America’s SBDC Blog

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Stargate Ventures

August 15, 2023

Stargate Ventures — A Success Story

He was just a senior in high school when the light bulb went on for Stargate Ventures owner, Robert (Rob) Lavine. Like many teens, he was watching YouTube and finding ads popping up showing the glitz and glamour of making money online. And, of course, there were videos to show you just how to do.

“I remember being in class and just kind of skipping lunch,” says Rob. “Everybody laughed, and I watched that whole entire video. And that was really, I would say the change, the light switch that for me, I was like, ‘Alright, I really want to pursue becoming an entrepreneur’.”

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Strategic Planning and Business Foundations from University of Georgia SBDC Help Brokerage Gain Sales and Success

August 8, 2023

Client: Practice Sales Advisors, St. Simons Island, GA
Consultants: Jordan Tippett & David Lewis, UGA SBDC Brunswick

Rebecca Robinson Davis of St. Simons is a people person, so much so that she left a lucrative position as a residential real estate appraiser in 2004 in search of a job – any job – that would replace the isolation of appraising homes with more personal interactions. She never thought that move would bring her such success thanks in part to a deep partnership with University of Georgia Small Business Development Center.

“I was looking in the newspaper and there was one job on St. Simons. One job,” she said. “It was for a national vet brokerage, but the description was vague. I turned in my resume anyway and did the interview. They hired me immediately because of my valuation background, which really helped because a business valuation is the foundation of a vet practice sale.”

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Growing the Business and Training the Clients at the Same Time

August 1, 2023

Paw & Order Dog Training was established in 2013 in Pittsburgh by Elissa Weimer-Sentner. She served as a Combat Military Police Officer from 2007 to 2014. After graduating at the top of her class from California University of Pennsylvania, Elissa completed a highly selective Professional Dog Training Program as an outstanding graduate in 2012 and began her career as a professional dog trainer. In 2014, Steve Sentner hired Elissa to train his Shiba Inu, who was showing signs of aggression as a 6-month-old puppy. He would turn out to be more than just a client; the two started dating after their training was completed and they got married in 2015. In 2016, Elissa chose to change her business name to Paw & Order, at which time, Steve retired from his corporate career to manage all marketing and business operations.

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5 Small Business Management Tips for the Busy Summer Season

July 27, 2023

Sunglasses on, toes in the sand — it must be summertime! While the hot weather sounds like a vacation for most, some business owners are feeling a bit salty about it. In fact, in a recent survey of entrepreneurs whose peak seasons are in the summer months, the biggest reported obstacle was standing out in a crowded summer market. If you’re worried customers would have more luck finding a lost grain of sand on the beach than finding your business, read on for our best summer small business management tips.

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Glamour in an Instant

July 25, 2023

InstaGlam — A Success Story

Jenna Matzinger and Angie Ortiz first formed a friendship while attending Empire Beauty School. Being family oriented, they had dreams of opening a salon space where they could welcome and form close relationships with their clients. After years of determination to work together, they achieved their dream and became business partners and co-owners of InstaGlam salon in January 2023.

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