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

Polyglot Analytics, LLC

Keith Breedlove and his wife Cheryl had both recently retired from government service and they had an idea. They felt that, with their backgrounds, they would be able to operate a successful consulting and training business. Keith Breedlove has an M.S. degree in Information Systems and Systems Management from the University of Southern California. After serving as a Major in the U.S. Army for 23 years specializing in electronic warfare/signals intelligence, he has served as a senior systems engineer for several major defense contracting companies including Booz Allen Hamilton, Boeing and Northrup Grumman. Cheryl Breedlove was also retired, in her case from the Central Intelligence Agency, with extensive management experience that they believe would enhance their consulting business.

The Breedlove’s had a clear vison of what their company would be about. Their targeted market would be small and mid-sized businesses that want to more effectively use their business data to grow their revenues. The Breedloves’ company would provide these target organizations- U.S. and international private, commercial, non-profit and governmental clients -with business intelligence, information analytics and business analysis consulting.

Beyond directly serving their own clients, the Breedloves also have an opportunity to serve as a sub contractor with a consulting firm located in Marietta, Georgia and have recently been invited to join a consortium of small firms doing marketing and business development with the Department of Defense in Tampa, Florida. And Mr. Breedlove also has the unique ability to deliver training and consulting in English, German, French and Russian, which he believes will give his company many exclusive opportunities.

With this as the backdrop, the Breedloves came to the Florida SBDC at UCF office in Southern Lake County, Florida to talk about their business idea with Dr. Dallas Garrett, the FSBDC consultant in South Lake County. Together with Dr. Garrett, they worked diligently and completed their business plan with a projected start date for their company of July 1, 2014. Their company, Polyglot Analytics LLC, is a home based business with very little overhead and within the first few months Mr. Breedlove attended several different training sessions and had the opportunity to deliver on two small development contracts to get his business started. They are currently working on a website and have been attending local Chamber events to develop local and regional contacts. And the company is at this time preparing a proposal on a major software development effort that would bring them a very large contract. Additionally, Mr. Breedlove is exploring business intelligence opportunities with a network of contacts in Burkina Faso, Africa.

“For anyone considering or already in the process of starting their first business I highly recommend the Florida SBDC,” commented Mr. Breedlove. “While I had a vision of what I wanted to do, the SBDC consultant, Dr. Dallas Garrett, really helped my focus on the business, assisting with development of a coherent business plan and a realistic financial plan to support it. He has also been instrumental in helping me develop local contacts, especially through the local Chamber of Commerce. My wife and I will also be taking advantage of relevant training courses offered through SBDC, especially those related to business taxes, whiPch is undiscovered territory for us.”

All Clean Pressure Washing

Like many entrepreneurs, William Scott Dau had a business idea but didn’t know the best way to turn that idea into a reality or where to turn for assistance to make his dream come true.

Mr. Dau is a retired Maryland Park Police Captain that enjoys pressure washing homes, garages anddriveways for his own home and several of his neighbors. His idea and plan was to start a business doing pressure washing jobs within a very close distance from his home in Clermont Florida.

That’s when Mr. Dau made a great first decision: he came to the Florida SBDC at UCF in South Lake County with his business idea and asked for help with a business plan. The FSBDC worked through the business plan process with him, and he shared that he had several children that would be entering college soon and that he was going to build a saving account for them with his new business.

Mr. Dau and FSBDC worked through all of the details of starting a business with him and helped him establish a limited liability company, All Clean Pressure Washing, LLC; determine the necessary local city and county business licenses; and evaluate and obtain liability insurance. Investing his own funds, he was able to purchase all of his equipment and supplies and, upon completing his business plan, he started advertising in a church publication and local newspapers. He also began attending local chamber events. Almost immediately, he was contacted for a job that was too big for his small company. Mr. Dau had fun reviewing the offer with the FSBDC and considering the fact that he would probably need to develop a new business plan to handle a multi-year opportunity!

“As I went to obtain information about setting up a business, I found information about the Florida SBDC at the City Hall in Groveland, Florida,” commented Mr. Dau. “I made an appointment with Dr. Dallas Garrett for counseling and assistance. He shared his personal experience with me and guided me through the entire process. Today I am averaging three jobs per week, which is exactly my goal. I am pleased to have met Dr. Garrett and I highly recommend that anyone planning to open a business make an appointment with the FSBDC,” he concluded.

