Drummond Carpenter

Drummond Carpenter

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Risk and uncertainty are hazards that every entrepreneur and prospective small business owner faces as they start their journey to realizing their vision and building the company that will achieve their goals. A bulwark against those challenges includes expert advisors and mentors who can guide, reassure, and build an entrepreneur’s or business owner’s confidence in their decisions. Chad Drummond, co-founder, president, and CEO of engineering firm Drummond Carpenter found exactly that kind of support and the assistance he needed to start and grow his company at the Florida Small Business Development Center at the University of Central Florida’s (FSBDC at UCF) sub-center at Seminole State College (FSBDC at SSC).

Drummond Carpenter is a service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB) specializing in civil and environmental engineering. The firm serves clients across the nation including NASA, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as well as various municipalities across the Midwest and in Central Florida, including the City of Orlando and Orange County. “What makes Drummond Carpenter special is truly its people,’ explains Drummond. “We have an incredible, very talented technical staff – many with advanced degrees – that are 100% focused on serving our clients and working as a team.”

“Our journey with the FSBDC started a year prior to us forming the company,” Drummond recalls. “I had my first meeting with Hunt Dawkins (FSBDC at SSC consultant and sub-center director) in 2015. We talked about a business plan, then developed one for what would be a successful engineering firm in Central Florida. I personally, with Don Carpenter, our co-founder, attended various webinars and in-person training to learn more about the business process. We spent a lot of time talking with Hunt about the financials, various accounting issues, how to handle payroll. Our interaction with the FSBDC was all really helpful to get the foundation for the firm set.”

“On a personal level, one of the things I really liked about the FSBDC is that you have access to business professionals, experts who are also regular people, that just want to see you succeed and help you grow,” Drummond continued. “You can sit down with these people, have a very comfortable, confidential conversation, and lay everything out on the table so you can get the best advice from their decades of experience.”

“One significant benefit that came from working with the FSBDC was it gave us the confidence, and also the tools, to grow,” Drummond comments. “Starting in 2016, we were just two co-founders working out of their houses. Today we have three offices across the country. We recently won a contract with the Veterans Administration worth over $5 million. Our staff has grown to almost 30 employees. And over the past couple of years our growth has reached levels of 40% and then 80%.”

“If I had to pick one word to describe my relationship with the FSBDC, it would be ‘navigator’,” concludes Drummond. “They’ve really helped me from before starting the company through to where we are now. They helped me navigate the process of being a small business trying to grow into a larger business. It’s been almost like our North Star, and has really benefited me, my company, and my employees.”

For information about Drummond Carpenter, please visit https://www.drummondcarpenter.com/.

Shadrach's Fiery Furnace Logo

Shadrach’s Fiery Furnace

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Growth is almost always top of mind for small business owners. Ambitious and immersed in taking their businesses to the ‘next level’, their focus is locked on increased market share, greater revenues, expanded staffing and, most importantly, higher profits. Sarah Carney, Jack Carney and Nate Carney, the entrepreneurial, Millennial sibling team and founders and owners of Shadrach’s Fiery Furnace Pizza Company, were eager to take Shadrach’s to that “next level.” To make that happen, they turned for assistance to the Florida Small Business Development Center at Seminole State College (FSBDC at SSC), a sub-center of the FSBDC at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF).

Shadrach’s Fiery Furnace began ten years ago as a traveling operation serving wood-fired pizza at music festivals, art festivals, and catering events across the state of Florida. Today, it is much more, having expanded into a brick & mortar restaurant with a fun vibe and a fantastic patio space in Mt. Dora, FL. “We’re a family-run business,” Sarah Carney explained proudly, “we are three siblings devoted to making a great product and serving it to cool people.” “What makes us special is our dedication to quality food and the good people we surround ourselves with,” continued Jack Carney. “The people make the patio and that’s paramount to us,” Nate Carney says, finishing his brother’s sentence. “We are cool people doing hot *&#@!” summarized Sarah, with a smile.

