Success Stories

12 Days to the Showcase!

America’s Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs) are excited to announce the America’s SBDC Client Showcase & Reception is back again this year! The following SBDC clients will be joining us on Capitol Hill on February 1st:

• Bear Creek Smokehouse – North TX
• Elevate Systems – South-West TX
• Green Technologies – FL
• Helios Remote Sensing – NY
• House of Design – ID
• KuKuRuZa Popcorn – WA
• Luke’s Toy Factory – CT
• McClintock Distilling – MD
• The Eats Place – DC
• Zeigler Bros – PA

To prepare for our big day, we will be doing a 12-day countdown to the showcase reception. Each day we will share a story about one of the clients attending the reception, who they are and how they worked with their local SBDC.  (more…)

Success Story: Illinois

• Illinois Metro East SBDC at SIUE and East St. Louis
• SBDC Advisor: Patrick McKeehan (Center Director)
• Client: HB Coatings, LLC – SBDC client since June, 2015

“The SBDC quickly helped us fine-tune our business plan, made introductions to potential lenders, connected us with a legal advisor and prepared our team for becoming operational as soon as humanly possible. It was – and still is – an extremely fast-paced, rewarding process.” – Ashley Hunsaker, Chairwoman and Co-Owner, HB Coatings, LLC

Impact of Working with the Metro East SBDC:

• Utilized SBA programs to secure $1.205 million in asset funding along with a $200,000 working line of credit through Midwest Regional Bank
• HB Coatings is conservatively projecting revenues to surpass $4 million, with up to eight employees in the first 12 months

Read the whole story, and learn more about the Illinois Metro East SBDC and HB Coatings, LLC.

Success Story: Vermont

When it comes to curing what ails you, more and more Vermonters are opting for paths to wellness that do not rely on the pharmaceutical industry, instead exploring more natural holistic remedies.

Burlington Acupuncturist and Chinese Herbalist Montana Burns was well aware of this growing trend as she watched her practice grow out of its co-opted space in early 2015. She knew it was time to open her own practice in a non-shared location in order to better meet client demand and better serve her existing clients. In July 2015, Atlas Acupuncture at 127 Main Street in Burlington was born.

As the many client testimonies on the practice’s website attest, Atlas Acupuncture clients continue to be pleased with the results Montana’s expertise provides, but transitioning the practice out of the original co-op proved to be a challenge within itself. With the help of Vermont Small Business Development Center Area Business Advisor Steve Densham, Montana was able to meet that challenge.  (more…)

Success Story: Illinois

• Illinois Metro East SBDC at SIUE and East St. Louis
• SBDC Advisors: Patrick McKeehan (Center Director) and Jo Ann Di Maggio May
• Client: Float Rooms USA, LLC – SBDC client since June, 2013

“If it were not for Jo Ann and the SBDC, I would not be where I am today.  Jo Ann and Patrick were pivotal in helping to refine and strengthen the Float Rooms USA business plan, so we could secure a line of credit. The SBDC also connected us to SIUE marketing students who performed valuable market research for our business.” – Cheri Koene, Co-Owner, Float Rooms USA

Impact of Working with the Metro East SBDC:

• Shortly after Float Rooms USA incorporated in 2013, Ms. Koene met with the Illinois Metro East SBDC staff in East St. Louis for business plan assistance and location data. SBDC staff also connected Ms. Koene with America’s Central Port in Granite City (IL) and the Illinois Manufacturing Excellence Center, for detailed insight on how to seamlessly receive product into the United States. (more…)