Eric Seifert, Finance and Strategy Specialist

Why is understanding your market important to small businesses looking for financing?

“I think a strong part of being prepared before going to a lender is understanding your market.  Knowing your competition, including their strengths and weaknesses, and how you differentiate yourself from them is important to anyone interested in your business.  Being able to demonstrate your current market share as well as your experience in the market is essential when looking for financing.  The MI-SBTDC market research service is a great tool that can allow companies looking for financing to get extensive information on their markets which they can use to develop their business plans before going to a lender.”

Profile

The MI-SBTDC is excited to welcome Eric Seifert as part of our inaugural Finance and Strategy Specialist (FSS) team.  Eric has been a consultant with our West Michigan office since early 2010 assisting small businesses in the Muskegon, Grand Haven and Holland area.  Eric brings a wealth of experience and knowledge of financing and small business management to the newly formed FSS team.
 
Before joining the MI-SBTDC, Eric held a position with the mergers and acquisitions firm in Grand Rapids.  In addition, he assisted his wife in growing her home health care business into $2 million in sales and over 100 employees.  Prior to that, Eric was a senior level manager for a bank lending group where he specialized in SBA loans.  Eric has received many recognitions for his efforts and is highly regarded among his peers.  In 2006, he was awarded Financial Services Champion of the Year for the state of Michigan.
 
Eric earned his Masters in Business Administration from Grand Valley State University and holds a BBA from the University of Michigan.