“The FSBDC was recommended to us and what they can do for a business is exactly what I was looking for,” Sarah shared. “I needed tools, I needed resources, and I needed an adult in the room and that is what the SBDC has provided to us.”

“When we started our journey with the FSBDC and its no-cost consulting, we were struggling to build the infrastructure to take the next step in our business,” recalled Jack Carney. “What the counseling from our FSBDC consultant Monica Williams did was help us organize our thoughts, organize our plans and gain the tools we needed to grow into what we are now,” he continued.  “The FSBDC was especially instrumental to us through COVID by helping us to access and correctly apply for funding through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the Restaurant Revitalization Fund and then for forgiveness of the PPP Loan,” Sarah highlighted.

“We’re finally in the position where we have the opportunity for growth and now have the infrastructure to handle it,” remarked Nate Carney. Jack Carney went on to say that “since we started working with the FSBDC, we have opened our restaurant; we have expanded our mobile operation; we have extended our catering; we have more employees than we’ve ever had; and we’ve got a litany of other opportunities on the horizon.” Best of all, that growth has translated into terrific business results. “We’ve set back-to-back monthly sales records,” Jack reported. “And we’re finally in the black after years of work, for the first time ever.”

“If I had to describe the FSBDC in one word it would be ‘vital’,” concluded Nate. “Vital as a resource to small businesses that don’t have the tools to grow.” “Vital as an organization with cool people who want to help make their community better,” added Sarah. “And vital to us in our business by positioning us for the next step.”

For information about Shadrach’s Fiery Furnace Pizza Company, please visit www.shadrachsfieryfurnace.com.

A&G Marketing Group Powered by PROforma

A & G Marketing Group Powered by PROforma

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Top line revenue growth is typically the highest priority for growing a small business but increasing productivity or reducing expenses can be crucial second and third choices as well. For wife and husband team Jennifer Herrera and Pablo Prahl, owners and directors of A & G Marketing Group Powered by PROforma in Lake Mary, Florida, the goal was to grow their sales and their business by improving their processes, increasing the efficiency of their operations, and enhancing the effectiveness of their internal and external communications. For guidance, they turned to the Florida Small Business Development Center at Seminole State College (FSBDC at SSC), its Advisory Board Council program, and its local consultant Monica Williams.

A & G Marketing is a full-service marketing agency providing innovative and cutting-edge promotional products and solutions to individual consumers as well as a broad range of commercial customers. Offering branding & graphic design; direct mail and digital services; printing and tradeshow displays; and branded merchandise and apparel, A & G Marketing takes clients from concept to delivery, all with a noticeable emphasis on customer service.

“Our name is A & G Marketing Group Powered by PROforma,” says Prahl. “What that means is we are a family-owned business that has the support of PROforma, a marketing and promotion company with more than 700 offices in the U.S. and Canada. It helps us be very competitive with our products and our services without losing the personal touch when consulting with our clients.”

“We sought assistance from the FSBDC because we wanted to know how to improve our internal processes and work together better to take the next step to growing our business,” continues Herrera. “Working with the FSBDC has been an amazing experience. It’s been incredible. As a small business owner, we can get too involved in our daily tasks and we do not take the time to work on our business. With the support of the FSBDC, you’re going to find the time and you’re going to see positive results.”

In the case of A & G, it was taking advantage of the FSBDC at SSC’s no-cost consulting services and its Center for Business Development’s Advisory Board Council program. In addition to general business consulting to help improve processes and procedures, consultant Williams introduced the DISC methodology, a personal assessment tool used by more than one million people every year to help improve teamwork, communication, and productivity in the workplace. The FSBDC’s Advisory Board Council provided a no-cost, customized board of volunteer experts selected to address A & G Marketing’s specific needs by providing advice and counsel to help the business grow.

“The improvement we have seen in our business since we started working with the FSBDC has been great,” Prahl concludes. “Our first year with them was 2020 and we did the same numbers that year despite COVID as we did in 2019, which was amazing. And in 2021 we had an increase of 30% which was a huge number compared to other PROforma offices. We even added a team member from Seminole State College who is working and growing with us. Working with the FSBDC and the advisory board has been just plain great for us.”

