Success Stories

Success Story: Oregon

• Portland Community College SBDC
• SBDC Consultants: Tammy Marquez-Oldham, Pam Kraemer
• Client: Josh Fegles of Jude’s Foods LLC – SBDC client since 2011

“Working with the SBDC equipped me with everything I needed as a first-time entrepreneur in both my initial startup phase and ongoing business growth.” – Josh Fegles, CEO, Jude’s Foods LLC

Impact of working with the Oregon SBDC: Fegles first talked to his SBDC advisor in 2011, when all he had was a recipe for his cookies and a desire to sell them. In 2015, after 4 years of ongoing advising, Fegles, now contracts with an Oregon manufacturer capable of baking over 100,000 cookies in a day, and he has hired a regional distributor to expand his business throughout the Northwest.

Read the whole story, and learn more about the Portland Community College SBDC, the Oregon SBDC Network and Jude’s Foods LLC.

Success Story: Pennsylvania

• Bucknell University SBDC
• SBDC Counselor: Dilip K. Shah
• Client: Upper Desk, Inc. – SBDC client since 2010

“The SBDC is like a one-stop shop providing tools to educate employees, encourage economic growth, develop products and help fulfill professional aspirations.” – Rod and Stephanie Phillips, Upper Desk, Inc.

Impact of working with the SBDC: Seeking to turn his ideas into a successful business, Roderick Phillips and his daughter Stephanie sought help from the specialty Engineering Development Services at the Bucknell University Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Staff and students at the SBDC assisted him with patent and market research, product development guidance, and even some engineering design assistance with Upper Desk products still in the pipeline. (more…)

Success Story: Vermont

• Vermont SBDC
• SBDC Counselor: Deborah Eibner
• Client: Pierogi Me! and Pierogi Café

“Throughout the workshop and in the many follow-up meetings with Deborah Eibner, I was supported and equipped with an invaluable set of tools and strategies that changed my rough idea into a clear vision.” – Viktor Witkowski, Owner, Pierogi Me! and Pierogi Café

Impact of working with the Vermont SBDC:  With the help of VtSBDC advising, Viktor Witkowski has melded his traditional Polish culinary roots with a solid business base, giving his company a stable platform for continued growth. What started as a home-based kitchen business quickly needed space to grow. Witkowski worked with his SBDC advisor to find suitable commercial kitchen space, as well as a small restaurant space to help the growing company expand. His plans continue to become reality as he puts the finishing touches on Pierogi Café in Quechee, where he plans to be serving fresh Polish pierogi soon. He also moved into a commercial kitchen and is ramping up his retail sales while streamlining product packaging.

Read the whole story, and learn more about the Vermont SBDC and Pierogi Me! and Pierogi Café.

Success Story: Vermont

• Vermont SBDC
• SBDC Counselor: Ross Hart
• Client: Fitness Unbound

“We needed help with our financial proposal and business advice from someone with more experience. [VtSBDC] advisors were very, very helpful throughout the entire length of the process – over three years!” Matthew Wells, Co-Owner, Fitness Unbound

Impact of working with the Vermont SBDC: First and foremost, the company needed funding before anything else could get started. Wells said the advice he got from his VtSBDC advisor was pivotal in making that happen. The pair went to work drafting and revising a business plan and financial projections that lenders would be responsive to and were eventually able to secure and finalize start-up funding for the business. VtSBDC advisors also helped the company work through the other challenges they had encountered up to the day they opened their doors in late 2014.

Read the whole story, and learn more about the Vermont SBDC.

Success Story: South Carolina

• South Carolina, Charleston Area SBDC
• SBDC Consultant: Scott Bellows
• Client: Kenneth Cantey, Freeland Construction – SBDC client for six years

“As long as we are able to utilize the SC SBDC, I know we’ll have the business advice we need to make those all important connections, find good job prospects and move forward in a sound way. The Small Business Development Centers network is one of the most underutilized but most necessary services the government offers.” – Kenneth Cantey, CEO, Freeland Construction

Impact of working with the Charleston Area SBDC: Government procurement, maximizing 8(a) opportunities.

Read the whole story, and learn more about the South Carolina SBDC and Freeland Construction.