Fix-It Accounting Expanding in Florida

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Deland-based Firm Benefits from Programs and Services Provided by Florida SBDC at Daytona State College

December 15, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Thomas Daly, Sub-Center Director, FSBDC at DSC, 386.506.3317 or thomas.day@daytonastate.edu

Orlando, FL – Building a successful small business and managing its development is not easy, whether there is a pandemic or not. Finding advisors, mentors or others who have dealt with or can assist with the challenges inherent in growing a business can be equally as difficult. Fortunately, there are excellent options for business guidance and assistance available in Central Florida, which is what Nancy Benet, president of Fix-it Accounting, Inc., found at the Florida Small Business Development Center at Daytona State College (FSBDC at DSC), a sub-center of the Florida SBDC at the University of Central Florida.

Fix-it Accounting serves a state-wide client base, specializing in IRS problem resolution in addition to offering bookkeeping and tax preparation services. “We are all about solving our client’s problems,” says Benet. “Resolving issues with the IRS is like solving a puzzle by putting all the pieces together. And that’s what we do. We help our clients get things right and put themselves back into good standing with the IRS.”

Like all business owners, Nancy Benet wanted Fix-It Accounting to be successful and has ambitions to make it a national firm. She also recognized it is harder to achieve those goals if you go it alone. “All great athletes have a coach. And every business owner who wants to be successful needs one too“ Benet states. “Along with leveraging their consulting, training, and market research resources, I sought out assistance from the SBDC to connect with other entrepreneurs and business owners through the FSBDC at DSC’s Growth XChange.”

The Growth XChange offers a confidential setting on a monthly basis for business owners to discuss vital business issues, opportunities, and trends with a group of peers.  By engaging in collaborative thinking, learning from subject matter experts and group problem solving, business owners are able to lead their companies more effectively to the second stage.

“The Growth XChange is a group of small business owners and entrepreneurs just like me,” continued Benet. “I’ve really benefited from it. It’s just blossomed. I’ve gotten a lot of help, a lot of peer-to-peer coaching. I really wish I’d done this years ago because I think I’d be a lot further along now.”

In addition to the Growth XChange, Benet has taken advantage of the FSBDC’s no-cost consulting and market research resources, working directly with the FSBDC at DSC’s Director Tom Daly. “Working with Tom and the SBDC has really allowed me to expand my business,” says Benet. “To have access to those services and that sort of expertise has been just amazing.”

“Since joining the Growth XChange and starting with the FSBDC, I have been able to achieve a lot of growth – about 40% per year – without expanding my team,“ Benet concluded. “We were also able to obtain funding to purchase a 11,000 sq. ft. office complex that will be our new headquarters. I don’t think I would have had the confidence and certainly wouldn’t have had the access to the right people to help me do it without the Small Business Development Center at Daytona State College.”

For information about Fix-It Accounting, please visit www.fixitaccounting.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 the UCF Office of Partnership & Innovation 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 2019, the FSBDC at UCF served almost 2,500 entrepreneurs in Central Florida with consulting services, resulting in more than 10,000 jobs created, retained or saved; $1.2 billion in sales growth; $62.3 million in capital formation; $213.2 million in government contract awards; and 125 new businesses started. For more information, please visit www.sbdcorlando.com.

About the Florida SBDC Network

For over forty 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 2019, Florida SBDCs provided 114,064 of professional business consulting to over 12,500 client businesses, resulting in almost 38,000 jobs impacted; $4.4 billion in sales generated; $496.5 million in government contracts acquired; $255.3 million in capital accessed; and 453 new businesses started.

A statewide network of over 40 offices, the Florida SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Defense Logistics Agency, State of Florida and other private and public partners. The Florida SBDC Network, headquartered at the University of West Florida, is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs and is a 2016 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

Warehouse Equipment Growing with FSBDC at UCF – Kissimmee/Osceola County Assistance

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FSBDC at UCF’s Kissimmee/Osceola County Office Assists Storage Racking Systems and Materials Handling Company

November 11, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Elly Membreno, Consultant, FSBDC at UCF – Kissimmee-Osceola County, 407.847.4311 or Elly.Membrano@ucf.edu

Orlando, FL – Building your own business can be a monumental undertaking, even if you have had previous success in your industry. And the degree of difficulty increases dramatically when you are a woman whose new company operates in a historically male-dominated world. It’s time like these when business assistance can help, and why Linsy Di Pietro, founder and owner of Warehouse Equipment and Supply, Inc (WES), turned to the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) and its Kissimmee/Osceola County office for help.

Warehouse Equipment and Supply is in the business of providing material handling and storage racking systems. Di Pietro and her company have as their primary objective to provide customers with quality products at competitive prices, and with service they can depend on. WES offers a full range of warehouse solutions, products, and services including: Racking Systems, shelving, material handling equipment; Forklift and lift equipment, rolling ladders, pallet jacks, safety accessories for racks, forklifts and warehouses, dock equipment, and more. WES also assists in planning additions to a customer’s present racking system with the right equipment or fixtures to blend in for maximum efficiency.