For information about A & G Marketing Group Powered by PROForma, please visit https://marketingbyproforma.com/.

Bug Brigade Logo

Bug Brigade

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Despite what the old saying might be, sometimes nice guys don’t finish last – they finish first. And very often they don’t finish alone. In the case of Scott Milliron and his wife Patty, founders and owners of Sanford, FL-based Bug Brigade, Inc., they are “nice guys” who have a “finished-first” success story to tell thanks to their loyal clients, valued employees, and assistance from the Florida Small Business Development Center at Seminole State College (FSBDC at SSC).

Bug Brigade, Inc. is a termite and pest control company offering protection services to residential customers primarily, as well as some commercial clients. They also offer wildlife services, including specialty installation exclusion work to seal vermin out. What sets Bug Brigade apart is its commitment to providing rewarding work to its employees and outstanding customer service to its clients.

“When I created the company, I wanted to give other people an opportunity for success,” recalls Scott Milliron. “It was about bringing like-minded people into a culture that thrived on customer service. And that’s what we did. We applied extreme customer service skills to just taking care of our customers. We all wanted to help people and that’s what we went out there and did.”

By being both customer-centric and employee-oriented – particularly in the field to help the latter be successful – Bug Brigade was able to grow its business. There was always an opportunity for additional growth however, and Milliron sought assistance from the FSBDC at SSC at SSC’s Center for Business Development because “it was a good fit for what I was looking for.” Working with FSBDC consultant and SSC Sub-Center Director Monica Williams and others, he took advantage of its no-cost, expert, one-on-one consulting; workshops and seminars; and access to market research, as well as affordable office space and other business resources.

“The expertise that was provided, and certainly the market data, was very helpful,” says Milliron. “It was information I didn’t have access to, especially getting details on financials. It brought focus to what I was doing and was a tremendous help to me.”

“After getting back on my feet following the Great Recession and thereafter, I came back to the SBDC in 2016,” Milliron remarked. “We were at a little less than $400,000 in revenues then and in five years have been able to grow the business to better than $1.1 million, trending close to $1.3 million this year. So, better than 30% growth a year and I can partially attribute that to the help I got from the FSBDC.”

“For anyone looking to work with the SBDC, it’s a great place to start,” Milliron continued. “I refer people there all the time. They are there to help you. They’re there to provide support. You can get as much out of it as you could possibly want. I highly recommend going to the FSBDC and taking advantage.”

Nice guy stories also often have happy endings. Thanks to their extraordinary business results and, built on the strength of their extreme customer service, Milliron successfully sold his company at a record valuation and is off to his next challenge.

For information about Bug Brigade, Inc, please visit www.bugbrigade.com.

Control Engineering Group

Control Engineering Group

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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/.

Unlimited Employee Benefit Service Center (UEBSC)

Unlimited Employee Benefit Service (UEBSC)

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In addition to assisting existing local small-to-medium sized businesses, the Florida SBDC at the University of Central Florida (FSBDC at UCF) works with new-to-the-area companies seeking to establish themselves in our region. Unlimited Employee Benefit Services Center (UEBSC) is one of those companies. After relocating from Mississippi in 2016 and incorporating in Florida in early 2017, it has taken advantage of the support and resources offered by the FSBDC at Seminole State College (FSBDC at SSC), an FSBDC at UCF sub-center.

UEBSC specializes in providing retirement and health & wellness guidance to federal and state employees. Their motto: We Inform, Help and Direct. It is a premier national marketing organization representing a large group of top-rated companies in the financial and insurance industries and features professional, highly qualified Benefits Counselors from all over the country. UEBSC recently extended its services by offering Employer Health & Wellness Benefits programs.

“We were new in town,” recalls Cedric Lancaster, founder and CEO of Unlimited Employee Benefit Service Center. “We connected with the consultant and sub-center manager at the FSBDC at SSC Moses Aikyu. It has been a wonderful relationship.”

