TreeWorkNow, Tree Work Now

Tree Work Now: A Business That Stands Tall

Tree Care Company Credits its Success to Delighted Customers, Loyal Employees and FSBDC at DSC’s CEO XChange Peer Network

April 29, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Hal Thayer, Communications Director, FSBDC at UCF, 407.420.4850 or HThayer@ucf.edu

Trecia Arrington, Sub-Center Director, FSBDC at DSC, 386.506.3317 or Trecia.Arrington@daytonastate.edu

Orlando, FL – The path to long-term success is rarely straightforward for a small business, but certain best practices can make the journey smoother. Delighting customers, valuing employees, and seeking support – rather than going it alone – are just a few of the key ingredients to success. Evan Keller, founder and CEO of Tree Work Now Inc. in DeLand, Florida, has embraced all three of these proven fundamentals, and with the guidance of the Florida Small Business Development Center at Daytona State College (FSBDC at DSC), a sub-center of the FSBDC at UCF, and its CEO XChange executive roundtable, those strategies have helped propel his company forward.

Tree Work Now is a leader in tree trimming, removal, and comprehensive tree care services. Recently celebrating its 20th anniversary, the company now serves more than 1,500 customers annually across seven Central Florida counties.

“We are really pleased to have over 680 reviews on Google with a 4.9‑star average,” Keller shares proudly. “The way we’ve achieved that is by WOWING every customer with our effort and by being the most trusted tree experts in Central Florida with our certified arborists, very talented crews, and professional office staff. It’s a difficult industry but easy to stand out by adding a little extra professionalism in the way we communicate, in the way we do our work, in the way we clean up afterwards, and in the way we protect our customers’ property. In the end, just WOWING customers every day is what has helped us stand out over the last 20 years.”

Keller believes that exceptional customer service begins with exceptional employee care. “Really the key to our success has been how we treat our employees,” he affirms. “We know that happy employees make happy customers. So creating a family atmosphere by having good benefits, by being flexible with work schedules, by even offering mortgage assistance really shows our employees that we care.” The results are clear: staff turnover is low and many of the company’s 25 employees have been with Tree Work Now for five years or more, with several surpassing a decade.

Just as important as care for customers and employees is the support system Keller has built around himself as a business owner. Alongside his brother – “an amazing partner” who oversees operations – and a seasoned leadership team, Keller has also relied on the FSBDC at DSC’s CEO XChange, a peer-to-peer roundtable of growth-minded business leaders from non-competing companies.

“We’ve been a part of the CEO XChange for almost a decade,” Keller explains, “because there’s been such a supportive network there that help us keep learning and growing, and just having folks that understand what you go through as a business owner has been invaluable. Having a peer network of fellow entrepreneurs running similar sized companies has been a great mutual support both personally and professionally. We really support each other and even coach each other through those challenging things we’re going through. They give you support when you need it and congratulations when you’ve hit a milestone.”

Keller’s commitment to wowing customers, caring for employees, and collaborating with fellow CEOs has paid off. “Over the decade I have worked with the SBDC and have been part of the CEO XChange, our revenues have increased, our customer reviews have more than doubled and I’ve gained confidence in how to grow the company,” he reflects. “It’s been a good journey. I plan to continue with it for as long as I’m here at Tree Work Now.”

For information about Tree Work Now, please visit https://treeworknow.com/.

— FSBDC —

About the FSBDC at UCF

Hosted by the University of Central Florida (UCF), and with its main office in the National Entrepreneur Center located at the Fashion Square Mall in Orlando, the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) is part of part of UCF’s Office of the President and the Florida SBDC Network.

The Florida SBDC at UCF provides aspiring and existing small businesses with no-cost consulting, low-cost training, and access to business data and research resources. In addition to its core service offering, the Florida SBDC at UCF also offers specialized services to qualifying companies, including capital access, market growth, government contracting, international trade, business continuation, cybersecurity, disaster planning and recovery, and more. The FSBDC at UCF serves an eight-county area that includes Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia counties and maintains 9 service centers across Central Florida.

In 2024, the FSBDC at UCF served 2,277 entrepreneurs in Central Florida with consulting services, resulting in more than 2,855 jobs impacted; $564.3 million in sales growth; $57.2 million in capital formation; $161.1 million in government contract awards; and 142 new businesses started. For more information, please visit www.sbdcorlando.com .

About the Florida SBDC Network

For nearly 50 years, the Florida SBDC Network, the state’s principal provider of business assistance [Fl. Stat. 288.001], has nourished a statewide partnership between higher education and economic development to provide existing and emerging small and medium-sized business owners with management and knowledge resources that enable overall growth, increased profitability, and economic prosperity for Florida’s economy.

In 2024, the Florida SBDC Network delivered 107,812 hours of consulting to 15,474 small business clients – resulting in business owners securing $304 million in capital, $732 million in government contracting, impacting 19,800 jobs, increasing sales by over $3.8 billion, and creating 1,019 businesses.

With over 40 offices statewide, the Florida SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Department of Defense, State of Florida and other private and public partners. Full funding disclosure available at www.floridasbdc.org/funding-disclosures/.

The Florida SBDC Network, headquartered at the University of West Florida, is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs and is a recipient of the President’s E Award for Export Service. Florida SBDC services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Language assistance services are available for individuals with limited English proficiency. For more information, please visit www.FloridaSBDC.org.

FSBDC at UCF | 3201 E. Colonial Drive | Orlando, FL 32801 | p 407.420.4850 | f 407.420.4862
sbdc@ucf.edu | www.sbdcorlando.com

Hotspray Industrial Coatings

Hotspray Industrial Coating Gets a Fresh Coat of Success

FSBDC at UCF’s Advisory Board Council Program Helps Industrial Paint Company Strengthen Operations and Boost Performance.

April 20, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Hal Thayer, Communications Director, FSBDC at UCF, 407.420.4850 or HThayer@ucf.edu

Jill Kaufman, Associate Director/ABC Program Manager, FSBDC at UCF, 407.420.4854 or   Jill.Kaufman@ucf.edu

Orlando, FL – Achieving long-term success as a small business is never simple. The challenges are constant: finding and retaining customers, building a strong team, establishing efficient processes, and consistently turning a profit. After more than 30 successful years in business, Lyle Cummings—president and founder of Hotspray Industrial Coatings—knew his company had met those challenges well. He also believed there was still room to strengthen Hotspray’s position as an industry leader in polyurea coatings, secondary containment, industrial floor coatings, and sandblasting services. To take the next step, he turned to the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) and its award‑winning Advisory Board Council program.

