Success-Stories - Florida SBDC at the University of Central Florida

Create and Learn Tutoring

Every entrepreneur starts with a dream. Possibility is seen where others see obstacles and passion sparks new offerings and creative solutions for problems. Maria Santiago is one of those visionary entrepreneurs. Drawing on her experience as a kindergarten teacher and her passion for helping children succeed, she transformed her idea into Create and Learn Tutoring, Inc. With guidance from the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF), she secured the funding and support needed to expand from a home-based operation into a thriving tutoring center dedicated to helping students build confidence, self-esteem, and academic success.

Maria Santiago
Create and Learn Tutoring

Create and Learn Tutoring serves students from Pre-K through eighth grade, providing personalized instruction in reading, phonics, math, and other core subjects. Reading is a particular focus, as Santiago believes a strong foundation in literacy is critical to long-term achievement. The company’s approach goes beyond academics, recognizing that each child learns differently and that emotional well-being plays a vital role in educational success.

“What sets us apart from other tutoring centers is that we focus not only on the academic aspect but also on the social-emotional side,” Santiago explains. “We’re looking not only at the student’s academic gaps but also their learning style and social-emotional state as well. Ours is personalized tutoring that meets your child where they are.”

When Santiago launched the business, she worked out of her home with only a handful of students. As demand for her services grew, she realized she needed additional space, capital, and a plan for expansion. Acting on her accountant’s recommendation, she turned to the FSBDC at UCF and consultant Jairo Batista for guidance.

“Originally, I just went to him knowing that I wanted to advance my business to the next level,” Santiago recalls. “I knew that eventually I had to find a center. I needed funding and I needed to be organized. That’s where Jairo came in. He helped me organize my thoughts and what my goals were and eventually we decided together that seeking funding was the best course of action.”

As an FSBDC access-to-capital specialist, Batista helped Santiago chart a path forward. Together, they developed a funding strategy, prepared a strong loan application, and connected with lenders that were a good fit for her business. The effort paid off when she secured the financing needed to support her expansion.

Batista’s assistance extended beyond funding. He also connected Santiago with commercial real estate professionals who helped her identify and secure a location for her tutoring center in Hunters Creek.

The results have been transformational.

“The changes I have seen ever since I started working with the FSBDC have been tremendous. Night and day,” Santiago affirms. “I went from a handful of students working out of my living room to now being in a commercial location with multiples of students and three times the revenue, which is incredible. I was able to add teachers, which meant I am able to take on even more students. I now have an established business that has grown tremendously.”

Today, Create and Learn Tutoring continues to help students overcome challenges, gain confidence, and achieve their academic goals.

“If you are considering working with the FSBDC, I would say—hands down—don’t hesitate,” Santiago concludes. “It is probably going to be the best decision you can make for your business.”

For information about Create and Learn Tutoring, please visit Cal Tutoring | Personalized Academic Support Services.

IMBing Lounge

– Accessing capital – whether from friends and family, a bank, or other sources – is often one of the earliest and most daunting challenges for entrepreneurs. Where should they go? What documents are required? How do they qualify? What are the right financial numbers? How much funding is truly needed? These questions can stall even the most motivated business owners.

Michael Oppenheim and Megan San Juan

Fortunately, the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) exists to help. Its mission is to support small businesses as they grow by providing no‑cost, high‑quality consulting, business training, and market research. Helping clients secure the funding they need is one of its most critical roles.

For Megan San Juan – founder, owner, and operator of the IMBing Lounge in Palm Coast – the FSBDC proved to be exactly the resource she needed. The IMBing Lounge, just completing its first anniversary, is a community coffee shop offering globally inspired, locally sourced coffee, food, and wine in a warm, welcoming space. “We roast our own coffee here,” San Juan shares proudly. “We serve breakfast sandwiches all day and small plates at night. It’s a place to relax and linger over a really great cup of coffee or glass of wine, in a comfortable seat, where you can stay as long as you like. Nobody is going to rush you here.”

