Small Business Development Center

Inaugural Treasure Coast Women Who Rock Awards to be held March 28th in celebration of National Women’s History Month

Inaugural Treasure Coast Women Who Rock Awards to be held March 28th in celebration of National Women’s History Month  

The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Indian River State College (IRSC) has partnered with weVENTURE Women’s Business Center (WBC) at Florida Tech’s Bisk College of Business and presenting sponsor PNC Bank to host the Inaugural Women Who Rock Awards of the Treasure Coast on March 28th in honor of National Woman’s History Month.

“The Florida SBDC at Indian River State College is excited to partner with weVENTURE Women’s Business Center to elevate the profile of successful women in business and recognize the economic impact they have on our community,” said Katherine Culhane Associate Director of the SBDC at IRSC.

“As presenting sponsor, PNC Bank is thrilled to join forces with these important institutions to recognize dynamic women in this community,” said Tracy Sorzano, senior vice president and wealth strategy regional manager, centralized planning for PNC Private Bank. “This event is closely aligned with PNC’s commitment to supporting women business owners and further empowering women in business. The awards are designed to achieve exactly that, and my PNC colleagues and I look forward to celebrating the Women Who Rock.”

Nominees will be recognized Tuesday, March 28th, at the Indian River State College Chastain Campus, 2400 S.E. Salerno Road, Stuart, FL 34997.  The event takes place from 11:00am-1:00pm.

 Kathryn Rudloff, Executive Director of weVENTURE WBC notes that her organization has hosted the Women Who Rock Awards in Brevard County for the last 14 years. “We are so excited to partner with the SBDC and PNC Bank to bring this popular event to the Treasure Coast,“ Rudloff stated.

The 2023 Women Who Rock Awards categories are:

  • Small Business Owner of the Year, Presented by PNC Bank

  • Executive of the Year

  • Excellence in Mentorship, Presented by SBDC at IRSC

  • Women Trending in Tech, Presented by weVENTURE WBC

  • Excellence in Caregiving

The IRSC SBDC team of business advisors will select recipients for this inaugural Treasure Coast event.  Award recipients will be announced in February and honored at the luncheon.  For more information call (321) 674-7007 or email [email protected]

Sponsorships are available and include tickets to the event.  General Admission tickets to attend the luncheon are $50 and are available for purchase online.  All proceeds benefit community programs to support entrepreneurs via weVENTURE WBC and the SBDC at IRSC. Please visit https://weventure.fit.edu/events/women-who-rock-awards/.

About PNC Bank

PNC Bank, National Association, is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). PNC is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking including a full range of lending products; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. For information about PNC, visit www.pnc.com.

About weVENTURE WBC


weVENTURE Women’s Business Center (WBC) was launched in 2007 at Florida Tech, accelerates growth for entrepreneurs by providing customized coaching, business education, mentorship, and networking programs. weVENTURE WBC also strives to be the leading voice and resource for professional women across all industries, providing leadership development and purposeful networking events for women on the Space and Treasure Coasts. weVENTURE WBC is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. For more information, or to register for weVENTURE WBC courses and mentorship programs, visit https://weventure.fit.edu/ or call 321-674-7007.

About Florida Institute of Technology


Florida Tech was founded in 1958 at the dawn of the Space Race that would soon define the Atlantic coast of Florida and captivate the nation. Now the premier private technological university in the Southeast, Florida Tech is a Tier 1 Best National University in U.S. News & World Report and one of just nine schools in Florida lauded by the Fiske Guide to Colleges. Florida Tech is ranked among the top 5 percent of 20,000 degree-granting institutions worldwide in the 2020-21 World University Rankings and has been named a Top College and Best Value University for 2019 by Forbes. Florida Tech offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in aeronautics and aviation, engineering, computing and cybersecurity, business, science and mathematics, psychology, education and communication. Learn more about our relentless pursuit of greatness at floridatech.edu.

