– from start up to the C-Suite .
“ Providing entrepreneurs with access to the robust research , financial analysis , business planning , and digital marketing tools we have is an eye-opener for small business owners ,” said Daly of the Center ’ s no-cost services .
“ But , I think our safe-space , direct coaching and creating a resource where entrepreneurs can consider new approaches and establish sound processes is the most exciting . What we do can be a catalyst that helps small businesses navigate hazards and create long term successes .”
When asked to share an SBDC success story , Daly responded , “ Several come to mind , but I especially love Nancy Benet at Fix-It Accounting ’ s story . She is an entrepreneur in the truest sense . She ’ s built an outstanding accounting practice from almost nothing . She has incredible peripheral business vision , and is always seeking feedback and new ways to leverage and pivot her business so
Nancy Benet it ’ s constantly evolving and moving forward . She recently “ graduated ” to our CEO XChange user group and is a strong advocate for helping local women-owned businesses flourish ,” he said .
“ I started with the Growth Xchange group of business owners that Tom moderates . It was so refreshing to meet with other small business owners and be able to talk about what ’ s going on inside of our practice . As business owners , we tend to feel alone in our challenges . We can ’ t discuss it with our friends or employees or for me , our clients . It allowed me to get feedback and suggestions from others as well as to try to help them through their struggles ,” shared Benet .
“ After I joined the group , I realized that the SBDC had tremendous resources for business owners . One that was particularly helpful for me was its website rating tool . We had just had our website redone and I , knowing nothing about SEO or how the backend of a website should be , was anxious to know whether it had been configured well . Tom ran it through this tool and it came out with a very high rating . This made me feel great about our marketing firm ,” she said , noting Daly has provided additional research and information to help her make informed growth decisions , introduced her to others who could help with her business growth and been of great support .
In addition to individual counseling , the SBDC , as a U . S . Small Business Administration partner program , offers workshops and webinars serving as a one-stop shop for America ’ s business community .
During 2020 , many of those seeking guidance from Daytona ’ s SBDC were focused on navigating relief programs , according to Daly . While the SBDC doesn ’ t publish specific statistics on local client breakdown , he was encouraged to observe that the local new clients ’ makeup is slightly more female , with a far larger intake of minority-owned businesses , leading to more good news .
“ Of the 234 unique clients we served in 2020 , I ’ m only aware of one that closed its doors – and that was in a pandemic ,” he said . “ I would like to think we played a role in helping every client , but I think it speaks more to the robust Volusia County economic fundamentals that existed pre-pandemic and what we forecast happening through Q4 2021 and beyond .”
Coastal Entrepreneurship & Innovation Institute
For more than a decade , Joe Roy has shared his business expertise with entrepreneurs across the northeast and Central Florida region . Today , Roy leads the independently operated Coastal Entrepreneurship and Innovation Institute ( CEII ) in Palm Coast which is focused on helping both
Joe Roy new and existing businesses grow and thrive .
“ SCORE and the SBDC provide invaluable services to the business community , yet there are not enough personnel to meet the needs of the business community if we are truly attempting to reduce the failure rate , address poverty and public health , and create an economic environment in which underrepresented groups based on age , race , ethnicity , orientation and gender can flourish ,” said Roy of CEII ’ s mission and its place in the ecosystem of support that exists for entrepreneurs .
Since opening its doors less than a year ago , CEII has helped nine clients achieve an economic impact of $ 625,000 . Among those helped is Oliver Wagenheim , founder of SparkAir , an industrial sanitation equipment supplier , who said Roy has been instrumental in helping him formulate a plan for his latest business venture .
“ Joe helped guide my business and find the proper resources to start this business successfully ,” said Wagenheim , who has developed UVC sanitation systems to combat COVID-19 , effectively in buildings , on aircraft , on cruise ships and in homes .
“ He provided assistance in developing a business plan , marketing and product development . With the help of the Coastal Entrepreneurship and Innovation Institute , SparkAir has taken off . We have created our first cost-effective prototype of a medical-grade stainless steel UVC Light .”
While providing services similar to the SBDC and SCORE , Roy said CEII uses his time-tested approach to assisting entrepreneurs . “ For clients of the Coastal Institute , my approach is to ask broad questions on a range of topics within the client ’ s business . In my experience , this helps identify problem areas as well as client business knowledge . I ’ ve found that Q & A helps the client develop an understanding about the relationship between work processes and how that impacts the financial statements . This approach helps to build the client ’ s confidence and serves as a learning experience about a business concept ,” shared Roy .
Concerned with tapping into underserved markets , CEII is developing several unique events .
“ Our first event is the MomPreneur Expo , a virtual event on May 26th that will address topics of interest expressed by women in business . The topics were identified through a survey . We also expect to have a YouthPreneur Expo in the Fall of 2021 ,” he said .
Danielle Anderson has worked in the public relations and media industry for a decade . She started her career as a reporter for Flagler Broadcasting where she discovered her passion for telling the stories of communities in Florida .
MAY 2021 | 27 |