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America’s SBDC Blog

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College Student Grows A Unique Business In Vermont

December 12, 2023

By Amanda Kuhnert

Peter Miller started his first business when he was eight years old. He made duct tape wallets and sold them at school and craft fairs. In high school, he ran a clothing company that sold shirts, hoodies, and stickers. And in college, after discovering a passion for woodworking, Miller and a friend created a YouTube channel, FishOverChicksWoodworking, that now has over 10K followers. They make videos of woodworking tutorials and projects.

“I’ve always been entrepreneurial minded,” said Miller, who is now a junior at Champlain College, studying business administration with a focus on entrepreneurship. His latest business venture, The Portable Mini Golf Company, pairs his career aspirations and woodworking prowess. He rents out 9-, 18-, and 36-hole mini-golf courses for group events. Rentals include the course, clubs, balls, scorecards, and pencils. The course can be erected indoors or outdoors, and the price includes set up and take down.

Using Libraries to Enhance Entrepreneurship

December 6, 2023

By Jim Takeshita

Even under the best of circumstances, starting and maintaining a small business is a costly, complex, and time-consuming process. If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur with a good idea, an experienced operator trying to meet a bottom line, or a local creative seeking community connection: Where do you go if you’re not sure what your next step is?

Try your library.

Libraries, such as the St. Louis County Library, report saving small business owners significant money each year (check out the American Library Association’s Library Value Calculator for more). This potential for cost savings is a national trend: Across the United States, libraries in every locality provide entrepreneur support resources of all kinds, from workshops and networking opportunities to specialized media equipment and market research. Working with a local library is a good way for prospective and established small business owners to get the help they need—and a good way for business support organizations to extend the reach and impact of their services.

SBDC Corner Coaching Supports Bellingham Small Business Growth

December 5, 2023

By Hope Tinney, Washington SBDC

BELLINGHAM, Wash.— In Jeff Shaw’s previous work, he was fighting to save the planet. Now, as owner of Bellingham BJJ, a training academy for Brazilian jiu-jitsu, he’s helping students learn to fight for their own improved physical and mental health.

“It’s definitely as rewarding [as my previous work was],” said Shaw, a former deputy director of communications for the Sierra Club, who has been practicing jiu-jitsu since 2010. Creating Bellingham BJJ has been a passion project, Shaw said, something he felt compelled to do for his own physical and mental health. He said sharing it with others and seeing the business grow has been the most gratifying thing he’s ever done.

UGA helps with strategic marketing and business decisions to help expand business

November 30, 2023

By Jenny Giarratano

Marty Hooks could have chosen a life of leisure after working 30 years in the metal buildings industry. However, when his employer began downsizing and offered him an early retirement buyout, he decided to open his own business to create jobs for veterans and young people in his adopted hometown of St. Mary’s, Georgia.

Hooks, a veteran of the U.S. Coast Guard, used his buyout to fund his vision of a service company that sells, drafts and engineers pre-engineered metal buildings, opening PEMB in May 2020. While planning, he contacted University of Georgia Small Business Development Center (UGA SBDC) consultant Jennifer Lee at the UGA SBDC in Brunswick.

“I knew about the UGA SBDC program early on and reached out to Jennifer to tell her what we envisioned doing,” Hooks said.

Lee worked with Hooks to secure a U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) CAPLine loan, designed to help small businesses meet short term and cyclical capital needs. Hooks previously had some loan-related issues that were exacerbated by the pandemic.

Locally Made, Savannah: A Dream Turned Reality with the Support of the University of Georgia SBDC

November 21, 2023

Embarking on the entrepreneurial journey is a thrilling yet daunting endeavor. It demands unwavering courage and a steadfast belief in one’s vision. Nick and Tonya Rintye, the inspiring duo behind Locally Made Savannah, exemplify this spirit, transforming a simple observation into a thriving business that showcases the talents of local artisans. Their success story is interwoven with the invaluable guidance of the University of Georgia SBDC, highlighting the transformative power of support and mentorship.

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