While today WES is a full service and fast-growing company, there were struggles in its early days. After parting ways with a former partner who is now a competitor, Di Pietro knew what she wanted to make happen but was not sure how to do it. “When I originally came to the Florida SBDC, I was kind of lost on where to go, on what direction to follow, about how to help my business grow,” Di Pietro recalls.

“At the SBDC, I found a lot of valuable information and guidance,” she continued. “Their workshops and training, and expert no-cost consulting has helped me bring my business to where it is today.” In fact, FSBDC’s consultant Elly Membreno from its Kissimmee/Osceola County Office assisted her with establishing her business guidelines; obtaining insurance and permitting references; budgeting and finance; hiring and payroll; creating business contracts; and, most recently, marketing, ecommerce, and social media.

“My experience working with the FSBDC has been amazing,” states Di Pietro. “Since I started working with them, I have seen big changes in my business. They encouraged my commitment to great customer service, so I have happy customers and WES’s reputation is strong with many Google Five Star reviews. We have earned an exclusive relationship and become the main distributor of a leading pallet manufacturer. And we have grown so fast that we have already had to move to a larger location. Best of all, not only are we profitable, but we have tripled our gross sales.”

“And all of this is thanks to the SBDC,” concluded Di Pietro, “because of the way they helped, the way they supported me, the way they allowed me to see how important it was to be serious and focused on my business. If you have the opportunity to work with the SBDC, I can tell you: do not lose that opportunity!”

For more information about Warehouse Equipment & Supply, please visit https://www.warehousequipment.com/  or email at Linsy@wesracks.com or call 321-216-7032.

— 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 the UCF Office of Partnership & Innovation 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 2019, the FSBDC at UCF served almost 2,500 entrepreneurs in Central Florida with consulting services, resulting in more than 10,000 jobs created, retained or saved; $1.2 billion in sales growth; $62.3 million in capital formation; $213.2 million in government contract awards; and 125 new businesses started. For more information, please visit www.sbdcorlando.com.

About the Florida SBDC Network

For over forty 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 2019, Florida SBDCs provided 114,064 of professional business consulting to over 12,500 client businesses, resulting in almost 38,000 jobs impacted; $4.4 billion in sales generated; $496.5 million in government contracts acquired; and $255.3 million in capital accessed.

A statewide network of over 40 offices, the Florida SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Defense Logistics Agency, State of Florida and other private and public partners. The Florida SBDC Network, headquartered at the University of West Florida, is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs and is a 2016 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

Getting It Right the First Time: Control Engineering Group Back in Gear

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Florida SBDC at Seminole State College Assists Company Purchaser Shift from Employee to Business Owner

October 27, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Monica Williams, Sub-Center Director, SBDC at SSC, 407.321.3495 or williamsmm@seminolestate.edu

Orlando, FL – Buying a business and shifting from the role of employee to business owner is a transformational experience – and not an easy one, at that. Add putting that business back into a growth mode and you will have an idea of the challenges Carlos Rivera, owner of Control Engineering Group (CEG), faced when he purchased the company in 2017. Fortunately, Rivera had the Florida Small Business Development Center at Seminole State College (FSBDC at SSC), a sub-center of the FSBDC at UCF, to turn to for guidance and the tools he would need for a successful transition.

Control Engineering Group is a state-certified, full-service electrical contractor providing electrical work to commercial and industrial new construction and renovation projects. CEG also offers control panel design, service, and installation for specialized industries, with proven expertise in the agriculture and farming sectors, and is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB).

“It’s the quality of our work and the quality of our employees that sets us apart,” says Rivera. “We adhere to higher standards, and take care of both our customers and our employees like they are family.”

Rivera left a division manager role at a large, locally-owned electrical contractor when he purchased CEG, which had been in business for more than 30 years when he took ownership but had stagnated during and after the Great Recession.  “I did everything at the previous company, except be an owner,” recalls Rivera. “And I had never bought a company before. When I did, I wanted to make sure I had solid advice about what to expect, what to look out for and how to negotiate the purchase. That’s when I contacted the FSBDC.”

At the FSBDC, Rivera took advantage of a variety of services, initially its no-cost, expert business consulting and then later its government contracting (through its affiliate, the Procurement Technical Assistance Center) and Advisory Board Council programs. “The SBDC opened my eyes to a lot of the nuances of getting into a business, and then of running one,” Rivera says. “There’s a lot of things involved that people don’t realize. It’s not just putting your name on the door and turning on the lights. There’s a lot more to it.”

“The FSBDC let me know what to look for, things I should be doing to get off to a good start. They helped me fill the gaps,” Rivera continued. “What really helped me was that they guided me in becoming a little more professional in how we presented ourselves, in our marketing, in our contracts and with our most important resource: our people.”

