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From Empty Beehive to Thriving Family Business: A Success Story

December 16, 2024

In the heart of rural entrepreneurship, Susan and Glenn Scott’s journey with Honey in the Hollow Bee Farm exemplifies the power of passion, perseverance, and strategic business support. What began as a simple gift of an empty beehive would soon blossom into a flourishing family enterprise that demonstrates the transformative potential of small business growth.

A Humble Beginning

Glenn Scott, an auto technician, and Sue, deeply committed to homeschooling, shared a dream of owning their own business. The unexpected gift of an empty beehive became their catalyst for entrepreneurship. Initially, they operated from home, with bees buzzing in their backyard, selling their honey products directly to local customers.

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Blooming Success: How the SBDC Helped Taylor Flower Patch Grow

December 10, 2024

At Taylor Flower Patch, our story is one of passion, perseverance, and the power of community support. I’m Jenny Campbell, co-owner of this beautiful flower farm nestled in the heart of Taylor, Mississippi, just south of Oxford. Today, I want to share how the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) transformed our dream into a thriving reality.

From Hobby to Business

Gardening has always been more than just a hobby for me—it’s a way to connect with the earth and bring joy to others. When my husband and I purchased our property, we knew we wanted to create something special. With encouragement from my husband and sister, I began to see the potential of turning my love for flowers into a sustainable business.

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From PTSD to Prosperity: How Beekeeping Transformed this Disabled Combat Veteran’s Life

November 27, 2024

When Staff Sergeant Eric Grandon, a 20-year U.S. Army veteran, returned home from multiple combat deployments, he was struggling with the debilitating effects of PTSD. Rather than let the stressors of war consume him, Grandon found solace and purpose in an unexpected place – the gentle hum of honeybees.

In 2014, Grandon founded Sugar Bottom Farm in the small town of Ovapa, West Virginia, starting with just two beehives. Along with his wife Mary and daughter Abigail, Grandon dove headfirst into the world of beekeeping, determined to use this newfound passion as a way to manage his PTSD.

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Flying Leap Vineyards: A Veteran-Owned Winery Soaring to New Heights with SBDC Support

November 18, 2024

Flying Leap Vineyards is a remarkable success story of a veteran-owned small business taking flight in the Arizona wine industry. Founded in 2010 by three lifelong friends from the U.S. Air Force Academy – Mark Beres, Marc Moeller, and Tom Kitchens – the company has grown from a small-scale wine grape farming operation to a thriving winery and distillery, thanks in large part to the support of the local Small Business Development Center (SBDC).

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Small WA Cidery Exports to South Korea with SBDC Help

September 30, 2024

By Hope Tinney, Washington SBDC

ELLENSBURG, Wash.—Being named the SBA Seattle 2020 Rural Small Business of the Year not only put Wheel Line Cider on the map, it opened up a world of export possibilities for this small, family-owned cidery.

Wheel Line Cider owner Susie Jensen says she recently shipped 63 cases of cider to one of the largest adult beverage distributors in South Korea, and it wouldn’t have happened without the support and assistance of numerous state or federal agencies, including the Washington Export Outreach Team, the Washington State Department of Agriculture, the Western United States Agricultural Trade Association and the Washington Small Business Development Center (SBDC).

“They are my guardian angels,” Jensen said. “I think the whole process has been amazing, it’s just been amazing.”

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