Turning her vision into reality, however, was not simple. “Since I didn’t know where to start with my business, I reached out to the Palm Coast Economic Development Office and they recommended I reach out to Michael Oppenheim of the FSBDC,” she recalls. “Michael and I talked. The very first thing we did was my business plan. And to do my business plan we needed to do the financial projections. I believe that was the best tool that Michael has given me to really look at how to go about the business I wanted to do.”

An FSBDC consultant dedicated to Palm Coast, Oppenheim worked closely with San Juan to build the financial forecast required for her loan application. At the same time, he identified lenders who might be interested in supporting the new venture. “That financial projection is what I used to build my business plan, which we in turn used to submit to all the banks for my small business loan application,” San Juan explains. “We also met multiple times in different venues to discuss different strategies for operating the coffee lounge.”

The partnership made a meaningful difference. “Working with Michael during this journey was very easy,” San Juan affirms. “He was always accommodating of my questions, my challenges, my opinions. It has been a good journey all around. And those financial projections that the FSBDC helped me with were really pivotal documentation that helped me get the loan I needed to make this business start.”

For the FSBDC at UCF, it was mission accomplished: another entrepreneur equipped with the capital, confidence, and clarity needed to launch and grow a thriving small business.

For information about The IMBING Lounge, please visit https://theimbingbrand.com/ .

Flutter Fitness Studio

Small business ownership is rarely a straight path. It comes with twists and turns—some energizing, others daunting. For Jocelyn Fillalan, the biggest challenges arrived all at once: transitioning from co‑owner to sole owner and rebranding her entire business. Both felt like major leaps, and both stirred real anxiety, but she refused to face them alone. Instead, she turned to the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) for guidance.

Sharon Smith and Jocelyn Fillalan (L-R)

Today, Fillalan is the proud sole owner and operator of Flutter Fitness Studio in downtown Orlando. “We are an aerial and pole inclusive studio,” she explains. “We offer pole dancing classes, aerial classes, Lyra/aerial hoop classes, yoga classes, and flexibility classes right here in downtown.” Beyond its wide range of specialty fitness offerings, Flutter Fitness Studio stands out as one of the few fully inclusive studios in Orlando, welcoming co‑ed classes and emphasizing a supportive, judgment‑free environment. Members also enjoy open studio hours, seven‑day‑a‑week access, and both morning and evening class options. Most of all, Fillalan credits her “one of the most talented and experienced staffs around” for helping create a uniquely empowering space.

However, Flutter Fitness Studio didn’t start this way. Before the rebrand, the business had a different name—and Fillalan wasn’t yet the sole owner. “I was a co‑owner before Flutter Fitness Studio came to be. I was getting ready to rebrand and own the studio all by myself and I needed help. I didn’t know what I was doing and my accountant told me about the FSBDC. I reached out and it was probably one of the best decisions that I made.”

“Finding out about the FSBDC and their no-cost services was absolutely amazing,” she recalls. “I got paired with my consultant Sharon Smith, which was also amazing. I like to call her my mentor. We worked together for about six months and she helped me with my business plan, with a marketing analysis, with finding out what competition is around—things that I had no idea I needed. When Sharon helped me with all these resources, it made everything just so much easier and everything just started to flow for me.”

The results speak for themselves. “When I first rebranded, we were at 79 members and I am so happy to say I am at 130 members currently and we just celebrated our third year,” remarks Fillalan. “I really do think that Sharon’s tips were very helpful and that’s why we have grown so much. Never in a million years would I have thought that I would be where I am as a business owner, let alone be thinking about a second location, but there we are.”

For Fillalan, the FSBDC made all the difference. “If I had to use one word to describe the FSBDC, for me personally it would be ‘motivation.’ All the motivation I got from Sharon just made me so happy and excited to work on the business. That’s not something that came easily for me at the very beginning because I was scared. But motivation was all I needed, and a little push. I have definitely seen a change, and I just don’t see being where I am without you guys, so thank you!”

For information about Flutter Fitness Studio, please visit flutterfitnessstudio.com.