“Everything about working with the SBDC has been positive, to be honest with you,” concluded Rivera. “Their consulting helped me through the due diligence and purchase of my company; their PTAC group helped guide us through getting our veteran certification; and their Advisory Board is helping me right now be a better, smarter and more effective business owner. It’s only been three years, and we’re already a multi-million dollar revenue company.”

For information about Control Engineering Group, please visit https://control-eng.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 the UCF Office of Partnership & Innovation 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 2019, the FSBDC at UCF served almost 2,500 entrepreneurs in Central Florida with consulting services, resulting in more than 10,000 jobs created, retained or saved; $1.2 billion in sales growth; $62.3 million in capital formation; $213.2 million in government contract awards; and 125 new businesses started. For more information, please visit www.sbdcorlando.com.

About the Florida SBDC Network

For over forty 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 2019, Florida SBDCs provided 114,064 of professional business consulting to over 12,500 client businesses, resulting in almost 38,000 jobs impacted; $4.4 billion in sales generated; $496.5 million in government contracts acquired; $255.3 million in capital accessed; and 453 new businesses started.

A statewide network of over 40 offices, the Florida SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Defense Logistics Agency, State of Florida and other private and public partners. The Florida SBDC Network, headquartered at the University of West Florida, is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs and is a 2016 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

IT Solutions Provider AceApplications, LLC Accelerating Growth

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Company Adds New Level of Focus and Accountability With FSBDC at UCF Assistance

October 20, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Orlando, FL – As almost every entrepreneur or small business owner will tell you, building a growing business takes focus and accountability. They will also tell you that they are sometimes inundated with new challenges that pull them away from addressing the key issues that contribute to long term success. It was when Courtney Powell, President and founder of AceApplications, LLC felt caught in that snare that he turned to the Florida SBDC at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) for assistance.

AceApplications is a technology solutions provider for businesses, schools, and government agencies delivering custom software and web development, cloud applications, business consulting and technology solutions. What makes Powell and his team at AceApplications unique is their core background as engineers who are able to design and build customized IT solutions tailored to their clients’ needs. “Our motto – ‘Technology Solutions for Business Success’ – is our mission for our clients,” states Powell.

As strong as Powell’s commitment is to client success, so too is his desire to build a successful long-term enterprise. To achieve this, however, he felt he needed help. “Early on I recognized that, to grow my business to the level I wanted, I couldn’t do it alone,” he recalls today.

“I’m an engineer. I don’t come from a family of entrepreneurs. Almost everything I’ve done I had to learn on the job or do it solo,” Powell continued. “So I sought assistance from the FSBDC. I tapped into their folks and many services. They helped with all the areas that are important to growing a business: marketing, accounting, operations management, and sales.”

FSBDC services and programs that benefited AceApplications included its no-cost, expert consulting; business training; specialty programs for growing second stage companies like the Advisory Board Council and Small Business Institute®; and the FSBDC’s government contracting affiliate, the Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC.)

“My experience with the FSBDC has been great. It’s been wonderful,” says Powell now. “Like a lot of entrepreneurs, I had a bad habit of working ‘in’ the business, and not ‘on’ the business.  They showed me how to step back from the day-to-day and think about the long term. The FSBDC, and especially my consultant Pauline Davis, helped me to ‘keep it real’ and look at the business from a practical standpoint such as managing cash flow, price setting, measuring profitability, walking away when the margins weren’t there.”

“I would highly recommend working with the FSBDC to any entrepreneur or small business owner. A new level of focus and accountability is one of the things that came out my work with the FSBDC, and it’s made a big difference in my business. We’ve increased in size; added employees; and won some new, long-term government contracts. And we are on the cusp of exciting new opportunities in the smart city/smart transportation infrastructure/smart car world,” concluded Powell.

Importantly, it was on the strength of his accomplishments resulting from his evolved focus and accountability that Powell was named the U. S. Small Business Administration 2019 North Florida District and State of Florida Minority-Owned Business Person of the Year last year.

For more information about AceApplications, please visit www.aceapplicatons.com  or call (877) 499-2231 x101.

— 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 the UCF Office of Partnership & Innovation 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 2019, the FSBDC at UCF served almost 2,500 entrepreneurs in Central Florida with consulting services, resulting in more than 10,000 jobs created, retained or saved; $1.2 billion in sales growth; $62.3 million in capital formation; $213.2 million in government contract awards; and 125 new businesses started. For more information, please visit www.sbdcorlando.com.

About the Florida SBDC Network

For over forty 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 2019, Florida SBDCs provided 114,064 of professional business consulting to over 12,500 client businesses, resulting in almost 38,000 jobs impacted; $4.4 billion in sales generated; $496.5 million in government contracts acquired; and $255.3 million in capital accessed.

