Archive for category: Featured Success Stories

America Industrial Guide of Hillsborough County

Starting a business often requires determination, vision, and the right support. For Maria Smith Pico, owner of American Industrial Guide, the goal was clear: to provide innovative and eco-friendly cleaning products that are safe for people, pets, and the planet. With a commitment to sustainability and excellence, Pico sought to make a difference in how homes and businesses approach cleanliness.

“I lost my father over 20 years ago in Colombia due to toxic cleaning products. This motivate me create safe and sustainable solutions,” Pico said as she explained why she decided to launch this type of business.

While the vision was strong, navigating the complexities of starting and growing a business required professional guidance. That’s where the Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County stepped in. Business consultant Janette Blanco worked closely with Pico to develop a comprehensive business plan that laid the foundation for success. From market analysis to distribution strategy, every step was designed to support sustainable growth.

“I want to take a moment to thank the tremendous support I have received from Janette Blanco, the Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County, and ECC [Entrepreneur Collaborative Center]. Janette introduced me to the SBDC and the valuable resources. Guided me from the very beginning of my business journey. Her expertise and dedication also connected me to critical community resources that have been instrumental since I first opened my door,” Pico said. “The Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County has helped me in four areas: 1. In strategy planning, 2. Minority certify, I have 21 certifications 3. Networking, local and the city, 4. improve operations,” she added.

Since its launch, American Industrial Guide has expanded its presence across the Tampa Bay region, gaining recognition for its high-quality, resource-conscious products. By offering solutions that conserve water and reduce environmental impact, the company has not only built a loyal customer base but also made a positive impact on the community.

“Our sales has increased to $12,000 a month, we have 7 employees and 5 distributors. American Industrial Guide has made 1.8 million dollars in investment in East Tampa and we project invest 2.5 million in the future,” Pico stated.

Looking ahead, Pico plans to continue leveraging the resources of the Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County to further grow and innovate. “Moving forward, I reach out to Janette for questions [on] export and import, government contracting, and planning.

With a focus on continued excellence and sustainability, the future looks bright for American Industrial Guide. When asked what piece of advice she would give to other small businesses, the business owners said, “I would tell small businesses to call the Florida SBDC at Hillsborough County for information because they help you grow at no-cost.”

GM Corporate Suites of Manatee County

For 15 years, GM Corporate Suites has been a trusted corporate housing provider in Florida, offering temporary housing solutions to clients in need of comfort and convenience. Founded by Gabrielle Channell, the business was launched out of a passion for helping corporate individuals and families find quality housing during business trips or transitional periods.

“We provide furnished housing, everything included as far as living room set, dining room set, bedroom furniture… all housewares and all utilities as well,” Channell said. “We work with a lot of the larger corporate housing providers who’ve been in the business for

much longer than we have but we’ve kind of taken a step up, so now we’re not just a

wholesaler anymore, which is nice,” she added.

When asked why she started the business, Channell replied, “It actually started with my own property, renting it out, because I needed to generate some more income. I was in real estate then and the market was crashing so I rented out my own place furnished and then it dawned on me that this is an actual business and then it just [developed] from there.”

Seeking to expand her business through government contracting, Channell turned to the Florida APEX Accelerator at USF for guidance. She began working with Florida APEX Accelerator at USF business consultant Karen Krymski, whose expertise helped her navigate the complexities of government contracts, starting with a System for Award Management (SAM) registration.

“We have used the information from our APEX Accelerator consultant by utilizing the SAM platform. I did sign up for it initially, but I had never used it because I didn’t know how; it wasn’t user-friendly. Finally, two or three years ago I reached out to somebody, they put me in touch with Karen and it just snowballed from there. She helped me use the platform. We corrected a lot of stuff in it that wasn’t accurate. We got connected from FEMA with the direct lease program for Florida. Karen was super helpful in getting us squared away in the System for Award Management,” Channell expressed.

Through strategic mentorship and targeted support, Channell secured a coveted $15 Million IDIQ lease contract with FEMA. This success not only solidified her business’s reputation but also opened doors to more government contracting opportunities.

“Our business has grown from the APEX Accelerator at USF by obtaining government contracts. We initially started back in November. FEMA contractors and FEMA personnel started reaching out to us because they are deployed here helping rebuild the communities. They were working on the GSA per diem as far as housing is concerned. So once the contractors and FEMA personnel started reaching out to us for housing and we were able to provide what they wanted, and a little bit more than they expected. It just snowballed from there. It was just referral after referral after referral, and then December 2nd is when we obtained the direct lease five-year contract with the FEMA direct lease program,” Channell said with a smile.

Since collaborating with the Florida APEX Accelerator at USF, GM Corporate Suites has seen remarkable growth. Now, they plan on continuing their relationship in order to gain more business success. “We’ll continue to use the APEX Accelerator at Florida moving forward to help us understand additional contracts, opportunity contracts in the System for Award Management and also any other webinars or meetings that they have for networking; we’ll utilize that as well,” Channell said.

