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Archive for category: Success Stories

Family-owned children’s academy soars after pandemic

Blog, Success Stories

Kids Zone Academy of Pinellas County

Kids Zone Academy of Pinellas County

In 2017, preschool teacher Karen Scheeley was given the opportunity of a lifetime – to fulfill her dream of opening a children’s learning and daycare center with her husband, Aaron Scheeley, St. Petersburg.

“I worked in early childhood education for a couple of years,” Karen said. “Ever since I started, I knew I wanted to open my own center. I got all of my certifications and accreditations, and then a big opportunity knocked on my door. That’s when we decided to go live with Kids Zone Academy 1.”

In working with the SBA, the Scheeleys were referred to the Florida SBDC at University of South Florida, as they were searching for some help with their financial projections. Since getting in contact with the Florida SBDC at USF, particularly with consultant Brad Mix, the Scheeleys have seen substantial growth within their business.

“Our business has grown a lot,” Aaron said. “From about 60 kids, to now serving close to 100 children, Kids Zone Academy now has two locations. Thanks to the Florida SBDC at USF, we just continue to keep growing.”

Like many other business owners, the Scheeleys’ family-owned business hasn’t gone without its trials. The impact of COVID-19 in 2020 took a toll on the business overall.

“Due to COVID-19, when it first hit back in 2020, it was rough,” Aaron said. “We went from 80 children enrolled, down to 20 children in one week. We barely survived. Thankfully, we made a full recovery. We are now back to normal, and we are even growing thanks to the Florida SBDC at USF.”

With the success that the Scheeleys have experienced thus far in working with the Florida SBDC at USF, they are ecstatic to see what comes next for them and their business.

“We actually just got an offer for a third location,” Aaron said. “But we are currently holding off of that right now, considering we just opened our second location. Once the two locations are full, we’re definitely going to be using Florida SBDC at USF to help us purchase that third location.”

In hopes that other small businesses can experience the growth that they have, the couple recommends reaching out to the Florida SBDC as soon as possible.

“I would recommend the Florida SBDC at USF to all business owners,” Karen said. “They’re amazing. From all of the support helping us with the projections, to helping us get listed on google, I would highly recommend them. We couldn’t have done it without them.”

June 7, 2022/by admin
https://sbdctampabay.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Kids-Zone-Pic.jpg 1080 1521 admin /wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Locked-Host-Logos-Horizontal-USF-Small-e1635274663378.png admin2022-06-07 15:45:122022-06-07 15:45:12Family-owned children’s academy soars after pandemic

Mental health support company changing lives one text at a time

Blog, Featured Success Stories, Success Stories

Cope Notes of Pinellas County

Cope Notes of Pinellas County

Already a touring musician, company founder, and TEDx speaker, one would think that Johnny Crowder has led a charmed life. Look a little deeper, and you’ll see Crowder’s long-standing struggle with mental health. In and out of treatment as he was growing up, he continued looking for resources that could help him, but on his journey to do so, he realized that he had a calling to be that resource for others. That’s when he created Cope Notes – a business that provides mental health support via a text messaging subscription service, often through partnerships with local, county and state governments.

“I chose to work in behavioral health in the first place because I grew up in and out of treatment for mental illness, and I had a lot of challenges trying to seek treatment,” Crowder said. “Either I didn’t like the resources that were available, or I had a hard time engaging with them, or they were too expensive. So, after experiencing those issues, I started volunteering in the mental health space. I never expected to start a business in it, but that was the natural progression. I started searching for resources that I couldn’t find, and I thought, what if I built it?”

Although Crowder had such a passion for the vision of his business, he knew he needed assistance getting it started. Eventually, he found the Florida SBDC at University of South Florida.

“When I first started the company, I had no idea what I was doing,” he said. “I was looking for local resources for small businesses owners and I found a link to the Florida SBDC at USF.  I clicked around, filled out a form, came in to meet with somebody, and they helped me with just about everything.”

Since working with the Florida SBDC at USF, Crowder is astonished at the way his company has been able to grow from the ground up, and the success he’s seen thus far.

“The Florida SBDC at USF helped me with pretty much every corner of my business, especially in those early months,” he said. “They taught me about pricing, how to fulfill contracts, financial forecasting, and how to file for a trademark. Now, four and a half years later, we serve 25,000 people in 97 countries all around the world. We’ve sent over one million text messages. It’s really humbling to look back at those early days when I would question where I should take this, and who I should talk to about it.”

