Jan. 8, 2009 - The U.S. Small Business Administration's Web Chat series starts the new year with a focus on small businesses and the credit crunch. SBA Associate Administrator for Capital Access Eric Zarnikow will help small business owners and entrepreneurs get answers to their questions about credit and borrowing and other resources to help them access credit.
He will host the SBA's January Web chat on the topic "How Small Businesses can Deal with the Credit Crunch." He will answer questions for one hour, 1-2 p.m. ET, on Thursday, Jan. 15. Participants can chat online and ask questions about real-world strategies to employ during economic downturns and how they can sustain themselves through the credit crunch. SBA's Web chat series provides small businessowners with an opportunity to discuss relevant business issues online with experts, industry leaders and successful entrepreneurs. Chat participants will have direct, real-time access to the Web chats via questions they submit online in advance and during the live session, with instant answers.
Participants can join the live Web chat by going online to www.sba.gov, and clicking "Online Business Chat." Web chat participants may post questions for Zarnikow before the chat by visiting http://app1.sba.gov/livemeeting/jan09/index.cfm, and posting their questions online.
SBA offers a variety of resources and referrals to small businesses uncertain about what to do in the current economy on its Web page on Economic Recovery at http://www.sba.gov/helpingmainstreet/index.html.
SBA also offers free online training courses on "Surviving in a Down Economy" and "Strategic Marketing: How to Win Customers in a Slowing Economy," and "Retool & Reposition your company - How to Prepare a Business Plan." These courses are available at

http://www.sba.gov/services/training/onlinecourses/index.html