Small businesses failing, how Geneseo can help

Photo courtesy of News Editor, Nikolete Michalkow

SUNY Geneseo has numerous programs and internships for those wanting to get involved in or own a small business in the future.

In early February, President Donald Trump announced a 25 percent tariff on steel and aluminum and a 10 percent tariff on Chinese goods coming to the United States, with supposedly more to come, according to AP News. In addition to the tariffs listed, other tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods have been temporarily put on hold but could come later in the future. 

While these tariffs will have major effects on store grocery prices, they will also have a large effect on small businesses. Small businesses run on small margins and deal with their profit personally, making it increasingly more difficult and expensive for them to buy the goods they need to run their business. 

These recent tariffs may not only affect small businesses now, but also in the future. For the students graduating or close to it looking to open a small business, these tariffs may feel unmanageable or difficult to process. 

Even so, this shouldn’t feel like an end-stop for any small business owner. On the Geneseo website, there is a section labeled “Small Business Development Center,” where they have experienced advisers who can help manage finances and advertising for small businesses looking to open or those already opened. On the website, they state, “Since 1984, we have helped over 384,130 small business clients who created over 169,485 jobs and invested $50 billion in the NYS economy.” 

They mention that the services they provide are free and confidential, making this a solution for anyone looking to support their small business or open one. They help businesses in the areas of Livingston, Wyoming, Ontario, Steuben counties, and Rochester. 

In the section titled “Small Business Development Center Services,” they provide a link to request business assistance. In the section, they also provide resources for counseling that can help in areas of finance, accounting, marketing, operations, and new venture planning. Additionally, they have a subsection for training where they state, “SBDCs offer low-cost workshops, conferences and courses geared to the needs of your business. Training programs range from advanced seminars aimed at experienced small business owners to introductory courses for those planning to start a business.” 

If a student is looking to get involved in the center now, they have internship programs for college business academic areas and college communication. The section states, “Under Counselor guidance, the SBDC provides technical assistance utilizing upper class student interns” 

Another section and internship they have for students is their “Adopt-a-Business Program,” where they help students learn about the importance of marketing on social media to help their businesses. They explain, “The program allows students to gain practical experience in business consulting, entrepreneurship, marketing, and communications by interacting with real-world businesses. In turn, local and regional businesses benefit from having access to cutting-edge talent to enhance their business by leveraging content marketing and their growing online presence through social media.” This internship could also help a student get a social media marketing job with the businesses they worked with during their internship and build up their resume for future jobs. 

Within the Small Business Development Center, they also provide another section for the “VentureWorks Entrepreneurship Program,” which they describe as “an entrepreneurial training and networking program for Geneseo students in all majors who are interested in building a high-tech, soft-tech, or low-tech start-up company. It includes courses, workshops, and events which engage the on-campus community of students, faculty, and staff, as well as the off-campus community in surrounding counties, alumni, and parents.” 

Although the recent tariffs and numerous articles about small businesses struggling may feel frightening for those wanting to go into creating a small business, it is important to note that there are numerous resources around campus aimed at helping students through internships and marketing techniques. If one is interested in contacting or applying for any of the internships or centers listed, contact information and applications on the Geneseo website within the Small Business Development Center section.