The Longwood Small Business Development Center will present free seminars in Martinsville and Stuart during March that are designed to help small businesses succeed.

Building the Foundation for Your New Business will be held Thursday, March 8 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in room 104 at New College Institute, 191 Fayette St., Martinsville.

The topic, Start-up Assistance, will be presented by Kelvin Perry, regional consultant with Longwood SBDC.

The seminar will also be held Tuesday, March 27 from noon to 1 p.m. at the Patrick County Chamber of Commerce, 334 Patrick Ave., Stuart.

The speaker will be Lin Hite, Longwood SBDC regional director.

Small businesses play a vital role in the growth of our economy. Over one million businesses are started each year and only about 20 percent survive past the first year. Planning is everything.

Prepare to start a successful business: evaluate your entrepreneurial abilities, marketing strategies, financial resources, legal form of organization, and tips to prepare and present a business plan

If you are considering starting a business, this seminar will provide

valuable information that may help your business be among the 20 percent that survive.

Co-sponsors of the Martinsville event are Longwood SBDC, George Mason University, Virginia Small Business Development Center, U.S. Small Business Administration and New College Institute.

Co-sponsors of the Stuart event are Longwood SBDC, George Mason University, Virginia Small Business Development Center, U.S. Small Business Administration, Patrick County Chamber of Commerce and Patrick County Tourism.

This Stuart seminar is a part of the Patrick County Chamber’s Lunch and Learn series. Lunch will be provided only to those who pre-register. Registration may be done online.

For information, call (434) 395-2086 or email sbdc@longwood.edu.