“With the FSBDC’s help, we have identified ways to become known in this area and built a game plan to get our business on the right track,” Lancaster continued. “Now we have the right strategies to take our business to the next level.”

In addition to benefiting from the FSBDC’s no-cost, expert business consulting, UEBSC has received significant support in the area of market research. By accessing the broad and deep information databases available from the FSBDC, UEBSC has been able to identify new business prospects and opportunities. And they’ve connected with multiple resource partners, including various Chambers of Commerce and other community groups.

They have also utilized the seminars and training available from the FSBDC, some of which guided UEBSC in becoming verified as a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) by the U.S. Small Business Administration, a designation that can be useful in winning government contracts.

“As a small business, we know that our success is tied directly to the effort we put into the business,” Lancaster remarked. “By combining our work ethic with the resources of the FSBDC, we have been able to grow. It is great to know we have someone there if we need assistance. And the FSBDC has been there for us every step of the way.”

And grow UEBSC has. Since arriving in Central Florida, it has created 19 jobs, invested more than $120,000 in the local economy and generated more than $1.5 million in sales. It is working with multiple federal, state and local governmental agencies, as well as a growing number of local businesses gained from their Health & Wellness services.

“Coming to Central Florida was the right choice for UEBSC. And choosing to work with the FSBDC was the right decision,” concluded Lancaster. “It’s the small things that make the big things happen. From the beginning, the FSBDC was willing to do whatever they could to help us. We’re glad to be working with them. They have been a vital part of our success.”

For more information about Unlimited Employee Benefit Service Center, please visit www.thinkuebsc.org.

Summer Solutions, Inc.

Summer Solutions Inc.

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The entrepreneurial life has its challenges. They are only multiplied when you relocate yourself and your business from Pennsylvania to Lake Mary, FL. But that’s exactly what Keith Lorenz, founder and owner of Summer Solutions Inc., did in 2013.  While searching for local assistance and learning the local business landscape, he found the support and assistance he needed to make a success of his move at the Florida SBDC at Seminole State College (FSBDC at SSC), a sub-center of the FSBDC at UCF, through its Advisory Board Council (ABC) program.

Summer Solutions is in the business of solving the problems that swimmers have with chlorine: the hair discoloration, the dry skin conditions, the deterioration of their swim suits to name a few. Summer Solutions offers a full line of products – shampoos, soap, swimwear care products – specifically designed to address the deleterious effects of chlorinated swimming pool water.

Lorenz started the company in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and made it a small success. Now he was ready to devote his full time to making the company a big success and answer some big questions: is this a real business I can grow? How can I scale it up? Where can I find the people I need to help me succeed?

It was then that he did some research and found the Florida SBDC. “I looked at all the different services offered by the FSBDC and saw the Advisory Board Council as the program that could really help me,” Lorenz says. “‘Wow,’ I said. ‘This is exactly what I need. Right here in Seminole County.’” He contacted Amy Kirkland, a consultant and the manager of the FSBDC at SSC, to apply.

In the Advisory Board Council program, the FSBDC constructs a no-cost board of experts that meets over an 18 month period providing advice and council to help businesses grow. The FSBDC acts as a matchmaker between established local businesses and area professionals who volunteer their expertise as members of an advisory board, with the Board customized and the volunteers selected to address the specific needs of the FSBDC client.

“My Advisory Board was invaluable. I was working on my own and needed advisors to bounce ideas off, to discuss issues with,” says Lorenz. “I wanted the accountability that would come from putting my plans in front a group of experts. And that’s what I got, and more, from my Board. They provided a forum that helped me make better decisions that helped my company grow.”

“My board saved me from taking some unnecessary risks and convinced me to invest in my marketing and sales efforts. They helped me analyze and redefine my target markets. We reassessed my website and they assisted me in finding the resources to improve it dramatically. They persuaded me that a dedicated sales person would have much more success than me doing it myself,“ Lorenz continued. “And the results speak for themselves: we now have a better focus on our markets, and our sales are up nicely.