DeTask

DeTask.io

For even the smartest and most motivated entrepreneurs, the breadth and depth of the daily challenges presented by a new business can undermine efforts to achieve the ultimate goal: profitable revenue growth. Working “in” the business, with little opportunity to work “on” it, and extinguishing those daily fires can distract a business owner from implementing proven processes, procedures, and methodologies that will contribute to building a successful company. Such was the case for Rodrigo Costa, CEO and founder of DeTask, an HR-focused information technology company dedicated to solving the universal problems of employee motivation and retention. Fortunately, Costa contacted the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) and took advantage of its no-cost, expert consulting to gain new insights, set goals, and achieve new growth.

DeTask utilizes AI and immutable data to motivate employees, reduce turnover, and deliver measurable results – ultimately leading to growth and improved ROI. “The problem we are solving here is that 46% of Americans are leaving their jobs or not being appreciated,” Costa explains. “We created a gamification that helps a company achieve goals on time and keeps their people working happy and delivering.”

“Gamification is a way for us to reward people when they deliver things on time,” Costa continued. “They accumulate points for good work and can exchange those in the company’s marketplace for what motivates them. We also include recognition for their achievement so they can show to others their hard work inside the organization. Our unique value proposition is to look for what the company needs to achieve and what the employees need to feel rewarded. We combine both in one simple solution that allows you, the owner, to understand what’s happening in your company.”

So, where does the FSBDC fit in with DeTask’s growth plans? “Well, since I’m creating a very complex product, I need specialists to help me,” recounts Costa. “That’s why I went to the SBDC and was lucky to find Sharon Smith (an FSBDC at UCF Consultant) to work with me. She helped me with my marketing plan, my financial plan, and my business plan, and to put all the pieces together and start to move the market. We were creating a road map for what I should do next. The beautiful thing about that is…it’s free and you are talking with very high-quality specialists that are helping you develop your next steps.”

“After understanding more about my marketing plan, I was able to define and create a strategy to go to market,” Costa concluded. “Things started to happen after SBDC helped me with that part. We were getting pretty much one customer a month and we were increasing our revenue almost double the numbers every month since then.”

Rodrigo Costa is grateful for the SBDC’s assistance in charting a growth course for his company. “Since I started working with the SBDC, to every entrepreneur I meet I say ‘you must go there!’ because it’s going to help you a lot to understand where you are and what you have to do next. I recommend the FSBDC to everyone that I can.”

information about DeTask, please visit https://detask.io/.

Just Peachy Clean

Just Peachy Clean

Small business ownership can be demanding and requires “wearing many hats.” Even the most experienced and successful small business owners can struggle with handling everything alone, but finding the right counselors, partners, and especially peers who are willing to share their knowledge and expertise can make a dramatic contribution to a company’s success. Establishing a strong support system offers a distinct advantage and for Jen Rodgers, founder and CEO of Daytona Beach-based professional cleaning service Just Peachy Clean, connecting with the Florida Small Business Development Center at Daytona State College (FSBDC at DSC), a sub-service center of the FSBDC at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF), and taking advantage of its no-cost, expert consulting and special programs for second stage businesses has made a big difference.

Serving coastal Volusia County for almost 11 years, Just Peachy Clean is a locally owned residential cleaning company that does it all. The firm provides recurring – meaning weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly – cleanings for homes; vacation rental cleans; real estate move-ins and move outs; make ready’s when residential real estate is for sale; post construction clean ups, and the list goes on, all customized to its client’s needs.

Beyond delivering the highest quality deep cleans possible and operating legally, ethically, and responsibly, Rodgers prides herself in the reliable, experienced, and trustworthy team she has built. “One of the things that makes Just Peachy Clean better and different from other cleaning businesses out there is we provide continuing education, various certification opportunities, and a career path for our technicians to go through, as well as offering an above living wage for the area and the industry,” she explains. “I was born and raised here, as were my mother and grandmother. I’m very tied to the community so everything we do within Just Peachy Clean is to make the community a better place.”