About the Florida SBDC Network: 

For over forty years, the Florida SBDC Network, the state’s principal provider of business assistance [Fl. Stat. 288.001], has nourished a statewide partnership between higher education and economic development to provide existing and emerging small and medium-sized business owners with management and knowledge resources that enable overall growth, increased profitability, and economic prosperity for Florida’s economy.

In 2019, Florida SBDCs provided 114,064 hours of professional business consulting to 12,535 client businesses, resulting in 37,966 jobs impacted; $4.4 billion in sales generated; $496.5 million in government contracts acquired; and $255.3 million in capital accessed; and 453 new businesses started. With over 40 offices statewide, the Florida SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Defense Logistics Agency, State of Florida and other private and public partners. The Florida SBDC Network, headquartered at the University of West Florida, is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs and is a recipient of the President’s E Award for Export Service. Florida SBDC services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Language assistance services are available for individuals with limited English proficiency. For more information, please visit www.FloridaSBDC.org.

 

Treasure Coast Business is a news service and magazine published in print, via e-newsletter and online at tcbusiness.com by Indian River Media Group. For more information or to report news email [email protected]

Dec. 29, 2022|

Treasure Coast Business News Nov. 29, 2022

*|MC:SUBJECT|*

FPL donates $50,000 to 
support Florida SBDC disaster recovery efforts

The Florida SBDC Network, the state’s principal provider of small business assistance, is committed to ensuring that small business owners impacted by Hurricane Ian receive the resources and assistance they need to rebuild and recover. The network is pleased to announce that Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) has provided the Florida SBDC with $50,000 to support the network’s continued efforts to help small businesses impacted by the storm...Read More>>

'Tis the season to share your good news with thousands of regular readers and customers

We know good things are happening with your business, and wouldn't it be nice to share that good news with customers, other businesses, residents, and visitors to the Treasure Coast? You can do that with just a simple press release or email to us at [email protected]

Data speaks volumes first free workshop/webinar of Marcia Salmon 2022 fall series


Learn how to get your agency data and statistics ready to create a compelling story to incorporate in your Statement of Need. This webinar is ideal for new non-profits that are eager to submit a grant application but have little or no data available in a suitable format... Read More>>

IRSC Promise Program 2023 questions and answers

 

On Nov. 16, 2022, Indian River State College (IRSC) revealed the IRSC Promise Program 2023—its most significant investment in eliminating barriers to higher education. Promise 2023 offers tuition-free Associate degrees for qualifying 2023 graduates from public and public charter high schools in Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee and St. Lucie counties, as well as eligible, in-district home school graduates.
 
Here are some answers to commonly asked questions
...
 Read More>>

A Day’s Journey: self-discovery and personal growth workshop

Self-discovery doesn’t require you to reinvent yourself (unless you want to). You can simply desire to understand yourself better.  We all question who we truly are at some point on our journey...Read More

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ART DEALER & FRAMING
Frank’s Hang Up
772.567.7692
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AUTOMOTIVE
St. Lucie Battery & Tire
800.432.1064
slbt.com

BANKING
Bank of America
bankofamerica.com/about

SouthState Bank
800.277.2175
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BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Black Business Investment Fund
407.649.4780
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Department of Services 888.490.0009 departmentofservices.com

Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County
772.336.6250
youredc.com

Pharus Group, LLC
772.223.3344
pharusglobal.com

Treasure Coast Manufacturers Association
772.336.6250
tcmamfg.com

CUSTOM CLOSETS/CABINETRY
Artistic Closets
772.692.8447
artisticlosests.com

GOLF CARTS
Champion Golf Carts
772.283.1107
championgolfcart.com

Total Golf Cart
772.778.0468
totalgolfcart.com

GOVERNMENT
Clerk of the Circuit Court - St. Lucie County
772.462.6900
stlucieclerk.com

Saint Lucie County Property Appraiser
772.462.1000
paslc.org

HEALTHCARE/HOSPICE CARE
Treasure Coast Hospice
772.403.4500
treasurehealth.org

INDEPENDENT/ASSISTED LIVING
Harbor Place of Port St. Lucie
772.337.4330
ptstlucieharborplace.com

