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Zo’s Mini Donuts Finds the Recipe for Growth with Michigan SBDC

May 27, 2026

For sisters Zoey and Lydia Heyn, the mission of Zo’s Mini Donuts is simple and sweet: bring hot and fresh donuts to the community. What started in 2023 as a single food truck in Sawyer has blossomed into a thriving business with three mobile food trucks and a plan to double that number in the next year. This extraordinary growth, however, presented a new set of challenges for the young entrepreneurs.

The duo was confident in their family recipe and their ability to sell delicious donuts, but they needed guidance on the business aspects of how to grow their company. As they hired more employees, Zoey and Lydia found themselves needing a deeper understanding of financial management and human resources – which is exactly where the Michigan Small Business Development Center came in.

“We applied to our Southwest Michigan Regional Chamber HYPE pitch competition and we actually won,” said Zoe. “When we won, we were given a list of all these resources that we had access to that we didn’t know about.” One of those resources was the Michigan SBDC, which connected them with Southwest Region Senior Business Consultant Wendy Spreenberg.

“What we really needed was things that we couldn’t find on a Google search,” Lydia explained. “We needed contacts for suppliers, we needed contacts for packaging.” Wendy worked with the pair on their financial management, helping them understand cash flow and how to get the most out of their wholesale suppliers. She also provided them with invaluable knowledge and contacts for the behind-the-scenes operations of their business, which made their busy summers run more smoothly.

“Lydia and Zo were tremendously skilled already,” Wendy said. “What I brought to the table was helping them understand a little bit more about their finances.”

With Wendy’s guidance, Zo’s Mini Donuts has been able to win additional competitions, expand its fleet of food trucks, and grow its team to 15 part-time, seasonal employees, with plans for more. The Heyns’ vision is to make Zo’s Mini Donuts a tradition in Southwest Michigan and eventually expand to college campuses and even retail.

“It was just so helpful to have someone to turn to when we hit a wall or we didn’t know what to do next.”

Zoey Heyn, Co-Owner of Zo's Mini Donuts Tweet

The Michigan SBDC is proud to support ambitious young entrepreneurs like the Heyn sisters. Their energy and drive are a perfect example of how a great idea, combined with the right resources, can lead to incredible growth.

“The best thing about working with the Michigan SBDC is working with the clients,” Wendy said. “They have unique stories and unique business approaches. Specifically for Zo’s, they brought the energy, the enthusiasm, the will and the desire – as well as the ambition to get their business not just started, but grown to the next level. I love working with them.”

Chef Sunflower Cooks Up Success with SBDC Support

December 10, 2025

Temple University SBDC – Chef Shon Emanuel, affectionately known as Chef Sunflower, is a self-taught vegan chef with a passion for creating plant-based proteins that are simple, nutritious, and delicious. Operating from her family’s restaurant in West Philadelphia, she developed “Thaw-Heat-and-Eat” vegan offerings to make healthy eating more accessible.

Shondia’s entrepreneurial journey began when her family restaurant saw increased demand for health options during the pandemic, but she noticed their food suppliers only offered vegan burgers and nuggets. Determined to meet their customer’s demand at her family’s high standards, Chef Sunflower decided to focus on plant-based food innovation.

At one point, structural issues with their building forced the family to close their restaurant, leaving Shondia searching for a way to keep her culinary dreams alive. While the restaurant was closed, she dove into a completely new venture: consumer packaged goods. Without prior business experience, she faced obstacles in creating a business plan, getting her production processed properly licensed, securing funding, and crafting a compelling pitch to attract investment.

In May 2024, Shon reached out to the Temple University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for help. She worked closely with consultant Isabel Krome to refine her vision. Over the summer, the SBDC guided her in completing a business plan and preparing for Drexel University’s B Smart program, where participants develop financial projections and pitches. Shondia practiced her pitch with SBDC consultants and gained critical insights into presenting her business idea confidently and effectively.

“Working with the Temple SBDC has been an incredible experience. I was perfectly matched with my advisor, who has been instrumental in guiding me through the challenges of launching a new food business venture.”

Chef Sunflower, Founder, BTW, It’s Vegan

With SBDC support, Chef Sunflower achieved key milestones, including completing her business plan and perfecting her pitch. Her hard work paid off at the B Smart pitch day, where she secured a $5,000 grant from Citizens Bank. This funding has positioned her to officially launch her business in January 2025, turning her dream into reality.

Chef Sunflower’s resilience and determination, combined with the Temple University SBDC’s resources and expertise, have set heron a path to success. Her story is an inspiring example of overcoming adversity, leveraging community resources, and building abusiness that not only supports her but promotes healthy eating in her community.

Learn more about BTW, It’s Vegan on their website and Instagram.

To learn more about Pennsylvania SBDC, visit: https://www.pasbdc.org/

Prepare for Profits – 2025, Part 1 Your Cost Structure May Never Be the Same

December 23, 2024

By Barbara Nuss, CPA
Founder, Profit Soup

Many entrepreneurs recall being caught off-guard when pandemic-inspired business interruptions, labor challenges and supply chain disfunction wreaked havoc with cost structures. How could you see that coming? Nobody could. Not the case today. Astute planners contemplating their goals and budgets for 2025 are already factoring in how pending National policies could impact their cost structure.

What Does Your Crystal Ball Say?

A few key uncertainties have me wishing for a crystal ball. One that could see through the post-election politicizing of important topics. I’d know how to predict the cost impacts of changing labor policies, possible tariffs, housing supply and demand, and deportations and immigration’s effect on labor supply. Unfortunately, I do not have such a crystal ball, so I will do the next best thing; guess, and hedge my bets by paying attention and staying nimble.

Young Entrepreneurs Breathe New Life into Historic Vermont Art Gallery

October 15, 2024

For nearly 35 years, Robert Paul Galleries has been at the heart of Stowe’s thriving community of artists and art lovers alike. So when the original owners retired in May of 2023, young entrepreneurs and longtime residents Jack H. Morris and Alexandra B. Weathers embraced the opportunity to purchase the business, building upon a legacy of connecting artists from around the world to Vermont’s largest town.

At only 22 and 23 years old, Jack and Alex set out to operate this creative establishment with three specific goals in mind: to bring people together through art; to have a strong presence in Vermont’s developing art scene; and to create an experiential gallery featuring both emerging and seasoned artists.