With locations in Orlando and Mims, Florida, Hotspray Industrial Coatings specializes in high‑performance industrial coatings engineered to withstand harsh conditions and deliver long‑lasting protection. Its technicians are highly trained in applying specialized coatings—expertise that sets the company apart from traditional painting services. “The key to our success has been being able to deliver high‑performance coating jobs, from floors all the way up to heavy industrial, high‑up areas, especially for the Space Center and the theme parks, but also across many other industries and for many municipalities,” describes Cummings. “We’re talented in a variety of different coating solutions with a crew of roughly 60 trained technicians who pride themselves in the quality of their work.”

Despite the company’s strong track record, Cummings sensed untapped potential. “You reach a point in your career running a business that you have to do something different or you’re going to get the same result,” he explained. While Hotspray’s results were good, he believed they could be even better. “We needed some assistance. We were able to have a board of advisors provided to us from the FSBDC. They put together experts at the table with us that really helped us get going and really grow.”

The FSBDC at UCF’s Advisory Board Council is a high‑impact business support service that matches established Orange County companies with a customized board of volunteer advisors. These professionals bring expertise in areas such as strategy, finance, marketing, operations, and HR—providing insight, accountability, and guidance at no cost to the business. For Hotspray, the fit was immediate. “We had folks on the Board who were good at marketing, finance, HR, business development,” Cummings recalls. “At each meeting, we would bring up issues that we had with our business, they would share their expertise and knowledge and hold us accountable to solve those problems by the time of our next meeting. We were able to talk freely about the issues we were having and this helped us out in our business growth.”

The results speak for themselves. “While working with the Advisory Board Council, we were happy that we achieved a 40% increase in revenues and a 50% increase in headcount,” Cummings reports. Reflecting on the experience, he adds, “If I would have a wish, I would have had the FSBDC’s Advisory Board Council sooner. It definitely helps in your growth and development, and getting you headed in the right direction.”

For information about Hotspray Industrial Coatings, please visit https://hotspray.com/

— FSBDC —

About the FSBDC at UCF

Hosted by the University of Central Florida (UCF), and with its main office in the National Entrepreneur Center located at the Fashion Square Mall in Orlando, the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) is part of part of UCF’s Office of the President and the Florida SBDC Network.

The Florida SBDC at UCF provides aspiring and existing small businesses with no-cost consulting, low-cost training, and access to business data and research resources. In addition to its core service offering, the Florida SBDC at UCF also offers specialized services to qualifying companies, including capital access, market growth, government contracting, international trade, business continuation, cybersecurity, disaster planning and recovery, and more. The FSBDC at UCF serves an eight-county area that includes Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia counties and maintains 9 service centers across Central Florida.

In 2024, the FSBDC at UCF served 2,277 entrepreneurs in Central Florida with consulting services, resulting in more than 2,855 jobs impacted; $564.3 million in sales growth; $57.2 million in capital formation; $161.1 million in government contract awards; and 142 new businesses started. For more information, please visit www.sbdcorlando.com .

About the Florida SBDC Network

For nearly 50 years, the Florida SBDC Network, the state’s principal provider of business assistance [Fl. Stat. 288.001], has nourished a statewide partnership between higher education and economic development to provide existing and emerging small and medium-sized business owners with management and knowledge resources that enable overall growth, increased profitability, and economic prosperity for Florida’s economy.

In 2024, the Florida SBDC Network delivered 107,812 hours of consulting to 15,474 small business clients – resulting in business owners securing $304 million in capital, $732 million in government contracting, impacting 19,800 jobs, increasing sales by over $3.8 billion, and creating 1,019 businesses.

With over 40 offices statewide, the Florida SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Department of Defense, State of Florida and other private and public partners. Full funding disclosure available at www.floridasbdc.org/funding-disclosures/.

The Florida SBDC Network, headquartered at the University of West Florida, is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs and is a recipient of the President’s E Award for Export Service. Florida SBDC services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Language assistance services are available for individuals with limited English proficiency. For more information, please visit www.FloridaSBDC.org.

FSBDC at UCF | 3201 E. Colonial Drive | Orlando, FL 32801 | p 407.420.4850 | f 407.420.4862
sbdc@ucf.edu | www.sbdcorlando.com

Kelly's Homemade Ice Cream

Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream Strengthens Growth Strategy with FSBDC at UCF Support

Advisory Board Council and CEO XChange Programs Help Popular Central Florida Brand Scale with Confidence.

April 6, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Hal Thayer, Communications Director, FSBDC at UCF, 407.420.4850 or HThayer@ucf.edu

Orlando, FL – Starting and growing a small business takes vision, courage, and a steady belief in your own decisions. Even when the business is thriving, many entrepreneurs still seek reassurance that they’re steering their company in the right direction. For Kelly and Scott Seidl, founders of Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream, finding trusted guidance became essential as their beloved Central Florida brand expanded. That search led them to the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) and its two flagship programs for second‑stage companies: the Advisory Board Council (ABC) and CEO XChange.

Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream began with a simple craving. After moving to Central Florida, Kelly and Scott were surprised to find no local homemade ice cream shops. Kelly—who had scooped ice cream throughout high school and college—started experimenting in their dining room. They shared early batches with coworkers, then moved to farmers markets, then to an ice cream truck, and eventually to their first brick‑and‑mortar shop. At every stage, customers responded with enthusiasm.

“We love making homemade ice cream, serving the community, and serving up special treats you can’t find in your grocery store,” Kelly explains. “We make all our own flavors in-house along with our mix-ins here in Altamonte Springs. We just love serving the community with sweetness.” Scott adds, “My favorite thing is making people happy. We enjoy being in the shops and seeing families sit down together to enjoy our ice cream and each other.”

Today, Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream has grown far beyond its dining‑room beginnings. The company now operates six shops across Central Florida, serves ice cream at 41 Foxtail Coffee locations statewide, and runs two iconic pink‑and‑white ice cream trucks that appear at events throughout the region.

With rapid growth, however, came new pressures. That’s when the Seidls turned to the FSBDC at UCF. Their first step was joining the Advisory Board Council, led by program manager Jill Kaufman. ABC provides a customized, no‑cost board of volunteer experts who offer strategic guidance tailored to each business.

“We were part of the Advisory Board Council a few years ago,” Kelly recalls. “They were an amazing group of individuals who helped guide us. They really helped strengthen us and challenge us. For me, it just gave me more confidence—confidence in how I speak about the business, in how we set goals, in our own expectations.”

