For Jennifer Clark, entrepreneurship grew from a deeply personal mission. As a combat veteran and mother to an autistic daughter, Clark experienced firsthand the transformative power of animal-assisted eco-therapy. This profound personal healing inspired her to found J&J Second Chance Smallholdings, an animal rescue and sanctuary in Laramie. Two years later, to expand her community impact and help sustain her mission, she launched the for-profit side of her venture: The Goat Ladies.
While many mistake the business for a standard petting zoo, Clark’s operations are focused entirely on community wellness and mental health support. The Goat Ladies offer unique services ranging from birthday parties, weddings, and gender reveals to indoor therapeutic gatherings. Beyond these events, the versatile animal crew also assists the community through local mowing and fire mitigation services.
By using animals for therapy, we (help) people by using one fluffy at a time. It is really hard to do something permanent when an animal comes up to you and feels comfortable and loves you.
Navigating the Business Landscape with the Wyoming SBDC
Transitioning from a passionate caretaker to a business owner presented a steep learning curve. To bridge the gap, Clark turned to the Wyoming Small Business Development Center (SBDC) Network. Her SBDC advisor, Jeff Engell, provided mentorship and suggestions, including an intensive eight-week business planning workshop where Jennifer mapped out her strategic goals.
The Wyoming SBDC Network also played a role in helping Clark structure her for-profit expansion, connecting her with grant opportunities, and resources to navigate regulations. The SBDC introduced Jennifer to Cyber Wyoming, enabling her to implement critical cybersecurity policies and procedures.
The SBDC has been my favorite. They’ve helped me the most with connecting with new people.
A Bright and Self-Sufficient Future
Today, The Goat Ladies are a popular attraction across Wyoming. This summer alone, Clark and her animal ambassadors are scheduled for 100 events across 150 days. The business has also successfully expanded into custom merchandise and children’s books authored by Clark, featuring real rescue animals like Magic Panda and Isabella.
Looking ahead, Clark aims to achieve complete self-sufficiency within the next five years. Backed by a recent Department of Workforce Services grant to hire new staff, she plans to secure government contracts for national forest fire mitigation, ensuring her life-saving mission continues to grow.
When University of Wyoming engineering students Christian Bitzas, Oreoluwa Babatunde, and Brady Wagstaff noticed a lack of local tech opportunities, they decided to build something themselves. An idea sparked when Bitzas’s father, a home inspector, needed a safe way to check out tight crawlspaces. While options existed in the inspection vehicle field, the team was confident they could build something better.
With help from UW Business Management graduate Zoë Worthen, the first prototype quickly turned into UplinkRobotics, a startup based in Laramie, Wyoming. Today, they manufacture smart, compact inspection drones capable of taking high-definition pictures and sending back live video. These little crawlers let home inspectors, contractors, and first responders easily see into dangerous, hard-to-reach areas without putting themselves at risk.
Uplink Robotics is giving back to the local community. By partnering with the University of Wyoming, creating paid student internships, and mentoring youth 4-H robotics clubs, they are helping grow the next generation of engineers.
UplinkRobotics received the Spirit of Wyoming award from the SBA District Office in May 2026, for their perseverance, community service, and growth. Proving that you don’t need to live in a massive tech hub to create world-class technology, the company is making tough jobs safer, helping the local economy, and building a tech community right here in Wyoming.
Check out the video below for more information about UplinkRobotics and some of the assistance they have received from Wyoming economic development groups, including the Wyoming SBDC, APEX Accelerator and WSSI Innovation Funding programs.
Congratulations to everyone on the UplinkRobotics team!
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.”
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.”
Excargo Services Inc. began with a vision to fill a significant gap in the transportation industry. Marcia Faschingbauer, who took over her family’s business, transformed it from a small operation into a logistics powerhouse. Starting with just a small office, Faschingbauer focused on building a company based on safety, communication, and exceptional customer service. Over the years, Excargo has grown into a 195,000-square-foot facility near the Port of Houston, becoming an industry leader in container transport.
“Excargo started because I saw a real need in the transportation industry. My family’s food business relied on exporting goods, and I experienced firsthand how unreliable container transport could be. I knew there had to be a better way,” Faschingbauer said.
While expanding, Faschingbauer knew that modernizing operations and scaling the business required the right strategies and resources. This led her to the Houston Small Business Development Center (SBDC). She first connected with SBDC in 2002 to refine the company’s growth strategy and has received continuous support from them ever since.
“The SBDC helped us navigate SBA funding options, secure financing for expansion, and refine our banking relationships to ensure continued growth—even during challenging times,” Faschingbauer said.
Charles Capers, Faschingbauer’s SBDC Business Advisor, played an instrumental role in helping Excargo scale strategically, secure financing, and ensure long-term sustainability.
“Excargo is a powerhouse in the transportation industry, and our role was to help them scale strategically,” Capers said. “We worked with Marcia to navigate financing, improve efficiency, and ensure long-term sustainability for the business.”
The SBDC has been a game-changer for us. They’ve helped us grow, secure funding, and create jobs, and I can’t recommend them enough!
In 2021, Excargo secured $6.3 million in commercial property financing, a move that directly contributed to an increase in revenue by $2.7 million. The company also created 75 new jobs. Faschingbauer credits much of this success to the support and guidance from the SBDC.
