Jo Ann May Di Maggio May, director of the Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and East St. Louis, has a passion for small business. Her family has been in the restaurant industry since childhood, and she began working in the industry at the age of 15. May returned to the SBDC in 2013 as a small business specialist and later became interim director in 2016. The SBDC supports small business development in southwest Illinois, helping entrepreneurs get started from day one or those with a long history. The center offers various services, including business plan development, marketing, social media, cash flow management, and HR support. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the SBDC has met most of its clients virtually, with in-person meetings available. The SBDC, supported by the SIUE administration, hosts workshops, webinars, and the annual Metro East Startup Challenge for entrepreneurs and businesses under three years old.