After graduating from ABC, Scott joined the CEO XChange, the FSBDC’s peer‑to‑peer roundtable for high‑performing CEOs. “The thing about coming together with other business owners is it lets you know you’re not alone,” he shares. “There are other people going through or who have gone through similar things, so they’re able to help. Group problem solving has been very helpful; we’re able to use the brainpower in the room to solve problems and get advice from people who have been there and done that before.”

Scott sums up their FSBDC experience simply: “If I had to use one word to describe our time with the FSBDC, it would be ‘confidence.’ We are all somewhat alone as business owners, and it’s great to connect with experts or other business owners who help you feel confident that you’re on the right track and doing the right thing.”

For information about Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream, please visit https://www.kellyshomemadeicecream.com/ .

— FSBDC —

About the FSBDC at UCF

Hosted by the University of Central Florida (UCF), and with its main office in the National Entrepreneur Center located at the Fashion Square Mall in Orlando, the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) is part of part of UCF’s Office of the President and the Florida SBDC Network.

The Florida SBDC at UCF provides aspiring and existing small businesses with no-cost consulting, low-cost training, and access to business data and research resources. In addition to its core service offering, the Florida SBDC at UCF also offers specialized services to qualifying companies, including capital access, market growth, government contracting, international trade, business continuation, cybersecurity, disaster planning and recovery, and more. The FSBDC at UCF serves an eight-county area that includes Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia counties and maintains 9 service centers across Central Florida.

In 2024, the FSBDC at UCF served 2,277 entrepreneurs in Central Florida with consulting services, resulting in more than 2,855 jobs impacted; $564.3 million in sales growth; $57.2 million in capital formation; $161.1 million in government contract awards; and 142 new businesses started. For more information, please visit www.sbdcorlando.com.

About the Florida SBDC Network

For nearly 50 years, the Florida SBDC Network, the state’s principal provider of business assistance [Fl. Stat. 288.001], has nourished a statewide partnership between higher education and economic development to provide existing and emerging small and medium-sized business owners with management and knowledge resources that enable overall growth, increased profitability, and economic prosperity for Florida’s economy.

In 2024, the Florida SBDC Network delivered 107,812 hours of consulting to 15,474 small business clients – resulting in business owners securing $304 million in capital, $732 million in government contracting, impacting 19,800 jobs, increasing sales by over $3.8 billion, and creating 1,019 businesses.

With over 40 offices statewide, the Florida SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Department of Defense, State of Florida and other private and public partners. Full funding disclosure available at www.floridasbdc.org/funding-disclosures/.

The Florida SBDC Network, headquartered at the University of West Florida, is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs and is a recipient of the President’s E Award for Export Service. Florida SBDC services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Language assistance services are available for individuals with limited English proficiency. For more information, please visit www.FloridaSBDC.org.

FSBDC at UCF | 3201 E. Colonial Drive | Orlando, FL 32801 | p 407.420.4850 | f 407.420.4862
sbdc@ucf.edu | www.sbdcorlando.com

Green's Eco Air Conditioning and Heating

When Business Owners Unite, Big Things Happen

Green’s Eco Air Conditioning Doubles Revenue with Support of FSBDC at Daytona State College and Its Growth XChange

April 3, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Hal Thayer, Communications Director, FSBDC at UCF, 407.420.4850 or HThayer@ucf.edu

Trecia Arrington, Sub-Center Director, FSBDC at DSC, 386-506-3317 or Trecia.Arrington@daytomastate.edu

Orlando, FL – Running a small business can be a lonely journey that is not without roadblocks. Many owners discover that, at a certain point, the challenge of being ultimately responsible for the success and growth of one’s business can feel isolating, but timely and meaningful support can spark growth and bring fresh perspective. Collaborative learning – especially alongside other business leaders – often becomes the catalyst that helps entrepreneurs break through barriers. For Joshua Green, founder and owner of Green’s Eco Air Conditioning and Heating, that kind of collaboration has been transformative. His participation in the Florida Small Business Development Center at Daytona State College’s (FSBDC at DSC) – a sub-center of the FSBDC at UCF – Growth XChange program has played a pivotal role in his company’s rapid expansion.

Green launched Green’s Eco Air Conditioning and Heating five years ago with a commitment to honesty, quality, and reliability. The company provides air conditioning, heating, duct cleaning, insulation, and mold assessment services throughout the Daytona Beach area. “We pride ourselves in our honesty and ability to get the job done right the first time,” Green explains. “All of our technicians are NATE certified, which means they can go above and beyond in customer service and doing the repair. Our biggest accomplishment is being the ones who get out there when our customers need us, whether it’s a Sunday or even Christmas.”

That dedication has helped Green’s Eco Air stand out in a competitive market. However, as the business grew, Green recognized he needed additional support to strengthen his leadership skills and scale the company effectively. “When I started my business, I was looking for ways to learn how to run my business, and the FSBDC gave me the tools I needed,” he recalls.

In addition to one-on-one consulting and business training, Green joined the FSBDC’s Growth XChange—a peer-to-peer executive roundtable modeled after the center’s award-winning CEO XChange program. The Growth XChange brings business owners together monthly in a confidential setting to discuss challenges, opportunities, and trends. The goal is simple: help leaders make better decisions and grow stronger companies.

“The Growth XChange really helped me grow as a business owner,” shares Green. “It helps you connect with other business owners like yourself. They have a lot of information to share and that’s absolutely invaluable. It’s really great to have people who understand you as a growing business owner. It’s why I keep coming back.”

The impact has been significant. Green credits the program with helping him to sharpen his strategy, stay accountable, and gain insights he couldn’t have found on his own. “If you’re looking at joining the Growth XChange, it is a wonderful experience to be in a group and be accountable, to have your questions answered or just get advice from other people,” he affirms. So wonderful, in fact, that Green has been promoted, on the strength of his business success and contributions to the program, up to the FSBDC at DSC’s senior executive roundtable, the CEO XChange.

The results from Green’s participation in the FSBDC’s programs speak for themselves. “Since I started with the Growth XChange, my business year-over-year has increased 100%, I’ve added 5 new employees, and we have really, really grown,” Green reports. “I attribute that to those Growth XChange meetings and the FSBDC. You’re not going to find that anywhere else, where you can sit around the table with other business owners and the staff of the SBDC and they all just really help you grow your business.”

For information about Green’s Eco Air Conditioning and Heating, please visit https://greens-eco.com/.

About the FSBDC at UCF

Hosted by the University of Central Florida (UCF), and with its main office in the National Entrepreneur Center located at the Fashion Square Mall in Orlando, the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) is part of part of UCF’s Office of the President and the Florida SBDC Network.

