Running a small business can be tough, especially when it comes to funding. However, things may get easier for small business owners in Demopolis and the surrounding area very soon.

A 12-week program of classes geared toward helping small businesses run more efficiently and apply for loans will begin at the Demopolis campus of Alabama Southern Community College Tuesday.

An introductory workshop was held last Saturday at the college, which got a very positive response. Almost 40 people attended the workshop.

Demopolis Mayor Cecil P. Williamson said the classes would be geared toward those who are interested in gaining more insight on starting a new business or those who want to kick their existing business into high gear.

“These are entrepreneurial classes,” Williamson said. “They are small business classes for people who want to go into business or people who are already in business and would like to have the expertise to move to the next level.”

Williamson said she was pleasantly surprised by the interest the introductory workshop generated.

“I was happy with the number of people that showed up,” Williamson said. “I was surprised by the number of people that showed.”

The classes will begin Tuesday night May 10 at 6 p.m. and will go each Tuesday from then on.

The program is sponsored by the small Business Subcommittee Academy for Small Business Owners Entrepreneurship. The objective of this group is to provide technical and management assistance to small businesses and prospective business owners.

As institutional members of the Alabama Small Business Development Consortium, the SBDC’s are three of 12 University based business assistance sources located throughout the state.

Center Training programs will include state and federal small business tax workshops, pre-business workshops for veterans, general business training workshops, basics of procurement, women in business networking and a Central Alabama procurement conference.

The NxLevel Training program is a 12-week business seminar that uses practical, hands on approach to developing a small business.

For further information please contact the Office of the Director Small Business Development Center at Alabama State University by calling 334-229-4138 or fax them at 334-269-1102.

They can be reached on the web at ww.asubdc@alasu.edu. More information can also be obtained by linking to their website at http://www.cobanetwork.com/sbdc.