SBDC Success Stories
SBDC helps local entrepreneurs
make their small business dreams come true
Small businesses in the region, like those across the country, have had a tough time staying afloat following a global pandemic that shuttered businesses for the better part of a year. However, with the help and guidance of the Small Business Development Center at Saint Francis University, some local entrepreneurs have been able to find renewed success and others have finally found the opportunity to dive in and follow their dreams.
从服装精品店和烧烤餐厅到健康中心和美发沙龙, SBDC为该地区的小企业主提供了帮助, 不仅要评估他们愿景的可行性, 同时也帮助他们从头开始. Amy Wright of the Lace Sparrow Boutique, 荒野烟雾小屋的布莱恩和克里斯·帕特森, LLC, Emily Mahler of the Wellness Community, and Ashly Weyandt of Lux Hair Studio are all recent examples of those who turned their passion into a thriving business.
蕾丝麻雀精品店从电子商务飞到社区店面
Company: The Lace Sparrow Boutique, 122 Market St.，洛克伍德，宾夕法尼亚州，萨默塞特县，由艾米·赖特所有
Success Story: In 2020, 蕾丝麻雀最初是一家包括尺码在内的网上精品店, comfortable, 以及女性的时尚服装和配饰. The business took off and owner Amy Wright realized that she needed an outlet to showcase her products. 赖特意识到，店面可以帮助更多的女性爱自己. The Lace Sparrow wants women to leave feeling good about themselves and find clothes that reflect the beauty they have.
在担任护士期间，赖特开始了精品店的商业计划. She chose a name and logo filled with meaning – a sparrow signifying self-worth and power in community and lace intricate and woven beauty. 然而，就在她即将启动这项业务时，COVID来了. 因此，赖特转向以网站的形式运营，公司开始起飞. 她提供各种体型模特的现场销售活动. This provided the foundation for Wright to realize that the goal was to have a storefront.
Amy contacted the SBDC and started the journey of assessing and developing the business proposal. 其愿景是创造一个顾客可以购物的空间 and try on the clothes – seeing, feeling, and experiencing the outfits. Wright met with an SBDC consultant to assist her in the evaluation and feasibility of her dream. 她有经营企业的知识和经验 but needed to look at the business proposal. 商业计划书和计划开始成形, along with the marketing and services, with assistance from the Center.
The business proposal was completed, and Wright contacted the banks and was denied, but friends and family were willing to assist with the funding to make the business a reality. The funds needed were for minor renovations, equipment, supplies, inventory, and promotional materials.
2022年7月1日，蕾丝麻雀精品店隆重开业. 赖特对社区店面的设想已经完成. She is still continuing to take online orders and has been able to operate that portion more efficiently from this location. 洛克伍德社区对该地区的企业表示欢迎.
“At The Lace Sparrow we want women to leave here feeling good about themselves and finding clothes that reflect the beauty that they have,” Wright said.
Great BBQ is a Family Affair
Company: Backwoods Smoke Shack, LLC, 5963 Seven Points Road, Hesston, PA, Huntingdon County, owned by Brian and Kris Patterson
Success Story: Bryan Patterson knows barbeque. 熏肉一直是一个长期的爱好，最终也是一个巨大的商机. Taking what he learned and taught himself, he decided to turn his hobby into a seasonal business opportunity when he saw the lack of a good BBQ restaurant in the region – a region that includes Raystown Lake, a state park and resort, visited by over two million tourists annually. Along with his family, his mom, Kris, and his dad, Bud, they started working with Jeff Boldizar, Director of the Saint Francis University SBDC, to open Backwoods Smoke Shack, a BBQ food trailer setting up at various locations and events and selling some phenomenal BBQ. Boldizar assisted them with securing a marketing grant which helped them provide new signage, create new menus, and develop their initial digital marketing.
After losing part of their year to Covid, the mobile business picked up again and began looking for a location to expand their services to include dine-in and take-out options. 2021年，他们开始在雷斯敦湖附近租赁一个地点. 不得不升级一些设备，对设施进行一些翻新, 他们再次向小企业发展局寻求商业规划和融资方面的援助. Working with Covid consultant, Terry Anderson, 该中心帮助他们制定了一项商业计划, projections, and marketing. 他们通过JARI小额贷款项目获得了资助, however, 他们最终决定自己出资.
随着他们继续扩大他们的产品，并建立了卓越的烧烤声誉, 他们知道他们必须发展更强大的网络形象. So, 他们开始与SBDC顾问Jarrod Piper合作, who assisted with creating a user-friendly, mobile-optimized website for the restaurant, including brand identity development, graphic design, copywriting, and search engine optimization (SEO). 在过去的一年里，该网站吸引了来自30多个州的7000多名独立访问者.
