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/.

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

Consult Nutrition

Rapid revenue growth is the target that all small businesses dream of and aim for, until it happens and new problems arise. Then, while the challenges and growing pains are welcome, they can often feel overwhelming. Suddenly what was a small operation has become a big undertaking and new issues crop up almost everywhere. It was exactly that situation that Wendy Lombard, founder and president of Consult Nutrition, encountered. Her solution was to turn to the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) for assistance and guidance, and she is happy she did.

Consult Nutrition provides dietician services for geriatric facilities including long-term care, skilled rehabilitation, and assisted living. Comprised of a team of registered and licensed dietitian professionals, Consult Nutrition creates customized dietary programs focused on seniors. “We’re different from other consulting companies because we prefer to be a small company,” explains Lombard, “which enables us to really know our clients, to know what their needs are. Being small also allows us to be more of a team and work with each other to come up with creative solutions for the patients we are serving and for our clients who care for those patients.”

“We originally looked for help from the FSBDC because our company had grown so rapidly that my job was transitioning from working with our clients and our patients to actually running a company,” Lombard recalls, “and dealing with all sorts of issues that I just was not equipped to handle.” Enter FSBDC at UCF consultant Sharon Smith to assist by providing the FSBDC’s no-cost, expert consulting and guidance on a multitude of fronts, including business planning, financial forecasting, access to capital, marketing, and human resources.

“When we started working with Sharon, we were initially considering what we wanted to do with the company in the future,” says Lombard. At the same time, Consult Nutrition was growing so fast that cash flow was becoming a concern. “I was focused on getting financing to make sure that it wasn’t such a challenge to make sure our staff got paid on time,” Lombard shared. “Sharon was able to help us with that and to look at other things, important things like legal and human resources considerations and not being a tiny little business that is not subject to those regulations. She also helped with a business valuation that opened our eyes to opportunities we hadn’t before contemplated.”

At the same time, having helped Lombard master Consult Nutrition’s growing pains, Smith kept asking “where do you want the company to be in 5 – 10 years?” “I was so excited about having achieved what we had achieved, I really hadn’t thought about the future. Now we are looking at how do we help this company grow and what dreams do we have about what we can turn this company into,” Lombard states.

Lombard is now on a steady course and managing the company’s growth more effectively, with revenue having increased 50% year over year, necessary funding having been accessed, and additions made to her team. “I would advise anyone to absolutely reach out to the SBDC,” concludes Lombard. “There are so many resources – much more than I had been aware of – that are available to you at no cost and that support is just invaluable when you’re a small business.”

For information about Consult Nutrition, please visit https://www.consultnutritioninc.com/.

Kings Service Solutions

Kings Service Solutions

No small business or entrepreneurial venture is guaranteed success.  The obstacles and challenges are innumerable, and the dedication and work required is not to be underestimated. What can make a success story truly remarkable, however, is ‘how’ it was achieved. There is evidence, in fact, that the most profitable companies in America are the ones who connect what they do with a greater  good. There’s also a saying that applies: “A good company makes a profit; a great company makes a difference.”

For Yanet Herrero, the Chief Servant Officer of Kings Service Solutions, the company’s achievements are all about the ‘how’. By focusing herself and her organization on meaningfully serving others including customers, employees, partners, and the community, Herrero has built a trust-based commercial cleaning powerhouse headquartered in Orlando, Fl. Working with her and her team, the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) is proud to have contributed to their success.

“Our product is trust,” shared Herrero, “and our core values are our DNA. “We start with Integrity – we do the right thing even when no one is looking. We prize our Consistency – in our processes, our people, and our performance. Harmony is central to us – we do things with joy, as a unit, as one team. We embody the spirit of Excellence and constantly strive to deliver nothing less. And last, but not least, we live in Gratitude. We’re grateful for the opportunity to serve others, to create new jobs, to be part of the economic development conversation and positively impact our community.”