“I originally reached out to the Florida SBDC because I’d heard such great things about it,” recalls Rodgers. “I have a thirst for knowledge and when I heard about the SBDC and all the things that they have to offer I was quick to jump on board. My journey started with their Growth XChange program and I loved it right away,” she declares. The FSBDC’s Growth XChange meets monthly and offers a confidential setting for top executives to discuss vital business issues, opportunities, and trends with a group of peers led by a trained facilitator, providing members with the opportunity to broaden their business perspective and gain new knowledge by engaging in collaborative thinking and problem-solving – giving them the ability to more effectively lead their companies.

“I have also worked with the consultant in our area Trecia Arrington (FSBDC at DSC sub-service center director) to receive business consulting and business coaching for my 2025 goals and business plan,” Rodgers continued. Additionally, the FSBDC has assisted Rodgers with a financial review and website analysis, including search engine optimization guidance.

With the FSBDC in her corner and as member of its Growth XChange program, Rodgers has found the help and guidance she needs as a business owner and the results speak for themselves. “Since joining the SBDC not only have I become a better leader, but we have also seen huge revenue growth. Last year alone we grew 50% above revenues from the previous year,” Rodgers concluded. “I’m very thankful for all the advice the SBDC has given me and how they’ve helped me grow. They have been invaluable to my team and to my business. I can’t speak highly enough about them.”

For information about Just Peachy Clean, please visit https://alwaysjustpeachyclean.com/.

Journey Fitness

Journey Fitness Center

Small business ownership and management is a full-time job, and then some. Exceeding customer expectations, providing vision and direction, and ensuring that operations are running effectively are just a few of the priorities to balance in order to achieve success. Amid putting out the daily fires and keeping the business on track, planning and goal setting sometimes get short shrift. Mary Hall, co-owner and manager of Journey Fitness Center and its multiple locations, was in exactly that predicament until she turned to the Florida Small Business Development Center at Daytona State College (FSBDC at DSC), a sub-center of the FSBDC at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF), and took advantage of its no-cost, expert consulting and its Growth XChange program.

Journey Fitness Center is not your ordinary gym or health club. With four locations across Volusia County, two in New Smyrna Beach and two in South Daytona, it offers three different fitness concepts to meet a wide range of customer preferences. “Let me tell you about our three concepts,” Hall says proudly. “We have an amazing 24-hour club down in New Smyrna Beach where you can work out 24/7/365, at your convenience. We have two group facilities in New Smyrna and South Daytona with the most dynamic classes available; think power yoga; think strength and conditioning; even boxing. We also have a private personal training studio where you can feel completely comfortable working out exclusively with your trainer.”

As successful as Hall has been over the last eight years since her company first opened, she wanted to continuously improve and focus on growing her businesses. To do so, she connected with the FSBDC for one-on-one consulting but also found peer-to-peer coaching through the FSBDC’s Growth XChange. Comprised of a cohort of 10 -12 small business owners, the Growth XChange offers a confidential setting for top executives to discuss vital business issues, opportunities, and trends with a group of peers led by a trained facilitator. The meetings provide members with the opportunity to broaden their business perspective and gain new knowledge by engaging in collaborative thinking and problem-solving – giving them the ability to more effectively lead their companies.

“One of the services I have used at Daytona State College and the SBDC is the Growth XChange,” Hall testifies. “It’s a group of business owners – local business owners – that come together once a month for round table talks and for finding business solutions. It’s a great way to not only network but to get problems solved in your business. I’ve had such a great time meeting other business owners, lots of them in business much longer than I have been, and I have gained so much from their wisdom and experience. It’s been quite amazing!”

“One of the biggest benefits I have gotten from the Growth XChange is greater accountability on my part,” Hall recalls. “It’s what I was looking for in a mentorship and my mentor Trecia Arrington (FSBDC at DSC consultant and sub-service center director) has been invaluable every step of the way. Trecia has helped me set annual and quarterly goals and then we check on them monthly to make sure we are reaching them. It has been a big game changer for my business.”