The Florida SBDC at UCF provides aspiring and existing small businesses with no-cost consulting, low-cost training, and access to business data and research resources. In addition to its core service offering, the Florida SBDC at UCF also offers specialized services to qualifying companies, including capital access, market growth, government contracting, international trade, business continuation, cybersecurity, disaster planning and recovery, and more. The FSBDC at UCF serves an eight-county area that includes Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia counties and maintains 9 service centers across Central Florida.

In 2024, the FSBDC at UCF served 2,277 entrepreneurs in Central Florida with consulting services, resulting in more than 2,855 jobs impacted; $564.3 million in sales growth; $57.2 million in capital formation; $161.1 million in government contract awards; and 142 new businesses started. For more information, please visit www.sbdcorlando.com.

About the Florida SBDC Network

For nearly 50 years, the Florida SBDC Network, the state’s principal provider of business assistance [Fl. Stat. 288.001], has nourished a statewide partnership between higher education and economic development to provide existing and emerging small and medium-sized business owners with management and knowledge resources that enable overall growth, increased profitability, and economic prosperity for Florida’s economy.

In 2024, the Florida SBDC Network delivered 107,812 hours of consulting to 15,474 small business clients – resulting in business owners securing $304 million in capital, $732 million in government contracting, impacting 19,800 jobs, increasing sales by over $3.8 billion, and creating 1,019 businesses.

With over 40 offices statewide, the Florida SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Department of Defense, State of Florida and other private and public partners. Full funding disclosure available at www.floridasbdc.org/funding-disclosures/.

The Florida SBDC Network, headquartered at the University of West Florida, is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs and is a recipient of the President’s E Award for Export Service. Florida SBDC services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Language assistance services are available for individuals with limited English proficiency. For more information, please visit www.FloridaSBDC.org.

FSBDC at UCF | 3201 E. Colonial Drive | Orlando, FL 32801 | p 407.420.4850 | f 407.420.4862
sbdc@ucf.edu | www.sbdcorlando.com

FSBDC at UCF, University of Central Florida, Small Business Assistance

Florida SBDC at UCF Named SBA’s 2026 National Small Business Development Center of the Year

FSBDC at UCF Recognized by U.S. Small Business Administration with Excellence and Innovation Award; To Be Honored During National Small Business Week in Washington, D.C.

April 2, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Hal Thayer, Communications Director, FSBDC at UCF, 407.420.4850 or HThayer@ucf.edu

Orlando, FL – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has announced the winners of the 2026 National Small Business Week Awards, and the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) has earned top honors. From more than 1,000 centers nationwide, the FSBDC at UCF has been selected as the SBA’s National Small Business Development Center of the Year – recognizing its outstanding performance, innovative programming, and leadership in supporting Central Florida’s entrepreneurs and small businesses.

“We are humbled yet immensely gratified to be honored as the SBDC of the Year by the SBA,” said Eunice Choi, Regional Director of the FSBDC at UCF. “Our team takes great pride in its unwavering commitment to serving the small business community and advancing SBA’s mission. This award reflects our consistent ability to exceed SBA milestones and outperform our own high expectations within the Florida SBDC Network.”

Each year, the SBA celebrates National Small Business Week by recognizing exceptional small business owners, entrepreneurs, and resource partners from across the country. This year’s winners have been invited to Washington, D.C., May 3–4, where they will be honored during national ceremonies.

“This year’s NSBW celebration is particularly historic as our nation commemorates the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, when our Founding Fathers laid the groundwork for the liberty that powers the engine of free enterprise. The result is our nation’s prosperity and entrepreneurial spirit – the very spirit your leadership exemplifies,” commented SBA Administrator Kelley Loeffler in a letter of congratulations to Eunice Choi and the Florida SBDC at UCF.

For information about Florida SBDC at UCF, please visit www.sbdcorlando.com.

— FSBDC —

About the FSBDC at UCF

Hosted by the University of Central Florida (UCF), and with its main office in the National Entrepreneur Center located at the Fashion Square Mall in Orlando, the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) is part of part of UCF’s Office of the President and the Florida SBDC Network.

The Florida SBDC at UCF provides aspiring and existing small businesses with no-cost consulting, low-cost training, and access to business data and research resources. In addition to its core service offering, the Florida SBDC at UCF also offers specialized services to qualifying companies, including capital access, market growth, government contracting, international trade, business continuation, cybersecurity, disaster planning and recovery, and more. The FSBDC at UCF serves an eight-county area that includes Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia counties and maintains 9 service centers across Central Florida.

In 2024, the FSBDC at UCF served 2,277 entrepreneurs in Central Florida with consulting services, resulting in more than 2,855 jobs impacted; $564.3 million in sales growth; $57.2 million in capital formation; $161.1 million in government contract awards; and 142 new businesses started. For more information, please visit www.sbdcorlando.com .

About the Florida SBDC Network

For nearly 50 years, the Florida SBDC Network, the state’s principal provider of business assistance [Fl. Stat. 288.001], has nourished a statewide partnership between higher education and economic development to provide existing and emerging small and medium-sized business owners with management and knowledge resources that enable overall growth, increased profitability, and economic prosperity for Florida’s economy.

In 2024, the Florida SBDC Network delivered 107,812 hours of consulting to 15,474 small business clients – resulting in business owners securing $304 million in capital, $732 million in government contracting, impacting 19,800 jobs, increasing sales by over $3.8 billion, and creating 1,019 businesses.

With over 40 offices statewide, the Florida SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Department of Defense, State of Florida and other private and public partners. Full funding disclosure available at www.floridasbdc.org/funding-disclosures/.

The Florida SBDC Network, headquartered at the University of West Florida, is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs and is a recipient of the President’s E Award for Export Service. Florida SBDC services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Language assistance services are available for individuals with limited English proficiency. For more information, please visit www.FloridaSBDC.org.

FSBDC at UCF | 3201 E. Colonial Drive | Orlando, FL 32801 | p 407.420.4850 | f 407.420.4862
sbdc@ucf.edu | www.sbdcorlando.com

BWH Plant Co

From Pop Up to Powerhouse: BWH Plant Co. Blossoms with FSBDC at UCF Support

E-Commerce Houseplant Grower and Shipper Expanding with Support of FSBDC and Its SBI® and CEO XChange Programs

March 17, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Hal Thayer, Communications Director, FSBDC at UCF, 407.420.4850 or HThayer@ucf.edu

Orlando, FL –  Entrepreneurship is alive and well at BWH Plant Co. With an origin story right off the pages of Entrepreneur, Fast Company, or Inc. magazines, the company has catapulted from pop-up to a multi-million-dollar e-commerce enterprise. What began as a weekend side-gig created by three recent UCF graduates has grown into a multi‑million‑dollar e‑commerce brand shipping rare and unique houseplants nationwide. With rapid growth, however, came operational challenges. To sustain this growth and take their business to the next level, founders Carlie and Jason Paluzzi, along with former partner Kyle Kroeplin, turned to the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) for guidance and support.