Initially, Crowder met with his Florida SBDC at USF business consultant bi-weekly. Even when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and services went virtual, the two continued to meet via Microsoft Teams.

Crowder is proud to look back at how far his business has come in working with the Florida SBDC at USF, and the effect that he has seen his business have on others has been rewarding beyond belief.

As his business has grown, so have his speaking engagements. While Crowder is busy speaking on behalf of mental health awareness around the country, he’s tasked his team with continuing the work with the Florida SBDC at USF.

“As we continue to grow, I want to use the Florida SBDC at USF differently,” he said. “I think when I first met with the Florida SBDC at USF, my vision was that I just needed to make it another three months and survive. But now, I am thinking about how we can set ourselves up one year, three years, five years in advance, and how do we make decisions now that will benefit the future version of the company.”

June 6, 2022/by admin
https://sbdctampabay.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Cope-Notes-2-scaled.jpg 1920 2560 admin /wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Locked-Host-Logos-Horizontal-USF-Small-e1635274663378.png admin2022-06-06 21:07:372022-06-06 21:08:37Mental health support company changing lives one text at a time

Doctor starts business to impact 21st century medicine

Blog, Success Stories

Doctor starts business to impact 21st century medicine

Biom Pharmaceutical Corporation of Sarasota County

In 2016, Dr. Bobban Subhadra decided that he wanted to utilize his experience in working with several early-stage biotech companies to develop and commercialize biomedical products and services to create his own biotech company in Sarasota – Biom Pharmaceutical Corporation.

Because of his extensive time spent as a researcher and his experience with product development and patented technologies for biochemical, biofuel, and pharmaceutical companies, Dr. Subhadra was ready to start his company, but he realized he needed some assistance with the business side of things.

“The initial reason why we reached out to the Florida SBDC at USF was because as a small company we didn’t know the resources, especially on marketing and finance,” Dr. Subhadra said. “As we were growing, we really wanted to reach out and see what was out there to help us.”

Since finding the Florida SBDC at University of South Florida Dr. Subhadra has received the guidance necessary to lead his company in the right direction, by utilizing the Center’s Export Marketing Plan services. These services are offered in collaboration with Enterprise Florida.

“Our consultants at the Florida SBDC at USF really identified the three major markets in Europe through this analysis, and they gave us access to Enterprise Florida contacts who were actually doing the trade missions in those markets,” he said. “So, it’s a win-win for us. It’s not only information they gave us, but they have also connected us with the right people that we can actually reach out to network.”

The Florida SBDC at USF has helped to increase sales and employees at Biom Pharmaceutical, as well as guided Dr. Subhadra through the various disaster loan programs associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Subhadra is grateful for the connections he’s made thus far in working with the Florida SBDC at USF, and he looks forward to being able to lean on them for guidance whenever needed.

“They have many resources and contacts that can help us,” he said. “It’s an incredible resource, especially with marketing and business planning. To come up with a business plan is not easy for many people, and that is something the Florida SBDC at USF does really well.”

Dr. Subhadra is excited to explore the multitude of services that the Florida SBDC at USF has to offer and can’t wait to see how they can help his business in the future.

“The Florida SBDC at USF really is a lifeline for a lot of small businesses, so I would say to reach out to them and get in contact with the consultants and team,” he said. “They have workshops, and it’s a really good resource in our community that really helps you along your adventure.”

June 1, 2022/by admin
https://sbdctampabay.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Biom.jpg 494 916 admin /wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Locked-Host-Logos-Horizontal-USF-Small-e1635274663378.png admin2022-06-01 17:12:332022-06-01 17:12:33Doctor starts business to impact 21st century medicine

Company Owner Connects with Community to Grow Business

Blog, Success Stories

Company Owner Connects with Community to Grow BusinessCaldwell Management Solutions of Pinellas County

In 2001, Dr. Loretta Caldwell Thompson founded Caldwell Management Solutions in Washington, D.C. The company is an organizational development company that helps businesses and non-profits with their infrastructure systems.

“I felt that I was good at talking to the CEOs and presidents of these companies to help them learn the importance of having these types of systems in their organization, so that they can be sustainable beyond just their current service delivery,” Caldwell Thompson said.

