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

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/ .

BWH Plant Co.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

McCarthy Fabrication

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Yellow Tarp EMS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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