SONORA – Tuolumne County Economic Development Authority announced last week the opening of its Small Business Center, through a $10,000 contribution by AT&T to purchase 10 laptop computers.

Tuolumne Economic Development Authority Director Larry Cope said the business center will provide a private meeting and a conference training room for business consultants from the Business Alliance of Tuolumne County and other partners. He said AT&T recently awarded the Economic Prosperity Council, the nonprofit arm of TCEDA, with a $10,000 contribution to purchase 10 laptop computers and business software. The new center, along with the 10 new laptops, will be available for hands-on computer training for small business owners and entrepreneurs.

Multiple consultants met with “350 new small business clients in 2010” and there “was a real need for professional office space for confidential client meetings,” Cope said. “Office space for consultants to meet with their clients was extremely limited,” and “this new small business center will solve that problem.”

Lorinda Forrest of Launch Point Consulting said having an office “lends credibility to our small business services,” and “a professional location with a phone, computer and WIFI access, and a space to spread out business and marketing plans.”

The Business Alliance of Tuolumne County formed last March 2010 to streamline business consulting services for four agencies in Tuolumne County, and provide a centralized phone number and website. Services are free to small business owners, startups, and entrepreneurs, including business and marketing plan mentoring, finance, human resources, website development and maintenance, bookkeeping, patents, publicity, and understanding county and city resources and regulations.

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