She was confident in her skill and company’s mission, but several years ago, Caldwell Thompson decided to change locations, making it harder to branch out without a connection to her new community of St. Petersburg.

Four years ago, Thompson partnered with the Florida Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) at Pinellas County Economic Development in hopes of networking with other organizations and to learn the landscape of St. Petersburg.

“They have introduced me to other people here in St. Petersburg who can have an impact on my company,” she said. “They have also helped me to become an influencer, so that the skills and the talents that I bring, and my company brings, to St. Pete are well known among other agencies that I want to impact. So to begin, they were the crucial element that connected me to my new home in St. Petersburg.”

Procurement specialist Yolanda Cowart was paired with Caldwell Thompson when she initially requested to work with the Florida PTAC at PCED. She was able to assist Caldwell Management Solutions through SAM registration, federal contracting, creating a Bid Match profile, commodity codes, business certifications, and branding strategies.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Cowart also assisted Caldwell Thompson in her application for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

“Through [all of] this they have afforded me the ability to now hire staff to bring on,” Caldwell Thompson said. “Not only have they contributed to the growth of my company but also the growth of Pinellas County, now that I am paying taxes with other employees that I have brought on.”

Moving forward, she said she plans to utilize Florida’s PTAC at PCED to continue the growth of her company, as they have provided information about upcoming contracts and government leads that will help the company continue to expand.

“They have been instrumental in introducing me and my company to St. Petersburg, and I will be forever grateful,” she said.

May 24, 2022/by admin
https://sbdctampabay.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Caldwell-Management-2.jpg 1672 2508 admin /wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Locked-Host-Logos-Horizontal-USF-Small-e1635274663378.png admin2022-05-24 19:37:172022-05-25 16:16:30Company Owner Connects with Community to Grow Business

Growth Keeps Promotional Product Business Buzzing

Blog, Success Stories

Growth Keeps Promotional Product Business Buzzing

Bizzee Bee Marketing of Hillsborough County

In 2018, Georgianna Strickland had been pursuing her career as a public relations and marketing person for eight years. She noticed, however, a distinct problem that small businesses in the state of Florida were struggling with – managing their marketing budgets effectively. That’s when she decided to create Bizzee Bee Marketing, in Tampa.

“Bizzee Bee Marketing is about helping you make marketing easy, convenient, and cost-effective,” Strickland said. “We specialize in helping you get your brand on apparel, marketing collateral, anything for business expos, trade shows, and more.”

Although Strickland felt confident about the creation of her business, she knew she needed guidance in setting everything up from scratch.

“I reached out to the Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County to get help with my business plan, getting my business logistics set up, and figuring out the financing problems,” Strickland said.

In getting connected with the Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County, and specifically with consultant Janette Blanco, Strickland has been ecstatic about the results and growth she’s seen thus far for her business.

“Since working with the Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County, my business has grown 20 to 25 percent over the past four years,” she said. “I’m also already working with Hillsborough County on some projects because I have been awarded a few marketing collateral jobs.”

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Strickland was glad to have had the Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County to help guide her through tough times in 2020.

“COVID-19 really affected most promotional products in the marketing business,” she said. “Everything went digital. There was no printed collateral needed and there were no promo items to give away. Luckily, with Janette’s help, I was able to get an EIDL [Economic Injury Disaster Loan) loan of $10,000 that helped keep me in business and have some sustainability over the past two years.”

Strickland looks forward to what’s next for her business in working with the Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County, but she’s also very proud of how far she and her business have come.

“Moving forward, I’m excited to keep working with Janette, and figuring out the financials behind being able to bid on larger projects with Hillsborough County,” Strickland said.

“I would say using the Florida SBDC of Hillsborough County has been one of the greatest things I could’ve ever done for my business. Having a business coach like Janette, she knows a lot of people, and she puts you in the right programs. What a lot of people don’t know is that their services are free. They have a lot of knowledge, wisdom, and people that are there to help you start and grow your business, in whatever aspect your business is in.”