“William Dau maintains contact with our office on a monthly basis and provides me with a financial update each month,” said Dr. Garrett. “He has also sent us several new clients, already has a new business idea and is now working with me on a prototype for a new window screen idea for homes. Thanks to the right first decision – coming in to see the FSBDC at UCF – he is really on his way!”

Kissimmee Granite and Marble

Reviving a failing business and then leading it to new peaks of success are challenges that are not meant to be taken on alone and without assistance from multiple sources. Balouch “Aleem” Muhammad and Tariq Iqbal wisely recognized these important facts when, in 2012, they purchased Kissimmee Granite & Marble, Inc., a ten year old company that was temporarily shut-down and, shortly after taking it over, reopened with predecessor financing and mentor support. Their goal was simple: to establish Kissimmee Granite & Marble, Inc. as a premiere manufacturer of custom granite countertops for both residential & commercial markets in all of Central Florida.

From the start, the Aleem and Tariq took action to get as much assistance as they could find and, in an effort to be proactive business owner(s), they decided to stop by the Kissimmee / Osceola Chamber of Commerce looking for strategies to help with growth and expansion of their countertop business. Upon arrival, they were quickly plugged-in to the Florida SBDC at UCF Kissimmee office. There they took advantage of the business training, “no-cost” consulting sessions, and business data and information resources available from the FSBDC.

Almost immediately, the FSBDC consultant Rafael Martinez-Pratt started to work with Aleem and Tariq to expand the operations of the business from a 2,000 square feet facility to over a 13,000 SF facility near Kissimmee Gateway Airport. In particular, the FSBDC at UCF Kissimmee office helped Kissimmee Granite & Marble access several economic development incentives from both the City of Kissimmee and Osceola County. As a result, not only did Kissimmee Utility Authority (KUA) provide and install a much needed high voltage transformer, but also Osceola County Economic Development provided additional machine and equipment incentives for capital equipment improvements.

“The FSBDC at UCF partnered with us and helped us in so many ways, including visiting our facilities on different occasions and providing us with insights into a variety of pressing issues throughout the year. The list is endless: a cost/benefit analysis, industry market research, human resources support, aid in securing an additional capital equipment loan, and guiding a new product expansion,” Aleem stated.

As a direct result of the FSBDC’s assistance, an additional $42,000 capital injection occurred which puts the company in a position to post strong revenue growth and make projections that the company will reach the $1 million revenue mark by end of 2014, a 275% sales increase from the previous year.

Today, Aleem and Tariq look back at what seemed to be the insurmountable obstacles they faced together, the early financial insecurities, long hours invested and hard work, as the price to pay to enjoy their current success. And they appreciate those that assisted them, saying “thanks to the FSBDC at UCF for their continued support and unwavering commitment in helping us grow our small business.”

Drive Solutions

Drive Solutions Inc., a Central Florida business based in Clermont, FL is a manufacturer’s representative company in the bearing and power transmission segment selling products used in the mining, forestry, air handling and pumping industries.

Fred Louwersheimer, CEO and owner, identified an opportunity to significantly grow the business by entering the manufacturing arena producing customized small-size couplings that complement the core business, provide fast turnaround for customers and create a significant point of differentiation from competitors.

This growth initiative required “capital” in a difficult environment.

“Our bank recommended we get help from the SBDC which was the best advice that they could have given us. The SBDC Growth Acceleration consultant, Roger Greenwald command of business growth concepts and financial analysis guided us in producing an expansion plan and loan request package that greatly enhanced our understanding of the entire financial picture that impressed the bankers and helped us attain the financing we needed”; said Fred Louwersheimer, CEO and owner.

On the strength of a nearly quarter million dollar SBA Express loan form Regions Bank Drive Solutions expects to double its 2010 revenue to nearly $2,000,000 in 2012, adding 5 new jobs over the next 18 months.

Certified Slings & Supply, Supplying the World

Certified Slings & Supply has a strong tradition of innovation and service led by the Worswick family since 1978. The company’s current leadership is made up of dedicated second and third generation family members with a combined 67 years of experience in the rigging, overhead lifting, load securement, and contractor supplies industry. Certified Slings and Supply is headquartered in Casselberry, Florida, employs 95 full-time staff members and operates independent Rigging and Contractor Supply divisions located throughout Florida: West Palm Beach, Miami, Tampa, Ft. Myers, and Ocala. The core business of each branch is the distribution, sale and manufacture of a variety of marine, mining, industrial and general contractor supplies.

