Charles McCaffrey, Community Business Partnership, and Emily McMahan, The Capitol Post Photo by Jerry Fill.
Assisting veterans, women, and minorities in starting, growing, and sustaining a small business was the focus the Southeast Fairfax Development Corporation’s (SFDC) 5th Business Roundtable Speaker Series on Thursday, Aug. 6, at the Springhill Suites Hotel on Richmond Highway.
The speakers were Charles McCaffrey, director, South Fairfax Small Business Development Center, and Emily McMahan of The Capitol Post.
McCaffrey is a 2012 graduate of George Mason University with an MBA in entrepreneurship. In 2011 he started his own management consulting company that assists organizations, small and large, public and private, in developing plans and strategies that promote creative and innovative growth ideas and business solutions. McCaffrey spent 12 years as a naval officer, and worked for 5 years as a Defense contractor.
McMahan holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and a Master of Business Administration from the Darden School of Business from the University of Virginia. Her military experience includes combat deployments supporting Operation Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, and Noble Eagle. She also served in private business as a partner for a start-up technology firm serving the federal government.
Each speaker explained the kind of assistance and advice they provided in business training, counseling, mentoring, and referrals for eligible veterans owning or considering starting a small business. This includes but is not limited to business plan preparation, one-on-one counseling, and networking opportunities in which veterans gather at peer group roundtables. They also provide for small business tax preparation, public speaking and presentation skills training, social media, franchising, small business certifications, and government contracting.
The approximately 30 attendees asked questions about the variety of services offered and how they could enroll in the various training programs discussed.
The next Business Roundtable discussion organized by SFDC will be on Franchising Your Business. It is scheduled for Sept. 3, 8:30-10 a.m. at the Holiday Inn Express, 6055 Richmond Highway, Alexandria.