A statewide network of over 40 offices, the Florida SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Defense Logistics Agency, State of Florida and other private and public partners. The Florida SBDC Network, headquartered at the University of West Florida, is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs and is a 2016 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

Florida SBDC at UCF

FSBDC at UCF Celebrates 2020 National Small Business Week

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FSBDC at UCF to Honor Clients as U.S. SBA Award Winners

October 8, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Orlando, FL – In recognition of the significant contribution made by the entrepreneurs and small business owners of Central Florida and the nation, the Florida SBDC at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) is celebrating the US Small Business Administration’s (SBA) National Small Business Week with a virtual awards ceremony honoring local SBA award winners.

The Florida SBDC at UCF, in conjunction with the SBA’s North Florida District Office, will recognize national, regional, state and district 2020 Small Business Week award winners at a Small Business Week Virtual Celebration on October 9 hosted jointly by the Florida Small Business Development Centers at UCF, UNF, FAMU and UWF, a first-of-its-kind Small Business Week Event.

The Small Business Week Virtual Celebration webcast will feature a keynote speech by Jim Harris, one of America’s foremost thought leaders, management consultants and authors on disruptive innovation, entitled How Technology is Transforming Small & Medium Sized Businesses. In addition, there will be remarks by award winners, representatives from the Florida SBDC’s, their host institutions and the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Local award winners, which include the National Small Business Exporter of the Year, nominated by the Florida SBDC at UCF and the FSBDC at UCF’s volunteer of the year to be recognized are:

Small Business Exporter of the Year
2020 National, Region IV, State of Florida, and North Florida District Winner
Nick Nicholas, Owner/Technical Director
Genesis Water Technologies, Inc. – Maitland
www.genesiswatertech.com  

Small Business Person of the Year
2020 North Florida District Winner
Sarah Blake, President
Elipsis Engineering & Consulting, LLC – Winter Garden
www.elipsisec.com

Veteran-Owned Small Business Person of the Year
2020 North Florida District Winner
John Burns, President and CEO
Eagle 6 Technology Services – Orlando
www.eagle6usa.com

 “It gives the FSBDC at UCF great pleasure to honor our valued clients Nick Nicholas of Genesis Water Technologies, Sarah Blake of Elipsis Engineering and Consulting, John Burns of Eagle 6 Technology Services as U.S. Small Business Administration Award winners as part of its Small Business Week,” remarked Eunice Choi, Regional Director of the Florida SBDC at UCF.”

“Each of these businesses and their leaders are outstanding examples of small business success stories, each one built upon the vision, energy and determination of their entrepreneurial founders,” continued Choi. “The FSBDC at UCF works to provide consulting, business training and access to market research that allows companies like these to excel. We are gratified to have assisted them in their achievement in some small way,” Choi went on.

Genesis Water Technologies, Inc is a leading water & wastewater treatment solutions company. It was started almost 15 years ago to tackle the issues of water scarcity and inadequate water treatment with innovative and sustainable water & wastewater treatment solutions and services tailored to serving communities and industrial clients.

Elipsis Engineering & Consulting, LLC is an established engineering and consulting firm celebrating eleven years in business, that serves Central Florida and surrounding areas. The company provides engineering services in the fields of Construction Materials Testing including laboratory testing services, Threshold Inspection, Structural Steel inspections and Drilled Shaft Inspections, as well as Project, Contract Management services and Construction Engineering Inspection (CEI) services.

Eagle 6 Technical Services, LLC is a multi-million-dollar Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) specializing in cybersecurity, command & control and logistics & maintenance systems. It is recently expanded into managed security services for the commercial health care sector as well as for government clients and has broadened itself into being a full-fledged security integrator, providing physical security, information security and personal security solutions.

“Each of these companies have built themselves from start-ups into impressive businesses by meeting the needs of their customers, employing our neighbors and serving our community, thereby contributing materially to our local economy and the wellbeing of Central Florida,” says Choi.

National Small Business Week is proclaimed by the President of the United States to recognize the critical contributions made by America’s small businesses and entrepreneurs to our economy. More than half of Americans either own or work for a small business, and they create about two out of every three new jobs in the U.S. each year.

As part of National Small Business Week, the U.S. Small Business Administration takes the opportunity to highlight the impact of outstanding entrepreneurs, small business owners, and others from all 50 states and U.S. territories. Every day, they are working to grow small businesses, create 21st century jobs, drive innovation, and increase America’s global competitiveness. This year’s event was virtual from September 22 -24 with other events being held from coast-to-coast thereafter designed to spotlight small businesses and their efforts to start, grow and succeed.

— 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 the UCF Office of Partnership & Innovation 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 2019, the FSBDC at UCF served almost 2,500 entrepreneurs in Central Florida with consulting services, resulting in more than 10,000 jobs created, retained or saved; $1.2 billion in sales growth; $62.3 million in capital formation; $213.2 million in government contract awards; and 125 new businesses started. For more information, please visit www.sbdcorlando.com.