INSURANCE/FINANCES
Post Insurance
772.878.8184
InsureWithPost.com

State Farm/Bill Knight
772.461.7900
billknightinsurance.com

LAW OFFICES
Fee, Yates, & Fee, P.L.
772.461.5020
feeyateslaw.com

NONPROFIT
Treasure Coast Food Bank
stophunger.org

PRINTING/SIGNS
Fast Signs of Vero Beach
772.774.7554
fastsigns.com/2222

RADIO
WQCS
888.286.8936
wqcs.org

REAL ESTATE
Branca Realty Professionals
772.882.9583
brancarealty.com

Oceanside Realty Partners
772.418.4420
oceansiderealtypartners

ROOFING
EP6 Group
772.332.9100
ep6group.com

STONE WORK & GRANITE
Real Stone & Granite
772.489.9964
realstoneandgranite.com

TRAILERS/WELDING/FABRICATION
Meltra Boat Trailer Sales
772.461.1193
meltratrailer.com



Thank you for supporting these Indian River Magazine and Port St. Lucie Magazine advertisers

AIR CONDITIONING
Miller's Central Air
772.785.8080
millerscentralair.com

AIRPORTS/AVIATION
Palm Beach International Airport
561.471.7400
pbia.org

ART DEALER & FRAMING
Frank’s Hang Up
772.567.7692
frankshangup.com

ART GALLERIES/ARTISTS/
FRAMING

A.E. Backus Museum
772.465.0630
backusmuseum.com

Florida Art Exchange
772.349.2632
FloridaArtExchange.com

Vero Beach Museum of Art
772.231.0707
vbmuseum.org

ATTRACTIONS
Elliott Museum
772.225.1961
hsmc-fl.com/elliott-museum/

MidFlorida Event Center
midfloridaeventcenter.com

Okeechobee County Tourist Development Council
863.763.3959
visitokeechobeecounty.com

St. Lucie Regional History Center
772.462.1795
stlucieco.gov/about/st-lucie-county-history

AUTO DEALERS
Bev Smith Automotive Group
772.464.8440
bevsmithtoyota.com

Infiniti of Melbourne
321.316.6894
infinitiofmelbourne.com

AUTOMOTIVE
St. Lucie Battery & Tire
800.432.1064
slbt.com

BANKING
SouthState Bank
800.277.2175
SouthStateBank.com

BEVERAGES
Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Co.
800.FRESHHH
oijc.com

BUILDERS
GHO Homes
772.532.3630
ghohomes.com

BUTCHER SHOP
A Butcher Shoppe & A Bit More
772.794.0040
abutchershoppeandabitmore.com

CANDY/ CONFECTIONARY
Bruno’s Chocolate
772.466.4222
choctc.com

CAR WASH

Wash-N-Go Express Car Wash
washngopsl.com

CASINOS
Seminole Brighton Casino
800.360.9875 seminolebrightoncasino.com

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE
St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce
772.595.9999
stluciechamber.org

CITRUS/PRODUCE
Nelson Family Farms
772.464.2100
nelsonfamilyfarms.com

CREDIT UNION
MidFlorida Credit Union
866.913.3733
midflorida.com

DENTIST
All Smiles Dentistry
772.335.3088
allsmilesfamilydentist.com

DIVE & WATERSPORTS
Deep Six
772.562.2883
deepsix.com

EDUCATION
Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute
fau.edu/hboi

Indian River State College
866.792.4772
irsc.edu

EYEWEAR/OPTICAL CARE
C.R. Lait
772.465.6616
crlaitoptical.com

Taylor Creek Optical
772.468.0008
taylorcreekoptical.com

FARM
Adams Ranch
772.579.9962
adamsranch.com

FURNITURE
Danish Furniture Inc.
772.464.5713
danishfurniturestore.com

Mattress Market
772.562.6007
772.217.2877
mymattressmarket.com

Sunshine Furniture
772.569.0460
sunshinefurniturecasual.com

GOLF
Indian Hills Golf
772.465.8110
indianhillsftpierce.com

Savanna Club
772.879.1316
Savannaclubhoa.com

GOLF CARTS
Champion Golf Carts
772.283.1107
championgolfcart.com

Total Golf Cart
772.778.0468
totalgolfcart.com

GOVERNMENT/MUNICIPALITIES
Saint Lucie County Property Appraiser
772.462.1000
paslc.org