BWH Plant Co. specializes in growing and shipping distinctive houseplants directly to customers across the U.S. “Our whole aim is to make gardening fun for the next generation of plant lovers,” shared Carlie. Jason added, “We grow hundreds of different varieties, multiple different genus, and we’re always exploring the best and newest products.” Carlie emphasized their commitment to quality and service: “We’re very proud of the quality, consistency, and variety we offer, as well as the accessibility and affordability. No matter what happens in transit, we’re going to take care of you. When you’re shopping with BWH Plant Co., you’re going to have the best quality, the best price, and the best customer service.”

The tale of the company’s launch is as modern as it is entrepreneurial. “As a side‑gig opportunity, we decided it would be fun to do a little pop‑up shop, but something different in the market,” Jason recalls. “There are a lot of floral pop‑ups, so we said maybe plants. You don’t see those too often.” The pop‑up became a mobile trailer, then a website. When they launched online in October 2019, they sold out in three hours. Months later, as people sought to brighten their homes during COVID lockdowns, demand exploded. “That was the trigger that turned what was a passion project and side hustle into a full‑fledged e‑commerce business,” Carlie affirmed.

With success came complexity. Managing live inventory across multiple greenhouses proved challenging. “Because we were having operational challenges with our live inventory, the idea of connecting with our alma mater and possibly working with consultants to help us investigate and problem solve introduced us to the FSBDC,” Carlie explains.

BWH Plant Co.’s FSBDC journey began with the Small Business Institute® (SBI®), where UCF MBA students – guided by FSBDC consultants – conducted an in‑depth inventory management project. From there, Carlie was encouraged to join the FSBDC’s CEO XChange, an executive roundtable program for growth‑oriented business leaders.

“I have been a part of the CEO XChange for a little over a year now and it has helped us in so many ways,” Carlie highlighted. “It has been such an amazing network and community and resource for me and for our business.” Jason agreed: “Carlie’s involvement in the CEO XChange has brought a lot to the table. There’s been a lot of relationships she’s made and resources that have really helped us drive and grow our business.”

“The Florida SBDC has really benefited us,” Carlie concluded. “Mainly for mentorship—having someone to reach out to for things like contract agreements, business valuations, questions about really anything in terms of business.” Through no‑cost consulting and programs like SBI® and CEO XChange, the FSBDC has helped BWH Plant Co. evolve from a pop‑up passion project into a thriving national e‑commerce brand. “The SBDC truly has been an amazing resource for our company.”

For information about BWH Plant Co., please visit https://bwhplantco.com/ .

— FSBDC —

About the FSBDC at UCF

Hosted by the University of Central Florida (UCF), and with its main office in the National Entrepreneur Center located at the Fashion Square Mall in Orlando, the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) is part of part of UCF’s Office of the President and the Florida SBDC Network.

The Florida SBDC at UCF provides aspiring and existing small businesses with no-cost consulting, low-cost training, and access to business data and research resources. In addition to its core service offering, the Florida SBDC at UCF also offers specialized services to qualifying companies, including capital access, market growth, government contracting, international trade, business continuation, cybersecurity, disaster planning and recovery, and more. The FSBDC at UCF serves an eight-county area that includes Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia counties and maintains 9 service centers across Central Florida.

In 2024, the FSBDC at UCF served 2,277 entrepreneurs in Central Florida with consulting services, resulting in more than 2,855 jobs impacted; $564.3 million in sales growth; $57.2 million in capital formation; $161.1 million in government contract awards; and 142 new businesses started. For more information, please visit www.sbdcorlando.com .

About the Florida SBDC Network

For nearly 50 years, the Florida SBDC Network, the state’s principal provider of business assistance [Fl. Stat. 288.001], has nourished a statewide partnership between higher education and economic development to provide existing and emerging small and medium-sized business owners with management and knowledge resources that enable overall growth, increased profitability, and economic prosperity for Florida’s economy.

In 2024, the Florida SBDC Network delivered 107,812 hours of consulting to 15,474 small business clients – resulting in business owners securing $304 million in capital, $732 million in government contracting, impacting 19,800 jobs, increasing sales by over $3.8 billion, and creating 1,019 businesses.

With over 40 offices statewide, the Florida SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Department of Defense, State of Florida and other private and public partners. Full funding disclosure available at www.floridasbdc.org/funding-disclosures/.

The Florida SBDC Network, headquartered at the University of West Florida, is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs and is a recipient of the President’s E Award for Export Service. Florida SBDC services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Language assistance services are available for individuals with limited English proficiency. For more information, please visit www.FloridaSBDC.org.

FSBDC at UCF | 3201 E. Colonial Drive | Orlando, FL 32801 | p 407.420.4850 | f 407.420.4862
sbdc@ucf.edu | www.sbdcorlando.com

Yellow Tarpm EMS

Supporting Wildland Firefighters: Getting Them the Help They Need

Wildfire Medical Services Company Yellow Tarp EMS Accesses Needed Capital with Florida SBDC at UCF Assistance

March 11, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Hal Thayer, Communications Director, FSBDC at UCF, 407.420.4850 or HThayer@ucf.edu

Orlando, FL – Fighting a wildfire demands exhausting, focused teamwork in a harsh, smoky landscape where heat, noise, and urgency press in from every direction. With risk everywhere, having dedicated emergency medical services on scene is essential for such dangerous situations. Yellow Tarp EMS—founded by Garrett and Kathleen “Katie” Cooper—exists to provide that critical support. They realized that, to keep their medics equipped, insured, and ready to deploy, the company required significant funding. To solve this, the Coopers turned to the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) in Lake County, where they discovered the guidance and resources they needed.

Yellow Tarp EMS specializes in medical support for firefighters and personnel working on or near active wildfires. Their teams monitor crews for heat illness, smoke exposure, dehydration, and injuries, and respond immediately when someone needs treatment or evacuation. They also assist with medical planning, track crew health during long shifts, and help ensure that local EMS agencies—often unprepared for wildfire conditions—aren’t overwhelmed.

