a world where funding isn’t a complex puzzle, but a path paved…
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