“My experience with the SBDC has been nothing short of amazing,” Hall concluded. “And my time in the Growth XChange has been miraculous. In 2024 my revenue was up 11% and a lot of that has to do with goal setting with Trecia. It has been a great thing to help me change direction. I can’t imagine all the things I’ve learned over the past two years at the SBDC and in the Growth XChange and I’m looking forward to learning more.”

For information about JOURNEY FITNESS CENTER, please visit https://journeyfitnesscenter.com/

Fun for Tots

Fun For Tots

Starting a new business can be daunting, but Janselis Maldonado wasn’t intimidated by the thought in the least. She knew she wanted to start her own company, and she knew she needed funding to do it. What she didn’t know was how or where to begin this entrepreneurial journey, and so she turned to the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) in Lake County for assistance. By taking advantage of the FSBDC’s no-cost, expert consulting, business training, and market research resources, today Maldonado is the proud owner of Fun For Tots, an indoor playground in Clermont, FL that is profitably making children and their caregivers happy at birthday parties, open play hours, and special events.

Indoor playgrounds are a fantastic way to support the holistic development of young children while ensuring that they have fun and stay active. Fun For Tots caters to ages 7 years old and younger and offers an open play area with learning toys and multiple themed playhouses including a nursery, a veterinarian’s office, a grocery store (with real groceries!), and even a ball pit just to name a few. “What makes us special is that we focus on imaginative play and pretend play,” explains Maldonado, “allowing the child to explore and expand their imaginations through play.” The emphasis is on providing a safe, sanitary, and fun space for children as well as a relaxing and comfortable environment for their waiting caregivers.

Fun For Tots is off to a great start, but it took work to get it started. Maldonado was smart and didn’t try to do it alone. “As a young entrepreneur and new business owner, I was looking for help and seeking guidance on how to start a business,” she recalls. “That is why I found the FSBDC, and they helped me a lot, and helped make my dream come true.”

Maldonado began by attending a How to Start Your Business training class, then scheduled a meeting with FSBDC Lake County Area Manager and consultant Jose Molfino. “I set up a consult so they could guide me on the right way to find funding to start my business and then be able to make the business come true,” she shares. “The SBDC was the easiest part of creating my business. There were no complications. They meet with you and give you all the information and orientation that you need. They guide you in the right way, without you losing any time.”

Working with the FSBDC really paid off for Maldonado. With Molfino’s help, she secured the funding she needed and navigated some hiccups in the permitting process. “The FSBDC helped me to find the startup capital I needed and guide me in the right direction to find the right bank to work with. If I had to use one word to describe the FSBDC, it is “supportive” because they have given me all the help I needed from the very beginning. I have to say that the FSBDC is the best thing because they are available for you, guide you in the right way and make things as easy as possible.”

For information about Fun For Tots, please visit https://funfortotsplay.com/.

Terra Craft Sandwiches

Terra Craft Sandwiches

Having a great business idea that is unique and appealing is only the beginning for an entrepreneur. So many steps must then follow: testing the market, finding funding, writing a business plan, and more. Sisters Amanda and Gina Manzano, owners and founders of the restaurant Terra Craft Sandwiches, had moved down the start-up path and covered a lot of those bases but soon realized, as the saying goes, that they ‘didn’t know what they didn’t know.’ That’s when they turned to the Florida Small Business Development Center at Eastern Florida State College (FSBDC at EFSC), a sub-center of the FSBDC at UCF, to take advantage of its no-cost, expert business consulting and to access the FSBDC’s market research resources.

Based in Melbourne, FL, Terra Craft Sandwiches is a fast casual, elevated sandwich shop that prides itself in being “Flavor First”. “One of the things we feel makes our restaurant unique is our focus on flavor and high quality, fresh ingredients,” shares Amanda Manzano. For example, one of their Signature Sandwiches is the Mojo Pork Banh Mi, featuring roasted pork, creamy ponzu vegetable slaw, and chicharron crisps on a hoagie roll. “We take ‘center of the plate’ food and put it into a sandwich for a very flavorful, globally inspired bite,” Amanda states proudly.