Kings Service Solutions began working with the Florida SBDC at UCF and its Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC) government contracting affiliate, now called Florida APEX Accelerator at UCF, in 2010. At the time, the company had a staff of 6 full time and 37 part time employees and leased a 1,700 sq. ft. office. With the help of the FSBDC’s no-cost consulting services and its Advisory Board Council program, over time they established an effective organizational structure and refined their systems, resulting in enhanced financial management, Human Resources policies, quality control, and risk management – all driving the company’s growth.

The company utilized Florida APEX services to assist in connecting with key government agencies and prime contractors, leading them to secure contracts with Lockheed Martin, Walt Disney World, and others. Having an established foundation, Kings Service Solutions recently accessed significant capital infusions including a PPP Loan and its forgiveness during Covid, an Employee Retention Tax Credit, and a Small Business Administration 504 loan to purchase their new 13,000 sq. ft. headquarters. Today, along with that new headquarters, Kings Service Solutions has over 700 employees, revenues in the many millions, and ever-increasing profits.

“My experience with the FSBDC has been an incredible journey,” Herrero affirms. “I remember walking into their offices shaking, wondering whether or not our organization would be good enough to apply to receive their amazing resources and be selected for such support. I also remember being reassured immediately and was convinced that this is the right place if you want to see your organization grow, if you want to develop new strategies, if you want the best of the best, the experts to guide you. It was with that level of intentionality that we have become who we are today and we are just so grateful for that. One of our greatest responsibilities is understanding what is our impact and influence in our community, and the FSBDC helped us realize that.”

Not surprisingly given Herrero’s and her company’s commitment to serving her community – whether by annually sponsoring and partnering with a nonprofit, or enabling broad-based employee volunteering activities; its company culture of helping and serving; and its outstanding business results – Yanet Herrero has received national recognition from multiple organizations. This year, the Florida SBDC at UCF nominated her for the most prestigious state small business award possible: the 2024 SBA State of Florida Small Business Person of the Year – and she won! It is a well-deserved reward for defining success as being about serving others, making Kings Service Solutions’ accomplishments, and ‘how’ they were and are achieved, even more laudable and extraordinary.

For information about Kings Service Solutions, please visit https://kingsservicesolutions.com/ .

Amada Senior Care

Amada Senior Care

Entrepreneurs who are navigating the early stages of building a business often discover that obtaining financing can become one of the biggest challenges to overcome. Lenders and investors want to see a track record of growing revenues and profitability before they will make capital available. Dell Gray, owner with his wife Veronica, of Amada Senior Care Orlando had successfully launched their licensed, private duty, in-home caregiving company in 2022. They were off to a good start and were growing and saw opportunity in expanding which would require additional funding. For assistance with finding financing and accessing such capital, he turned to the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF).

Taking a consultative approach to elder care and senior care services, Amada Senior Care Orlando provides well-trained and compassionate caregivers who are a perfect fit for their clients or their clients’ loved ones. While specializing in at-home care, the firm can also identify the best local senior housing options and offer supportive elder care management services. “We get in and do all the heavy lifting for the client. Our team of senior care advisors will provide expert guidance and emotional support throughout the entire process to give you the home care services — and the peace of mind — your family needs,” Gray states proudly. “

“One of the things we do for our clients that we’re really proud of is what’s called a ‘Benefit Review’,” explains Gray. Comprised of an in-depth overview of insurance coverage, client education, and benefit verification, followed by claims process management and acceptance of an assignment of benefits, clients are assured they or their loved ones will receive the full range of services they are entitled to, free from fear of benefit cut offs or other problems.

Dell Gray is also a savvy businessperson who quickly noticed growth opportunities via an expansion strategy. “When I originally came to the SBDC, we were essentially a startup. When we went looking for financing we found that, even with great credit, even with a phenomenal background in the industry, we were a new business and that makes it challenging to get access to funds,” Gray recalls. “I turned to the SBDC to help me get financing that otherwise was very difficult to get frankly. They pointed me in the right direction and helped me with expanding the company from a financial perspective.”