May 19, 2022/by admin
https://sbdctampabay.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Bizzee-Bee-Pic-2.jpg 661 940 admin /wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Locked-Host-Logos-Horizontal-USF-Small-e1635274663378.png admin2022-05-19 23:05:322022-05-24 19:38:30Growth Keeps Promotional Product Business Buzzing

Mobile Detailing Business Driven to Success

Blog, Success Stories

Mobile Detailing Business Driven to Success

Detail Depot of Pinellas County

Douglas Martyn, the owner of Detail Depot in Clearwater, began his business 15 years ago, detailing cars, boats, RVs and anything else that moves. He chose to launch the business in hopes of giving Clearwater a great service with great pricing, all because of an encounter 15 years ago with another small business giving him a great opportunity.

Although he was confident in the service part of his business, he found he needed help structuring the business in terms of budgeting, advertising, and other areas. He reached out to the Florida Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) at Pinellas County Economic Development in 2013 and has been working with them ever since.

Procurement specialist Yolonda Cowart was paired with Martyn and was able to provide procurement technical assistance, and advice on business planning, business expansion, marketing mix, and employee retention. This guidance helped the business secure multiple commercial contracts. Detail Depot now cleans and sanitizes transportation vans for hospitals. These vans are used to transport staff from the parking lot to the hospitals. Martyn also secured a boat detailing agreement with two local marinas.

“My business has grown significantly since working with PTAC of Pinellas County,” Martyn said. “They’ve really given me the tools and everything I need to grow this business, hire more employees, and really just grow within the community.”

To offset the effects of COVID-19 during the first few months of the pandemic, Martyn brought in a new product line approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for cleaning. “We brought that line in, and we’ve been fighting COVID since, and keeping our customers safe from infection and just supplying a great service for the county,” he said.

Cowart also assisted Martyn through the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL), Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), and the Pinellas County CARES grant process, helping him to secure additional monies to keep the business running and his employees paid during the pandemic.

Martyn is still pursuing government contracting and growth in his business as he has been attending reverse trade shows hosted by the Florida PTAC at PCED. He believes this is the year where his business with gain more success thanks to the continued assistance of the Florida PTAC at PCED.

“They are such a great tool helping you start your business, giving you guidance, helping you with reverse trade shows, and making contacts,” he said. “It’s just another tool in your shed to grow your business and grow it efficiently with some really good companies that they work with.”

May 19, 2022/by admin
https://sbdctampabay.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Detail-Depot1.jpg 797 1080 admin /wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Locked-Host-Logos-Horizontal-USF-Small-e1635274663378.png admin2022-05-19 20:40:532022-05-19 20:40:53Mobile Detailing Business Driven to Success

Commercial cleaning business lands $500,000+ in contracts

Blog, Success Stories

Commercial cleaning business lands $500,000+ in contracts
Clean Mac of Hillsborough County

Lamark Hall decided to seize an opportunity to serve a need for the businesses in his area by launching his own business that would provide commercial cleaning.

“I decided to launch this business because I felt like the business would help a lot of people who really need the supplemental income,” Hall said. “There are a lot of customers that need the service, so providing it to them, it’s more towards my heart and less geared towards anything.”

But shortly after launching Clean Mac Inc., Hall realized he needed additional support. That’s when he decided to reach out to the Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County.

“Large corporations I was servicing decided to go with one large company to service all of their accounts,” Hall said. “Me being a small business, I was not able to service all of their accounts, so I reached out to the Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County to give me guidance on how to reinvent myself.”

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Hall found himself unprepared, and in need of some direction. He was grateful to be working with business consultant Janette Blanco at the time because she was able to point him to specific resources to help get the company through the pandemic.

“COVID-19 affected my business because we were not aware that it was coming towards us,” he said. “But, being surrounded by the right people at the SBDC at Hillsborough County helped me re-organize and restructure the way we were operating our business and helped me grow a lot in the different ways of running our business. I was awarded $550,000 in contracts by working with them. I was able to get the R3 loan through Janette Blanco and her staff, and they showed me how to fill out the proper paperwork to apply. She helped me obtain the R3 grant and the PPP loan that helped me through the pandemic.”

Hall is proud of how far his business has come since working with the Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County, and he looks forward to continuing down this path of success.

“Moving forward with the SBDC at Hillsborough County, I would like to learn how to apply for the state and local government agencies to grow my business and learn how to do the proper paperwork and contracts,” he said.

“The Florida SBDC is an organization that helps small businesses grow, and if you have any questions, they are there for you. They’re there to help you through your ordeals and give you all the guidance you need to run your business. If you ever need assistance, they are the best place to go.”