With that and many other exciting choices on the menu, the Manzano sisters were eager to launch their business but had questions they then began posing to the FSBDC. “One of the many reasons we sought out counsel from the SBDC was because we were new to the Melbourne market and really valued the expertise they had in this area and they’ve done just a wonderful job guiding us,” remarked Gina Manzano. “The SBDC had honestly been integral since Day Zero of our journey opening this restaurant,” added Amanda. “Everything from helping us scout a location to market research of the demographics in this area, and best practices for marketing to the local demographic and even making great connections with other local business leaders and community figures.”

“Apart from the invaluable business advice that we’ve gotten through the SBDC, our favorite part is the relationship we have with the people there,” Amanda Manzano continued. “Robin Braswell (FSBDC at EFSC sub-center director and consultant) has made the experience so wonderful for us. Having her as a trusted support and then a great customer and friend of Terra, it’s just been marvelous to work with the SBDC because of the people like her.”

“From opening our doors to coming around the corner to our first year, the impact of the SBDC on our business has been huge,” Amanda claims. She credits the SBDC with helping the business with both marketing and human resources issues that have resulted in Terra achieving profitability and contributing to local economic growth through job creation. “We have been so fortunate in our first year to really flourish and every day is truly a great day here,” Gina Marzano declares.

“I definitely speak for both of us when I say we would recommend the SBDC to any aspiring business owner,” concluded Amanda. “It’s been a wonderful resource. So, I would reach out to them. You won’t regret it.”

For information about Terra Craft Sandwiches, please visit https://www.terracraftsandwiches.com/.

Wonder Waffel

Wonder Waffel

Starting a business is typically a steep climb for anyone, but the degree of difficulty is heightened significantly if you happen to be in a new country and introducing a foreign food concept to a different and unfamiliar customer base. All of that and more was true for Swiss-born Seraina Hug, founder and owner of popular European restaurant chain Wonder Waffel, when she set about bringing her concept to Melbourne, Florida. Fortunately, Hug contacted the Florida Small Business Development Center at Eastern Florida State College (FSBDC at EFSC), a sub-center of the FSBDC at the University of Central Florida, which was able to assist her on her way to a successful opening of her waffle shop.

Boasting its position as one of the first in the US, Wonder Waffel Melbourne features a different take on comfort food. All of the dishes on the menu are built around a waffle made from a proprietary recipe then loaded with amazing ingredients chosen by the customer. “We serve waffles made from scratch,” explains Hug. “We have savory (think Mexican, Italian, or chicken bbq-like sandwiches made with waffles). We have sweet ones (piled with the customer’s choice of sauces, fruits, and toppings). We have shakes. We have sundaes. We have Italian coffee. We are a place for a sweet tooth!”

“What makes us unique? Hug continued. “You can customize your own waffle with us. Just let me know what you want and I make it possible. I am from Switzerland and we don’t eat waffles for breakfast. We it all day, especially in the afternoon and after dinner for a sweet treat.”

“We immigrated to here and things are a bit different. The rules are different, the laws are different, its hard and you have to learn a lot,” recalls Hug. Under new circumstances, she turned to Robin Braswell, sub-center director and consultant at the FSBDC at EFSC for help. “From our first appointment with the SBDC where we met Robin, she helped me a lot with many questions. She helped me with marketing research, with permits or if we had any question. We are so thankful that Robin is always here and she is part of our amazing journey.”

“Frankly speaking, the SBDC helped us open our restaurant. Robin and her team have been so supportive,” Hug states today. ”It’s hard to be self-employed. My head is everywhere. It’s with the customer, it’s in the kitchen, it’s with my employees. I have to do the marketing, the social media, pay my bills on time. There’s just a lot and the SBDC and Robin have helped me focus to be here and to run my business.”

