SOURCELINK NEBRASKA SERVES AS A GATEWAY TO STATEWIDE RESOURCES, BUSINESS SUCCESS

Scott Asmus, SourceLink Nebraska Program Director, says that from its inception in mid-November 2021 through 2022, 178 startups and existing business owners came to SourceLink Nebraska for individual assistance in a range of areas, resulting in 2,171 interactions with SourceLink Nebraska’s network navigators, the staff members trained to guide clients to the resources best suited to their needs.

Additionally, the network navigators created 140 Personal Action Plans, which are customized plans of resource connections geared specifically to each client, resulting in 1,427 direct referrals to resource partners in the Nebraska network. Asmus says business planning assistance – such as writing or reviewing a business plan, conducting market research, or preparing financial projections – was the most common network navigator referred service, followed by the desire to secure loans and startup assistance.

SOURCELINK NEBRASKA IS RAPIDLY GROWING ITS REPUTATION AS THE PREMIER GATEWAY FOR ENTREPRENEURS, BUSINESS HOPEFULS, AND BUSINESS OWNERS IN SEARCH OF SPECIFIC RESOURCES TO HELP ESTABLISH AND EXPAND THEIR COMPANIES.

SourceLink Nebraska is a statewide platform that connects entrepreneurs and business owners to resources that help start, scale, or accelerate businesses. The Nebraska Business Development Center is the host for the program.

“The SourceLink Nebraska team provides clear access to resources and one-on-one support,” Asmus says. “These interactions with SourceLink Nebraska and our resource partners ultimately serve as a support system that will continue to help people establish and expand their businesses.” they are not alone on their journey to success,” she says. “SourceLink Nebraska is an in-state business advocate that always answers the phone.”

SourceLink Nebraska launched its website, sourcelinknebraska.com, on November 16, 2021. Serving as infrastructure for business development resources, the website has grown to showcase nearly 950 resource partner profiles, along with startup guides, growth guides, capital guides, and a connection to a video library for entrepreneurs and business owners. Additional resources include event listings for entrepreneurs and business owners across the state. To date, the website has resulted in more than 154,000 online referrals, Asmus says.

Jamie Weingart, owner of JNW Consulting, LLC in Scottsbluff, has three views of SourceLink Nebraska: as a client, as a member of the SourceLink Nebraska Advisory Board, and from the perspective of her clients who now use the platform to find resources to grow their own businesses.

Jennifer Havlovick, owner and executive director of Valor Counseling and Support in North Platte, is under contract with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to assist at-risk families in need of supervised visitations and other services. Havlovick has worked with SourceLink Nebraska and with NBDC consultants on a variety of issues before and since opening her business in July 2022.

“I have 30 years of experience on the direct service side of what we do, but I don’t have 30 years’ experience building the back end of a business.” She says. “I know SourceLink Nebraska can help me through this.” meetings to develop Personalized Action Plans. One navigator hosts the meetings at Seventy Five North in North Omaha; another meets with interested persons at the Metropolitan Community College South Express in South Omaha.

Although similar to rural and urban resource platforms in other states, SourceLink Nebraska is one of the more complete and innovative networks, due in large part to the SourceLink Nebraska team.

“SourceLink Nebraska has been an instrumental building bridge for my clients and my company,” Weingart says. “My clients include non-profits, private companies, and health care entities looking to create long-term success. SourceLink Nebraska has the tools and resources they need.”

In addition to connecting business owners and entrepreneurs with “the right resource at the right time,” SourceLink Nebraska also provides encouragement to its clients, Weingart says. “It gives them the sentiment that

SourceLink Nebraska benefits from the financial support and partnership of the Omaha Public Power District, the Peter Kiewit Foundation, the University of Nebraska System, the University Technology Development Corporation, University of Nebraska–Lincoln Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Nebraska Extension, NBDC, and the Economic Development Administration (EDA).

In 2022, SourceLink Nebraska collaborated with Heartland Workforce Solutions to expand its outreach directly to entrepreneurs and small businesses in north and south Omaha. Each Wednesday, Network Navigators welcome entrepreneurs and small business owners for one-on-one

NBDC Executive Director Catherine Lang says the growing number of direct and online referrals illustrate the valuable, unique service SourceLink Nebraska is providing for entrepreneurs and business hopefuls across the state, and to those outside of Nebraska contemplating starting a business here or expanding to the state.

“By making these connections possible, we are supporting success today and tomorrow,” Lang says. “Strong economies yield strong communities, and SourceLink Nebraska is one more example of what makes our state a great place for business.”