By assisting Gray with the full gamut of loan application preparation including a business plan review, market research, competitive analysis, loan package development, and capital access guidance, the FSBDC at UCF helped Amada Senior Care Orlando position itself for loan approval. “It’s been great working with the SBDC,” he claims. “They were able to help me get financing for a big project that we’re working on. Their consultants, including Sharon Smith, were able to guide me toward resources that paid off for me and, as a result, we are able to expand and potentially hire 40-50 new people this upcoming year.”

“To any entrepreneur who is considering working with the SBDC, I would say stop considering it and do it,” concludes Gray. “It has been for me one of the best business decisions that I have made.”

For information about Amada Senior Care Orlando, please visit https://www.amadaseniorcare.com/orlando-senior-care/.

Loretta Josephine

Loretta Josephine

Grit, determination, and resilience are some of the important attributes needed to be a successful entrepreneur. They are also the qualities required when grappling with a life-threatening disease. Brain cancer survivor and small business founder Danielle McCarthy has all three of these traits in abundance, as well as a contagious optimism. Not only did she beat the disease, but she used those same virtues to launch Loretta Josephine Boutique with partner and owner Joey Perfito. And with a small touch of similarity to how she relied on her medical team to help her through her treatment and recovery, she turned to the team at the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) to help start her business. While the FSBDC certainly was not lifesaving, it may have been business saving by providing the expertise and tools McCarthy and Perfito needed to build their new business.

Loretta Josephine Boutique is an online and pop-up store for women specializing in stylish and unique clothing, candles, and accessories. “What makes Lorretta Josephine Boutique special and standout,” explains McCarthy, “is we hand pick our products from women-owned businesses that offer sustainably produced products and are made in the USA. And with every sale, we give back a portion of our earnings to neuroscience research and pet rescue”. “We also noticed that a lot of online boutiques don’t focus on customer service,” added Perfito. “Both Danielle and I have a background in that, so we make sure we offer great support and service to all of our customers.”

The Loretta Josephine name has a meaningful story behind it. Instead of calling her brain tumor “the tumor” or “Cancer”, Danielle and a friend named it “Loretta”. Later, and coincidently, she found and adopted a rescue dog named “Loretta” at birth, and that sealed it. The “Josephine” came from Joey’s given name Joseph, as a tribute to Joey for always being Danielle’s rock and strength through her treatment, the business start and on to today. And so, the ‘Loretta Josephine Boutique’ name was born.

Before she opened the Loretta Josephine Boutique, McCarthy talked to friends about where to find guidance and assistance. “I reached out to a business owner friend in Las Vegas,” she recalls, “and she pointed out that the SBDC in her area was the biggest help to her. So, thanks to her – Thank you, Mandy! – we found the biggest blessing that’s helped us in our journey: the Florida SBDC! Starting a small business, or starting anything, is hard but the FSBDC offers so much to help us grow our small business: no cost, one-on-one coaching; webinars; analytics; market research,” continued McCarthy. “It’s exactly what we needed.

“And working with the FSBDC has been great” affirms McCarthy. With FSBDC consultant Sharon Smith at hers and Perfito’s sides, “it was like we met a lifelong friend,” shares McCarthy. “She has given us tools and her guidance has been top-notch phenomenal. We have been able to grow our business and our customer base, and people are really responding to us. I can’t say anything but great things about the SBDC. They have been with us throughout our journey, and Sharon is amazing.”

Best of all, with thanks to McCarthy’s grit, determination, and resilience; Perfito’s support of and belief in Danielle; and the FSBDC’s assistance, Lorretta Josephine Boutique has thrived. “We’ve seen big changes since we first started working with the SBDC,” remarked Perfito. “Number one is our boutique pop-up events went from 1-2 a month to 5-6. We’re seeing repeat customers. And we’ve been given the tools by the SBDC to improve our website traffic and sales.”

