The Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network is excited to welcome Regional Director Jeff Engell to the team. Living and working in Laramie, Jeff brings a unique combination of financial expertise and firsthand entrepreneurial experience that will be a vital resource for small businesses in the region.
Jeff’s professional background is grounded in finance and practical business ownership. Having grown up in the West and spent most of his life in rural communities, he understands the specific barriers businesses often face in this region. As someone who has built and grown a company, Jeff approaches his work with a genuine empathy for the journey founders are on.
“It takes a great deal of grit to start and grow a business, and I enjoy supporting those who dare to take the journey,” Jeff says. “Having the opportunity to work directly with founders and entrepreneurs is a fulfilling mission that I embrace.”
One of Jeff’s passions is supporting founders in trade professions and blue-collar industries. He notes that while these individuals often possess valuable industrial skills, they may need support with business operations knowledge. Jeff finds it extremely rewarding to help these clients implement accounting strategies, manage cash flow, and navigate the complexities of hiring employees.
In addition to operational basics, Jeff is eager to help clients tackle the challenge of funding. With a background in economics and finance, he enjoys empowering people to overcome their hesitations around loans, credit, and investment. “Helping founders to understand programs for financing, how to raise money, and ‘demystifying banks’ is often where I focus when advising clients,” he explains.
Jeff sees Laramie as a unique intersection of the West’s past and future, and he looks forward to contributing to the vibrancy of the community. “The impact of the SBDC can be seen across communities in Wyoming,” Jeff shares. “At a local level, it is great to walk down ‘Main Street’ and run into people who we have helped and see how their business is not only improving their own lives, but how it’s improving the community we live in.”
We are confident that Jeff’s adaptability and dedication to entrepreneurs will make him an invaluable asset to our clients and state. Please join us in extending a heartfelt welcome to Jeff Engell!