May 17, 2022/by admin
https://sbdctampabay.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Clean-Mac-2-Large-rotated-e1652821823729.jpg 899 1080 admin /wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Locked-Host-Logos-Horizontal-USF-Small-e1635274663378.png admin2022-05-17 21:13:482022-05-17 21:13:48Commercial cleaning business lands $500,000+ in contracts

Software development firm breaks through with contracting

Blog, Success Stories

Software development firm breaks through with contracting

Innovative Accessible Technologies of Hillsborough County

Cornel Commedore had an idea to launch his very own software development firm that would aim to address some of the inefficiencies that he noticed within the industry, so in 2020, he decided to put his idea to work. He created Innovative Accessible Technologies, a software development firm that focuses on building cost-effective software engineering concepts for cloud, web, and mobile devices. Innovative Accessible Technologies is headquartered in Tampa, with a second location in Zephyrhills.

As Commedore worked to expand and improve his business, he felt as though he had hit a wall and wanted more for his business. That’s when he connected with the Florida Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) at University of South Florida.

“The initial reason for reaching out to the Florida PTAC at USF centered around being able to connect our state and federal government contracts,” Commedore said. “We had reached a brick wall in understanding which resources to contact and which methods to get started. So, the Florida PTAC at USF was instrumental in allowing us to make those connections, learn about how to actually do business with the government, and propel our business forward.”

Since working with the Florida PTAC at USF and procurement specialist, Karen Krymski, Commedore is proud to see just how much his business has improved. The company has grown to more than 25 team members and secured its first federal government contract in 2021.

“Our business has grown substantially since working with the Florida PTAC at USF,” he said. “We’ve been able to secure a small business contract by working with other government agencies and work on some of the relationships there. It’s given us the exposure to connect at network events; meeting with other subcontractors and also working with them on various projects.”

Because Commedore launched his business in January 2020, he saw the immediate effects of the pandemic on his business.

“COVID-19 has definitely affected our business in that it has allowed us to become a little bit more creative on how we approach our connections with our various clients and customers,” he said.

“Before, we would be connecting to people face-to-face, and now we had to rely on some of our ingenuity and some of our marketing skills to try to make some of those same connections and pitches virtually. COVID-19 has definitely in some ways allowed us to expand our virtual presence and allowed us to connect to a lot of companies across the country.”

Moving forward, Commedore is excited to continue working with the Florida PTAC at USF and see what the relationship has in store for the future of his business.

“First and foremost, we see it as a continual thing,” he said. “The Florida PTAC at USF has continued to be instrumental in putting us in the right place at the right time to make opportunities happen.”

April 11, 2022/by sbdclarry
https://sbdctampabay.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/Innovative-Pic-2.jpg 1332 2176 sbdclarry /wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Locked-Host-Logos-Horizontal-USF-Small-e1635274663378.png sbdclarry2022-04-11 20:01:472022-04-11 20:01:47Software development firm breaks through with contracting

Army veteran opens woman-owned construction contracting business

Blog, Success Stories

Army veteran opens woman-owned construction contracting business

Lalini Enterprises of Washington, D.C. | Domiciled in Florida

After serving 25 years in the Army as an Environmental Science Officer, Lalini Pillay decided that she wanted to transition out, and start a business of her own. She wanted to use the skills she’d developed in the service and become a government contractor, serving the government in a different capacity. That’s when she created Lalini Enterprises, a government contractor specializing in construction.

Although Pillay had knowledge of the industry, she realized she needed some guidance in developing the business itself.

“I reached out to the Florida PTAC at USF because as a new business owner, I didn’t have much of an idea of how to tailor my business and develop it,” Pillay said. “So, I read online that this office delivered the needs that I was looking for. I reached out to and met with Karen Krymski,

and she has been extremely helpful since then.”

Since contacting the Florida Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) at University of South Florida, Pillay has noticed a significant amount of growth within her business.

“My business has grown tremendously since working with Florida PTAC at USF,” she said. “Karen has been extremely helpful in helping me navigate through SAM, actually helping me get my first contract and successfully completing it.

“I had no contracts before engaging with Karen, and since then I have completed two contracts successfully, one of them being with the Department of Interior, and the other with the National Park Service. She has been extremely helpful in guiding me and supporting me from getting contracts to completion.”