Today, Wonder Waffel is open and thriving, having already built a loyal clientele. “We did great,” exclaims Hug proudly. “We opened our restaurant and I’m happy Robin is on my side all the time.”

For information about Wonder Waffel, please visit https://wonderwaffelmelbourne.com/ .

Solutions By Salm

Solutions by Salm

When one is bitten by the entrepreneurial bug, there is no going back. The opportunity to chart your own course and deliver new and different solutions to customers – all while realizing your vision for the business you have invented – is often too compelling to ignore. For Jeff Salm, founder and owner of Palm Coast, Fl-based text marketing company Solutions By Salm, entrepreneurship felt like a calling. As he contemplated and then started his foray into entrepreneurialism four years ago, he turned to the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) in Palm Coast for the support he needed.

Solutions By Salm works with business owners and non-profits to increase their customer bases and engagement. “I am in the text marketing business of marketing and advertising,” explains Jeff Salm, “helping business owners and general managers to stay connected with their audience through texting. We work directly and closely with you about your content and about how you communicate to your customers to drive more traffic and transactions. What we do is take your business from overlooked to overbooked via text messaging.”

Salm found the FSBDC through his sister who is a U.S. Small Business Administration executive in California, the SBA being the primary funding resource of the FSBDC. “I’ve always tried to do entrepreneurial-spirit type side businesses above and beyond what I normally did. My sister suggested the FSBDC, and I took her advice. I couldn’t be happier for that reference and actually being able to find a service that’s local and to work with an individual who knows my business and knew my demographics.”

As Florida’s principal provider of business assistance, as designated by the state of Florida, the Florida SBDC offers entrepreneurs and small business owners a range of valuable services, primary among them being expert business consulting; business training and education; and access to market data and research, all at little or no-cost. In the case of Solutions by Salm, through its Palm Coast-based FSBDC consultant Michael Oppenheim, the FSBDC aided with market research to identify sales prospects and consulting related to sales presentations and marketing promotions.

“At my first session with Michael, I was able to lay out my scope, my vision and we had an immediate connection,” Salm recalls. “And that connection goes through to today. He offered me a suite of services that were amazing to me that I didn’t even know were available. He easily shifted to fulfill my requirements, my needs, my scope and I was and am continually impressed with the number of products, services, the whole suite that goes along with the SBDC.”

Thanks to his entrepreneurial spirit, determination and business acumen, Salm’s business has achieved exponential growth since its launch. The FSBDC is proud to have assisted him in making his entrepreneurial dream come true.

For information about Solutions By Salm, please visit https://solutionsbysalm.com/ .

Reimagined Classroom

The Reimagined Classroom

Doing business with the government is different from working with the private sector. Winning government contracts – whether at the federal, state, or local level – requires learning a new vocabulary, adopting particular strategies, and applying specialized processes and procedures. Though it can be a complex process, selling to the government can open doors to a huge new market and growth opportunity for small businesses, offering a path to new customers and fresh revenue streams.

For Michael Heyman and Brett Meyers, co-founders of The Reimagined Classroom, a one-stop shop for custom educational content, the potential to win a Department of Defense Educational Activity (DoDEA) contract looked promising. They even had the request-for-proposal (RFP) writers on staff to prepare a bid. What they did not have was experience with the government as their customer. It was then that they turned for assistance to the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida’s (FSBDC at UCF) government contracting affiliate, the Florida APEX Accelerator at UCF.

The Reimagined Classroom has built a very successful business serving the corporate community. “We can take a concept from ideation and brainstorming and bring it all the way to print and web ready content,” Heyman explains. The team at The Reimagined Classroom subcontracts and works with large companies by producing and bringing to life engaging textbooks and educational resources for K-thru-12 students. Interestingly, before starting the company, Heyman and Meyers were third grade teachers and this background informs their corporate strategy, with every one of their content creators being or having been an educator. “We are a people-first organization creating things with a teacher’s mindset considering all learners and all educators,” Heyman highlights proudly.

