International expansion can be a tall order for a small-to-medium sized enterprise. Understanding the basics of world trade; assessing your company’s readiness for exporting; conducting market research to identify market opportunities; and producing a viable and effective action plan for implementation are just a few of the crucial steps that are necessary to be successful.

Nick Nicholas, Technical Director and owner of Genesis Water Technologies, Inc. (GWT), recognized that his company would require additional resources and expertise to expand his business into new global markets. For that reason, he turned to the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) and its International Trade Services.

Genesis Water Technologies is an award-winning leader in specialized drinking water & wastewater treatment and reuse solutions, targeting various industries and water utilities across the world. Nearly 15 years ago, GWT began to tackle the issues of water scarcity and inadequate water treatment with innovative and sustainable water & wastewater treatment solutions and services tailored to serving communities and industrial clients.

Members of the FSBDC’s International Trade Services Team, including program manager Jill McLaughlin and international trade specialist Nerine Elattar, delivered Nicholas with one-on-one consulting services and other assistance including the development of a customized Export Marketing Plan for GWT.  Provided in partnership with Enterprise Florida and the U.S. Commercial Service, the Export Marketing Plan (EMP) focused on overseas growth strategies and supplied a roadmap for the company’s international expansion, including accessing trade mission services from the U.S. Export Assistance Center and trade promotion support from the State of Florida.

Beginning in 2013, GWT began implementing this comprehensive and action-oriented Export Marketing Plan. The company soon achieved its desired results, so much so that Nicholas asked for and received updated customized market research in 2019. “Since starting with the FSBDC we have been able to see some definite growth,” says Nick Nicholas. “The creation of a solid Export Marketing Plan enabled us to expand from the few countries that we had worked with before the FSBDC to today when we are able to sell our products, services and systems in over 43 different countries.” In fact, on the strength of this success, Nick Nicholas was recognized as the Small Business Administration’s national 2020 Exporter of the Year.

In addition to the FSBDC’s International Trade Services and the EMP, Nicholas and GWT have and continue to take advantage of other FSBDC programs and affiliates. Beginning in 2012, the Florida Procurement Technical Assistance Center at UCF provided the company with various federal agency contacts and bid opportunities, resulting in contracts with the Navy and Air Force. In 2019, GWT began benefitting from the FSBDC’s Advisory Board Council program, which provides a custom-fit advisory board comprised of volunteer independent business professionals to help accelerate GWT’s business growth.

“The FSBDC is a resource that is capable of serving businesses by supporting both export marketing as well as providing other services,“ Nicholas concluded. “The staff is excellent and the resources you can obtain for a reasonable or no cost are the best in our book.”

For more information about Genesis Water Technologies, please visit https://genesiswatertech.com/

“Big business starts small” is an aphorism taken to heart by many when launching a new venture. As aspiring entrepreneurs grapple with the challenges and risks of starting a new business, starting strong with as much information and support as possible is always a critical best practice.

That is why, in 2018, Erik Sharpee first connected with the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) for assistance with opening his new business, Freeway International Logistics LLC, a third-party transportation logistics provider that helps move products around the country and around the globe.

Sharpee is not a novice in the third-party logistics arena; he had been doing it for 25 years while working for world-class companies. He learned that there is only one thing that’s important in the world of transportation logistics: everything. Because the industry is dependent on both shippers and carriers, Sharpee knew there was opportunity in building a business focused on being fair to both and “trying to do the right thing,” as he likes to say, in all aspects of a transaction.

“What are the steps to starting a business?” he asked himself. That is when he turned to the FSBDC at UCF and its consultant Chuck Wheeler. “I’ve been doing this business my whole life,” Sharpee recalls. “But I didn’t have any experience getting into business, any knowledge about the state requirements, the taxes and fees, the right steps to take. It all seemed overwhelming. So, I got in with the FSBDC and Chuck was super helpful.”

Taking advantage of the FSBDC’s no-cost, expert consulting services, business training, and seminars, Sharpee moved ahead with launching his venture. “It turns out it’s not as scary if you know what you’re doing,” he continued. “Sometimes the best thing you can do, if you’re not sure about what you’re doing, is to find someone who does. And Chuck was that man for us.”

“I would absolutely advise an entrepreneur or small business owner to go to the FSBDC,” Sharpee says now. “The truth is: you don’t know what you don’t know. The FSBDC has been a valuable resource in answering all our questions and helping us understand the pitfalls of our starting a business.”

“I don’t think we’re inventing anything unique at our company. But what we do have is a group of good people who care about what they do, who have relationships with our customers, and we share a commitment to always try to do the right thing,” Sharpee says.

And doing the “right thing” seems to be working for Freeway International Logistics. They have grown from two employees and $25,000 in monthly revenues at the start to 19 employees and $13 million in annual revenue today.

“If I had to use one word to describe the FSBDC and what it does for you, it would be ‘empowering’ because they empowered me to have the belief that I could start something and get it on the right path while having someone to turn to if I had questions,” concluded Sharpee. “Going from $25,000 to $13 million in 2 years is pretty good.”