GRILL CLEANING
Florida Native Grill Cleaning

772.285.2726
floridanativegrill.com

HEALTH CARE/HOME CARE
A Moment’s Notice Healthcare
772.978.9092
amnhc.com

Indian River Home Care
772.569.3885
772.492.6120
indianriverhomecare.com

HOME IMPROVEMENT
Artistic Closets
772.692.8447
artisticlosests.com

McMow Art Glass
561.585.9011
mcmow.com

HOSPITALS
Cleveland Clinic Martin Health System
772.345.8100
martinhealth.org

Sebastian River Medical Center
772.581.8003
sebastianrivermedical.org

INDEPENDENT/ASSISTED LIVING
Harbor Place of Port St. Lucie
772.337.4330
ptstlucieharborplace.com

The Palms of St. Lucie West
772.344.7441
thepalmsofstluciewest.com

INSURANCE
Geico Insurance - Maggie Deng
772.400.6680
geico.com/vero-beach-deng

McCall Insurance
772.562.4477
mccallagencyinc.com

Post Insurance
772.878.8184
InsureWithPost.com


State Farm/Bill Knight
772.461.7900
billknightinsurance.com

INTERIOR DESIGN/FURNISHINGS
Decor Envy
772.492.6518
shopdecorenvy.com

H. Allen Holmes, Inc.
772.245.8586
hallenholmesinc.com

Karen Kane Interiors
772.465.2574
kkaneinteriors.com

JEWELRY
Diamonds by Terry
772.781.1133
diamondsbyterry.com

St. Lucie Jewelry and Coins
772.336.2050
772.337.4700
stluciejewelryandcoins.com

LAW OFFICES
Fee, Yates, & Fee, P.L.
772.461.5020
feeyateslaw.com

Florida Personal Injury Law Team
772.302.2700
tomslawteam.com

Rossway Swan
772.231.4440
321.984.2700
RosswaySwan.com

LUMBER & HARDWARE
East Coast Lumber
772.461.5950
eastcoastlumber.com

MEDICAL
Ocean Chiropractic & Health Center
772.460.9000
oceanchiropracticandhealth.com

Orthopaedic Center of Vero Beach
772.778.2009
orthocentervb.com

South Florida Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine
772.288.2400
SouthFlaOrtho.com

MENTAL HEALTH
Mental Health Association Indian River
772.569.9788
mhairc.org

MUNICIPALITIES
City of Fort Pierce
772.467.3000
Cityoffortpierce.com

City of Port St. Lucie
772.871.5225
cityofpsl.com

NONPROFITS
Children’s Services Council of St. Lucie County
772.408.1100
cscslc.org

Family Meals
772.210.0900
familymealsinc.org

Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Foundation
772.466.9876
hboifoundation.org

Project Lifesaver
772.466.1271
projectlifesaver.org

Treasure Coast Food Bank
stophunger.org

Treasure Coast Hospice
772.403.4500
treasurehealth.org

OPHTHALMOLOGY
New Vision Eye Center
772.257.8700
newvisioneyecenter.com
cataractsurgeryverobeach.com

PERFORMING ARTS
Sunrise Theatre
772.461.4775
sunrisetheatre.com

Vero Beach Theatre Guild
772.562.8300
verobeachtheatreguild.com

PET STORE
The Noble Paw
772.348.0800
thenoblepaw.com

PET SUPPLIES
Pet Supplies Plus
772.873.8170
petsuppliesplus.com

PLASTIC SURGERY
Ocean Drive Plastic Surgery
772.234.3700
oceandriveplasicsurgery.com

