America’s SBDC Blog

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America’s #SBDC Client Showcase – Torklift

January 31, 2017
6 Days to the Congressional Showcase!

State: Washington
SBDC: Washington SBDC
SBDC Advisor: Sharon Sappington
SBDC Client: Torklift

TorkliftTorklift was founded in 1976 and started as a small retail shop where automotive and RV-related services and products were sold. It soon became a hub of new product innovation that exploded into the expansion of a manufacturing arm that sells RV and automotive products world-wide, with a strong fan-base of “Torklift-only” customers. Torklift products and services include trailer hitches, suspension, truck camper tie downs and turnbuckles, step systems, custom fabrication, trailer repair and wiring. The company has also hosted a community-wide fund-raiser called the Kent Turkey Challenge that has raised more than $113,000 for the Kent Food Bank since its inception.

“Our Washington Small Business Development Center has helped us with quite a few projects that we would not have completed due to resources and time constraints. They provided us with quality research about expanding into other countries as well as markets. They also provided a pathway to gaining media exposure to our organization that led to additional opportunities.” — Candice Boutilier, Senior VP of Sales and Marketing, Torklift

Read more about Torklift here. Follow Torklift on Twitter @Torklift.

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The America’s SBDC 2017 Client Showcase Reception will be at 5:30 pm on Monday, February 6, 2017, at the Rayburn House Office Building. Invite your Members of Congress now!

For more information about America’s SBDC or to find an SBDC near you, go to www.AmericasSBDC.org.

America’s #SBDC Client Showcase – Superior Bathhouse Brewery

January 30, 2017
7 Days to the Congressional Showcase!

State: Arkansas
SBDC: Arkansas SBTDC at Henderson State University
SBDC Advisor: Leah Hasley
SBDC Client: Superior Bathhouse Brewery

Superior Bath HouseSuperior Bathhouse Brewery is a craft microbrewery located in the historic 1916 Superior Bathhouse on Bathhouse Row in Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas. The thermal waters that made the area famous are a key ingredient in Superior’s brewing process. Open since July 2013, It is the only brewery located inside a national park.

“ASBDTC played a critical role in getting my business off the ground. Resources like ASBDTC are essential to a first-time business owner who needs help navigating very complicated systems. I met ASBTDC’s Leah Hasley in 2012, when I was in the middle of a two-year planning phase to submit a proposal to the National Park Service to develop a brewery in a Historic Bathhouse in Hot Springs National Park. With her help, I put together a business plan, something I had never done before, and the Center guided me through submitting the plan to banks to request financing. My work with the Center qualified me to participate in the Federal Home Loan Bank grant program, which gave me an additional $25,000 in working capital. Over the past four years, the Center has connected me to university students who prepared marketing ideas for me and introduced me to additional financial institutions that have loaned me additional capital to expand my operations.” — Rose Schweikhart, Founder and Owner, Superior Bath House

Read more about Superior Bathhouse Brewery here.

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The America’s SBDC 2017 Client Showcase Reception will be at 5:30 pm on Monday, February 6, 2017, at the Rayburn House Office Building. Invite your Members of Congress now!

For more information about America’s SBDC or to find an SBDC near you, go to www.AmericasSBDC.org.

America’s #SBDC Client Showcase – Rex Specs

January 29, 2017
8 Days to the Congressional Showcase!

State: Wyoming
SBDC: Wyoming SBDC Network
SBDC Advisors: Lisa daCosta and Jill Kline
SBDC Client: Rex Specs

Rex SpecsRex Specs, LLC designs and manufactures protective eye wear for dogs. Rex Specs dog goggles are designed specifically for the needs of professional working canines but are suitable for all active pets as well. Our products provide protection from UV rays, dust, debris, vegetation and other environmental hazards. Whether your dog is your working K9 partner, riding the wild roads in your motorcycle sidecar, hiking a mountain, or on a hunting excursion – Rex Specs dog goggles are the best protection for your canine friend.