“If you’re an entrepreneur, I would highly recommend starting out at your local SBDC and to have them help and guide you,” concludes McCarthy. “It has been the biggest blessing for us. We have been able to surpass things we never thought we could do. That we are sitting here now and enjoying success is a testament to what the SBDC can do for you.”

For information about Loretta Josephine Boutique, please visit https://www.lorettajosephine.com/.

Tributatries and Clarus

Tributaries and Clarus Audio and Video Cables

With more than 70% of the world’s purchasing power located outside of the U.S., exporting is an increasingly attractive opportunity for small and medium-sized companies. Joe Perfito, founder and owner of Gordon J. Gow Technologies – the company responsible for the design and manufacture of Tributaries and Clarus audio and video cables – had gained some international distribution but was convinced that there was significant untapped potential abroad. To increase the company’s penetration of foreign markets, Perfito turned to the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida’s (FSBDC at UCF) International Trade Services team.

Tributaries is a leading provider of high-performance and high-quality digital & analog audio interconnects, speaker cables, AC power products, and HDMI cables for discriminating audiophiles and cinephiles. Clarus serves the even more selective high-end audiophile market, offering ultimate-performance audio cables, power cables, power conditioners, and digital-to-analog converters (DACS) for the most discerning listening audiences. Combining patented technologies and painstakingly meticulous hand-craftsmanship, Tributaries and Clarus products are designed by music lovers for music lovers and are universally recognized for their quality.

“We design all of the internal parts of our cables and the cosmetics – the jacket, all the conductors and the shielding,” Perfito proudly states. “We have those cables made for us and bring them into Orlando where we do all our own soldering and assembly, packaging and testing. This makes us quite a bit different from our competitors, most of whom have cable from China or the Far East brought into the U.S. where they take it out of one box, put it into another and ship it out. There’s no value added. We do all the assembly, so we know how it’s made. We do all our own quality control as well. As a result, we have cables that outperform any of our competitors.”

“Our company has been selling domestically since 1991,” recalls Perfito, “and we started working with international distributors in the early 2000’s. But we didn’t have as many as I would like, even though I knew we had the products that would sell in countries around the world. When I learned about the FSBDC, I said ‘Wow, they have a lot to offer small businesses, including in the area of exporting and international distribution, and we began working with them to help us develop some of the foreign markets.”

Together with FSBDC International Trade Services program manager Jill McLaughlin and consultant Rafael Pratts, Perfito set about to further expand globally. First, Pratts prepared a customized Export Marketing Plan, available in partnership with the U.S. Commercial Service and funded by a grant offered by Enterprise Florida, now SelectFlorida, to assist qualified Florida manufacturers and service providers with identifying overseas growth strategies. Such Export Marketing Plans provide comprehensive industry and market analyses and identify promising new foreign markets and provide a go-to-market strategy for each. Next, McLaughlin assisted the company with obtaining State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) Grants to reimburse certain travel expenses, thereby supporting their attendance at international trade shows throughout Europe.

“Because of our partnership with FSBDC and working with them, we were able to improve our international marketing,” Perfito affirms. In fact, because of the Export Marketing Plan and the STEP Grant-funded travel, the company has now secured a new distributor in France and has another in the United Kingdom, with high expectations for one in Germany as well. “I would strongly encourage other small business owners like myself to contact the FSBDC and to take advantage of the services and programs they have to offer. It would be a huge benefit for them, as it was for us.”

For information about Gordon J. Gow Technologies and its Tributaries and Clarus lines, please visit www.tributariescable.com  or www.claruscable.com.

Nakiesa Photography

Nakiesa’s Photography

For many aspiring entrepreneurs with a compelling dream or exciting new idea, the first question is often, ‘Where do I start?” Building a firm foundation, managing start up risks, and launching with confidence and clarity are integral steps to establishing and growing a thriving business. Nakiesa Faraji-Tajrishi was a recent University of Central Florida graduate when she began contemplating starting her own venture, Nakiesa’s Photography. She turned to the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) for assistance.

