SAMA has two Small Business Specialists (SBS) serving different areas and providing Technical Assistance throughout the cities of Hartford and New Haven

The Small Business Specialist delivers the following services:

  • Coordinating and planning marketing events
  • Scheduling meetings for merchants
  • Attending community meetings
  • Helping develop Business Plans
  • Collaborating with other merchants groups
  • Working on the development of new entrepreneurs
  • Assisting in the relocation of new businesses to target areas
  • Promoting and tracking job creation
  • Preparing loan presentations to the SAMA’s Loan Committees, as well as other financial institutions
  • Attending community meetings
  • Assisting with licenses and permits
  • Computer training assistance
  • Grand Openings

SAMA’s specialists have become highly specialized and community-focused, serving the complex needs of English and non-English speaking business owners, especially Latino, which represent a high percentage of small business owners in the inner cities.