About the Florida SBDC Network

For over forty 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 2019, Florida SBDCs provided 114,064 of professional business consulting to over 12,500 client businesses, resulting in almost 38,000 jobs impacted; $4.4 billion in sales generated; $496.5 million in government contracts acquired; and $255.3 million in capital accessed.

A statewide network of over 40 offices, the Florida SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Defense Logistics Agency, State of Florida and other private and public partners. The Florida SBDC Network, headquartered at the University of West Florida, is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs and is a 2016 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

Genesis Water Technologies, Inc. Named National Winner of SBA’s 2020 Exporter of the Year Award

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Maitland, FL-based Water Treatment Solutions Company Earns Recognition for International Growth Supported by Florida SBDC at UCF and its Partners

September 21, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Orlando, Fl – Genesis Water Technologies, Inc. (GWT) has been named the 2020 Small Business Exporter of the Year by the Small Business Administration (SBA), in addition to having been the winner for the SBA North Florida District, SBA State of Florida and SBA Southeast Region competitions. The company will be recognized during SBA’s National Small Business Week, an annual event honoring the accomplishments and contributions of the best small businesses in the nation.

“It’s an honor to be recognized for this prestigious SBA national exporter of the year award” said Nick Nicholas, GWT’s Technical Director and principal. “This award is a testament to the commitment of Genesis Water Technologies’ and our global team to a world with access to a clean safe water supply for both businesses and communities.”

“National recognition of Genesis Water Technologies, Inc. as Exporter of the Year by the SBA is most certainly well deserved. The company has done remarkable work leveraging innovation and proficiency to serve the desperately important water filtration needs of municipalities and industrial clients in 43 counties and counting,” commented Eunice Choi, Regional Director, Florida SBDC at UCF.

“We at the Florida SBDC at UCF, with our partners at Enterprise Florida and the U.S. Export Assistance Center, are pleased to have contributed our international trade and export marketing expertise to the company’s success and its ability to make a difference in the world,”  Choi concluded.

Genesis Water Technologies is a leading water & wastewater treatment solutions company. It was started almost 15 years ago to tackle the issues of water scarcity and inadequate water treatment with innovative and sustainable water & wastewater treatment solutions and services tailored to serving communities and industrial clients.

GWT started exporting in 2009, and with the support and assistance of the Florida SBDC at UCF’s International Trade Services program, developed a robust game plan and go-to-market strategy for foreign markets.  Funded by Enterprise Florida and the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP), the company received the FSBDC’s Export Marketing Plan, which provided a roadmap for the international expansion of GWT. With this guidance and the help of the U.S. Export Assistance Center (USEAC), the company has now successfully sold in 43 countries.

Today, GWT’s export business makes up over 40% of the company’s total sales and supports its global workforce.

In addition to the FSBDC at UCF’s International Trade Services, GWT is currently benefitting from the FSBDC at UCF’s Advisory Board Council program, which provides a custom-fit advisory board comprised of volunteer independent business professionals to help accelerate GWT’s business growth.

In connection with the SBA’s national 2020 Exporter of the Year, and along with other national winners and finalists, Genesis Water Technologies will be honored in a virtual event hosted by the SBA in Washington, DC that will be held on September 22-24. In addition, and in conjunction with the SBA’s North Florida District Office, GWT and other local 2020 Small Business Week Award Winners will be recognized at a virtual Small Business Week Celebration on October 9 hosted jointly by the Florida Small Business Development Centers at UCF, UNF, FAMU and UWF, a first of its kind Small Business Week Event.

For more information about Genesis Water Technologies, Inc, please visit their website at https://genesiswatertech.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 the UCF Office of Partnership & Innovation 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 2019, the FSBDC at UCF served almost 2,500 entrepreneurs in Central Florida with consulting services, resulting in more than 10,000 jobs created, retained or saved; $1.2 billion in sales growth; $62.3 million in capital formation; $213.2 million in government contract awards; and 125 new businesses started. For more information, please visit www.sbdcorlando.com.

About the Florida SBDC Network

For over forty 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 2019, Florida SBDCs provided 114,064 of professional business consulting to over 12,500 client businesses, resulting in almost 38,000 jobs impacted; $4.4 billion in sales generated; $496.5 million in government contracts acquired; and $255.3 million in capital accessed.

A statewide network of over 40 offices, the Florida SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Defense Logistics Agency, State of Florida and other private and public partners. The Florida SBDC Network, headquartered at the University of West Florida, is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs and is a 2016 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

Central Florida Small Business Wins SBA’s 2020 Exporter of the Year Award

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Genesis Water Technologies assists 43 countries worldwide with water treatment challenges

Release Date: September 17, 2020                 Contact: Shannon.Giles@sba.gov

Release Number: 20-69NFL                               Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Blogs & Instagram

WASHINGTON – Genesis Water Technologies, Inc. (GWT) has been named 2020 Small Business Exporter of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration.  The Maitland, Florida-based company will be recognized during SBA’s National Small Business Week, an annual event honoring the accomplishments and contributions of the best small businesses in the nation. This year’s National Small Business Week activities will include numerous educational panels providing retooling and innovative practices for entrepreneurs as our nation’s small businesses look to pivot and recover toward a stronger economy.  

