America’s SBDC Blog

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Snowboarding Innovation

September 30, 2015
gilson-boards-PASuccess Story: Pennsylvania

“The Bucknell SBDC has been an invaluable resource. The folks there have rallied behind our effort, welcoming us to the community and guiding us with sound advice.” – Nick Gilson, Founder/CEO

Impact of working with the Pennsylvania SBDC: Excited to get their boards on the market, the Gilson Boards team came to the Bucknell University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) where they received guidance in business planning and capital formation. Building on that relationship, Gilson Boards tapped into the center’s Engineering Development Services, where they collaborated with students and faculty from Bucknell’s College of Engineering in research and product development. (more…)

Doing Things the Right Way – Air Force Veterans Build a Business

September 25, 2015
Montana - Electric City CoffeeSuccess Story: Montana

“The one thing that came out of our work with the Great Falls SBDC was our logo branding. We never even considered branding. Now, we’re renting cars and buying billboards with a simple, highly recognizable indication of who we are.” – Thad Reiste, co-owner of Electric City Coffee

After retiring from the Air Force, Thad and Heidi chose to return to Great Falls, Montana, go to work for an existing business, learn from the ground up and then buy it. They purchased The Daily Grind (recipes and equipment), relocated it, rebranded and made their shop more than just a coffee shop. They created a food experience. (more…)

Caves and High Tech Normally Don’t Go Together – But They Should

September 21, 2015
Stronghold Data - MO SuccessSuccess Story: Missouri
  • Missouri Southern State University (MSSU) SBTDC, in Joplin, Missouri
  • SBTDC Consultants: Lisa Robinson, Director, and Ken Surbrugg, Consultant, MSSU SBTDC
  • Client: Stronghold Data, L.L.C. – SBDC client since 2006

“… it (the MSSU SBTDC and its services) helped me a lot. I had a little experience from college, before I went into computers, but Ken has been so helpful, educating me as a small business owner to understand the details of statements.” James Richards, CEO, Stronghold Data, L.L.C.

Impact of working with the Missouri Southern State University SBTDC: Stronghold Data CEO James Richards believes the firm will double its current 16 employees and dramatically increase revenue from its current ~$3 million in the next two to three years.

Read the whole story, and learn more about the Missouri SBTDC network and Stronghold Data, L.L.C.

Entrepreneurial Couple Finds Startup Success

September 14, 2015
SC-success-il-giorgioneSuccess Story: South Carolina
  • Columbia Area SBDC
  • Clients: Monica and George Kessler, owners of Il Giorgione in Columbia, SC
  • SBDC clients for three years

“We are sure we saved time and money working with the SBDC. Their expertise is invaluable, yet their services are free!” Monica Kessler, Co-Owner, Il Giorgione

Impact of working with the South Carolina SBDC: Insight into a variety of small business issues.

Read the whole story, and learn more about the South Carolina SBDC and Il Giorgione.

Jude’s Foods Gluten-Free Cookies Fill A Need

September 9, 2015
Judes-FoodsSuccess Story: Oregon

“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.