It’s a distinctive business model, and one that depends on collaboration. “We have a lot of allies in our space,” shares Garrett Cooper. “We don’t look at other companies as competitors. We’re on a team to provide medical care for our wildland firefighters and provide the service they need and they expect. What does differentiate us is that we are very consistent with the quality of the product and personnel we provide to the government agencies and their firefighters that we serve.” That consistency, however, requires substantial investment – one of the reasons that Yellow Tarp connected with the FSBDC.

“We originally sought out assistance from the FSBDC because it’s very expensive starting and running a business,” Cooper admits. “We had lots of insurance we needed to pay for, lots of equipment that needed to be bought, and it’s very hard as people working in the medical field as paramedics and EMSs to come up with the money that’s required. We needed funding and we reached out to Jose [Jose Molfino, FSBDC Consultant and Lake County Area Manager] and the FSBDC.”

Molfino worked closely with Katie Cooper to assemble financial documents, build a complete loan package, and identify lenders. “It’s mostly Katie who worked with Jose very heavily on coming up with the spreadsheets, coming up with the projections, putting them in the formats that were what we really needed to have,” Garrett recalls, “in order to apply successfully for some loans.”

Their efforts paid off. “Ultimately, by the time we were approved for a term loan that we’d been going through a long process to get, we no longer actually needed that loan,” Cooper explains. “But we did still need a line of credit, and, because of the FSBDC, we were able to get that line of credit which is very beneficial to help us to cover our payroll needs. In our industry, you need a big, fat stack of cash and then you spend it all and then get it all back a few months later. The better the payroll that we can have, the more successful this company is. In large part, because of the FSBDC, we were able to come up with what we needed.”

“If you care about your business,” Cooper concludes, “you should be willing to go in and see what the SBDC can offer. For us it was very valuable. Honestly, Katie and I, we couldn’t believe this was a free service. It’s kind of wild that so many people have access to this but they are not using it. Even if we hadn’t taken any money from it at all, it was still a very valuable process to have Jose line up our projections and a lot of grown‑up business types of things that we weren’t really ready to tackle on our own yet. It was all so very helpful.”

For information about Yellow Tarp EMT, please contact them at 480.695.6081.

— FSBDC —

About the FSBDC at UCF

Hosted by the University of Central Florida (UCF), and with its main office in the National Entrepreneur Center located at the Fashion Square Mall in Orlando, the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) is part of part of UCF’s Office of the President and the Florida SBDC Network.

The Florida SBDC at UCF provides aspiring and existing small businesses with no-cost consulting, low-cost training, and access to business data and research resources. In addition to its core service offering, the Florida SBDC at UCF also offers specialized services to qualifying companies, including capital access, market growth, government contracting, international trade, business continuation, cybersecurity, disaster planning and recovery, and more. The FSBDC at UCF serves an eight-county area that includes Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia counties and maintains 9 service centers across Central Florida.

In 2024, the FSBDC at UCF served 2,277 entrepreneurs in Central Florida with consulting services, resulting in more than 2,855 jobs impacted; $564.3 million in sales growth; $57.2 million in capital formation; $161.1 million in government contract awards; and 142 new businesses started. For more information, please visit www.sbdcorlando.com.

About the Florida SBDC Network

For nearly 50 years, the Florida SBDC Network, the state’s principal provider of business assistance [Fl. Stat. 288.001], has nourished a statewide partnership between higher education and economic development to provide existing and emerging small and medium-sized business owners with management and knowledge resources that enable overall growth, increased profitability, and economic prosperity for Florida’s economy.

In 2024, the Florida SBDC Network delivered 107,812 hours of consulting to 15,474 small business clients – resulting in business owners securing $304 million in capital, $732 million in government contracting, impacting 19,800 jobs, increasing sales by over $3.8 billion, and creating 1,019 businesses.

With over 40 offices statewide, the Florida SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Department of Defense, State of Florida and other private and public partners. Full funding disclosure available at www.floridasbdc.org/funding-disclosures/.

The Florida SBDC Network, headquartered at the University of West Florida, is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs and is a recipient of the President’s E Award for Export Service. Florida SBDC services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Language assistance services are available for individuals with limited English proficiency. For more information, please visit www.FloridaSBDC.org.

FSBDC at UCF | 3201 E. Colonial Drive | Orlando, FL 32801 | p 407.420.4850 | f 407.420.4862
sbdc@ucf.edu | www.sbdcorlando.com

FSBDC at UCF, University of Central Florida, Small Business Assistance

McCarthy Fabrication Credits CEO XChange for Stronger Leadership and Smarter Growth

FSBDC at UCF Executive Roundtable’s Peer Insights help MFAB Navigate Rapid Expansion.

Florida SBDC at the University of Central Florida

March 4, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Hal Thayer, Communications Director, FSBDC at UCF, 407.420.4850 or HThayer@ucf.edu

Orlando, FL – Leading a small business can be one of the toughest jobs in the world. Customers rely on you, employees depend on you, competitors chase you, and the pressure to grow and stay profitable never relents. And for many owners, the saying “it’s lonely at the top” rings true—there are just some challenges you simply cannot share with your team.

For Charles McCarthy, founder of McCarthy Fabrication (MFAB), and general manager Eli Ramirez, staying isolated wasn’t an option. They turned to the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) and its award-winning CEO XChange program to help them guide their fast-growing company.

MFAB occupies a unique space in Florida’s metal fabrication industry. The company is large enough to handle major commercial, government, and industrial projects, yet nimble enough to deliver small, quick turn jobs cost-effectively. With the ability to 3D scan, design, engineer, fabricate, coat, and install—all under one roof—MFAB offers customers a true “one-stop shop” solution. “We’re great problem solvers for our customers,” shares Ramirez. “That’s what has earned us really good relationships with them.”

McCarthy launched the company in 2015 and soon realized that he needed help managing its rapid momentum. He called his college roommate, Ramirez, to take a look. Ramirez remembers walking in and seeing the phones “ringing off the hook.” His reaction: “Dang, this guy solves the biggest problem I had when I was trying to run a business: finding customers. I’m in.” From three employees at the start, MFAB has grown into a multi-million-dollar operation with 36 team members.

Growth brought complexity, and a friend recommended the FSBDC and CEO XChange as resources to help them navigate it. McCarthy and Ramirez reached out and quickly saw the value. One of the first things that stood out was accessibility. “Something that’s important to us in our relationship with the FSBDC is that it’s no cost,” Ramirez explains. “It makes it a lot easier to seek out resources when you don’t have to have the pressure of asking, ‘What’s the bill going to be?’”

The CEO XChange soon became an essential part of their leadership toolkit. Designed for second-stage companies, the program provides a confidential forum where CEOs and owners can discuss challenges, opportunities, and trends with peers who understand the weight of leadership. For MFAB’s leaders, that peer perspective has been invaluable.