Nakiesa’s Photography isn’t your ordinary photo studio. It offers so much more, specifically professional photography and videography focused on serving clients in the luxury/adventure travel and travel-related services. “The product that I offer is social media content creation for travel products, for hotels, for tourism boards,” shares Nakiesa, “as well as general photography services.” She specializes in digital manipulation applying cutting edge software to a combination of drone and handheld photography, resulting in the creation of dynamic and impactful content that captivates people’s attention.

“When I was looking to start my own business, I actually had no idea where to start or what to do,” describes Nakiesa. During an online search, she discovered the Florida SBDC and its ‘How to Start Your Business’ seminar, and she was quickly off and running. “I was really excited about the opportunity to get some advice and seek some counseling from people who had been in the industry and understand the things you need to do to be successful as a small business owner,” she recalls.

Nakiesa committed herself 100 percent to starting her new business on the right footing. “With the Florida SBDC, I have actually come in about every two weeks consistently for the past two years for consulting services with my FSBDC consultant Chuck Wheeler. He’s just been phenomenal. He’s my go-to guy for just about any question I have. And I love that he has experience in the advertising industry which is the same industry that I’m trying to establish my business in.” Highlights of where Wheeler and the FSBDC assisted Nakiesa include its no-cost consulting, access to vast market data and research resources, and digital marketing planning.

“I found the FSBDC to be very warm and welcoming from the get-go,” continues Nakiesa. “When I approached them, I didn’t have a business plan. I didn’t have an LLC. I didn’t have any of those things. I just had questions and from the very beginning they were very friendly, explained everything with patience, and made me feel like it was completely possible and reasonable to start my own business. They held my hand and walked me through all the steps I needed to take in order to become this liberated entrepreneur that I feel I am today. It’s just been fantastic. I cannot recommend their services enough.”

“The success I have seen with my business and the results that I’ve achieved since I started working with the FSBDC have been phenomenal,” Nakiesa concludes. “Every single year since I started with them, I’ve been able to double my income from the previous year. This year I’m on track to double my income again. In just two years of operation, I am profitable and looking forward to expanding my business. I cannot stress enough how valuable the FSBDC has been to me in the creation and growth of my company and I am eternally grateful.”

— FSBDC —

Rolling Greens Landscape

Rolling Green Landscape Solutions

Entrepreneurs often become business owners on the strength of having a “better answer to a customer’s problem.” Even so, most entrepreneurial journeys are replete with challenges for a small business owner to address – frequently without significant experience or business training, and most often without substantial support. Eric Kobb, the founder and owner of Rolling Green Landscape Solutions, faced just that predicament and turned for assistance 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.

Orlando-based Rolling Green Landscape Solutions provides a full range of landscaping services to high-end residential and commercial clients. What sets it apart is the quality of its people and service, and the superiority of its technology. “The landscape industry is a crowded place,” explains Kobb. “The number one way we differentiate ourselves is through our people. We focus on hiring the best, on training and education, and on retaining them. We’re proud of the number of licensed and certified staff members we have. We also try to be more technologically advanced than most in our industry. It’s all part of making our teams more efficient, to allow us to communicate better with our clients, and overall just do a better job.”

“I have spent my whole life in the landscaping industry, so I have always known my trade,” Kobb points out. “I know my craft and I know how to service my customers. What I didn’t have any experience in was the business side of things: how to set up a business plan; how to have a marketing strategy; how to actually understand and grow our financials. I have seen other businesses flounder without that knowledge and I didn’t want to go down that path so I sought out the FSBDC.”