“The Wyoming SBDC has been a significant partner for our business through the startup phase. The Trade Show Incentive Grant helped us to attend many of the events that launched and continue to generate growth for our company; and the marketing and strategy consulting have been invaluable as we build our company for long term success.” — Aiden and Jesse Emilo, Founders, Rex Specs

Read more about Rex Specs here. Follow Rex Specs on Twitter @RexSpecsK9.

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The America’s SBDC 2017 Client Showcase Reception will be at 5:30 pm on Monday, February 6, 2017, at the Rayburn House Office Building. Invite your Members of Congress now!

For more information about America’s SBDC or to find an SBDC near you, go to www.AmericasSBDC.org.

America’s #SBDC Client Showcase – Bear Creek Smokehouse

January 28, 2017
9 Days to the Congressional Showcase!

State and Region: Texas, North Texas
SBDC: Kilgore SBDC
SBDC Advisor: Brad Bunt
SBDC Client: Bear Creek Smokehouse

Bear Creek SmokehouseNestled in the East Texas piney woods of Bear Bottom, four generations of family tradition surround Bear Creek Smokehouse. Originating in 1943, Hick and Nellie Shoults have raised and cured their own smoked meats. Since then, the Smokehouse has grown from a backyard venture with 600 birds to one of East Texas’ largest facilities, producing a wide variety of smoked delights. Bear Creek Smokehouse is one of the oldest stores in the United States, offering products such as ham, peppered pork tenderloins, smoked ribs, pork loins, brisket, a variety of birds and much more! The store also offers a range of soups and beverage mixes, along with chocolate fudge and praline pecan desserts. Bear Creek Smokehouse just released a beautiful cookbook and has been featured on the Food Network’s Beat Bobby Flay and Rachael Ray TV shows.

“Working with the SBDC has been a great experience.  They have helped sustain our company in various ways by showing us how to improve our cash flow, our bottom line and our competitiveness in the marketplace through resources available to small businesses in East Texas. Brad Bunt has been a pleasure to work with through this process and has been very attentive to our individual business requirements. I would highly recommend any small business owner to the SBDC staff and let them put their expertise to work for you.” — Robbie Shoults, Owner, Bear Creek Smokehouse

Read more about Bear Creek Smokehouse here. Follow Bear Creek Smokehouse on Twitter @BearCreekSH.

Watch videos of Rachael Ray and the Shoults preparing two Bear Creek Smokehouse recipes: Cranberry glazed appetizer meatballs and sweet and spicy bacon chicken bites.

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The America’s SBDC 2017 Client Showcase Reception will be at 5:30 pm on Monday, February 6, 2017, at the Rayburn House Office Building. Invite your Members of Congress now!

For more information about America’s SBDC or to find an SBDC near you, go to www.AmericasSBDC.org.

America’s #SBDC Client Showcase – Veterans MFG

January 27, 2017
10 Days to the Congressional Showcase!

State and Region: Texas, America’s SBDC – Texas Gulf Coast Network
SBDC: Fort Bend County SBDC
SBDC Advisors: Joe Decker and Jacqueline Taylor
SBDC Client: Veterans MFG

Veterans MFG logoVeterans MFG is a veteran-owned and operated manufacturer of body armor, mobile and vehicle shields and other protective ballistic systems.

“As both Partners at Veterans MFG have strong business experience and education, our local SBDC provided us with essential local contacts, references and most importantly, referrals to local and national media. Our local representative, Joe Decker, was directly responsible for connecting our company with the Houston Chronicle (4th largest Sunday business circulation in the nation) which featured us in two front page business articles. The exposure we received from those two articles has given our young company a fantastic “out of the gate” boost that we could not have achieved without their help.” — William “Billy” Gibbons, Partner, and Mike Hlozek, Partner, Veterans MFG

Read more about Veterans MFG here and here. Follow Veterans MFG on Twitter @vetsmfg.

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The America’s SBDC 2017 Client Showcase Reception will be at 5:30 pm on Monday, February 6, 2017, at the Rayburn House Office Building. Invite your Members of Congress now!

For more information about America’s SBDC or to find an SBDC near you, go to www.AmericasSBDC.org.