Because of the success Pillay has experienced in working with the Florida PTAC at USF thus far, she is looking forward to seeing what the future holds for her business and would recommend the Florida PTAC at USF to other small businesses.

“As I continue moving forward with my business, I will continue to use the Florida PTAC,” she said. “They’ve been very receptive to my questions and have provided all the support I’ve needed. As my business grows, I will have additional questions so I will continue to use them as much as I can in the future.

Pillay is grateful for the connections she’s made through the Florida PTAC at USF, especially with her procurement specialist, Krymski.

“She’s awesome. She has resources at her fingertips and she’s always willing to share them. If you have the opportunity as a small business, reach out to her or the PTAC office. They are amazing and wonderful to work with.”

March 24, 2022/by sbdclarry
https://sbdctampabay.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Lalini-Pic-2.jpg 1554 2380 sbdclarry /wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Locked-Host-Logos-Horizontal-USF-Small-e1635274663378.png sbdclarry2022-03-24 15:10:532022-03-24 15:11:49Army veteran opens woman-owned construction contracting business

Couple joins forces to improve the at-home care industry

Blog, Success Stories

Couple joins forces to improve the at-home care industry

HomeWell Care Services of Hillsborough County

One year ago, Jose Rincon was pursuing his career in the business world, as his wife, Katie Rincon, was on her 17th year working in the medical field. Together, they wanted to combine forces and do something that would impact their community in a positive way.

That’s when they decided to open a franchise of HomeWell Care Services, a non-medical in-home care agency that helps seniors and others live safely and comfortably at home, with assistance for day-to-day activities like grooming, bathing, cooking or even running errands. To complement the training that HomeWell provides for new owners, the couple decided to reach out to the Florida SBDC at University of South Florida for some much-needed guidance.

“We reached out to the Florida SBDC at USF because we needed a better understanding and knowledge of the industry locally,” Jose said. “Although my wife had been in the medical industry, and I came from the business side, we realized we didn’t know much about the market in the Tampa Bay region. So, we spoke with the Florida SBDC at USF about determining if this was a good move and investment for our savings, and they helped us decide when and where it was right for us.”

Because the couple purchased the franchise in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, they also had to juggle the impact it would have on their business.

“We opened our business after the pandemic had already started,” Jose said. “We have seen a positive effect because most of our clients don’t want to go to the hospital. They do whatever it takes to stay home, and that’s an opportunity for us to keep them safe and away from exposure. This is especially true for our clients that have compromised immune systems or our elderly.”

In the years they’ve spent working with the Florida SBDC at USF, specifically business consultant Pablo Arroyo, the couple has seen improvement in many areas within their business.

“Pablo has been our source, our person go-to for any questions to give us direction when we needed it,” Jose said. “He helped us in areas like market analysis, website evaluation, and trying to get into the VA as a minority-owned small business. He put us into contact with different people who could help us.”

He added, “It’s a free resource full of knowledge and information.” Some of those crazy ideas we had before, we spoke about with Pablo, and we ended up not going through with them because of his advice.”

Moving forward, Jose is excited to see the business grow because of his relationship with the Florida SBDC at USF.

“With the Florida SBDC at USF, we’re going to allow them to take us wherever we can go,” he said. “We believe there’s no limit to what we can do, and we will continue to grow. We’ve had so much help and the amazing thing is that they don’t expect anything in return. We are just thankful for the Florida SBDC at USF and we are grateful to have them as a part of our community.”

March 14, 2022/by sbdclarry
https://sbdctampabay.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/HomeWell-Pic.jpg 1080 1620 sbdclarry /wp-content/uploads/2021/10/Locked-Host-Logos-Horizontal-USF-Small-e1635274663378.png sbdclarry2022-03-14 15:51:142022-03-15 14:56:38Couple joins forces to improve the at-home care industry
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Florida SBDC Network

The Florida SBDC at the University of South Florida is a member of the Florida SBDC Network, a statewide partnership program nationally accredited by the Association of America’s SBDCs and funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Defense Logistics Agency, State of Florida, and other private and public partners, with the University of West Florida serving as the network’s lead host institution. Florida SBDC services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Language assistance services are available for limited English proficient individuals.

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