“The CEO XChange has been very helpful for us,” affirms Ramirez. “Just giving us additional perspectives from other business owners and helping us solve problems that maybe we were stuck on. You get so accustomed to listening to yourselves that you get stuck. Having that outside perspective from someone who can actually relate to the stress and the pain and the triumph you’re going through—it makes it all easier.”

McCarthy agrees. “Those couple of hours at the CEO XChange are some of my favorite hours every month because I am able to take off the armor for a little bit and get good advice on difficult problems. You have nobody selling you anything, nobody trying to pitch something to you, and you’re able to get honest answers where people truly care about your success.”

For information about McCarthy Fabrication, please visit https://www.mccarthyfabricationllc.com/.

— FSBDC —

About the FSBDC at UCF

Hosted by the University of Central Florida (UCF), and with its main office in the National Entrepreneur Center located at the Fashion Square Mall in Orlando, the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) is part of part of UCF’s Office of the President and the Florida SBDC Network.

The Florida SBDC at UCF provides aspiring and existing small businesses with no-cost consulting, low-cost training, and access to business data and research resources. In addition to its core service offering, the Florida SBDC at UCF also offers specialized services to qualifying companies, including capital access, market growth, government contracting, international trade, business continuation, cybersecurity, disaster planning and recovery, and more. The FSBDC at UCF serves an eight-county area that includes Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia counties and maintains 9 service centers across Central Florida.

In 2024, the FSBDC at UCF served 2,277 entrepreneurs in Central Florida with consulting services, resulting in more than 2,855 jobs impacted; $564.3 million in sales growth; $57.2 million in capital formation; $161.1 million in government contract awards; and 142 new businesses started. For more information, please visit www.sbdcorlando.com.

About the Florida SBDC Network

For nearly 50 years, the Florida SBDC Network, the state’s principal provider of business assistance [Fl. Stat. 288.001], has nourished a statewide partnership between higher education and economic development to provide existing and emerging small and medium-sized business owners with management and knowledge resources that enable overall growth, increased profitability, and economic prosperity for Florida’s economy.

In 2024, the Florida SBDC Network delivered 107,812 hours of consulting to 15,474 small business clients – resulting in business owners securing $304 million in capital, $732 million in government contracting, impacting 19,800 jobs, increasing sales by over $3.8 billion, and creating 1,019 businesses.

With over 40 offices statewide, the Florida SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Department of Defense, State of Florida and other private and public partners. Full funding disclosure available at www.floridasbdc.org/funding-disclosures/.

The Florida SBDC Network, headquartered at the University of West Florida, is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs and is a recipient of the President’s E Award for Export Service. Florida SBDC services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Language assistance services are available for individuals with limited English proficiency. For more information, please visit www.FloridaSBDC.org.

FSBDC at UCF | 3201 E. Colonial Drive | Orlando, FL 32801 | p 407.420.4850 | f 407.420.4862
sbdc@ucf.edu | www.sbdcorlando.com

Blezoo marketing solutions

Blezoo CEO Finds Community and Clarity Through FSBDC at UCF’s CEO XChange

Dean Caravelis Credits the Executive Roundtable with Strengthening His Leadership and Supporting Blezoo’s Continued Growth.

February 19, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Hal Thayer, Communications Director, FSBDC at UCF, 407.420.4850 or HThayer@ucf.edu

Orlando, FL – Owning a business is an expedition into the unknown. Markets will shift, surprises frequently emerge, and even the most capable leaders eventually confront the limits of what they know. The old adage “it’s lonely at the top” resonates for a reason—especially for second‑stage business owners navigating growth challenges and opportunities that only they can ultimately address.

This was true for Dean Caravelis, founder and CEO of Blezoo, a creative branded merchandise agency. When he needed a sounding board and a trusted community of peers, he turned to the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) and its award‑winning executive roundtable program, the CEO XChange.

Founded in 2008, Blezoo built its reputation on creativity and experiential marketing. While the company specializes in the education, finance, and healthcare sectors, its clients vary in size and span a wide variety of industries, each requiring unique solutions and personalized attention to detail. Blezoo’s promotional products range from rubber ducks to engraved glassware to branded apparel, and the firm is especially known for its “Experience in a Box” kits. These custom collections of items such as hats, t‑shirts, and mugs are designed to bring a client’s brand to life and delight recipients. The company’s mission is simple: help customers engage, delight, and promote their brand in memorable ways.

Caravelis often says that “creativity takes you to different corners of the universe.” But creativity alone doesn’t answer tough business questions or provide the candid feedback a CEO needs. For that, he sought out the CEO XChange, the FSBDC’s facilitated peer‑to‑peer roundtable where high‑performing, non‑competing CEOs collaborate, problem‑solve, and strengthen their leadership.

“It’s been ten years since I first connected with the FSBDC and the CEO XChange,” Caravelis recalls. “I first joined because I was interested in community and the CEO XChange had an immediate impact on me. I was able to fulfill that need for community and at the same time I was able to get other benefits as well. It would be naïve to think that we, that anybody, knows it all. Just being in a room with other smart people, that’s fun as it is, but at the same time to be able to introduce issues or challenges or even opportunities that you’re seeing and be able to access that brain trust, I think is priceless.”

The structure and facilitation of the CEO XChange particularly stood out to Caravelis. “I look forward to the CEO XChange,” he shares. “Hal (Program Manager and FSBDC consultant Hal Thayer) facilitates the group in a way where I think everybody feels heard, everybody feels like they are a part of it and they’re contributing. It’s also fun to be able to celebrate the victories of other members and to support each other when someone’s going through a rough patch.”

For Caravelis, the value is both personal and professional. “For me, it’s important to be part of a community like that because sometimes it can be lonely being a business owner. I think living on an island is foolish. It’s a lot more fun when you have a community and the CEO XChange gives you that.”

For information about Blezoo, please visit https://blezoo.com/.

— FSBDC —

About the FSBDC at UCF

Hosted by the University of Central Florida (UCF), and with its main office in the National Entrepreneur Center located at the Fashion Square Mall in Orlando, the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) is part of part of UCF’s Office of the President and the Florida SBDC Network.

The Florida SBDC at UCF provides aspiring and existing small businesses with no-cost consulting, low-cost training, and access to business data and research resources. In addition to its core service offering, the Florida SBDC at UCF also offers specialized services to qualifying companies, including capital access, market growth, government contracting, international trade, business continuation, cybersecurity, disaster planning and recovery, and more. The FSBDC at UCF serves an eight-county area that includes Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia counties and maintains 9 service centers across Central Florida.

