America’s SBDC Blog

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KREWE Restaurant Opens in St. Joseph with Minnesota SBDC Assistance

June 30, 2020
Success Story: Minnesota
KREWE Opening
L-R: Brianna Knowles and Devin Larson (Minnwest Bank), Mateo Mackbee and Erin Lucas (KREWE owners and chefs), and Berny Berger (Minnesota SBDC)

Experienced restaurant owners and chefs Mateo Mackbee and Erin Lucas will be opening their much anticipated New Orleans cuisine restaurant, “KREWE,” at 24 North College Avenue in St. Joseph on July 1st. Mateo and Erin will specialize in their Creole and Cajun dishes from Mackbee’s food heritage, which is rooted in his mother’s hometown of New Orleans.

The menu will feature a variety of dishes that hearken back to The Big Easy, like muffuletta, jambalaya, and gumbo from family recipes, and shrimp raised locally in Minnesota. Erin operates their partner business – Flour and Flower, a European style bakery, which opened May 21st, located next to KREWE at 26 College Avenue North. (more…)

Integrity Martial Arts: Staying in Business and Fulfilling Service to Customers

June 16, 2020
Success Story: Connecticut

Integrity Martial Arts is a martial arts studio in Enfield, Connecticut that’s having a big impact on its students. Respect, self-control, and discipline — these are the founding principles owner Jonathan Metcalf teaches the young people who are enrolled in his classes.

Jonathan began working with CTSBDC advisor Denise Whitford in 2016, and since then he has been able to successfully grow his business through her advice, support, and guidance. Anticipating the state-mandated closure of non-essential businesses due to COVID-19, Integrity Martial Arts immediately shifted to serving its customers online. Share on X In fact, since the beginning of the pandemic, the business has been able to maintain its customer base and find new opportunities to keep growing. (more…)

How Surveys Can Benefit Small Businesses

June 9, 2020
By Julia Morrissey –

As states start to open back up and businesses begin to re-open their doors, reconnecting with clients and customers is more critical than ever. One of the most effective ways to understand your customers is by conducting surveys.

Surveys are a proven method of connecting with customers to get feedback that will help you understand how the customer thinks and feels about your product. The goal is to receive unbiased and objective information that can help you make important decisions about your product and business.

It’s important to not only send a well constructed survey, but also to know when to ask for feedback and how to analyze the data. The four best times to send out a survey asking for customer feedback are: during a key milestone; when customers fall out of the journey; after a customer receives a customer service contact; and when there is interaction without conversion. Share on X (more…)

Transportation and Event Company Planning to Ride Out Virus Disruption

June 2, 2020
Success Story: Arkansas –

Arkansas Destinations owner Jana Cohen can point to the exact day the coronavirus pandemic disrupted her business.

“On March 12 all bookings for bus tours, events, and incoming travel cancelled or postponed. That was the last day we ran a trip,” said Cohen.

“Overnight, half of our business disappeared, and we had customers asking for money back from deposits they had made.”Eileen Devereux Dailey of the Arkansas Small Business and Technology Development Center advised Cohen as she applied for the Paycheck Protection Program, or PPP, and an Economic Injury Disaster Loan, or EIDL. Share on X

In business since 2000, Cohen’s Little Rock-based company offers tours and event planning, primarily for convention groups. She also operates a fleet of mini buses, trolleys, motor coaches, and vans. (more…)

Paving a “pathway to prosperity” one small business at a time

May 27, 2020
By Moody’s –

Small businesses are the backbone of the US economy. However, with recent uncertainty caused by COVID-19, many are struggling to stay afloat. Even in less turbulent times, entrepreneurs often lack insight into what their finances look like from day to day, how much cash they have on hand or whether they will be able to pay their bills on time. In fact, according to a March 2018 Preferred CFO study, 82% of business failures are a result of poor cash flow management.

One of Moody’s key CSR focus areas is empowering people with financial knowledge, which is why we made cash flow management the focus of a 2019 initiative for US entrepreneurs. This financial empowerment initiative was created in partnership with the Foundation for Small Business Development (FFSBD), the philanthropic arm of America’s Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs). It is the first initiative under Moody’s new Pathway to Prosperity program, which is part of our larger Reshape Tomorrow™ initiative. “Our ultimate goal is to help thousands of small business owners and employees to better manage their finances and secure their operations,” says Charles “Tee” Rowe, President and CEO of America’s SBDC. Share on X (more…)