COVID-19: Virtual Town Hall Meeting

This free LIVE webinar will feature a panel with experts on key areas of business support related to the coronavirus pandemic, The U.S. Small Business Administration, legal, employment, and accounting. During this session, we will discuss loan and disaster financing, unemployment information, operational guidance, governmental updates, upcoming webinars, and more. Topics/Speakers Include:

1. SBA economic injury loans overview - Sharon Harvey, U.S. Small Business Administration
2. Preparing your finances for disaster loans - Sharon Bennett, EA at Braxton Freeman, CPA
3. Employee layoffs, legislative updates & legal - Jeff Goss, Ridenour & Goss, PA
4. NC Rapid Recovery Loan Fund and other financial support options for your business - Michael Lane, Mountain BizWorks
5. Small Business Center update and resources
6. Q/A for panelists

Our Panelists: Sharon K. Harvey is a native of Indianapolis, Indiana. She holds a bachelor's degree in Radio and Television, consisting of more than 40 credit hours in journalism from Butler University. She joined the SBA Indiana District Office in 2008 as the public information officer, and assumed the role of economic development specialist in 2014. Prior to the SBA, Sharon spent 19 years in the private sector working in television and radio as a sales director and media buyer. Sharon joined NC SBA in 2019 as the Senior Area Manager for Western North Carolina.

Jeff Goss is an attorney and partner in the law firm of Ridenour & Goss, P.A. located in Sylva, North Carolina. He has represented clients in civil and criminal litigation, foreclosures, corporation and LLC formations, estate administrations, and real estate transactions and disputes. Jeff’s current practice focuses on residential and commercial real estate closings, right of way disputes, condemnation/eminent domain actions, suits for breach of contract, partition proceedings, and estate administrations. He regularly advises small business owners on employment issues, corporate governance, lease negotiations, and other contract related matters. Jeff is a graduate of Western Carolina University (B.S.B.A., 2005) and Charlotte School of Law (J.D., 2010). He currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Board of the Tuckaseegee Water & Sewer Authority.

Sharon F. Bennett Sharon received her Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Appalachian State University in 2004. She began working for J. Braxton Freeman CPA, PA after graduation. Sharon is an Enrolled Agent (EA), which is the highest credential the IRS gives to tax preparers'. She is focused on helping her clients with tax return preparation (Individual, Corporate, Partnership, Estate/Trust, and Non-Profit), monthly and/or quarterly financial statements, payroll processing and any other business forms that must be prepared to stay in compliance with taxing authorities. When Sharon is not working she enjoys spending time with her family and being the music director at Iotla Baptist Church.