Thu,
03/16/2023 – ten:17am | By: Bailey Harris
The Mississippi Tiny Organization Improvement Center (SBDC) not as well lengthy ago announced the promotion
of Rita Mitchell to director of The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) SBDC Center.
Mitchell has been a valuable member of the SBDC group due to the reality 2015, serving as a Organization
Counselor and delivering modest little business enterprise guidance and practical experience to the larger Hattiesburg
neighborhood. In her new element, she will be accountable for overseeing USM SBDC operations
and generating confident the center continues to provide larger-excellent excellent counseling and sources
to modest organizations all by way of the USM SBDC footprint.
“I am honored, excited, and energized to be trusted with this new element. USM, the larger
Pine Belt area, and the surrounding counties are legendary drivers of dynamic innovation
and vibrant entrepreneurship possibilities,” stated Mitchell. “We are committed to taking
our options, sources, and imagineering to the subsequent level as we technique, launch, and
create even a lot much more viable, sustainable modest organizations for our communities to support
and get pleasure from.”
The USM SBDC center has skilled tremendous improvement due to the reality its launch. In 2022, the
center served 978 consumers and recorded 48 little business enterprise starts, up 440% and 140% respectively
due to the reality the center’s extremely 1st full year of operation in 2016.
“We are delighted to have Rita Mitchell onboard as the new SBDC director at USM. Rita
has had such a excellent impact in the Pine Belt area and we can’t wait to see what
she does in her new element,” stated Sharon Nichols, Mississippi SBDC State Director. “The
SBDC and little business enterprise communities of South Mississippi are so fortunate to have access
to her know-how and passion for modest little business enterprise.
Mitchell is an independent consultant for retail specialty shops and independent
modest organizations, all outdoors Mississippi. She is also the owner of Rita and the Fashionistas,
a style and retail education, publication, and public presentation group.
“Rita brings a lot of traits to her element that are hard to match. She is actually
knowledgeable and has a spirit and attitude of encouragement and positivity,” stated
Bret Becton, Dean of the USM College of Organization and Economic Improvement. “She also performs extremely hard for consumers and revels in their achievement. She is 1 unique of
the most committed, hard-operating males and females I have been affiliated with in my profession and
I am pleased that Rita will be taking on this extremely substantial element.”
Apart from becoming the ghost-writer for a quantity of publications, Mitchell is a 50-plus-year
retailer and adviser to “fine shops everywhere.” Her husband is the Pine Belt’s retail
consulting legend, the late Milton Waldoff.
Mississippi SBDC delivers completely free of charge, confidential 1 unique-on-1 unique little business enterprise counseling and sources to possible
and present modest little business enterprise owners all by way of the state of Mississippi.