Meet Our Clients
Meet Our Clients
Single Source
Integrity Investigations
Spark Design Studio
HydroEdge
PentaVision Communications
Bombay Boutique, Inc. "I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for all the support and good advice I have had over the years. Business has been better than ever. The economy seems to not have affected us in any way. This is my 9th year in business and I believe I have you all to thank for all that you have done to help make my business a success." Marian came to the SBDC in April 2002 to seek assistance in relocating her business. The lease on her current location was up for renewal and the business had not been profitable. Mel Waks, her business advisor, suggested that she contact various realtors to help her determine whether to purchase or rent a new site. After deciding on a location, Mel assisted Marian with preparing a new business plan. Based on her plan, Marian was able to negotiate a five-year lease that was half the cost of her previous location. Marian opened her new store on April 5, 2006. Based on her knowledge of fashion, she began designing her own clothing and with her contacts in India has arranged to have materials fabricated and shipped directly to her. Bombay Boutique experienced an immediate 10% increase in sales and a 50% increase in walk-in traffic at the new location. Sales have continued to increase and despite the 2008 economy, the store continues to have an increase in sales. Marian has been profitable since opening her store on Michigan Street. |
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Spark Design Studio US Signcrafters "I've become very impressed with the quality and coverage of services from SBDC. My first experience was taking a course on QuickBooks. Later on, I learned about BizBench and ValuAdder, and I jumped on the opportunity that these services offer, especially as a business owner and partner. ValuAdder presented a third party picture of how the business could be valued in present state. BizBench proved to be just as informational and useful as a benchmark tool, showing strengths and weaknesses compared to similar sized peer companies across the country. My staff and partner were just as impressed with the information and reports as I was. " |
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Wear to Win, LLC We came to the SBDC with simply a business idea. They listened, gave us direction, and offered advice and access to entrepreneurial professionals. We attended a business feasibility seminar as well as a legal seminar, both of which were headed by professionals in the business arena. Through regular one on one meetings with staff at SBDC, we received personal guidance in the areas of accounting, marketing, business development, organization, and public relations, tailored specifically to our business. The year and a half of regular meetings have provided invaluable support, encouragement, and inspirations to us. We have come from a simple idea to a company ready to open for business. Thank you SBDC! |
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Lucky Horse Equestrian Center Owners: Kerry Hilgendorf & Diane Shields Location: Niles, MI www.luckyhorseec.com "The assistance from the SBDC has been extremely helpful for me and my Kerry came to the SBDC in August 2006 seeking assistance for a feasibility study and business plan so she could obtain financing to start Lucky Horse Equestrian Center. Kerry attended the Preparing Your Business Plan and Introduction to QuickBooks seminars sponsored by the SBDC. Her SBDC advisors assisted Kerry and her mother Diane in doing research for their equestrian center. Kerry also participated in the Collegiate Management Assistance program where she worked with a team of Notre Dame students to complete a feasibility study. Jim Gregar and Bob York, SBDC business advisors, provided Kerry and Diane assistance with a business plan. They helped with sales projections, profit and loss statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements. Kerry and Diane met with the local Business Development Corporation for a SBA 504 loan. As a result of the assistance they received from the SBDC, Kerry and Diane received an SBA loan and hired a contractor to build a full-service heated equestrian facility with 24 horse stalls, hot & cold water, indoor and outdoor wash stalls, and a 72 x 144 indoor riding arena. Two outdoor riding arenas and 30 acres of custom-seeded pasture complete this first-class environment for both equestrian education and horse boarding. |
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Single Source, Inc. Owners: Greg Singleton & Tom Moore Location: North Liberty, IN
Greg Singleton and Tom Moore, combining 45 years of experience in precision machining, first came to the SBDC in 2001 for assistance in starting their own machine shop, primarily serving the orthopaedic industry. Both quit their current jobs to start Single Source in a 4,000 square-foot leased facility in Plymouth. By 2003 they had 7 employees and felt a need to learn more about management and strategic planning. They worked with several SBDC business advisors in addition to enrolling in SBDC training workshops and their growth continued. By 2004, with close to $1,000,000 in sales, they continued to focus on expansion and participated in the Collegiate Management Assistance Program (a cooperative effort between the SBDC and area colleges and universities). Notre Dame MBA students conducted an in-depth strategic study and made several recommendations to Greg and Tom. In 2007, taking what the students had recommended to heart, Single Source purchased an 8,400 square-foot building on 5 acres of land in New Carlisle, doubled their equipment, hired a sales engineer and a quality control manager, became ISO-certified and more than doubled their number of employees and sales. The SBDC continues to work with Single Source to meet the constant challenge of growing a business.