For more information about Freeway International Logistics, please visit https://www.freewaylogs.com/ .

Building a successful small business and managing its development is not easy, whether there is a pandemic or not. Finding advisors, mentors or others who have dealt with or can assist with the challenges inherent in growing a business can be equally as difficult. Fortunately, there are excellent options for business guidance and assistance available in Central Florida, which is what Nancy Benet, president of Fix-it Accounting, Inc., found at the Florida Small Business Development Center at Daytona State College (FSBDC at DSC), a sub-center of the Florida SBDC at the University of Central Florida.

Fix-it Accounting serves a state-wide client base, specializing in IRS problem resolution in addition to offering bookkeeping and tax preparation services. “We are all about solving our client’s problems,” says Benet. “Resolving issues with the IRS is like solving a puzzle by putting all the pieces together. And that’s what we do. We help our clients get things right and put themselves back into good standing with the IRS.”

Like all business owners, Nancy Benet wanted Fix-It Accounting to be successful and has ambitions to make it a national firm. She also recognized it is harder to achieve those goals if you go it alone. “All great athletes have a coach. And every business owner who wants to be successful needs one too“ Benet states. “Along with leveraging their consulting, training, and market research resources, I sought out assistance from the SBDC to connect with other entrepreneurs and business owners through the FSBDC at DSC’s Growth XChange.”

The Growth XChange offers a confidential setting on a monthly basis for business owners to discuss vital business issues, opportunities, and trends with a group of peers.  By engaging in collaborative thinking, learning from subject matter experts and group problem solving, business owners are able to lead their companies more effectively to the second stage.

“The Growth XChange is a group of small business owners and entrepreneurs just like me,” continued Benet. “I’ve really benefited from it. It’s just blossomed. I’ve gotten a lot of help, a lot of peer-to-peer coaching. I really wish I’d done this years ago because I think I’d be a lot further along now.”

In addition to the Growth XChange, Benet has taken advantage of the FSBDC’s no-cost consulting and market research resources, working directly with the FSBDC at DSC’s Director Tom Daly. “Working with Tom and the SBDC has really allowed me to expand my business,” says Benet. “To have access to those services and that sort of expertise has been just amazing.”

“Since joining the Growth XChange and starting with the FSBDC, I have been able to achieve a lot of growth – about 40% per year – without expanding my team,“ Benet concluded. “We were also able to obtain funding to purchase a 11,000 sq. ft. office complex that will be our new headquarters. I don’t think I would have had the confidence and certainly wouldn’t have had the access to the right people to help me do it without the Small Business Development Center at Daytona State College.”

For information about Fix-It Accounting, please visit www.fixitaccounting.com.

Successful business owners seize opportunities when they see them. Even more successful business owners anticipate those opportunities and take steps in advance to prepare their companies to maximize the growth that can be achieved from changing markets and customer requirements.

David Friedland, as a business leader at Innovative Routines International, Inc. (IRI, Inc.), has identified several emerging market opportunities for his company. He turned to the Florida SBDC at Eastern Florida State College (FSBDC at EFSC) for operational advice that would better support IRI’s expansion path.

IRI is a long-running software development company –often called an independent software vendor (ISV) –that specializes in technologies for fast data management and data-centric security for customers around the world, large and small, across multiple industries. Management of big data and the protection of sensitive information are fast-growing segments of the software industry. IRI has been working to capture some of that growth as those segments mature and further evolve.

“We saw the chance to grow more rapidly amid industry changes and the resulting opportunities we’ve encountered,” recalls Friedland. “We were moving beyond one or two core products to a broader data management platform and richer product line offering.  We saw the FSBDC and its strategic consulting as a source of new knowledge that would help us scale better and modernize more of our internal processes.”

Working with Florida SBDC at EFSC sub-center Director Martin Duffy, Friedland and IRI sales director Lisa Mangino set to work in the areas that IRI wanted help in, including sales forecasting, pipeline management, customer marketing, and the streamlining of internal customer handling and financial reporting procedures. They took advantage of the FSBDC’s training seminars, consulting services, and market research tools to leverage existing IRI capabilities in the enterprise software business while adding fresh perspectives and approaches.

“It has been very positive working with the FSBDC,” says Mangino. “It confirmed that some of the things we were doing were right on the money, and highlighted others needing change or enhancement.”

Various FSBDC service strategies worked to IRI’s advantage. The FSBDC’s team approach to seminars brought together partners from the Small Business Administration and local professionals that helped IRI connect with SEO and digital marketing experts. Monthly accountability meetings with FSBDC consultant Duffy served to keep the company on track and build momentum.

“The proof is in the pudding,’ Friedland continued. “Business is up significantly, nearing 30 percent over last year. It’s significant. We credit the FSBDC for not only fattening our pipeline but also helping us manage it more efficiently.  We are now able to pursue the opportunities we have in front of us with more vigor and intelligence.”

“There’s always room to improve and get better,” Friedland states. “If you’re not learning, you’re falling behind. I’d tell any business owner to see the FSBDC if you want to grow, regardless of your current size or track. Just keep an open mind.

For information about Innovative Routines International, please visit www.iri.com/.