“We first reached out to the APEX Accelerator and the FSBDC because we were interested in government contracting,” Heyman recalls. They had identified the DoDEA contract and had begun writing up their bid. “We were already about 75% of the way through when we realized that we could contact Steve South, the APEX Accelerator at UCF program manager, for assistance. Our RFP specialist worked with him and the APEX Accelerator to help us really go after our first contract. We learned so much through the process, even though we lost that one. We took APEX’s feedback and applied it to our next opportunity and wound up winning the very next DoD contract we bid on.” And that $400,000 contact was just the beginning.

“Our journey with APEX has been incredible. We’re just thrilled to be multi-award winners now and we attribute that, not solely but largely to our work with APEX and our SBDC here in Florida,” Heyman continued. “It’s been an amazing learning experience. When my co-founder Brett and I had the opportunity to initially meet Steve South we were just blown away at the value of the free resources offered, and the value of the experience and insight. It was almost like Government Contracting for Dummies but working with an insider who would explain it like you were five. It was incredibly valuable.”

Though pursuing government contracts may not be like chasing commercial business opportunities, as Heyman and The Reimagined Classroom will attest, the APEX Accelerator at the University of Central Florida can help a company learn the ropes and be successful.

For information about The Reimagined Classroom, please visit https://www.reimaginedclassroom.com.

Reimagined Classroom

The Reimagined Classroom

Starting and growing a successful small business takes vision, resourcefulness, determination and so much more. Even with a partner, the journey can be daunting. Finding smart people and useful resources to assist you is always a challenge but one that pays off in multiple ways. When Michael Heyman and Brett Meyers, co-founders of The Reimagined Classroom, a one-stop shop for custom educational content, were looking for help with government contracting, they came to the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida’s (FSBDC at UCF) government contracting affiliate, the Florida APEX Accelerator at UCF, for help. They quickly found even more value and assistance than they initially anticipated in the form of the FSBDC’s award-winning Advisory Board Council (ABC) program.

The Reimagined Classroom has built a very successful business serving the corporate community. “We can take a concept from ideation and brainstorming and bring it all the way to print and web ready content,” Heyman explains. The team at The Reimagined Classroom subcontracts and works with large companies by producing and bringing to life engaging textbooks and educational resources for K-thru-12 students. Interestingly, before starting the company, Heyman and Meyers were third grade teachers and this background informs their corporate strategy, with every one of their content creators being or having been an educator. “We are a people-first organization creating things with a teacher’s mindset considering all learners and all educators,” Heyman highlights proudly.

“We first reached out to the APEX Accelerator and the FSBDC because we were interested in government contracting,” Heyman recalls. “Our journey with APEX has been incredible. At the same time, my co-founder Brett and I are just head-over-heels with our Advisory Board.” Led by program manager Jill Kaufman, the ABC is a customized, no-cost board of experts providing advice to help businesses grow. The FSBDC acts as a matchmaker between established local businesses like The Reimagined Classroom and area professionals who volunteer their expertise and are purposefully selected to address the specific needs of the FSBDC client.

Working with their Advisory Board has really paid off for the company; their revenues were nearly doubling annually through 2023 and continue to grow rapidly since starting with their ABC. “The advisors and FSBDC consultants that comprise our Board are so knowledgeable, and every facet of business is covered, from legal to government contracting to marketing to operations to finance,” shares Heyman. “We’ve been matched up with experts in every field and the Board has helped us in so many ways. It helped us modify legal documents. It helped us win government contracts. It helped us in hiring decisions. It helped us in business structure decisions. We’re just extremely grateful for the advice. Everybody provides such incredible insights, from technology to legal to finance.”