Encouraging other small businesses to take advantage of the resources offered, Channell said, “We would tell our friends, or anybody interested in government contracting to use the Florida APEX Accelerator so that way they have the correct guidance for where to get the right contracts, how to utilize the SAM platform because the SAM platform is complex, I will admit. Maybe not to everybody else but for me it was. So, Karen tremendously helped us out getting through that, doing the woman-owned small business [certification], getting us on board with that. We got that approved so we would suggest definitely using an APEX Florida Accelerator.”

Tampa Bay Business Consortium of Pinellas County

In Tampa Bay, a unique consortium of 12 service-based small businesses, the Tampa Bay Business Consortium (TBBC), is reshaping the landscape of entrepreneurship and generational wealth. This collaborative effort, aimed at securing government contracts and shared growth opportunities, represents diverse industries and a shared vision of success.

“We decided to launch because we were going through the matchmaker. We were going through this matchmaker event and the SBDC team were bringing in different purchasers and buyers from different organizations. As we were looking at it, we were thinking how can we go for some of this big work, how can we work together collaboratively because we all had our individual businesses that had varying degrees of success,” Missy Pitcher, co-owner of Tampa Bay Business Consortium said.

“And so, we decided that it would be a good idea to kind of come together, take our collective experience and past performance and our certifications and leverage that so that we could go for big work,” she added.

With the guidance of Jenee Skipper, a Florida SBDC at Pinellas County Economic Development (PCED) business consultant, the group has made significant strides. Skipper worked closely with the consortium on business planning, team structuring, and crafting strategic agreements that position them to seize emerging opportunities.

“So the team at the Florida SBDC at Pinellas County Economic Development organization has been instrumental in just how we structure our agreements, how we build the team so that we could make sure we had the appropriate resources for the opportunities,” Pitcher said.

Since partnering with the Florida SBDC, the consortium has joined a short-list fundamental to gaining government contracts, streamlined its operations, allowing members to focus on scaling their businesses, and added more members to the group.

“We have had successes in that over the course since April to today, we’ve had 10 or 12 submissions together for projects. We’ve had a couple of wins. We won with a company called Hypatia, which is a nonprofit that provides services to nonprofits. So, we’re gonna be providing business process services to the nonprofits that are in St. Pete,” Pitcher said.

“We’re on the shortlist for Pinellas County for their management consulting contract, and it’s like a three-year contract. So, all of these are contracts that will allow us to grow, that will allow us to contribute should the opportunity happen,” she added.

Looking ahead, the group plans to continue leveraging the Florida SBDC at PCED’s resources and networking opportunities. “We’re growing. I think we had like 4 or 5 members and now we have 12 members. And those members came from networking. They came from events that were recommended by the Pinellas County SBDC,” Pitcher said. “We get input and we get support from the members as well as the team at the SBDC,” she added.

Three of the consortium members then proceeded to give their advice to other small business owners looking for business guidance.

“All of those things that you don’t know that you don’t know, they can fill in those gaps. My advice to new businesses, my advice to existing businesses, take advantage of the SBDC because it’s there for you. You’re already paying for it, it’s included in your tax dollars, so take advantage of it because it will help you to go that much further that much faster and that much more effectively than if you had done it without them,” Pitcher said.

“What I would say about the Florida SBDC at Pinellas County Economic Development Center is great people. I mean I’ve actually referred a couple of people or mentioned them to a few business owners to say hey, reach out to them. They will help you get started. They will give you resources that you need. They will be there for you,” Catricia Walker, member of TBBC said.

“And I would speak to the fact that one of the more important things to build on that is that you just don’t have to do it alone and for years we tried to do it alone. And I won’t say we wasted years, cause all challenges you learn from them, but it didn’t have to be as hard as it was. There’s no need to do it on your own,” Burnell Pitcher, member of TBBC also said.

This thriving collaborative not only exemplifies the power of unity but also underscores the impact of strategic planning in building legacies of wealth and opportunity.

Results Sales and Service of Pinellas County

Started in 1985, Results Sales and Service, a veteran-owned industrial supply distribution company, continues to make waves in the world of government contracting and industrial equipment distribution. Since leaving corporate America, David Hahn, who acquired the business from his father in 2017, has led the company, “to pursue federal government contracting as a prime source of revenue and opportunities,” he said. By specializing in direct sales, manufacturing representation, and government contracting opportunities, the business has maintained itself as a trusted provider of industrial equipment, supplies, materials, and tools in the state of Florida.

Continuing to grow a business in such a competitive market requires strategic guidance and the right connections. That’s where the Florida APEX Accelerator at USF and government contracting consultant Karen Krymski came into play.

With expertise in government contracting and networking, Krymski provided the company with the tools and insights necessary to secure essential partnerships. These connections have proven invaluable, opening doors to new opportunities and establishing the company as a leader in the field.

“My Florida APEX consultant is Karen Krymski and she is absolutely amazing. She has linked me up with networking events where I’ve met some very well-versed influential people, particularly in the government sector where I’ve learned the tools that I needed to implement myself to take our business to the next level in government contracting,” Hahn said.

