Allen Thomas (left), Small Business Administration Region IV administrator, presents the award for SBA Women-Owned Small Business of the Year to Christy and Roberto Amay, owners of Amay Jewelry Designs. Congratulating them are Janita Stewart (second from right), SBA Mississippi District director, and Rita Mitchell, director of the Mississippi SBDC location at the University of Southern Mississippi. Submitted photo
Mississippi entrepreneurs credit network for growth and recognition
by Erin Garrett
The Mississippi Small Business Development Center Network, headquartered at the University of Mississippi, is celebrating clients that won 2024 Mississippi Small Business Administration Awards.
Mississippi SBDC Network clients won seven of the 10 awards presented at the SBA‘s annual ceremony in July.
“We are incredibly proud to celebrate the remarkable achievements of our clients, who have been honored with seven SBA awards, including the prestigious Business Person of the Year,” said Sharon Nichols, the network’s state director. “This recognition is a testament to their hard work, innovation and resilience.
“At the Mississippi SBDC Network, we are honored to support and be part of their entrepreneurial journey, and these awards underscore the collective commitment to fostering excellence in our business community.”
The award winners were:
- Small Business Person of the Year, John Ruskey, Quapaw Canoe in Clarksdale
- Exporter of the Year, Hagan Walker and Anna Barker, Vibe LLC dba Glo, Starkville
- Rural Small Business of the Year, Cedric and Joan Anderson, CJ’s Seasoning, Taylorsville
- Veterans Small Business of the Year, James Burch, Coleman Farms LLC, Lexington
- Minority Small Business of the Year, James and Doris Louis, Wholly Fire Foods LLC, Hattiesburg
- Woman Owned Business of the Year, Christy and Roberto Amay, Amay Jewelry, Hattiesburg
- Young Entrepreneur of the Year, Abigail Nichols of Abbikadabbi’s Baking Co. LLC, Olive Branch.
The network has 16 offices across the state, as well as virtual sites. Budding entrepreneurs and small-business owners can get free services such as business plans, market research and international trade counseling.
Ruskey’s business, Quapaw Canoe, provides guided canoe, kayak and paddleboard tours on the lower Mississippi River. He sought out the SBDC for assistance in finding a business partner. He also credits the SBDC for providing crucial guidance during challenging times, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The center provided invaluable counseling during that process, helping me formulate a clear plan for what I wanted in life and how my business could make that happen,” Ruskey said. “The SBDC has been instrumental in our survival,” Ruskey said. “They helped us in applying for PPP (payback protection program) loans, which kept our staff employed and helped us diversify our services.”
Christy Amay began working with the SBDC in 2018. Her husband, Roberto, was then working for a jeweler who was retiring and closing their business. So, the Amays were considering opening their own store.
“I had never owned a business before,” Christy Amay said. “The SBDC started us with classes covering everything from business plans to finances. We had a soft opening in just 90 days, and I don’t think we could have done it without the guidance from the SBDC.”
Amay, who is celebrating the fifth anniversary of Amay Jewelry this year, said she is quick to put other entrepreneurs in contact with the SBDC.
“When someone aspires to open a business in our area, I’ll get tagged on Facebook to point them in the right direction,” she said. “I am the center’s biggest cheerleader in addition to taking advantage of their services.”
