America’s SBDC Blog

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Amped Apparel – Taking Your Brand to the Customer

August 17, 2015
Amped-ApparelSuccess Story: Pennsylvania

• Shippensburg University SBDC
• SBDC Counselor: Cheryl Young
• Client: Amped Apparel – SBDC client since 2013

“Try and go about it in the correct way. Consult with the SBDC. It’s easy to not want to spend as much money and time, but by taking the proper steps first, you’re establishing a brand that can grow.” – Adam Sitz, Owner, Amped Apparel

Impact of working with the Shippensburg University SBDC: Adam Sitz attended Shippensburg University to pursue a college education. While at Shippensburg, he continued to develop the Amped Apparel business that he started as a teen and that is celebrating its 6-year anniversary this year. Today, Amped Apparel is an action sport and lifestyle clothing brand. Amped also sponsors multiple athletes in various action sports. Amped Apparel’s products include t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, girls’ tanks, beanies, accessories, socks, bags, and eyewear.  (more…)

School’s Back In Session: It’s Time For A #Retail Refresh

August 14, 2015

retail-refreshThe summer’s winding down and parents everywhere are on the hunt for the best deals on back-to-school shopping. You know what that means: Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are right around the corner. Back-to-school is the perfect time for small businesses to get a jump-start on their holiday marketing – especially when 15% of consumers start their holiday shopping as early as July.

Here are some ways you can get an A+ on your back-to-school marketing:

Don’t miss the first day of school. As you’re reading this, your customers have already started shopping. In fact, according to Google Trends, “search interest started trending up a week earlier than last year and a whole three weeks earlier than 2013.” Make sure your online properties – your website, Google My Business listing, and social media profiles – are updated to showcase what you have to offer.

Do your homework. Remember when you had to do summer reading homework to prepare for the first day of school? As a small business owner, your summer assignment is to study what your customers are searching for on Google Trends. This will help you stock and advertise your products accordingly – and even help you get ahead of the curve for the holiday season. For example, according to Google Shopping Data search results, combat boots are out and Disney Vans are in.  (more…)

Avoiding Franchise Funding Mistakes – The Top 3 Pitfalls

August 11, 2015

avoiding-franchis-funding-mistakesA potential franchisee seriously interested in becoming an entrepreneur will take several demonstrative steps throughout the ownership process. In this post, we focus on the financing options available to the franchisee. It is our hope that you will be able to avoid potential mistakes and find a suitable solution which matches up perfectly with your own financial position.

Allow us to introduce to you the Top-3 Pitfalls of franchise funding. Take heart, because making the right decisions will illuminate a path to success and growth. A costly mistake could jeopardize your break-even possibilities and even hamper your effort to achieve viability in the marketplace. Some of what you are about to read is just plain common sense, but you may find just find the “gem that keeps you out of a jam!”

Pitfall Number One – “Pump Your Brakes”

You’ve spent the requisite time in choosing to meet with a qualified franchise consultancy like FranNet, whose sole focus is matching the right opportunity with the right option just for you. You believe in the franchise concept, and you did your due diligence through the Franchise Disclosure Document process. You have arrived at this point because you were both cautious and prudent with your time in researching the development of your soon-to-be franchise. It’s time to explore financing options, not hit the gas and floor it. Stay as focused and patient as you have been up to this point, never let your emotions override the necessity for exploring any and all financing options – even if you do feel close to the finish line.  (more…)

Doing Businesss the Environmentally Friendly Way

August 10, 2015
Premiere_Rubber_CompanySuccess Story: New York

“Doing business in an environmental and community friendly way can be very successful, especially when you add the SBDC to your team.”– Gail Walker, CEO, Premier Rubber Company, Inc.

Impact of working with the Farmingdale State College SBDC: Approved for an IDA PILOT program that assisted the company in moving into a new 18,000 SF building in Farmingdale, NY, expanded staff from six to 16, and increased sales to $5,400,000 in 2014.

Read the whole story, and learn more about the New York State SBDC and Premier Rubber Company, Inc.