Success Stories

Blind Chef Restaurant Startup

Illinois SBDC at NORBIC
SBDC Advisor – Andrew Fogaty
SBDC Client – Chef Laura Martinez, La Diosa Restaurant

Chef Laura Martinez was born in Mexico and has been completely blind since infancy. She learned to love cooking in her grandmother’s kitchen and years later, through hard work and determination, became the first blind student at Chicago’s prestigious Le Cordon Bleu.

Shortly after graduation, while serving an internship at an area non-profit, local celebrity Chef Charlie Trotter tasted her cooking and immediately offered her a job in his restaurant.

Chef Martinez thrived in the position until August of 2012, when Trotter closed the restaurant and she found herself unemployed.  (more…)

SBDC Client Wins State Business Plan Competition

Alaska, Juneau SBDC
Ian Grant, Counselor
Coppa, SBDC client since 2013

“The business planning tools and Ian’s real-world experience were both hugely beneficial to our business planning efforts” – Marc Wheeler, owner of Coppa

Impact of working with an SBDC: Coppa worked with the AKSBDC on the business plan and financials which won first place in the state’s largest business plan competition. Additionally, Wheeler continues to work with Grant who has years of experience running a similar food business in Juneau.

Read the whole story, and learn more about the Alaska SBDC and Coppa.

By Dan O’Brien

Police Officer Invents ‘Bolo Stick’ to Protect Schools

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio — The device is remarkably simple: a steel bracket and anchor pin that affixes to the base of a door, preventing an intruder from opening or forcing that door open.

What’s even more remarkable is that no one else has thought of it until now.

“I’ve been a police officer for 28 years, I’m an instructor at the police academy,” says William Barna, inventor and owner of the Bolo Stick, a security tool that he is marketing to local schools and hopes to sell across the country. The name of the product is derived from a common police term, “Bolo,” short for “be on the lookout.”  (more…)

Energy Recruiting Services provides job placement services in the oil and energy industries in Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, Colorado and Texas. Energy companies can expand into new areas quickly, leaving them little time for finding quality job candidates. Energy Recruiting Services simplifies the process with quality pre-candidate screenings and placement. “We have an exceptional reputation to help fill the need for qualified employees,” co-owner Melissa McElfish said. “A lot of our new companies are referrals from companies that are happy with our services.”

Their success made sense, given the experience of Melissa and her husband, co-owner Tom McElfish. Melissa previously worked in management and client relations, while Tom spent years in construction management, including oil pad construction in North Dakota.  (more…)

State:  New York
Center: Onondaga SBDC
Client:  Brazzlebox

Story:  Brazzlebox, the exclusive social network for small and home based business, has announced it is launching nationally on September 18, 2014.  Small, at home, Veteran owned and start-up businesses will be able to go to www.brazzlebox.com and sign up FREE. They can quickly develop their profile page and immediately start connecting with businesses in their community or industry.

Brazzlebox is the brainchild of serial entrepreneur Glen Zinszer. Brazzlebox will be working to fill the current B2B and B2Community social networking void. “The opportunity to create an exclusive network and resource for small and home based business owners is massive,” said Zinszer. Small, at home, Veteran and start-up businesses need a champion and a channel. Brazzlebox is coming to your town, business, idea and community. Glen has worked with the SBDC with many of his start-up businesses, including Brazzlebox, and found the information, direction and education incredibly beneficial.  “The level of support received was crucial in the success of all of my businesses: said Zinszer.   (more…)