Terra Craft Sandwiches
Having a great business idea that is unique and appealing is only the beginning for an entrepreneur. So many steps must then follow: testing the market, finding funding, writing a business plan, and more. Sisters Amanda and Gina Manzano, owners and founders of the restaurant Terra Craft Sandwiches, had moved down the start-up path and covered a lot of those bases but soon realized, as the saying goes, that they ‘didn’t know what they didn’t know.’ That’s when they turned to the Florida Small Business Development Center at Eastern Florida State College (FSBDC at EFSC), a sub-center of the FSBDC at UCF, to take advantage of its no-cost, expert business consulting and to access the FSBDC’s market research resources.
Based in Melbourne, FL, Terra Craft Sandwiches is a fast casual, elevated sandwich shop that prides itself in being “Flavor First”. “One of the things we feel makes our restaurant unique is our focus on flavor and high quality, fresh ingredients,” shares Amanda Manzano. For example, one of their Signature Sandwiches is the Mojo Pork Banh Mi, featuring roasted pork, creamy ponzu vegetable slaw, and chicharron crisps on a hoagie roll. “We take ‘center of the plate’ food and put it into a sandwich for a very flavorful, globally inspired bite,” Amanda states proudly.
With that and many other exciting choices on the menu, the Manzano sisters were eager to launch their business but had questions they then began posing to the FSBDC. “One of the many reasons we sought out counsel from the SBDC was because we were new to the Melbourne market and really valued the expertise they had in this area and they’ve done just a wonderful job guiding us,” remarked Gina Manzano. “The SBDC had honestly been integral since Day Zero of our journey opening this restaurant,” added Amanda. “Everything from helping us scout a location to market research of the demographics in this area, and best practices for marketing to the local demographic and even making great connections with other local business leaders and community figures.”
“Apart from the invaluable business advice that we’ve gotten through the SBDC, our favorite part is the relationship we have with the people there,” Amanda Manzano continued. “Robin Braswell (FSBDC at EFSC sub-center director and consultant) has made the experience so wonderful for us. Having her as a trusted support and then a great customer and friend of Terra, it’s just been marvelous to work with the SBDC because of the people like her.”
“From opening our doors to coming around the corner to our first year, the impact of the SBDC on our business has been huge,” Amanda claims. She credits the SBDC with helping the business with both marketing and human resources issues that have resulted in Terra achieving profitability and contributing to local economic growth through job creation. “We have been so fortunate in our first year to really flourish and every day is truly a great day here,” Gina Marzano declares.
“I definitely speak for both of us when I say we would recommend the SBDC to any aspiring business owner,” concluded Amanda. “It’s been a wonderful resource. So, I would reach out to them. You won’t regret it.”
For information about Terra Craft Sandwiches, please visit https://www.terracraftsandwiches.com/.