ApolloRise Tech

Entering the government contracting market is an uphill climb for any small business, but two critical factors make the ascent far more achievable: building a strong foundation and finding expert guidance. Irina Zakharchenko, co‑founder and COO of ApolloRise Tech, understood that both of these ingredients would be essential to her success when she set her sights on the government sector. She turned to the Florida APEX Accelerator at the University of Central Florida—the Florida SBDC at UCF’s government contracting affiliate—to build that foundation with confidence.

ApolloRise Tech, an Orlando‑based artificial intelligence engineering firm, helps mid‑market and enterprise clients transform operational and procurement bottlenecks through custom AI engineering and proprietary products. With a background of nearly two decades of buying enterprise technology, Zakharchenko stepped to the other side of the table when she launched ApolloRise.

“We’re a boutique engineering firm with a soul,” she explains. “Most AI vendors sell a platform and walk away. We work differently. We work like doctors. We listen first, then we diagnose, and then we treat with best‑in‑class solutions built around our clients’ actual operations. Being a boutique is intentional, not a limitation. It means our clients work directly with senior engineers who care about the outcome. I know what it feels like to be sold a solution that doesn’t fit. We started ApolloRise so other operators don’t have to feel that.”

With a compelling model and growing commercial traction, Zakharchenko wanted to expand into government contracting. Through her industry network, she found the APEX Accelerator at UCF. “I found it very easy to work with APEX,” she recalls, “especially working with my consultant Elly Membreno. She was always attentive every time I had a question. When I hit a bump in the road, she was able to describe exactly what steps needed to be taken and the timelines we needed to meet. The process has been easy to follow and Elly has been great.”

Working with the APEX Accelerator positioned ApolloRise for the government‑sector growth they envisioned. “The changes we’ve seen in the business since we started with APEX are significant,” Zakharchenko affirms. “Thanks to APEX, the foundation is in place, and the foundation is what makes everything next possible.”

That foundation includes major milestones. “We are WOSB certified; that opens a specific lane for women‑owned businesses. We’re SAM.gov registered; that’s the foundation for any federal opportunity and it opened doors in the private sector too. Multiple companies have approached us asking, ‘Are you SAM registered?’ Without APEX, I wouldn’t have been able to say ‘Yes.’ We’re now stepping into the bidding and subcontracting process. The need is there. The opportunities are there. Our job is to find them and act on them. None of that happens without the foundation APEX helped us build.”

Looking ahead, Zakharchenko is clear about the company’s trajectory. “We’re pointing ApolloRise where the hottest engineering problems live: aerospace, defense, and beyond. Florida is the launch pad. The Space Coast is our backyard. The Defense Corridor runs through our state. APEX gave us the framework. The rest is execution. We’re not waiting for permission. We’re building for it.”

For information about ApolloRise Tech, please visit https://apollorise.tech/.

JE Technology Solutions

Adrian Little had already built a strong business. As founder and president of JE Technology Solutions, he had guided the industrial maintenance platform company through its early growth. When he knew it was time to elevate the business even further, 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 (ABC) program to help take his firm to the next level.

JE Technology Solutions designs, engineers, and builds maintenance platforms – essentially “scaffolding on steroids”, according to Little – for the aerospace, marine, industrial, and fleet maintenance industries. Its integrated approach is unusual in the market. “What makes JE Technology unique and special is our focus on quick turnarounds, our flexibility with our customers, and our service after the sale,” highlights Little. “That’s hard to find when you’re doing design, engineering and manufacturing all in one building.” The company’s responsiveness is another major differentiator. “Our ability to react, flex, and accommodate customers’ ever‑changing needs as their market continues to grow and expand sets us apart,” he continues. “We also consider ourselves experts in fall protection, ensuring our platforms meet functional requirements but also OSHA and ANSI standards.”

Although JE Technology was growing, Little wanted to position it as an industry leader. “Essentially, I approached the FSBDC and its Advisory Board Council because I needed help,” he recalls. “I had come to the end of my rope and needed advice about my business. I wanted to hear other perspectives. My folks here were good, but I wanted high‑level perspectives because I wanted to grow my company.”