RADIO
WQCS
888.286.8936
wqcs.org

REAL ESTATE
ABC Realty 772465.5100 ABCRealtyFortPierceFL.com

Branca Realty Professionals
772.882.9583
brancarealty.com

John’s Island Real Estate Co.
772.231.0900
johnsislandrealestate.com

Keller Williams/AnnMarie Napolitano
Cell: 954.675.2804
Office: 772.236.5700
napolitano.homesandland.com

Keller Williams Realty at Port St. Lucie
561.379.6875
561.779.0309
teambroomfield.kw.com

Mark Walters & Company
772.468.8306
WaltersCo.com

Oceanside Realty Partners
772.418.4420
oceansiderealtypartners

RESTAURANTS
Casey’s Place
772.231.4790
caseysplace.net

Crabby's Dockside
772.252.5672
crabbysdocksideftpierce.com

Ocean Grill
772.231.5409
ocean-grill.com

Sharkys
772.466.2757

ROOFING
EP6 Group
772.332.9100
ep6group.com

SENIOR CARE
Oasis Senior Advisors
772.600.8204
oasisssenioradvisors.com/treasure-coast

SHOPPING
Best Value Jewelry & Pawn
772.467.1199
772.340.2424
bestvaluepawn.net

Kemp’s
772.221.9973
kempsshoesalon.com

Top Drawer Boutique
772.287.2845
topdrawerfl.com

STONE WORK & GRANITE
Real Stone & Granite
772.489.9964
realstoneandgranite.com

SHUTTERS/WINDOW TREATMENTS
Florida Shutters Inc.
772.569.2200
floridashuttersinc.com

Impact Experts
772.285.9342
impactglassexperts.com

WEDDING/VENUES
The Crane Club
772.200.2662
craneclubattesoro.com


ADVERTISING AGENCIES
Adams Media Group
772.492.6570
adamsmediagroup.com

Idea Garden
772.778.2832
ideaga.com

Nicolace Marketing, Inc.
772.299.4889

Pathos 561.688.2880
wearepathos.com
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Dec. 1, 2022|

Treasure Coast Business News Nov. 22 2022

*|MC:SUBJECT|*

Comcast opens Xfinity store in Port St. Lucie

Comcast announced the opening of a new Xfinity Store in Port St. Lucie. The store is designed entirely around the needs of Comcast customers, allowing them to experience the latest Xfinity services firsthand, plus handle account-related tasks like signing up for new services or exchanging equipment...Read More>>

 

'Tis the season to share good news with thousands of regular readers and customers

We know good things are happening with your business, and wouldn't it be nice to share that good news with customers, other businesses, residents, and visitors to the Treasure Coast? You can do that with just a simple press release or email to us at [email protected]

$60,000 gift to Martin Health Foundation to fund glioblastoma research

Cleveland Clinic’s Martin Health Foundation recently received a $60,000 gift from proceeds raised during the third annual Lenny Schelin, Jr. Memorial Fishing Tournament. Family and friends of Lenny Schelin, Jr. presented the gift, which will continue to help support research into glioblastoma, an aggressive form of malignant brain tumor. Schelin Jr. passed away in 2018 at the age of 33 from glioblastoma. An avid fisherman, The Lenny Schelin Jr. Memorial Tournament helps keep his legacy alive... Read More>>

 Florida Department of Economic Opportunity activates Business Damage Assessment Survey

 

The Florida Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO) announced the activation of the Business Damage Assessment Survey to gauge the impact of Hurricane Nicole on Florida businesses. Survey responses will assist the state in expediting recovery efforts by providing data on the needs of affected businesses... Read More>>

Ribbon cutting at House of Leafs Cigar Lounge

On Nov. 30 at 9 a.m., join members of the St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce for a ribbon cutting ceremony at House of Leafs By Groovy Cigar Lounge. The ribbon cutting will take place at 5190-5192 Turnpike Feeder Road in Fort Pierce and is open to the public. For information, call 772.242.1668. 