“What sets us apart in the industry is that we’re not just moving cargo—we’re shaping the future of container transport. Safety, reliability, and innovation are at the heart of everything we do,” Faschingbauer said. “With the SBDC’s help, we’ve been able to expand our operations, grow our fleet, and stay ahead of industry trends.”
As Excargo continues to grow, the focus remains on sustainability and efficiency. Faschingbauer and her team are looking ahead to expanding their reach, improving technology, and staying at the forefront of the logistics industry.
“We’re continuing to invest in sustainability, efficiency, and smart logistics to keep up with industry demands. The future of transportation is changing, and we plan to be at the forefront,” Faschingbauer said.
Excargo Services Inc. stands as a perfect example of how determination, strategic partnerships, and the right resources can elevate a small family business into an industry leader.
“The SBDC has been a game-changer for us. They’ve helped us grow, secure funding, and create jobs, and I can’t recommend them enough!” Faschingbauer concluded.
Watch Marcia’s video testimonial to hear how Excargo’s partnership with the SBDC helped transform a small family business into a leading force in logistics.
SPOKANE, Wash.—Vicki Hebert, owner of Smugglers Cove Flagging and a client of the Washington Small Business Development Center (SBDC) since 2020, has been named the SBA Seattle District Rural Business of the Year. Hebert will be honored at the Small Business Gala on May 7 at the Museum of Flight in Seattle.
Smugglers Cove Flagging, which opened in 2017, now employs nearly a dozen people and provides flaggers, traffic control supervisors, flagger trucks and signs, traffic control plans, permitting and emergency services. Hebert is also a certified flagging instructor.
“Vicki Hebert and Smugglers Cove Flagging are an extraordinary choice for the SBA Seattle District Rural Business of the Year,” said Sheryl McGrath, state director of the Washington SBDC. “Vicki truly exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit that defies the odds and continues to fight for a better future for her family and her community.”
Hebert had more than a decade of experience as a flagger before she stepped back from that work to focus on raising her small children. In 2016, with her children older, Hebert got back into flagging, with a dream of opening her own small business.
Smugglers Cove Flagging was still in its early days when, in 2018, Hebert was injured on the job in a hit-and-run accident that resulted in a traumatic brain injury and nerve damage that made walking or even sitting unendurable. Her recovery, which included managing debilitating PTSD and depression, took precedence for the next several years, but she never gave up her dream of running her own small business.
Hebert said she used to believe that success meant having money, a college education, nice clothes and a big house. “Now,” she said, “I think success is just not giving up.”
When Hebert started working with the SBDC, she already had the experience, knowledge and certifications she needed to do flagging and traffic control, but she wasn’t an expert on starting and running a small business. That’s where the SBDC came in.
During COVID, while still unable to leave her home, she began attending online webinars presented by the Washington SBDC on topics such as website design and L&I compliance.
Then, in March 2023, she reached out to the SBDC for one-to-one advising and began meeting with SBDC advisor Janet Toth.
Hebert responded to a survey request after that first meeting by writing, “I cannot believe how hopeful I felt after my first meeting with my SBDC counselor. She had information and connections to resources and tools that are unimaginable. I can continue growing my business with more confidence and help. I believe she is the perfect counselor for me.”
Hebert met with Toth for more than a year before Toth left the SBDC and Hebert was matched with SBDC advisor SharonAnn Hamilton, who nominated Hebert for the SBA award.
Working with Hamilton, Hebert identified her strengths and weaknesses as a business owner and strategized the growth of the business.
“SharonAnn, she is such a blessing,” Hebert said. “They say the teachers come when the student’s ready, and I was ready.”
While the business originated in the San Juan Islands, Hebert has grown the company to serve Whatcom and Cowlitz counties, as well as the Olympic Peninsula. While staffing fluctuates depending on the contracts, she has about a dozen part-time employees. Company revenue has increased more than 300 percent.
“Having someone believe in me, to help me believe in myself, and guide me through this process has been amazing,” Hebert said.
As someone who first started flagging just out of high school, Hebert is committed to empowering workers in rural communities through training and education. As a Washington state certified flagger instructor, she has trained more than 700 flaggers. She believes that the training and lessons learned while flagging extend far beyond traffic control and can truly open up a world of opportunities.
“We are a second chance company,” she said. It’s not just that some of the people she hires have suffered setbacks, but that the work itself reinforces critical skills like being aware of your surroundings, setting boundaries and saying no. She often tells new employees, “I want you to leave here feeling better about yourself than when you came.”
The Washington SBDC is a network of more than 40 business advisors working in communities across the state to help small business owners and entrepreneurs start, grow or buy/sell a business. SBDC advisors assist clients in just about any industry and at any stage of business development. SBDC services are provided at no cost to the business owner and are completely confidential.
The Washington SBDC is part of a national SBDC program known as the America’s SBDC and is managed by a cooperative agreement between Washington State University and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). About half the funding for SBDC services is from the SBA and the other half is from multiple state and local funding partners, including the Washington State Department of Commerce, Washington State University, other institutions of higher education, economic development agencies and civic and business groups.
