by Kevin Zimmermann
SHEBOYGAN, WI (WHBL) – In normal times, 50% of small businesses leave the marketplace before reaching their 5-year milestone. After a disaster, 90% of small businesses will fail within a year unless they can reopen within 5 days, and almost 40% never reopen. But the current shutdown for COVID-19 is untested ground…nobody has statistics on an event of this scale. But help is available nonetheless.
The Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation has partnered with the Small Business Development Center at UW-Green Bay to provide guidance on programs designed to weather the COVID-19 economic storm. The partnership has already assisted over 250 individual small businesses and not-for-profits in Sheboygan County.
SCEDC Chair Gary Dulmes called small businesses “the heart & soul of our communities”, and he said that they, and the Small Business Development Center, will provide ongoing assistance as long as its needed.
Businesses needing more information should email sbdc@uwgb.edu or call (920)366-9065.