One of the top 40 Under 40 young professionals in the national network of Small Business Development Centers is Florence Meadors of Southern Arkansas University.
The award recognizes outstanding young leaders in the America’s SBDC network who are fostering a spirit of innovation and driving success for small businesses.
The 40 Under 40 recipients including Meadors were honored Sept. 11 at the 45th Annual America’s SBDC Conference in Atlanta.
“These ambitious leaders are changing communities and employing unique perspectives and strategies that resonate with a modern workforce,” said Charles “Tee” Rowe, America’s SBDC president and CEO.
As a business consultant at the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center’s regional office at SAU, Meadors aids clients in starting and growing businesses. Her expertise includes business planning, market research, digital marketing, and financing proposals.
Since joining the center in 2021, she has assisted clients with obtaining $5,620,061 in capital and starting 24 businesses.
In addition to her one-on-one work with aspiring and current business owners, she leads workshops and promotes entrepreneurship on campus and in communities across Southwest Arkansas.
Meadors spends one day a week in Camden to make services more accessible to the center’s large geographic region. She teaches digital marketing seminars like “5 Ways AI Can Help Your Small Business” and “Smartphone Photography for Social Media.”
Laura Fine, ASBTDC state director, nominated her for this prestigious honor.
She said, “We are incredibly proud to see Florence recognized as one of America’s SBDC 40 Under 40. Her commitment to supporting rural entrepreneurs in Southwest Arkansas has made ASBTDC services more accessible to many. By leading digital marketing workshops, Florence is addressing the critical skills gap in our rural communities, empowering small businesses to thrive in today’s digital economy. Her dedication to making a difference is truly inspiring.”
America’s SBDC is a non-profit association that represents the nationwide network of Small Business Development Centers, the Small Business Administration’s largest partnership program of nearly 1,000 local centers that provide management and technical assistance to help Americans start, run, and grow their businesses.