“When I first met with them, they recommended one of their programs: the Advisory Board Council,” Kobb recalls. Directed by Program Manager Jill Kaufman, each advisory board consists of a customized, no-cost panel of experts providing advice and counsel to help businesses grow. The FSBDC acts as a matchmaker between established local small businesses like Rolling Green Landscape Solutions and area professionals who volunteer their expertise as members of an advisory board, with each advisor purposefully selected to address the specific needs of the FSBDC client.

“We set up a board that would fill the voids in my personal experience,” Kobb states. “We built my board focused on the areas I could improve upon and we went from there. It’s been great. My ABC was pretty awesome in fact.” It included professionals in accounting and finance; Human Resources; advertising, marketing and branding; and banking. “It was really cool to see the different levers that can be pulled in the business world and how you could make yourself more successful and grow as an individual,” Kobb shares.

The FSBDC’s Advisory Board Council really made a difference for Kobb and Rolling Green. “Working with the FSBDC and my Board have been really impactful. It’s been huge,” Kobb concluded. “The results are staggering. Over the three years we have worked with the FSBDC, our profits are up, our revenues are up 139%, our employee count has more than doubled, we have expanded our facility, and we have increased our line of credit by three times (3X). It’s all really helped to position us for the future and for future growth, and I’m super excited about that. The FSBDC opened my eyes to how things are done and I want to thank them and everyone on my Board who helped me.”

For information about Rolling Green Landscape Solutions, please visit http://www.rollinggreenlandscape.com/

Fabiola Mistelske Bridal Beauty

Fabiola Mistelske Beauty

Finding your inner entrepreneur and using that passion to start your own business is a momentous undertaking, especially if you have never done it before. Fabiola Mistelske had the drive to make her dream business – Fabiola Mistelske Beauty – come true and become a success, she just didn’t know where to start. Fabiola decided to turn to the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) for assistance and is happy she did.

Fabiola Mistelske Beauty is comprised of a team of beauty professionals who specialize in bridal beauty – meaning they focus solely on providing brides and their bridal parties with hair and makeup services. “What makes us unique is our company is all about the details,” says Mistelske. “Especially when it comes to bridal work, every single detail matters because we customize every single look for every single bride every single time. I train my artists to pay attention to every detail because doing so encompasses everything you are looking for in your bridal look.”

Mistelske came to entrepreneurship with limited business experience but with a clear vision for her company and a wealth of energy to make it happen. “In my journey with the SBDC, I have discovered myself within my business,” she believes. “I started from zero but all the steps and all the information I have received working with my FSBDC consultant Sharon Smith has been amazing. She has been there since the beginning, holding my hand since I started the business. I couldn’t be more grateful for this help, for this opportunity.”

Mistelske’s journey with the FSBDC included taking advantage of its no-cost, expert consulting; its business training and workshops; and its access to extensive market research and databases. “Today, 11 months later, I have seven stylists with me. We do weddings pretty much every single weekend and, for the past three months, we have been able to double book our weekends, and we’re already booking for 2023 and 2024,” Fabiola proudly remarked. “This is where Sharon has been so amazing, guiding me through everything I needed in order for me to get to where I am today.”

Becoming an entrepreneur has been wonderful in other ways for Mistelske. When her nine-year-old daughter Agatha and her class were asked in school if anyone knew what an entrepreneur is, Agatha drew a blank. However, when her teacher explained the meaning and asked if anyone knew one, at that moment Agatha recognized that her mom was an entrepreneur and hers was the only hand to shoot up. “My Mom is an entrepreneur,” Agatha declared with pleasure. When Fabiola heard the story later, she was overwhelmed. “She was so proud of me,” Fabiola recalls, “It was a great moment and I realized that all my efforts had been summarized in it.”

“For anyone thinking of working with the FSBDC, it should be a no-brainer,” Mistelske concludes. “The help is endless. The opportunities are endless. The help is right there for you to grab it. I’m growing my business, I’m growing my team, and it’s all because of the FSBDC.”

For information about Fabiola Mistelske Beauty, please visit https://www.fabiolambeauty.com/.