Advertise
Do you have
news to report?
If you have news to report about your business contact
Wendy Dwyer at [email protected]
To subscribe to our publications,
click here.
Facebook Facebook
Website Website
Twitter Twitter

Thank you for supporting these Treasure Coast Business magazine advertisers

ART DEALER & FRAMING
Frank’s Hang Up
772.567.7692
frankshangup.com

AUTOMOTIVE
St. Lucie Battery & Tire
800.432.1064
slbt.com

BANKING
Bank of America
bankofamerica.com/about

SouthState Bank
800.277.2175
SouthStateBank.com

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Black Business Investment Fund
407.649.4780
BBIF.COM

Department of Services 888.490.0009 departmentofservices.com

Economic Development Council of St. Lucie County
772.336.6250
youredc.com

Pharus Group, LLC
772.223.3344
pharusglobal.com

Treasure Coast Manufacturers Association
772.336.6250
tcmamfg.com

CUSTOM CLOSETS/CABINETRY
Artistic Closets
772.692.8447
artisticlosests.com

GOLF CARTS
Champion Golf Carts
772.283.1107
championgolfcart.com

Total Golf Cart
772.778.0468
totalgolfcart.com

GOVERNMENT
Clerk of the Circuit Court - St. Lucie County
772.462.6900
stlucieclerk.com

Saint Lucie County Property Appraiser
772.462.1000
paslc.org

HEALTHCARE/HOSPICE CARE
Treasure Coast Hospice
772.403.4500
treasurehealth.org

INDEPENDENT/ASSISTED LIVING
Harbor Place of Port St. Lucie
772.337.4330
ptstlucieharborplace.com

INSURANCE/FINANCES
Post Insurance
772.878.8184
InsureWithPost.com

State Farm/Bill Knight
772.461.7900
billknightinsurance.com

LAW OFFICES
Fee, Yates, & Fee, P.L.
772.461.5020
feeyateslaw.com

NONPROFIT
Treasure Coast Food Bank
stophunger.org

PRINTING/SIGNS
Fast Signs of Vero Beach
772.774.7554
fastsigns.com/2222

RADIO
WQCS
888.286.8936
wqcs.org

REAL ESTATE
Branca Realty Professionals
772.882.9583
brancarealty.com

Oceanside Realty Partners
772.418.4420
oceansiderealtypartners

ROOFING
EP6 Group
772.332.9100
ep6group.com

STONE WORK & GRANITE
Real Stone & Granite
772.489.9964
realstoneandgranite.com

TRAILERS/WELDING/FABRICATION
Meltra Boat Trailer Sales
772.461.1193
meltratrailer.com



Thank you for supporting these Indian River Magazine and Port St. Lucie Magazine advertisers

AIR CONDITIONING
Miller's Central Air
772.785.8080
millerscentralair.com

Sea Coast Air

772.466.2400
seacoastair.com

AIRPORTS/AVIATION
Palm Beach International Airport
561.471.7400
pbia.org

ART DEALER & FRAMING
Frank’s Hang Up
772.567.7692
frankshangup.com

ART GALLERIES/ARTISTS/
FRAMING

A.E. Backus Museum
772.465.0630
backusmuseum.com

Florida Art Exchange
772.349.2632
FloridaArtExchange.com

Vero Beach Museum of Art
772.231.0707
vbmuseum.org

ATTRACTIONS
Elliott Museum
772.225.1961
hsmc-fl.com/elliott-museum/

MidFlorida Event Center
midfloridaeventcenter.com

Okeechobee County Tourist Development Council
863.763.3959
visitokeechobeecounty.com

St. Lucie Regional History Center
772.462.1795
stlucieco.gov/about/st-lucie-county-history

AUTO DEALERS
Bev Smith Automotive Group
772.464.8440
bevsmithtoyota.com

Infiniti of Melbourne
321.316.6894
infinitiofmelbourne.com

AUTOMOTIVE
St. Lucie Battery & Tire
800.432.1064
slbt.com

BANKING
SouthState Bank
800.277.2175
SouthStateBank.com

BEVERAGES
Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Co.
800.FRESHHH
oijc.com