The FSBDC at UCF’s Advisory Board Council provides small business owners with a customized, no‑cost board of volunteer experts selected to address each company’s specific needs. The program acts as a matchmaker, connecting established businesses like JE Technology Solutions with seasoned professionals who bring targeted expertise.

Little knew exactly what he wanted from his board. “I wanted members who were highly intelligent and had experience. They had to represent the major aspects of the business—from sales, operations, finance, to HR. I wanted visibility and expertise in all the major disciplines,” he explains. And that’s what he received.

“The experts on my Council actually pushed me to be a better leader,” Little shares. “They all brought unique aspects to my company. The finance person brought a view from the finance side; HR brought her view from the HR and corporate side; operations as well. It gave me a more well‑rounded view of what I should be looking for and how each of my departments should be running.”

The impact was significant. “My ABC Team encouraged me throughout the process. They gave me wind beneath my wings to carry on until I saw the growth and saw the results with my own eyes,” he affirms. “Through the Advisory Board Council, over 2–3 years, we saw our revenue increase about 60% from 2022–26. We grew our headcount by about 60% as well. My ABC Council was what I needed, and it was the right thing at the right time.”

For information about JE Technology Solutions, please visit https://jetechnologysolutions.com/.

Tree Work Now

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/.

Hobdy’s Garage

Becoming a first‑time small business owner can feel overwhelming. Where do you begin? What does the right business plan look like, and how will you finance your new venture? Who do you call when you don’t have the answers? These were the questions on Krista and Joey Steall’s minds as they considered purchasing historic Hobdy’s Garage, a Mt. Dora landmark serving the community for more than 80 years. Fortunately, the Stealls turned to the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) and its Lake County office—finding exactly the guidance they needed.

Founded in 1945, Hobdy’s Garage has remained a family‑run business through three ownership transitions: first the Hobdys, then the Velezes, and now the Stealls. Known for treating customers’ vehicles as if they were their own, the shop offers general automotive repair including A/C inspection, fluid exchange, advanced diagnostics, and full‑service repairs of all sizes. “What makes us different is we specialize in electrical and diagnostics—my husband is an ASE‑certified mechanic,” shares Krista Steall proudly. “We pride ourselves on honesty and transparency and try to make sure our customers know exactly what’s wrong with their car and how we can help fix it.”

As first‑time business owners, the Stealls knew they needed expert support. “We sought out the SBDC and their services to help us make sure that we were set up for success given that we’ve never owned a business before,” Krista explains. They began working with John Doramus, an FSBDC consultant in Lake County, as soon as they learned that the garage was for sale. “John was instrumental in helping us get our loan package together—making sure we had all the right documents, making sure that everything we sent to the bank looked good and was what was needed to move our loan forward.”

The process, however, was far from simple. “Our loan process was incredibly complicated,” Krista recalls. “It seemed like every time we turned around there was something new that came up. I just could not have done it by myself. I don’t know what I would have done without John and the SBDC.”

With Doramus and the FSBDC team by their side, the Stealls persevered. “The changes we have seen since working with the SBDC is everything about the business,” Krista affirms. “We were able to get our loan. We got our building, the equipment, and everything we needed to get set up and started. We have finally opened the doors, and it’s just been amazing since then.”

Reflecting on the journey, Krista doesn’t hesitate to describe the FSBDC’s impact. “If I had to use one word to describe my experience with the SBDC, I would say ‘invaluable.’ We wouldn’t have a business without them, and certainly not a successful one. For any entrepreneur who would like to have some assistance with any part of their business process, I definitely recommend working with the SBDC and using the resources that are available to you there.”

For information about Hobdy’d Garage, please visit https://www.hobdysgarage.com/.

Hotspray Industrial Coatings

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/

Green’s Eco Air Conditioning and Heating

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/.

Kelly’s Homemade Ice Cream

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/ .