About Us
Our Beginning
The Lehigh University Small Business Development Center began as a pilot program in 1979 as the federal government and the higher education community understood the need for technical assistance programs for existing and future entrepreneurs in the United States. Lehigh officially became an SBDC in 1980 as one of the first six centers in the Pennsylvania SBDC network and has excelled in its mission to serve our community’s businesses for the last 45+ years.
Our Programs
The Lehigh SBDC leads the way in comprehensive program innovation and execution. Lehigh is the only SBDC in Pennsylvania that is both a Procurement Technical Assistance Center (helping businesses sell to government) and part of the PA Regional Export Network (helping businesses sell globally). In the rest of the Commonwealth, a business owner would have to work with two or three different organizations to receive the same level of services.
As part of Lehigh University’s College of Business, the SBDC provides businesses with opportunities to work with Lehigh’s top tier students and faculty, fostering experiential learning opportunities for them and valuable insight for our local businesses.
Our Services
Our specialty is confidential, one-on-one consulting. Our consultants and clients can work together confident that information stays private and only we know that a business is working with us. At the same time, we know that people learn and work differently. We offer group consulting sessions for those who prefer to work with their peers in small groups. For those wanting to explore a topic as part of a larger audience, our training events provide live lecture in workshop style environments. Our on-demand library and learning modules provide an authoritative alternative to a basic web search for those looking to learn at their own pace.
Our Funding
Funding support and resources are provided by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through the Department of Community and Economic Development; through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, and through support from Lehigh University.
Our Director
Brett Smith has been the Director of the Lehigh University SBDC and has been with the SBDC since 2014. Prior to becoming Director in 2019, Brett was Associate Director, program coordinator for the Lehigh Export Network (LEXNET), and worked with the Southeast PA PTAC. Learn more about Brett.
Accessibility of SBDC Services
All services are extended to the public on a non-discriminatory basis. Special arrangements for persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency can be made by calling 610-758-3980. All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA. SBDC services are not available to individuals or entities that have been debarred or suspended by the federal government. By agreeing to receive assistance from the SBDC you are self-certifying that you are not currently federally debarred or suspended and also agree to cease using SBDC services if you become federally debarred or suspended in the future.
A member of the Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers.
The Pennsylvania SBDCs are a member of the national Association of Small Business Development Centers.
Take the Next Step!
Interested in becoming a client or learning more about us?
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Funding support and resources are provided by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania through the Department of Community & Economic Development; through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration; and in part through support from Lehigh University. All services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Special arrangements for persons with disabilities or limited English proficiency can be made by calling (610) 758-3980. All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA. SBDC services are not available to individuals or entities that have been barred or suspended by the federal government. By agreeing to receive assistance from the SBDC you are self-certifying that you are not currently federally debarred or suspended and also agree to cease using SBDC services if you become federally barred or suspended in the future.