Juan Lopez, the International Sales Director for Certified Slings & Supply approached the Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (SBDC at UCF) with a goal of growing the company by increasing export sales. He had previously attended the Export 101: An Introduction to Exporting workshop in 2011 and heard about the Export Marketing Plan Services, a new program awarded through the State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) grant by the U.S. Small Business Administration. It is offered in partnership with Enterprise Florida, Inc., and the U.S. Commercial Service to assist new-to-export manufacturers in developing their international growth strategy. SBDC at UCF’s International Trade Specialist met with Mr. Lopez and Certified Slings’ upper management in order to gather information and understand the company’s short- and long-term international trade goals. A customized export marketing plan was crafted for the company that included industry and customer analyses along with recommended target markets, overseas trade opportunities and an action plan.

In addition to the plan, the company received a $1,500 scholarship to be used towards a trade mission, trade show or standalone Gold Key Matching Service to connect the company with potential buyers overseas. Certified Slings & Supply will continue expanding in Central and South America and the Caribbean, and recently traveled to Trinidad and Tobago with the Export Sales Mission. As a result of this, the company expects an increase of $120,000 in export sales over the next 24 months. The SBDC at UCF will continue to work closely with Certified Slings to assist in implementing the recommendations from the plan.

“If your company is thinking about exporting products or services abroad, the first thing you should do is meet with a member of the SBDC. No matter how large or small your company is, a UCF International Trade Specialist will be able to lay out a customized export marketing program personally designed for your company. It will be filled with data, statistics and facts targeting any region your company wishes to do business with. This is the best investment any company could make if looking for help with an international marketing program.” -Juan Jose Lopez, International Sales Director, Certified Slings and Supply

AITC, Gabriel Ruiz, Advanced IT Concepts, Business Consulting, FSBDC

Advanced IT Concepts, Inc.

Lieutenant Colonel Gabriel (Gabe) Ruiz retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2006. Since then he has leveraged a military career in information technology and an entrepreneurial spirit as owner and CEO of Advanced IT Concepts, Inc. which provides IT consulting services and value added resale of computer hardware and peripherals to both the government and private sectors.

AITC, Inc. was not an overnight success; Gabe spent four years as a consultant assisting telecommunications companies do business with the DOD, and concurrently engaged with CDW (an $8 billion business-to-business technology infrastructure and computer resale enterprise). Blending his military, consulting and corporate experiences Gabe and his wife Sandra founded AITC, Inc. in 2010; AITC, Inc. is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business and has recently earned its 8(a) certification.

Since incorporation the company has achieved outstanding results with sales exceeding $1.5 million in the first fiscal year. Year two was a breakout year which saw sales nearly double with a net profit margin exceeding 12.5%. Sales in this current year will again double exceeding the $5 million milestone. In the three year period {2010-2013} the company has added 11 full time employees reaffirming the fact that “small business” is this country’s economic engine.
The company’s rapid growth has been accompanied with business challenges and Gabe turned to the Small Business Development Center at UCF.

In Gabe’s words; “The SBDC at UCF has been a true and invaluable partner to AITC. From our first meeting with Growth Acceleration Services consultant Roger Greenwald who showed a true caring attitude and superb business knowledge we have received expert advice in areas such as Marketing, Business Development, Budgeting and Forecasting, Operational Effectiveness and more. Additionally, the SBDC at UCF has facilitated AITC’s participation in the SBDC’s Advisory Board Council program which has provided a team of senior business experts that provide guidance in all business areas. Today, we are a much improved, stronger and better positioned company in great part to the outstanding support and guidance provided by the SBDC at UCF”.

Old Hearth Bread Company

SBDC’s Growth Acceleration Services’ Analysis Makes a Difference

Central Florida has among the country’s most delicious, all-natural artisan bread and pastries thanks to The Olde Hearth Bread Company and its owner and hands-on manager, Shannon Talty. Like many entrepreneurs, Talty had started his business on the strength of his passion and talents, and as a result the business has enjoyed success. Even as the business thrived, however, Shannon Talty asked himself if there was more that he could be doing to grow his business. To help him answer that important question, he turned to the Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (SBDC at UCF) and it’s Growth Acceleration Services for assistance.

As a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America with experience at some of the finest bakeries in the country, Shannon Talty decided to bring high-quality artisan bread and pastries to Central Florida and opened Olde Hearth Bread Company in 1998. As a result of Talty’s unwavering commitment to providing the highest quality, natural ingredients and old-world, hand-made processes, Olde Hearth Bread Company has come to provide its fresh-baked artisan breads and pastries to Central Florida’s finest hotels, restaurants and caterers. With further growth opportunities available for Olde Hearth Bread Company, Talty began working with the SBDC at UCF’s Growth Acceleration Consultant, Jill McLaughlin, to help devise plans to accelerate future growth.

