A Need for Innovation and Hygiene turns into Business Success

Bubbas Potty Protection of Hillsborough County

In 2020, during the pandemic, Darryl and Chelsea McIntyre were in the midst of potty training their son when they quickly realized that they didn’t want him touching the public toilet seats. That’s when the couple decided to create a small business, Bubbas Potty Protection, which specializes in disposable toilet seat covers with adhesive backings and naming it after their son’s nickname. With a commitment to innovation and hygiene, this company has become a key player in the industry, offering a product that ensures cleanliness and peace of mind.

Knowing that they had something worth sharing with the public, the McInyre’s went on to sell their product at the local flea market while aspiring to grow significantly. With that in mind, the owners decided to seek business assistance from their local business assistance center to grow their business strategically and successfully.

Through a mutual connection, McIntyre was able to connect with the Florida APEX Accelerator at Pinellas County Economic Development (PCED) where he would be introduced to government contracting consultant, Yolanda Goodloe.

Under the guidance of Goodloe, the company received invaluable assistance in refining their growth strategies. Goodloe’s expertise helped the business identify key opportunities in the market, enabling them to grow and expand their reach to new customers. “We have gotten our certifications, so through the APEX Accelerator we became MBE certified where we’re now a minority business enterprise. We also became DBE certified, which is a disadvantaged business enterprise, and we also achieved our cage code, which is now allowing us the opportunity to do business and contracts with private sectors like the government but also public sectors as well like school systems, airports, you name it,” Darryl McIntyre said.

Since working with the Florida APEX Accelerator at PCED, McIntyre mentions how business has grown in strength and size. “So the way my business has grown, partnering with the APEX Accelerator, we started out in our home where we utilized our garage for storage space and we utilized my bedroom as an office space. Since then, we have scaled in the last four years to now the Brandon Exchange and we’re currently now growing into other sectors,” he said. “We started very small on Amazon, and we have scaled and achieved over 8000% year over year, each year,” McIntyre added.

McIntyre goes on to explain how he’s been able to reach unimaginable heights due to the support and love that he receives from his wife and two children. “Between my wife’s support and my son’s love, and my newest addition, my daughter Eniyah. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to do what I do today,” McIntyre expressed with a smile on his face. “My biggest success so far has definitely been going through this process with Ms. Yolanda. From going to the Tampa mall at the flea market to scaling and becoming part of the Brandon Exchange. We were also able to get the proper funding and support throughout these last four years so now our sales have doubled since being in the Brandon Exchange,” he added.

Networking also played a crucial role in the company’s success. Goodloe introduced the business owners to important contacts in the industry and government sectors, facilitating partnerships and opening doors to lucrative contracts. These connections not only expanded the company’s client base but also enhanced its reputation in the market. “So, the most important thing I learned out of this process would have to be the networking and then the connections I made. Whether it’s the reverse trade show, to learning how to build relationships through Spectrum Reach and Pay it Forward, to literally just getting that one-on-one contact with SBDC representatives. That’s how I was able to learn to scale and grow,” McIntyre said.

Moving forward, the business owner knows that he’ll be in touch with the Florida APEX Accelerator at PCED and Goodloe, taking every step with their guidance as he moves his business towards an environment friendly direction. “The way I would use [them] moving forward, is as we’re trying to go green, we want to make sure its environmentally friendly for everyone and anyone who uses our product,” McIntyre said.

When asked what advice he would give to other small business owners about the Florida APEX Accelerator, McIntyre did not hesitate to recommend the no-cost services, stating, “To small business owners, I know sometimes money is tight but with them, nothing. I mean you have to come out of pocket for nothing. I think the relationship is golden. When you take the time out and you tell them [Florida APEX Accelerator at PCED] what makes you and drives you for your business, then they will drive with you. Just between the relationships and then the acceleration portion of my business, I can vouch that these are the places and the guys that you want to do business with,” he ended.