Genesis Water Technologies, Inc. owner and Technical Director Nick Nicholas, along with other national winners and finalist for the National Small Business Person of the Year, will be honored in a virtual event that will be held on September 22-24.

“Genesis Water Technologies, Inc. has a tremendous impact in providing access to safe drinking water around the world.  They are a great example of how a small business can flourish by entering global markets.  We are proud that the SBA was able to assist them as they grew into an international company,” said SBA’s Office of International Trade Associate Administrator Loretta Greene.

Under Nicolas’ leadership, the company’s revenues more than doubled in 2019, and GWT started tackling the water supply issues with sustainable water treatment systems.  Nicholas is passionate about educating people about the impact that polluted water has on the world.

Genesis Water Technologies, Inc. began exporting industrial water filtration systems to Saudi Arabia in 2009.  Today, export business makes up 40 percent of the company’s total sales and supports the workforce of 100 employees. GWT received a State Expansion Program (STEP) grant for $2,500, which provided a roadmap for the international expansion of GWT.  The company launched a digital marketing campaign to include translating its website into 24 local dialects and invested in search engine optimization tools to increase traffic to its website.

The company now uses its expertise and solutions to serve municipalities and industrial clients in 43 countries, fulfilling its mission of providing water and wastewater reuse solutions to communities around the world. GWT believes it can make a difference in the world’s access to safe and clean water.

Laketa Henderson, SBA North Florida District Director (Acting) stated “I’d like to extend a heartfelt congratulations to Mr. Nicholas for winning the title of National Exporter of the Year. This award demonstrates his commitment to growing his business through exporting and international trade, which can often be a difficult task. He has worked with SBA resource partner the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at the University of Central Florida to navigate some these challenges. This is a noteworthy accomplishment for Mr. Nicholas and for the SBDC.”

For registration and additional information on National Small Business Week, please visit sba.gov/NSBW .

###

About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration makes the American dream of business ownership a reality. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

—

Cosponsorship Authorization #SBW2020. SBA’s participation in this Cosponsored Activity is not an endorsement of the views, opinions, products, or services of any Cosponsor or other person or entity. All SBA programs and services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis.

 Details and registration information will be posted on sba.gov/NSBW  as events are finalized.

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

Business Recovery Teams: New Florida SBDC at UCF Program Helps Companies Impaired by COVID-19 Get Back to Business and Get Back to Growth

in ,

August 20, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Orlando, FL –  To assist established Central Florida businesses overcome the harm from the COVID-19 pandemic and help them rebuild for long term success, the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) has launched a new,  focused, robust, and heavily resourced business assistance program for small- to medium-sized businesses built around providing Recovery, Resiliency, and Continuity support – all strengthened by additional staff and funding.

The newly created Business Recovery Team (BRT) program has been designed by the FSBDC at UCF to help companies develop and implement customized business strategies designed to assist in recovery after the unexpected disruptions of COVID-19 and to build sustainability thereafter, including through realigning their business model and adapting to a new environment. This is a new and distinctive service from the FSBDC.

Business Recovery Teams will be assembled by the FSBDC at UCF – each one ‘custom-fit’ for the participating business – with expert FSBDC consultants with a diverse range of skills.  Experienced business professionals may then be added, as necessary, when specialized skillsets or backgrounds are required. The client-dedicated BRT will then conduct in-depth strategic and business planning aimed at returning the business to health and growth.

Depending on the needs of the company, included in the process could be identification and articulation of company goals aligned with the COVID-19 ‘new normal’; enumeration of a recovery-focused business plan; and definition and deployment of critical business functions and resources. A BRT’s contributions can range across financial, marketing and operational areas of an organization and include:

  • Post-COVID-19 Management Plans and Protocols
  • Financial Analysis, including streamlining and cost analysis
  • Digital Marketing Outlines and Services
  • Industry Market Research & Analysis
  • Business Resiliency Plans for the Future

Like the FSBDC at UCF’s award-winning Advisory Board Council program, which has positively impacted 100’s of Central Florida businesses through revenue growth and job creation. a Business Recovery Team is a powerful management tool to help businesses solve the unprecedented problems of today and create opportunities for tomorrow.

The FSBDC’s Business Recovery Team Program is unique in what it offers participating companies, and is designed to make a difference and get results through:

  • Intensive Engagement with Experienced Consulting Teams;
  • In-depth Financial, Marketing and Industry Analysis and Planning;
  • Innovative and often Groundbreaking Problem Solving;
  • Identification of New Opportunities and Direction; and
  • Results-driven Strategies and Action Plans.

