New Client Registration & Scheduling an Appointment
Please review the information and/or explainer video below prior to scheduling an appointment:
Getting Started with the Illinois SBDC
Thank you for your interest in receving advising services from the Illinois SBDC at Sauk Valley Community College. We advise individuals and small businesses at all stages of business development on a variety of topics. We're funded by a cooperative agreement with the Small Business Administration (SBA) and State of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, so all new clients must register for an account and sign our request for consultation agreement before meeting with us. After completing the form under the New Clients section below, you’ll get an email from sbdc@svcc.edu within 1-3 business days with a Calendly link to schedule your appointment.
Before you continue, consider the following first:
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Are you a Not-For-Profit (NFP)?: Our advising is strictly limited to for-profit ventures by our grant agreement with the SBA. Nonprofits should connect with SCORE for guidance.
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Outside our region? We serve Lee, Whiteside, Ogle, Carroll, Jo Daviess, and Stephenson counties. If you're outside this area, we’ll refer you to the SBDC nearest you.
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Resident Status: Illinois SBDC services are provided in a nondiscriminatory way to all legal residents and citizens in the US.
Still have questions? Check out our FAQ page.
By signing up as a client, you agree to the following:
What You Can Expect from Us:
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Experienced, one-on-one business advising in a format that the advisor feels will benefit you most.
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A clear action plan to help you achieve your business venture goals. Your advisor won't do the work for you.
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Honest, constructive feedback for you and your business.
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Full confidentiality, we don't disclose anything about you or your business without your written consent.
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Courteous, professional service
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Follow-up to track your progress
What We Expect from You:
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Assume full responsibility for scheduling your own initial and follow up appointments with the Center. You are the driver of the relationship with our Illinois SBDC team.
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Be open, honest, and respectful to all Center staff.
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Do the work that you and your advisor agree is necessary for your business venture.
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Be open to new ideas or strategies presented by your advisor.
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Be open to our advising approach, which includes virtual meetings where we present tools and interactive forms.
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Attend all scheduled meetings and give a minimum 1 business day notice for reschedules and cancellations. Exceptions for emergencies are acknowledged and understood.
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Complete all satisfaction and economic impact surveys that we send throughout the year.
Choose the appropriate option below (Read all information on this page carefully):
New Client Registration
Are you ready to start now? Did you read the expectations above?
Important: We have limited staff and appointment slots. Please sign-up only if you are ready to move forward right away. If you’re just starting out and exploring options, our on-demand webinars are a great first step prior to registering as a new client.
Get started by clicking the button below, you will be asked some preliminary questions on a form to ensure you are eligible for our no-cost services. Once completed and eligible, you will be redirected to our eCenter page to fill out the client registration form with your email address and a password of your choice. You’ll be asked for your contact and (if applicable) business information, the type of advising you need, and to sign our client agreement outlining our shared expectations.
After you submit the form, you'll receive an email from us at sbdc@svcc.edu within 1 business day. It will include a Calendly link to book your initial consultation. Be sure to check your spam or junk folder, just in case. You may also hear from our team within a few days if we need additional information or to assist with scheduling.
Once your appointment is set, feel free to send along any relevant materials in advance, such as a business plan or questions you’d like to focus on. Your advisor’s contact information will be located in the meeting invitation as well. During our first meeting, we’ll get to know your background, discuss your goals, and outline next steps tailored to your needs.
Still have questions? Check out our FAQ page.
Schedule an Appointment
Welcome back to the Illinois SBDC!
Use the button below to schedule a meeting with an advisor via Calendly. You must be a registered Illinois SBDC client to book an appointment. If you recently completed your client application, you may also use this link for your initial consultation.
Appointments will be cancelled for individuals who do not have a completed client file and a signed client agreement on record with the Illinois SBDC Network.
Questions? View our FAQ Page.