The Growth Acceleration Services offered by the SBDC at UCF are designed to provide in-depth professional business consulting, at no cost, to qualified emerging and growth businesses in Florida by delivering the tools, strategies and expertise businesses need to accelerate the growth and success of their business. Talty recognized the value of the service right away, saying, “The Growth Acceleration service is exactly what a young entrepreneur like myself needed. I had the dream and the skills to produce the products I wanted. What I was lacking was someone who could objectively look at my business and offer constructive advice and show me what I am missing. The program has shined light in areas that needed to be looked at and considered today not tomorrow.”

The Growth Acceleration consultant provided an in-depth financial analysis of the business and identified key performance indicators to monitor performance, as well as identified strategies for new business development. According to Talty, “Before I began working with Growth Acceleration, my typical accounting procedures were to print out a P&L for the month and look at what jumped out at me compared to the previous month. The SBDC’s Jill McLaughlin used our financial results and her knowledge base to produce a report with financial ratio analysis that was interesting and eye opening. I had heard of a lot of these ratios but was unfamiliar with what they really meant. For her to explain their significance and tie them back to your particular industry shows you where you are doing well and where you are underperforming.”

Growth Acceleration Consultant McLaughlin recommended strategies and tactics to optimize cash flows and achieve financial goals. “Other than an opening budget, we have not been working off written goals. We have been more reactive than planning oriented. This is not the way to sustain success. For 2013, the SBDC’s Growth Acceleration Services are helping us to produce a budget and identify accountability for our growth and success.”

With record sales in 2012, Olde Hearth Bread Company is well positioned for further growth. They will continue to work with the SBDC’s Growth Acceleration Services to implement their growth strategies. Talty said, “One of the other great things about this program is they don’t just hand you a laundry list and say ‘good luck.’ They are here to help you achieve your goals. I highly recommend all growing businesses reach out to the SBDC at UCF and the people who make up the Growth Acceleration program. When you see what they can do and realize there is no out of pocket cost, it seems almost too good to be true.”

The Florida SBDC’s no-cost Growth Acceleration services are available to companies throughout the state. To qualify for the services, the company must have growth as a goal, be in operation for at least three years, have annual revenues ranging from $500,000 to $10 million, and employ five or more workers. Florida SBDC Growth Acceleration consultants are available statewide to provide assistance to qualified emerging and growth business who are looking to advance. Specifically, the SBDC at UCF Growth Acceleration services consultants will provide high level consulting of 50 – 100 hours (fair market value of over $10,000) to help qualified SMEs develop sustainable growth strategies.

For more information about the SBDC’s Growth Acceleration services, contact SBDC at UCF Regional Director Eunice Choi at 407-420-4850 or echoi@bus.ucf.edu.

Hernon Manufacturing

Exporting has been part of the business plan at Hernon Manufacturing, a custom formulator of adhesives, sealants, and precision dispensing and curing systems, since 1999. The company’s president, Harry Arnon, believed there was unrealized potential in international markets, however, and recently decided to refocus company efforts and make exporting a top priority for Hernon’s growth strategy.

To find and effectively enter the right foreign markets, Mr. Arnon turned to the Small Business Development Center at UCF for assistance with an aggressive international growth strategy, and was matched with an opportunity to participate in the Export Marketing Plan Services, which had launched in September 2011, due in large part to the State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) grant that was awarded to Enterprise Florida, Inc. by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Enterprise Florida partnered with the SBDC at UCF to offer customized export marketing plans to Florida manufacturers and professional service providers.

After meeting with SBDC at UCF’s International Trade Specialist, Nerine Elattar, planning commenced immediately, and soon after the export marketing plan was delivered to Mr. Arnon. The plan provided the full gamut of necessary information for successful international market entry: a thorough export readiness assessment, an industry analysis, a market analysis with target market recommendations for Hernon’s products, a review of overseas trade opportunities, and an action plan.“FSBDC export marketing plan has been instrumental in the success of Hernon Manufacturing. Small business has neither the budget nor the experience that the Export Marketing Plan and SBDC can offer. For Hernon Manufacturing the export marketing plan laid out the road map translating in best return on investment concentrating where more business potential is available for our products,” commented Mr. Arnon.