The FSBDC at UCF’s Business Recovery Team program is funded by the CARES Act, and available for a limited time. Businesses interested in assistance from a BRT must complete an application and meet three criteria to qualify for consideration: the company must be three (3) or more years in business; have 2019 revenues of $350,000 or more; and had more than 3 employees as of March 1, 2020.

To apply for a FSBDC at UCF Business Recovery Team, please complete and submit the the application found at https://sbdcorlando.com/covid19-relief/#brt.

— 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 the UCF Office of Partnership & Innovation 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 2019, the FSBDC at UCF served almost 2,500 entrepreneurs in Central Florida with consulting services, resulting in more than 10,000 jobs created, retained or saved; $1.2 billion in sales growth; $62.3 million in capital formation; $213.2 million in government contract awards; and 125 new businesses started. For more information, please visit www.sbdcorlando.com.

About the Florida SBDC Network

For over forty 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 2019, Florida SBDCs provided 114,064 of professional business consulting to over 12,500 client businesses, resulting in almost 38,000 jobs impacted; $4.4 billion in sales generated; $496.5 million in government contracts acquired; and $255.3 million in capital accessed.

A statewide network of over 40 offices, the Florida SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Defense Logistics Agency, State of Florida and other private and public partners. The Florida SBDC Network, headquartered at the University of West Florida, is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs and is a 2016 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, University of Central Florida, Small Business Assistance

Florida SBDC at UCF Helps Central Florida Businesses Obtain More than $40 Million in COVID-19 Assistance

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Businesses Receive SBA and Florida Funds to Help Weather Crisis

July 23, 2020

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Hal Thayer, Communications Director, FSBDC at UCF, 407.420.4879 or hthayer@ucf.edu

Orlando, FL – In the face of the economic damage reeked by the COVID-19 pandemic on small businesses in Central Florida, the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) has helped and is helping companies across the region put disaster assistance programs to work for them, including accessing critically-needed funding and develop recovery, resiliency and continuity plans for the future – all at no cost to its clients.

As of July 6th, the FSBDC at UCF has helped 483 local businesses obtain $40.2 million in COVID-19 assistance:

  • $17.3 million in SBA Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funds
  • $11.6 million in SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL)
  • $11.2 million in Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loans (EBL)

In addition, the FSBDC at UCF has launched a COVID-19 Relief Program designed to assist companies with recovery from the pandemic’s economic damage, build resiliency for weathering future disasters and put plans in place to support business continuity and growth into the future. With expanded resources invested in newly formed Business Recovery Teams, participating FSBDC clients can expect significant assistance with developing strategies and action plans to put them on the path back to pre-COVID-19 business performance.

“Accessing this funding and putting plans in place to navigate the ‘new normal’ is and will continue to be critical to our small business clients recovering from the unprecedented damage they have suffered from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Eunice Choi, regional director of the FSBDC at UCF. “Helping them manage through this challenging time and put their businesses in position to grow and succeed again is why the FSBDC is here.”

Consultants at the FSBDC have provided guidance on the most appropriate funding options, eligibility requirements, application best practices, and the approval process and timing. Once funds are received, they have provided recommendations on their best uses and how to be positioned for success in the new economic landscape. In addition, the FSBDC has offered information about relevant webinars and access to necessary market research.

Going forward, its consultants will be providing their high-value, confidential consulting at no cost to help small-and medium-sized businesses with their ongoing recovery.

— 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 the UCF Office of Partnership & Innovation 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 10 service centers across Central Florida.

In 2018, the FSBDC at UCF served over 2,500 entrepreneurs in Central Florida with consulting services, resulting in more than 6,500 jobs created, retained or saved; $749 million in sales growth; $36.1 million in capital formation; $178.3 million in government contract awards; and 277 new businesses started. For more information, please visit www.sbdcorlando.com.

 

About the Florida SBDC Network

For over forty 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 2018, Florida SBDCs have provided professional business consulting to 11,500 client businesses, resulting in more than 38,400 jobs impacted; $4.4 billion in sales generated; $520 million in government contracts acquired; $201.8 million in capital accessed; and 665 new businesses started.

A statewide network of over 40 offices, the Florida SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Defense Logistics Agency, State of Florida and other private and public partners. The Florida SBDC Network, headquartered at the University of West Florida, is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs and is a 2016 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

Small Business Institute, SBI

SBI® National Honors won by UCF Students in FSBDC at UCF Program

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Student Teams Assist Local Small Businesses with Award-Winning Consulting

July 16, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

Orlando, FL –    The Small Business Institute® (SBI®), the premier provider of professional development for those engaged in experiential student team consulting and related entrepreneurship education, research and activities and the link between business, education and community, recently announced that two (2) student teams from the University of Central Florida’s College of Business Administration (UCF CBA) were winners in its annual Project of the Year (POY) competition, taking 2nd place in the 2020 ‘Graduate Specialized’ category and 2nd place in the 2020  ‘Graduate Consulting Project’ category, respectively.

