Veteran-Owned Business Grows by Giving Back to the Community

Empact Solutions of Pinellas County

Following retirement from the Army after more than 25 years of service, Elizabeth Siplin launched Empact Solutions with the desire to give back to her community. “I really wanted to give back to the community and start something different, so Empact Solutions was formed out of really a community effort to give back,” owner, Elizabeth Siplin, said.

Empact Solutions focuses on guiding businesses and organizations to reaching their maximum potential through management and security solutions. Businesses that work with Empact Solutions are given the tools and advice needed to accomplish all of their security needs and professional training goals. Empact Solutions is built on a “three-tier” of youth development, professional development, and security management services.

Siplin’s community service efforts include founding the Second Chance Empowerment Foundation and being a senior consultant for HireMilitary.

Siplin initially reached out to the Florida PTAC at Pinellas County Economic Development to better grasp what it really takes to run a successful business. “I can run a company in the Army but running your own company in the civilian industry, understanding of the business model contacts, even setting up your business was the key for me to reach out,” she said.

Siplin was able to build relationships at the Florida PTAC at PCED and instantly clicked with her consultant, Yolanda Goodloe. “My consultant, Yolanda, was phenomenal when I reached out,” she recalled. “She gave me a confidence boost because she asked me what direction I wanted to go; what I was looking forward to with my goals. She really took the time to really dig in and it wasn’t just the one point. We did a series of consultant appointments to help me map out my company.”

Since she began working with Goodloe, she has earned various business certifications and earned various government contracts.

When COVID-19 shut down the state in March 2020, it proved no match for Empact Solutions, as the Florida SBDC at Pinellas County Economic Development became an instant resource. “SBDC was really instrumental in getting us funding when the first EIDL grant came out. We were one of the first ones to get it. They continued to send information about PPP and the Advance, so we were able to capture all of those and still getting the funding that’s available for our company.”

Empact Solutions relationship with the organizations will continue to grow into the future. Siplin plans on getting into a mentorship program through the Florida PTAC at PCED, to continue to train and grow in their financial readiness.

“Empact Solutions really plans on continuing to work with the Florida PTAC and the SBDC in the growth aspect. I plan to continue with either Yolanda or Karen or whoever they have. I even want to say in the aspect of financial readiness they actually got me to a consultant, and we were able to get our line of credit established through that relationship.”

As she continues to build her business, she’s letting other business owners know about the business resources available in Pinellas County. “I can tell you now from Karen to Yolonda, everybody in those offices is working congruently. I was literally able to partner with other companies through PTAC and SBDC to win additional contracts. Starting a new business, I had no idea what I was getting into but after working with that team I feel very confident in our company and we’re doing very well.”