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"Working with the SBDC has been a blessing for me and my business. They helped me get organized, start things off on the right foot, and stay on track," said Brandy, encouraging small businesses, whether they are starting-up or already in-business to seek the advice of the SBDC. Brandy first came to the SBDC for start-up assistance including business planning, financing, marketing, and management. Now, her focus is on growth! Working with her advisor, Jan Fye, Brandy officially opened her business April 6, 2004. As Brandy worked with Jan, they addressed a variety of issues including pricing, working her prospect list, collection policies, sales and marketing, and more. As Integrity Investigations continued to grow, Brandy was encouraged to concentrate on marketing her business. In the Spring of 2008, she began work with students at Purdue University South Bend to totally redesign all her marketing materials. This project is part of the Collegiate Management Assistance Program, a cooperative effort between the SBDC and local college professors who have students work on client projects. Brandy is receiving assistance at no cost to her from a team of students, guided by their professor, who are extremely talented and dedicated to bringing her a product that reflects her personally as well as professionally. Brandy has now established her business and employment has stayed fairly constant with 7-8 employees. She receives constant feedback from clients that she is their choiced mainly because of her professionalism and immediate attention to their needs. Sales have grown by 1726% in the four years she has been in business. |
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Hydro Edge Owner: Tim Abbott Location: South Bend, IN
Tim Abbott came to the SBDC to ask for patent assistance for a small sprinkler head, Hydro Edge, that he developed for use in the plastic edging around flowerbeds. After he discussed the idea with SBDC Associate Director Jim Gregar, a meeting was arranged with a patent attorney. Tim attended seminars at the SBDC and found a retired patent attorney to help him apply for a patent. He also arranged with the owner of a local plastic company to make a prototype for his sprinkler head. Soon, Irrigation Systems, Inc. was founded. Students from the University of Notre Dame conducted a feasibilty study as part of the Collegiate Management Assistance program, and determined that there was indeed a market for Hydro Edge. Jim also helped Tim to network with other local entrepreneurs who encouraged him to proceed with his invention. Through the SBDC, Tim worked with engineering professors form the Purdue University Technical Assistance Program to refine his design for the sprinkler head. In April 2005, Tim's product was displayed in a live show on QVC. The following year, Tim signed a contract with Easy Gardener giving them the rights to handle his invention. His product, Hydro Edge, can now be found in Home Depot, Lowe's, Wal-Mart, and several small hardware chain stores. |
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PentaVision Communications Owners: Ryan Geist Location: South Bend, IN
In March 2002, Ryan Geist, an owner of PentaVision Communications, Inc. met with SBDC Business Advisor Mel Waks. PentaVision is a full-service video/media production company that offers professional video services to a variety of companies throughout the Midwest. During their initial meeting, Ryan and Mel discussed company structure and basic organizational planning. Mel also assisted the company with their business plan and borrowing strategies, and with the help of the SBDC, Pentavision obtained a $50,000 line of credit. In 2003, PentaVision participated in the Collegiate Management Assistance Program and working with MBA students from the University of Notre Dame gained valuable insights to improve business operations. PentaVision has received six noteworthy national awards for programs they have either provided production assistance or produced. They have established an impressive client list: the University of Notre Dame, NBC Sports, Hoosier Tire Company, ESPN, Indiana University South Bend, and St. Mary's College. |
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Copyright 2009. All rights reserved. SBDC
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mother in obtaining financing to start our new business." 
"The folks at the Small Business Development Center have been a tremendous blessing in guiding Single Source, Inc. down the path to success. They are a quality group of people and we are proud to be associated with them." Tom Moore 
"Throughout the whole process, the SBDC was my guiding light," said Tim, maintaining he could not have gotten his sprinkler system to market without the advice and assistance of the SBDC.
