Buying a business and shifting from the role of employee to business owner is a transformational experience – and not an easy one, at that. Add putting that business back into a growth mode and you will have an idea of the challenges Carlos Rivera, owner of Control Engineering Group (CEG), faced when he purchased the company in 2017. Fortunately, Rivera had the Florida Small Business Development Center at Seminole State College (FSBDC at SSC), a sub-center of the FSBDC at UCF, to turn to for guidance and the tools he would need for a successful transition.

Control Engineering Group is a state-certified, full-service electrical contractor providing electrical work to commercial and industrial new construction and renovation projects. CEG also offers control panel design, service, and installation for specialized industries, with proven expertise in the agriculture and farming sectors, and is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB).

“It’s the quality of our work and the quality of our employees that sets us apart,” says Rivera. “We adhere to higher standards, and take care of both our customers and our employees like they are family.”

Rivera left a division manager role at a large, locally-owned electrical contractor when he purchased CEG, which had been in business for more than 30 years when he took ownership but had stagnated during and after the Great Recession.  “I did everything at the previous company, except be an owner,” recalls Rivera. “And I had never bought a company before. When I did, I wanted to make sure I had solid advice about what to expect, what to look out for and how to negotiate the purchase. That’s when I contacted the FSBDC.”

At the FSBDC, Rivera took advantage of a variety of services, initially its no-cost, expert business consulting and then later its government contracting (through its affiliate, the Procurement Technical Assistance Center) and Advisory Board Council programs. “The SBDC opened my eyes to a lot of the nuances of getting into a business, and then of running one,” Rivera says. “There’s a lot of things involved that people don’t realize. It’s not just putting your name on the door and turning on the lights. There’s a lot more to it.”

“The FSBDC let me know what to look for, things I should be doing to get off to a good start. They helped me fill the gaps,” Rivera continued. “What really helped me was that they guided me in becoming a little more professional in how we presented ourselves, in our marketing, in our contracts and with our most important resource: our people.”

“Everything about working with the SBDC has been positive, to be honest with you,” concluded Rivera. “Their consulting helped me through the due diligence and purchase of my company; their PTAC group helped guide us through getting our veteran certification; and their Advisory Board is helping me right now be a better, smarter and more effective business owner. It’s only been three years, and we’re already a multi-million dollar revenue company.”

For information about Control Engineering Group, please visit https://control-eng.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/.

For a small business owner, the first challenge is making sure you’re offering the best products or services in town. The second is delivering on that promise to your current customers. And the third is attracting new customers who can benefit from what your business has to offer.

Over the past 30 years Andy St. Denis, the owner and chief mechanic of Andy’s Auto Service, has established his full-service repair facility as the best there is in St. Cloud, FL and he has loyal customers to prove it. But it was that third challenge – attracting new customers in his rapidly growing and changing community – that prompted St. Denis to seek assistance from the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) and its Kissimmee/Osceola County satellite office.

“We repair and maintain automobiles really well,” St. Denis says. “We have the most up-to-date training, technology, and equipment available, so our customers’ vehicles get the best service possible, maintained and repaired to the latest factory specifications. We make our customers happy and that’s the way we like it.”

St. Denis is also very involved in and cares deeply about his community. “It’s what makes us different from the franchises and big box stores out on the highway,” he says. “I am proud that Andy’s Auto Service is located in St. Cloud’s historic downtown district and to personally be part of the St. Cloud Citizens Foundation, the American Legion and other local organizations.”

However, just as he has made sure to have all the latest diagnostics tools, computerized repair manuals and trained technicians, St. Denis also wanted to make sure he was using the latest marketing tools to draw the younger new residents moving into his community. “I know how to repair cars but, as far as marketing the business, I was unfamiliar with the most recent strategies and activities, like web marketing for instance” St. Denis states. “That’s where my FSBDC consultant, Rafael Pratts, came in.”

In the beginning, St. Denis and Pratts met every few weeks, analyzing the company’s current marketing activities, trying different strategies, building a marketing plan. St. Denis also attended some of the FSBDC’s business seminars where he learned new approaches, heard how other business owners did things, and got new ideas.

“That’s what the FSBDC is great at: teaching old dogs new tricks,” recalls St. Denis. ”It showed me new things I could do that I wasn’t aware of. And they never aimed me in the wrong direction. I may not have always liked what I was hearing but sometimes you need to hear it. I know I did. And its all been a positive for my business. I see the results every day.”

“The FSBDC has helped me and Andy’s Auto Service greatly,’ continued St. Denis. “The seminars, the one-on-one consulting with Rafael, the market research have all made a difference. Since I started working with the FSBDC and began my marketing plan, I‘ve seen more incoming phone calls from potential new customers; I’ve seen an increase in returning customers; and I’ve seen my revenues improve by more than 25%. I would recommend the FSBDC highly, and I do to my friends and family.”

For information about Andy’s Auto Service, please visit https://andysautoservice.net/.

Owning and running a business can be a high wire act, fraught with risk and worries about the next step. But it can also be a measured and satisfying walk on dry land if you take the time to get the help you need, educate yourself and act with strategically. Buffy Werle chose the latter course and, with the assistance of the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF), has been able to build a successful, five-year-old business based in Casselberry, Florida.

Mrs. Werle is the founder of B Organized Today, a professional home organizing and downsizing service for homes and businesses. B Organized Today helps clients take on the massive challenge of separating themselves from years of possessions and working through the emotions of being overwhelmed and even sadness when doing so, until they find themselves in a more organized, manageable and better place. “Declutter, Downsize, Organize,” is the B Organized Today mantra.

“We do really extraordinary work helping our clients,” Werle says. “But when it came to running the books and paperwork of a business, I didn’t have that background. I desperately needed to be educated. That’s why I turned to the FSBDC. The close to 15 training seminars I have attended enabled me to develop business skills. Their no-cost consulting helped me prepare a business plan to grow my company to a larger scale. And the digital marketing expertise of my consultant Jairo Batista has made my marketing more effective and successful.”

“The FSBDC has been a really great resource. My experience has been nothing but positive,” Werle continued. “I’ve learned a lot. I’ve made connections through it, even found a few clients. Most important, I’ve gained confidence in myself as a businessperson and know I am moving forward properly.”

B Organized Today has been growing steadily since the FSBDC started assisting Werle. Revenues have been built slowly and carefully to ensure that there was always capacity available to meet or exceed client expectations. Attention has been paid to improving operations, making sure the systems and processes were in place to manage the business effectively, such as implementing an accounting system and adding credit card services.

“I’ve managed our growth to make sure we didn’t get in over our heads,” Werle states. “My focus has been on a really solid foundation and then built from there. Our revenues last month were the best ever. My partner Arianne Archer and I are now talking about expanding the business, adding organizers and serving a larger market area. Our future is bright.”

“I love working with the FSBDC,” concluded Werle. “I have support from smart, experienced business consultants who can see my vision and guide me toward achieving it. I know I can lean on them for knowledge and inspiration. It’s beautiful to know that all along the way I have the help of the FSBDC.”

For information about B Organized Today, please visit https://www.borganizedtoday.com/.