GRAND RAPIDS, MI – The Michigan Small Business Development Center (Michigan SBDC) recently promoted Jim McLain to the position of Growth Team Manager.

In his new role, McLain will manage the efforts and activities for eight state-wide Business Growth Team consultants, who help “second stage” business owners, or those defined as having 10-99 employees and $1M – $10M in annual gross sales. Areas of assistance may include strategic planning, process improvement, financial management, loan package preparation, buy/sell assistance, transition planning, exporting, supply chain management, and human resource management, among others.

“Our mission is to help Michigan small businesses succeed,” said Michigan SBDC CEO | Executive Director J.D. Collins. “But our impact goes far beyond sole proprietorships – growing businesses can also benefit from the expertise of the Growth Team.”
“Jim is the perfect fit for this important role in our organization and to lead this talented team,” said Michigan SBDC Chief Client Services Officer Beth Roszatycki. “His passion for our strategies of exceeding expectations, telling our story and outreach are clearly evident, and his strong relationships with clients and stakeholders uniquely equip him to take on this new challenge.”

McLain responded, “I see this as an opportunity to tap into the collective knowledge of our diverse network of consultants, clients, hosts and partner agencies to further support the growth of Michigan’s second stage businesses.”

Prior to becoming Growth Team Manager, McLain was a member of the Growth Team for two years, where he built and managed a portfolio of over 20 companies focused on growth and business transition and created executable sales and marketing strategies that lead to over 374 new hires, contributed to over $17 million in incremental revenue and $7.8 million in capital formation

McLain joined the Michigan SBDC after a more than 25-year career at Amway which took him all over the world in various global marketing roles. He has deep and broad experience developing and executing cross-functional marketing strategies and customer experiences that drive growth, including digital and social media activities, marketing analytics and insights, strategic planning, team leadership and collaboration, networking and presentation, user interface/user experience development, and CRM implementation. His passion for small business and gifted ability to help entrepreneurs connect with their target market, hear the voice of the customer, and tell their story through words and images across multiple channels makes him an incredibly valuable thought partner at every stage of the business journey.

The Michigan SBDC provides no-cost consulting, business education, market research and technology commercialization to new and existing businesses throughout Michigan’s 83 counties. Michiganders looking to start or grow a business can connect to free export services, market research, cybersecurity resources and business education through the Michigan SBDC. Entrepreneurs and small business owners may access the services of their nearest Michigan SBDC office by visiting michigansbdc.org.

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About the Michigan Small Business Development Center
Michigan SBDC services are available through the support of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC).
The Michigan SBDC is committed to fostering and sustaining a culture of inclusion through equitable outreach and service to Michigan’s diverse business community.
The Michigan SBDC is hosted on a state level by Grand Valley State University’s Seidman College of Business. Regional hosts include Saginaw Valley State University, Grand Valley State University, Western Michigan University, Mid Michigan College, Michigan Technological University, Kettering University, Eastern Michigan University, Washtenaw Community College and Lansing Community College.

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