Along with the plan, the company was eligible to receive a grant for a single standalone Gold Key with the U.S. Commercial Service. The company decided to utilize the Gold Key in Italy and also added France, two recommended markets from the plan, and in early 2013 traveled to those countries for one-on-one meetings with pre-screened, qualified buyers. The company reported $1.37 million in export sales worldwide as a result of the Gold Key Matching Service. “The Gold Key offered us opportunities that would not otherwise materialize for Hernon Manufacturing Inc. We would not have participated without the grant. We met with 2 companies in France and 6 companies in Italy. The consulates were immensely helpful in selecting suitable companies that match up well with us and with setting up appointments and simple translation services. Sales in these 2 countries can increase our production staff significantly,” commented Mr. Arnon. Hernon anticipates total export sales through the next 24 months to be $3.226 million. Hernon’s products are now found in over 27 countries worldwide and the company has been recognized for its exporting efforts, most recently winning the 2013 SBA Small Business Exporter of the Year Award and the 2012 Exporter of the Year award by ThinkGlobal, Inc. Mr. Arnon looks forward to continuing to work with the SBDC at UCF to further expand internationally.

For more information on the SBDC at UCF’s Export Marketing Plan Services, visit www.sbdcorlando.com/exportmarketing.

A Clean Sweep: Kings Service Solutions

In late 2009 Arnaldo and Yanet Herrero of Kings Service Solutions first approached the Small Business Development Center at UCF (SBDC at UCF) Advisory Board Council Program Manager JillKaufman about their interest in becoming a client of the program. Arnaldo had explained, “We want to begin taking the proper steps to become your next success story.”

It took them just three years to achieve this milestone. In that time their janitorial and commercial maintenance company has made a dramatic transformation and experienced extraordinary growth. According to Yanet, “I felt the SBDC at UCF was the right organization to pair up with to set our company’s vision on the right course. I wanted to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the company and have access to experts’ knowledge and ideas to develop our organization.”

In 2010, Kings Service Solutions (KSS) was accepted into the SBDC at UCF’s Advisory Board Council (ABC) program and an advisory board was formed to address the company’s needs. Experts in human resources, accounting, strategic marketing, business development and law comprised their board. “We had the best of the best on our advisory board team,” remarked Yanet.

Kings Service Solutions acted immediately on what they had learned. The board helped them put in place an organizational structure, systems and processes to better manage the company and facilitate their growth. “We learned how to make the organization’s mission and vision come alive and become part of the company culture,” explained Yanet. Among the biggest benefits coming out of the board’s recommendations included improved financial management, HR policies, quality control and risk management. “I started with an idea for what my business could be and by the end of the term in the ABC program it was so much more than I expected,” said Yanet. “The Advisory Board Council program gave me the tools to attain what I wanted for our company.”

Beginning with the simple idea of providing high quality and reliable commercial cleaning and facility maintenance services, KSS has grown to serve industry leading companies throughout the state of Florida such as Trustco Bank, Florida’s Blood Centers, and Lamm and Company Partners. KSS has instituted innovative business processes and the latest janitorial management software to increase their organization’s efficiency and quality control. In fact, KSS was recently chosen to be featured by MSNBC in a television segment on how technology is helping small companies.

When KSS became a client of the Advisory Board Council in early 2010, the firm had a staff of 6 full time and 37 part time employees and leased a 1,700 sq. ft. office. Just three years later KSS has grown to be a company of 87 full time and 162 part time employees. Annual revenue jumped 270% from 2010 to 2012 and the company now owns its 3,500 sq. ft. office and warehouse suite. Importantly, Arnaldo and Yanet also strongly believe in giving back to the community and KSS is a devoted supporter of a number of worthy organizations such as Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Florida.

On the strength of its founders’ determination and the external assistance they were savvy enough to bring in, including from SBDC at UCF’s Advisory Board Council program, Kings Service Solutions is now that “next success story” that they wanted to be. “I would recommend the Advisory Board Council to any entrepreneur that is ready to realize their vision,” remarked Yanet. “The process will transform your business culture and inevitably your business success.”

SBDC at UCF’s CEO XChange Program Connects Executives, Cultivates Leaders, Improves Results

Being a small business owner or leader can have many rewards — professional independence, individual accomplishment, financial success to name a few. But it also has many challenges, including limited opportunities for skill development, a circumstantially-narrowed business perspective and the isolation that comes from being alone at the top — all of which can negatively affect the business results and success of the small business entrepreneur.