In competition with MBA teams from across the country, the UCF CBA team of students Jonathan Diaz, Carter Howard and Danielle Mayers  won 2nd Place in the ‘Graduate Specialized” category on the strength of its consulting project for a local company, Lost Returns, Inc. of Winter Park, FL. The company is a reverse logistics company specializing in managing lost and found items with a strong niche in the rental car industry. It received the team’s assistance in the form of an in-depth sales and marketing strategy which provided full industry and competitive analyses; professional sales, marketing, and customer service solutions driving scalability of the business; and visibility into both potential new market verticals and competitor positioning to help guide strategic decision making.

The team of Eric Sungadi, Sorabh Gupta and Williams Ambroise was awarded 2nd Place in the ‘Graduate Consulting Project’ category for its consulting work for Oviedo, FL-based Rhythm & Blues Enterprises, the operator of Tiajuana Flats fast casual restaurant franchises in Central Florida.  The team conducted primary and secondary customer research and competitive analysis, and the final report included marketing and operational recommendations aimed at increasing revenues. Both teams worked with faculty advisor Dr. Carl Blencke, an instructor for the UCF CBA’s Department of Management, as part of a management class.

“The UCF College of Business applauds our students on winning these important awards,” said Ron Piccolo, PhD. and Galloway Professor and Chair of the Department of Management. “Our course offering utilizing the SBI® program is an important educational partnership between UCF and the FSBDC which contributes to the quality of the student educational experience at the University of Central Florida.”

“UCF’s and my own congratulations go to the winners of the 2020 Small Business Institute® Awards,” commented Mike Kilbride, Assistant Vice President for Administration and Operational Innovation in UCF’s Office of Partnership and Innovation, with oversight of the Florida SBDC at UCF. “Experiential learning for our students and economic development support for our small business community are both mission critical at the University of Central Florida.

“The success achieved by these impressive students is truly gratifying for the FSBDC at UCF,” commented Eunice Choi, Regional Director for the FSBDC at UCF. “The SBI® program continues to be an excellent way for the FSBDC and UCF itself to support small businesses in Central Florida while also introducing UCF students to the world of business consulting.”

The Florida SBDC at UCF (FSBDC) sponsors the Small Business Institute® in Central Florida and, in conjunction with the Department of Management at the UCF College of Business Administration, manages the SBI® program locally. It recruits and evaluates FSBDC clients for the program, lends FSBDC consultants as SBI® case supervisors and provides a range of guidance and support. The FSBDC is part of the UCF Office of Partnership and Innovation.

At the UCF College of Business Administration, SBI® is a graduate‐level elective course. Students enrolled in the class provide management consulting services to local small businesses. Each student team has direct contact with the client and produces a professional case report. The report is the ultimate product of the program and is tailored to each business. Case study reports have included market research, marketing plans, competitive analysis, advertising strategy, customer surveys, strategic plans, financial analysis, human resource manuals and business plans.

The SBI® Program is offered as a full-semester credit course through the CBA’s Department of Management. During the semester, the student teams oversaw and implemented extensive research and analysis to determine industry best practices; met regularly to understand company processes and procedures; and performed wide-ranging analysis of business and industry strategies and performance. As a result of their efforts, the students were able to provide a comprehensive analysis and set of recommendations.

SBI® is a nation‐wide program that provides high‐quality business assistance to companies in need while providing an extraordinary opportunity for university students to learn through field case studies. Each project is led and conducted by a group of students under the supervision of an SBI® Director or faculty member. The experience is often cited by students as being one of the most rewarding of their academic careers. In today’s collegiate environment there is a strong emphasis on experiential learning, and the SBI® has been at the forefront of this movement for over thirty years.

— 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 the UCF Office of Partnership & Innovation 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 10 service centers across Central Florida.

In 2018, the FSBDC at UCF served over 2,500 entrepreneurs in Central Florida with consulting services, resulting in more than 6,500 jobs created, retained or saved; $749 million in sales growth; $36.1 million in capital formation; $178.3 million in government contract awards; and 277 new businesses started. For more information, please visit www.sbdcorlando.com.

About the Florida SBDC Network

For over forty 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 2018, Florida SBDCs have provided professional business consulting to 11,500 client businesses, resulting in more than 38,400 jobs impacted; $4.4 billion in sales generated; $520 million in government contracts acquired; $201.8 million in capital accessed; and 665 new businesses started.

A statewide network of over 40 offices, the Florida SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Defense Logistics Agency, State of Florida and other private and public partners. The Florida SBDC Network, headquartered at the University of West Florida, is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs and is a 2016 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.