除了发展和加强他们的在线形象, SBDC继续在市场营销方面与他们合作, pricing, and additional growth strategies including the introduction of a breakfast menu and online sales of apparel and their own custom BBQ dry rubs. 因为这家餐厅在十月底季节性关门, Backwoods continues to offer catering and online sales of apparel and dry rubs throughout the year.
Backwoods Smoke Shack continues to grow, always looking for opportunities to expand their brand. 当他们结束了餐厅当前的季节, the Patterson family continues to work with the SBDC on the marketing of their rubs and apparel. 这个对烧烤和他们的社区充满热情的家庭没有休息!
Wellness for Generations Expands into Somerset
Company: The Wellness Community, 112 N. Rosina Ave.，萨默塞特，宾夕法尼亚州，萨默塞特县，由艾米丽·马勒所有
Success Story: Emily Mahler has been involved in wellness for a number of years – selling essential oils, teaching classes, hosting women wellness events, 并与健康社区的许多人建立联系. 她创建并影响了一个健康社区, even setting up an online wellness directory, Wellness for Generations. Mahler’s passion and experience in health and wellness led her to the realization that the Somerset community needed a retail- and service-based wellness business. She decided she wanted to open her own shop and incorporate her experience and knowledge as well.
Mahler approached a bank for financing and they put her in touch with the SBDC for assistance in developing a business proposal. 在意识到她的信用和抵押品可能会成为一个问题之后, she still wanted to continue with the idea and assess the overall feasibility of The Wellness Community. She needed to assess whether the Somerset community was interested in such a space for connection around wellness. Mahler contacted the SBDC and started the journey of assessing and developing the business proposal. 其愿景是创造一个顾客可以购物的空间, spend time in the meditation room, schedule frequency sessions, attend workshops, 以及采用整体方法的额外服务. Mahler met with an SBDC consultant to assist her in the evaluation and feasibility of her dream. 她有经营企业的知识和经验, but needed to look at the business proposal. 商业计划书和计划开始成形, 以及在中心协助下的营销和服务.
With the business proposal completed, Mahler contacted the banks and was denied, but friends and family were willing to assist with the funding to make the business a reality. The funds needed were for minor renovations, equipment, supplies, inventory, and promotional materials.
2022年2月22日，健康社区举行了盛大的开幕仪式. 健康社区是萨默塞特社区围绕健康联系的空间. 所有的产品和服务都是为了满足社区的健康需求, 对于那些寻找替代主流的人, 还有那些想要掌控自己健康的人. 萨默塞特社区对该地区的企业表示欢迎.
Lux Hair Studio Opens in Blair County
Company: Lux Hair Studio, 201 Wayne St.位于布莱尔县的霍利迪斯堡，老板是阿什利·韦扬特
Success Story: Ashley Weyandt过去几年一直在美容美发行业工作. 她一直喜欢研究头发和美容产品, and she enjoys learning about new trends, attending trade shows, and talking with her customers. 她觉得这个行业比她作为一名员工所经历的要丰富得多.
Often, 韦扬特曾想过有一天开一家自己的沙龙, but figured that may be off in the future. 在考虑了这个想法并与丈夫讨论之后, 她决定考虑自己创业. 她不确定从哪里开始，所以她和当地的银行家讨论了如何开始. The bank suggested that she contact the SBDC to discuss her idea for opening her own salon. They explained to her that there was more involved in getting started other than determining how much money she needed to borrow. Weyandt contacted the Center and had an initial telephone conversation about her plan before scheduling a meeting to further discuss the project. 她对沙龙有各种各样的想法，但需要一个地点. The SBDC discussed with her the fact that the location for the business will have an impact on the startup costs. 她将需要设备、用品、可能的装修等., and she would also need working capital to cover the operating expenses during the start-up phase of the business. Weyandt was also interested in whether there were other sources of potential financing besides the bank. 在规划过程中，她意识到邓肯斯维尔有一个潜在的地点.
该中心协助Weyandt完成了她的商业计划, projected financial statements, and assumptions for the projections. 目的是展示老板对业务的了解, 她在布莱尔县的沙龙的市场潜力, and the ability to service the proposed debt.
因为开沙龙所需的资金很少, this project was a candidate for the Altoona Blair County Development (ABCD) Corporation’s First Frontier Loan Fund. 该基金的目标是寻求不到2万美元融资的企业. The bank she initially spoke with wanted her to pledge additional collateral for the loan, and she was looking at another option, 所以中心让她去找ABCD公司. 他们通过第一边境贷款基金批准了她的贷款. Weyandt也为这个项目投入了个人资金. Since opening, Weyandt has already outgrown her location and moved to a larger facility in Hollidaysburg. 除了韦扬特，这家沙龙还雇佣了另外三位造型师.