Building on a growing body of research that has shown the value that peer group coaching brings to developing the skills and effectiveness of entrepreneur business leaders, in 2010 the Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (SBDC at UCF) launched the CEO XChange program, a monthly executive roundtable serving progressive chief executives and business owners that offers a confidential setting for top executives to discuss vital business issues, opportunities and trends with a group of peers. Designed for those at established, second stage companies, CEO XChange brings together successful entrepreneurs eager to increase their effectiveness as leaders and grow their companies. It offers top executives the opportunity to broaden their perspective and gain new knowledge by engaging in collaborative thinking and problem-solving – giving them the ability to more effective lead their companies.

The monthly CEO XChange meeting is organized and run by L. Harrison ‘Hal’ Thayer, a professional facilitator with extensive business and small business consulting experience. With a BA from Amherst, an MBA from Columbia Business School and facilitation training at General Electric’s Crotonville, NY executive training center, Thayer is a marketing professional who has held corporate positions at Time Warner, GE and Liberty Mutual. More recently, he has worked as a general manager for and consulted to small business. Beyond strong facilitation skills, he has a breadth and depth of business experience and knowledge that enables him to add value in many ways to the CEO XChange conversation and process.

Collective Problem Solving and Knowledge Expansion

The CEO XChange process is straight forward, and is strengthened by its simplicity. A group of CEO XChange’s chief executives come together for a presentation of an issue, challenge or opportunity facing one of their peers. Over the course of the meeting, all of the attendees contribute by brainstorming and problem solving together, all with a goal of solution identification. Over the course of the meeting, and as a result of the diverse points of view around the table, there is an inevitable expansion of member’s knowledge and understanding. Everyone benefits from leveraging the experiences of other CEO XChange members and having a multi-talented sounding board to bounce ideas off of. Freed of their own day-to-day concerns, the leaders avail themselves of the opportunity to think outside their box and engage in an often rewarding creative thought and analysis process.

As one CEO XChange member, the president of a hi-tech, multi-million dollar security firm commented recently about the knowledge gained in the meetings, “The CEO XChange aggregates decades of professional experience into a single, dynamic resource. The safe environment promotes both relationship and rather candid discussion, so the movement from issue to solution is catalyzed dramatically. The healthy group setting is cathartic for peers and, regardless of our respective ability to teach around an issue, we always learn”.

Another CEO XChange member, the president of a multi-million dollar educational services company who has been recognized by the Small Business Administration as the Regional (8-state southern region) Winner of the 2012 Entrepreneurial Success Award, focused on the problem solving assistance he gains from the CEO XChange program when he said, “Many times I’ve been able to share challenges faced by my companies with the CEO XChange, and I’ve always received real world peer feedback from members that has revealed the solutions needed for my companies to grow so quickly.”

Camaraderie and Decision-making Confidence

Beyond the benefits of collaborative problem solving and knowledge expansion, members of the CEO XChange also profit from the camaraderie and mutual support that comes from the relationships and network that evolve over time in the meetings. They learn that they are not alone in the challenges they face. This in turn has contributed to building the executives’ confidence in their decision making and validation of their strategies. As one member, president of training company has said about the CEO XChange, “It’s given me a wider perspective about the issues facing not just me, but the small business community in general. It’s also given me confidence and some new business connections.” Or, as another member, the owner of a product assembly and manufacturing company, has said of the CEO XChange, “When I first started out a few years back I was very apprehensive that the decisions I was making were really going to get our business somewhere. To know that you’re on the right track really is a load off your back”.

Better Business Results

By helping small business owners and leaders solve problems, broaden their perspectives and build confidence in their decision making, the CEO XChange program has helped its members better manage their companies and optimize their business results. For FY 2011, the 16 member companies in the CEO XChange saw their revenues increase by more than $10.5 million, created and/or retained 24 jobs, raised almost $3.4 million in capital and won more than $6.8 million in government contracts. For FY 2012, member companies saw their revenues increase by more than $8.9 million, created and/or retained 1121 jobs, raised almost $4.9 million in capital and won more than $9.7 million in government contracts.

The SBDC at UCF’s CEO XChange program does indeed connect executives, cultivate leaders and help its members improve business results. A further, significant indication of the value its members place in the CEO XChange is the almost 90% of members who renew with the program year-over-year.

The CEO XChange program currently has memberships available and welcomes applications. For information about qualifications for the program and administrative details, please visit our website at www.sbdcorlando.com/CEOXchange. For questions, please feel free to contact Hal Thayer, CEO XChange program manager, at 407.420.4850 or email at hthayer@bus.ucf.edu.