At the suggestion of its Advisory Board, The Reimagined Classroom also had the FSBDC conduct a business valuation of the company which opened new directions for Heyman and Meyers. “With the valuation in hand and from our work with Jill and the Board, we’ve continued to think about how we can not only continue to increase the value of our business but also what other places we can shore up from an operational standpoint,” Heyman reveals. “So if another private equity company – we’ve talked to one already – were to look at the company, we’ve at least addressed or thought about any of the concerns they may have.”

For The Reimagined Classroom, what started as an investigation into government contracting opportunities evolved into much more, with the company now better positioned for future growth across multiple functional areas thanks to the experts and resources at the FSBDC at UCF and its Advisory Board Council program.

Genstar

Genstar Generator Service

Going it alone often proves to be a failed growth strategy for all too many entrepreneurs and small business owners. On the other hand, finding mentors, coaches, and advisors can become the key to both the short-term and long-term success they seek. For Lance Metcalfe, owner and founder of Genstar Generator Service, bringing in Edgardo Rodriguez as his general manager was a big step forward. When Rodriguez subsequently enlisted the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) and its award-winning Advisory Board Council (ABC) program for support, Genstar was on its way to the growth it sought and the exit strategy Metcalfe desired.

Genstar Generator Service has proudly served Central Florida since 2002. As a factory authorized dealer employing factory certified technicians, its knowledgeable team of experts is available to help customers with all of their generator installation, maintenance, and repair needs anytime – 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “What makes Genstar unique is our customer service,” explains Rodriguez, “Lance started the company with that in mind and every employee understands it is paramount.” “What really makes us unique,” laughed Metcalfe, “is we answer the telephone with a live person every time. No telephone trees. No answering service. You get someone on the line every time you call, whether its during business hours or after hours at our emergency service number.”

Fast forward 20+ years and, despite a lot of success, Metcalfe decided his company was ready for more and that he would need help to achieve this. “In the beginning when Genstar was founded,” he recalls, “you would call it a ‘Mom & Pop’ operation. We really didn’t have the structure it takes to grow. We brought Edgardo on board because he had experience in company growth. He knew about the SBDC and was able to bring them in and make use of the resources they provide.”

“We came to the SBDC because we needed to grow,” Rodriguez affirms. “I had experience with them before and knew they had the tools and programs that we were looking for.” Specifically, Genstar took advantage of the FSBDC’s Advisory Board Council program led by program manager Jill Kaufman. ABC offers small business owners the opportunity to work with a customized board of experts providing advice to help businesses grow – all at no cost. The FSBDC acts as a matchmaker between established local businesses like Genstar and area professionals who volunteer their expertise and are purposefully selected to address the specific needs of the FSBDC client.

“Our Advisory Board was composed of different experts with different skills, including accounting, finance, sales, marketing and general business professionals, that Jill put together thinking of what we needed to meet our goals,” Rodriguez commented. “They served as a sounding board from whom you receive advice and counsel. The Advisory Board was there to help us, guide us, to tell us if we were going in the right direction or not. It wasn’t always easy but that’s what they were there for and I was very appreciative.”

“Three or four years ago, Edgardo came on board to help us and brought us together with the FSBDC and the Advisory Board,” Metcalfe expounded. “He took us from being a $1 million company to a $5 million dollar company, from 5 employees to 20 plus employees. He did it in just a few years with the SBDC’s Advisory Board’s help and that was exactly what we wanted.”

“The ultimate goal as an owner of Genstar was to find an exit strategy,” continued Metcalfe. “The SBDC helped us grow into a viable company that could serve as a platform for an equity capital company who acquired us and has used Genstar as the base from which to acquire other companies to grow into the largest generator company in Florida. If I had to use one word to describe the FSBDC, it would be ‘lucky’,” Metcalfe concluded. “Not that the SBDC is ‘lucky’ but that Genstar was lucky. ‘Lucky’ that Edgardo was aware of the SBDC and that he had the knowledge to use the SBDC as a resource to bring us to exactly where we were trying to go.”

For information about Genstar Generator Service, please visit https://genstarservice.com/.