In 2024, the FSBDC at UCF served 2,277 entrepreneurs in Central Florida with consulting services, resulting in more than 2,855 jobs impacted; $564.3 million in sales growth; $57.2 million in capital formation; $161.1 million in government contract awards; and 142 new businesses started. For more information, please visit www.sbdcorlando.com.

About the Florida SBDC Network

For nearly 50 years, the Florida SBDC Network, the state’s principal provider of business assistance [Fl. Stat. 288.001], has nourished a statewide partnership between higher education and economic development to provide existing and emerging small and medium-sized business owners with management and knowledge resources that enable overall growth, increased profitability, and economic prosperity for Florida’s economy.

In 2024, the Florida SBDC Network delivered 107,812 hours of consulting to 15,474 small business clients – resulting in business owners securing $304 million in capital, $732 million in government contracting, impacting 19,800 jobs, increasing sales by over $3.8 billion, and creating 1,019 businesses.

With over 40 offices statewide, the Florida SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Department of Defense, State of Florida and other private and public partners. Full funding disclosure available at www.floridasbdc.org/funding-disclosures/.

The Florida SBDC Network, headquartered at the University of West Florida, is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs and is a recipient of the President’s E Award for Export Service. Florida SBDC services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Language assistance services are available for individuals with limited English proficiency. For more information, please visit www.FloridaSBDC.org.

FSBDC at UCF | 3201 E. Colonial Drive | Orlando, FL 32801 | p 407.420.4850 | f 407.420.4862
sbdc@ucf.edu | www.sbdcorlando.com

MC Aesthetics

Aesthetics Practice Unlocks Capital and Growth

FSBDC at UCF Guides MC Aesthetics Through Planning, Lending Connections, and Expansion

February 9, 2026

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Hal Thayer, Communications Director, FSBDC at UCF, 407.420.4850 or HThayer@ucf.edu

Jairo Batista, Consultant/Marketing Director, FSBDC at UCF, 407.420.4853 or Jairo.Batista@ucf.edu

Orlando, FL – Regardless of a company’s size or industry, growth requires capital. Milestones such as expanding facilities, adding equipment, and increasing staff demand funding, and cash flow from operations often falls short in financing such new developments. This was the case for Melissa Castro, founder and owner of MC Aesthetics Laser & Wellness Center (formerly MC Elite Aesthetics). In seeking additional capital to expand her business, she turned to the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) and found the guidance and support she needed.

MC Aesthetics Laser & Wellness Center specializes in anti-aging services and offers high-quality skincare products, aesthetic injectables, medical weight loss programs, vitamin IV drips, and FDA‑approved PDO threads. As an experienced medical provider committed to helping clients meet all their aesthetic and wellness goals, Castro prioritizes medical-grade care in a modern, cutting-edge environment. “Our patients love coming to us because we provide a wide range of services,” she explains. “We’re able to combine science with a mixture of beauty and strive to provide high quality patient care with great results.”

When Castro decided to expand her practice, she connected with the FSBDC at UCF and began working closely with consultant Jairo Batista through the center’s no-cost, expert business consulting services. Together, they mapped out the steps needed to elevate her business. “I was able to see local resources that were able to assist me in obtaining a Small Business Administration (SBA) guaranteed loan for small business growth,” she recalls. “Some of the resources provided to me by the FSBDC was assisting with my business plan, future growth plans, and connections with lenders.”

Working with the FSBDC proved invaluable to Castro. “My experience with the FSBDC was amazing,” Castro shares. “Jairo was very attentive to my needs. If I had any questions, he was always very knowledgeable and always available for me. I would say to future entrepreneurs to definitely look into the FSBDC as a resource. You would have an incredible team that’s able to guide you through the process. It is an amazing opportunity.”

With the SBA-guaranteed loan she secured—assisted by the FSBDC—Castro achieved the expansion she envisioned. “The changes I have seen since working with the FSBDC has been significant growth within my practice, especially by obtaining a new building – a commercial property where we are able to expand our services for patients and add new devices. I just want to say ‘thank you’ to everyone that assisted in the process of helping me grow my business,” she concludes.

For information about MC Aesthetics Laser & Wellness Center, please visit https://mceliteaesthetics.com/ .

— FSBDC —

About the FSBDC at UCF

Hosted by the University of Central Florida (UCF), and with its main office in the National Entrepreneur Center located at the Fashion Square Mall in Orlando, the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) is part of part of UCF’s Office of the President and the Florida SBDC Network.

The Florida SBDC at UCF provides aspiring and existing small businesses with no-cost consulting, low-cost training, and access to business data and research resources. In addition to its core service offering, the Florida SBDC at UCF also offers specialized services to qualifying companies, including capital access, market growth, government contracting, international trade, business continuation, cybersecurity, disaster planning and recovery, and more. The FSBDC at UCF serves an eight-county area that includes Brevard, Flagler, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Sumter, and Volusia counties and maintains 9 service centers across Central Florida.

In 2024, the FSBDC at UCF served 2,277 entrepreneurs in Central Florida with consulting services, resulting in more than 2,855 jobs impacted; $564.3 million in sales growth; $57.2 million in capital formation; $161.1 million in government contract awards; and 142 new businesses started. For more information, please visit www.sbdcorlando.com.

About the Florida SBDC Network

For nearly 50 years, the Florida SBDC Network, the state’s principal provider of business assistance [Fl. Stat. 288.001], has nourished a statewide partnership between higher education and economic development to provide existing and emerging small and medium-sized business owners with management and knowledge resources that enable overall growth, increased profitability, and economic prosperity for Florida’s economy.

In 2024, the Florida SBDC Network delivered 107,812 hours of consulting to 15,474 small business clients – resulting in business owners securing $304 million in capital, $732 million in government contracting, impacting 19,800 jobs, increasing sales by over $3.8 billion, and creating 1,019 businesses.

With over 40 offices statewide, the Florida SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Department of Defense, State of Florida and other private and public partners. Full funding disclosure available at www.floridasbdc.org/funding-disclosures/.

The Florida SBDC Network, headquartered at the University of West Florida, is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs and is a recipient of the President’s E Award for Export Service. Florida SBDC services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Language assistance services are available for individuals with limited English proficiency. For more information, please visit www.FloridaSBDC.org.

FSBDC at UCF | 3201 E. Colonial Drive | Orlando, FL 32801 | p 407.420.4850 | f 407.420.4862
sbdc@ucf.edu | www.sbdcorlando.com