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Shatto Milk

March 30, 2015
Shatto Milk TruckSuccess Story: Missouri

Missouri, University of Central Missouri SBTDC
Darrell Brammer, SBTDC Counselor and Center Director
Shatto Milk Company, SBTDC client since 2013

“Darrell [our SBTDC counselor] is a real go-getter. He does everything he can to help us.” — Leroy Shatto, owner of Shatto Milk Co.

Impact of working with SBTDC: Increased sales of nearly $1 million; also helped secure a $250,000 USDA Rural Development grant for a manure digester. (Four hundred cows produce more than just milk.) Shatto wins prizes for its very high quality milk products nearly annually , including 1st at the World Dairy Exposition for root beer-flavored milk.

Read the whole story, and learn more about the Missouri SBTDC and the Shatto Milk Company.

Modern Technology Debunks Small Business Myths

March 26, 2015
By Cindy Bates

Modern TechnologyTrue or False? Upgrading to new technology is costly and takes too much time. Only big companies need to invest in data security protection. Employees are most productive only when working in the office. You may hold these misconceptions, or business myths, as truths. I want to encourage you to reconsider and not let them hold your small business back.

We recently partnered with small business expert, celebrated author, and technology evangelist Ramon Ray on a video series to bust these business myths and show how modern technology can improve productivity.  (more…)

Getting Started With SEO: 3 Easy Ways to Increase Your Rankings Online

March 23, 2015
By Maxym Martineau

SEO for StartersEveryone wants to show up on the first page of the search engines. Top of mind is important – and while it’s not reasonable to promise that your business will skyrocket to the first spot on the list, there are a few important steps you can take to improve your search engine ranking.

Find the right words

Search engines like websites that are dynamic, which means your content needs to be rich in keywords so your pages are more appealing. On-page SEO (search engine optimization) is vital to increasing your ranking. First, do your research and find keywords that are relative to your business – use phrases or words that people commonly search for when shopping in your industry. Then, build your content around those words so they fit naturally and seamlessly into the text of your website.

A good way to start is to spend a few minutes writing down words that relate to your business. Imagine any phrase or word a potential visitor might use when browsing a search engine. Once you’ve done that, stop by Google’s free Keyword Planner. This is an awesome tool that tracks whether or not people are actually searching for the words and phrases you’ve created. The tool itself is initially part of Google AdWords, but feel free to use it to boost your on-page SEO.  (more…)

Success Story: Florida

March 12, 2015
BioDerm
  • BioDermFlorida SBDC at the University of South Florida (FSBDC at USF)
  • SBDC Counselor: Selma Canas, Certified International Trade Specialist
  • Client: BioDerm, SBDC client since 2010

“When we got our first export plan, we were absolutely thrilled with it. The data in it was incredible. The report was so detailed and had so much information and research. It took our product and lined it up with all of the other countries. We were very impressed with it.” – Wendy LaTorre, Chief Strategy Officer, BioDerm

Impact of working with the SBDC: With the research and data in the customized Export Marketing Plan that BioDerm received from the Florida SBDC at USF, in addition to expanding their efforts in Britain and the Netherlands, BioDerm chose to pursue Canada, Germany and Japan. (more…)

Celebrating National Women’s History Month

March 9, 2015
From the Google Small Business Community

We’re excited to take part in National Women’s History Month this March. The 2015 theme – “Weaving the Stories of Women’s Lives” – celebrates the impact that women-owned small businesses have on our culture and economy. Women have been a force in American business for generations, from Henrietta Johnston – the first professional American female artist in 1707 – to the eight million female business owners in the United States today.

Women continue to make a positive impact across many industries. Check out a few of our member spotlights on female small business owners including:

  • Pastabilities: An Italian restaurant in Syracuse, NY;
  • Red Chair Salon: A salon started by a hairstylist who grew from apprentice to owner in five years;
  • Jackalope Brewing: A brewery founded by two friends combining their passions; and
  • LSTN: A headphone company that pays it forward with every product it sells.

(more…)