By leveraging the knowledge gained through Florida APEX Accelerator consulting, the company has seen significant growth. They credit their consultant with helping them navigate the complexities of government contracts and building a robust network of contacts. “We’re continuing to grow. We’ve continued to take advantage and leverage new opportunities through the relationships garnered through the Florida APEX Accelerator at USF to get additional contracts as they come down the pipeline,” Hahn mentioned.

“We started off with just a handful – one, two micro contracts a month. We’ve grown that up to right now probably having 25 to 35 that we’re servicing with an additional 20 that are in the pipeline,” he added.

The business’s success is a testament to their hard work, dedication to their core values, and the invaluable support they’ve received. “Larger contracts, we’ve got maybe one or two a year and at this point we’ve got much larger contracts that have been able to scale us probably by about 50 percent gross revenue over the last three years,” Hahn mentioned.

When it comes to internal success, the business owner expressed how their mission was to help their clients, especially veterans, as well as their employees whenever and however possible.

“If we can leave the VA [Veterans Affairs] and other government entities that we work with better than when we left this place, while we’re here working, and we can make a little bit of money to provide for our own families, that is my biggest success. And right now, we’re able to do it, and we’re doing it well, and we’re continuing to grow with the help of the Florida APEX Accelerator at USF,” Hahn said with pride.

To other small businesses considering working with the Florida APEX Accelerator at USF, the passionate business owner offers this advice: “Participate. Get involved. Reach out to the consultants that are there. They are willing to help you. They are there to help you. And they’ll give you the tools you need but remember you need to implement those tools and put in the work to drive it forward and incorporate it into your business. But first, and paramount, get involved. Get plugged in. Grow your network by using the Florida APEX Accelerator,” Hahn concluded.

Southlake Signs Tampa of Hillsborough County

When Ron Martin launched Southlake Signs Tampa, he wasn’t just starting a business—he was honoring his father’s legacy. Named after his late father’s business in Indiana, Southlake Signs Tampa combines craftsmanship and family values to deliver high-quality signage solutions to commercial clients across Tampa Bay.

Martin decided it was time to open up his own business after working in corporate America for 27 years, stating, “I researched a lot of different businesses, and the sign industry gives me so much energy and joy because I’m able to help my customers create their business’ strategy and how they want to market their business and how they want to brand their business. But I also have an organization to run and people to lead and strategies to be able to accomplish building signs and I love both parts of that. So, this business checks off a lot of boxes of filling up my cup and giving me energy,” he shared.

From design to installation, Southlake Signs Tampa offers a comprehensive suite of services, but scaling operations required more than talent and dedication. That’s where the Florida SBDC at USF stepped in.

With guidance from business consultant Brad Owens, Martin developed robust financial projections, a critical step in securing funding to expand. Owens also facilitated connections with local banks and provided actionable advice to strengthen the business’s operations.

“I’ve really enjoyed engaging with the Florida SBDC at USF. Brad Owens there has been a great financial mentor to me to help me understand the details of how my capital and how my overhead engage with each other and what I need to put into strategy to make sure that my business runs successfully,” Martin expressed.

“I love having the vision. I love developing the ideas but there’s capital and financials and numbers that need to work for my strategies to come together and Brad’s been phenomenal helping me understand that and engage me with resources to help my capital investment,” he added.

Additionally, Gina Smith, another Florida SBDC at USF consultant, conducted a thorough review of the company’s website, offering insights that enhanced its online presence.

“Besides Brad’s walkthrough of financials and besides Brad helping engage with a bank to help me with capital, the Florida SBDC at USF also helped me with reviewing my website. Now, I have a marketing team that built my website that helps me with my lead generation and social media, and they do a fantastic job but it was great to have an outside resource do a full review of it and give me feedback and I’ve given that to my marketing team and we’ve made good improvements just from that advice. So, I’m forever grateful for the organization of what they’ve given to me so far,” Martin said.

Since working with the Florida SBDC at USF, Southlake Signs Tampa has grown significantly, adding new clients and expanding its service offerings. “My biggest success so far is building relationships with customers,” Martin said proudly.

“We’re doing vehicle wraps for customers so that when they go down the road they’re advertising. We’re doing monument signs for customers that are major structures out in front of their business that helps their business be seen, and you know, that’s what gives me energy is helping other customers be seen and be successful,” he added.

Looking ahead, Martin plans to continue leveraging the Florida SBDC at USF’s expertise, especially when it comes to using his capital strategically for business growth. “As a business owner, you get to a point of, I’m limited by whatever external factors, and capital is one of those. And working with Florida SBDC at USF is helping me get to that next level of my business and growth in the industry,” he said.

When asked what he would say to other small business owners about the Florida SBDC at USF, the passionate business owner responded, “I talk about Florida SBDC at USF all the time to my peers.” Offering a word of advice to others, he concluded, “It is a free service that you cannot believe is free because of all the guidance, both from a business perspective, a community perspective, a growth perspective. Use them. There’s no reason you shouldn’t use them.”