BUILDERS
GHO Homes
772.532.3630
ghohomes.com

BUTCHER SHOP
A Butcher Shoppe & A Bit More
772.794.0040
abutchershoppeandabitmore.com

CANDY/ CONFECTIONARY
Bruno’s Chocolate
772.466.4222
choctc.com

CAR WASH

Wash-N-Go Express Car Wash
washngopsl.com

CASINOS
Seminole Brighton Casino
800.360.9875 seminolebrightoncasino.com

CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE
St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce
772.595.9999
stluciechamber.org

CITRUS/PRODUCE
Nelson Family Farms
772.464.2100
nelsonfamilyfarms.com

CREDIT UNION
MidFlorida Credit Union
866.913.3733
midflorida.com

DENTIST
All Smiles Dentistry
772.335.3088
allsmilesfamilydentist.com

DIVE & WATERSPORTS
Deep Six
772.562.2883
deepsix.com

EDUCATION
Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute
fau.edu/hboi

Indian River State College
866.792.4772
irsc.edu

EYEWEAR/OPTICAL CARE
C.R. Lait
772.465.6616
crlaitoptical.com

Taylor Creek Optical
772.468.0008
taylorcreekoptical.com

FARM
Adams Ranch
772.579.9962
adamsranch.com

FURNITURE
Danish Furniture Inc.
772.464.5713
danishfurniturestore.com

Mattress Market
772.562.6007
772.217.2877
mymattressmarket.com

Sunshine Furniture
772.569.0460
sunshinefurniturecasual.com

GOLF
Indian Hills Golf
772.465.8110
indianhillsftpierce.com

Savanna Club
772.879.1316
Savannaclubhoa.com

GOLF CARTS
Champion Golf Carts
772.283.1107
championgolfcart.com

Total Golf Cart
772.778.0468
totalgolfcart.com

GOVERNMENT/MUNICIPALITIES
Saint Lucie County Property Appraiser
772.462.1000
paslc.org

GRILL CLEANING
Florida Native Grill Cleaning

772.285.2726
floridanativegrill.com

HEALTH CARE/HOME CARE
A Moment’s Notice Healthcare
772.978.9092
amnhc.com

Indian River Home Care
772.569.3885
772.492.6120
indianriverhomecare.com

HOME IMPROVEMENT
Artistic Closets
772.692.8447
artisticlosests.com

McMow Art Glass
561.585.9011
mcmow.com

HOSPITALS
Cleveland Clinic Martin Health System
772.345.8100
martinhealth.org

Sebastian River Medical Center
772.581.8003
sebastianrivermedical.org

INDEPENDENT/ASSISTED LIVING
Harbor Place of Port St. Lucie
772.337.4330
ptstlucieharborplace.com

The Palms of St. Lucie West
772.344.7441
thepalmsofstluciewest.com

INSURANCE
Geico Insurance - Maggie Deng
772.400.6680
geico.com/vero-beach-deng

McCall Insurance
772.562.4477
mccallagencyinc.com

Post Insurance
772.878.8184
InsureWithPost.com


State Farm/Bill Knight
772.461.7900
billknightinsurance.com

INTERIOR DESIGN/FURNISHINGS
Decor Envy
772.492.6518
shopdecorenvy.com

H. Allen Holmes, Inc.
772.245.8586
hallenholmesinc.com

Karen Kane Interiors
772.465.2574
kkaneinteriors.com

JEWELRY
Diamonds by Terry
772.781.1133
diamondsbyterry.com

St. Lucie Jewelry and Coins
772.336.2050
772.337.4700
stluciejewelryandcoins.com

LAW OFFICES
Fee, Yates, & Fee, P.L.
772.461.5020
feeyateslaw.com

Florida Personal Injury Law Team
772.302.2700
tomslawteam.com

Rossway Swan
772.231.4440
321.984.2700
RosswaySwan.com

LUMBER & HARDWARE
East Coast Lumber
772.461.5950
eastcoastlumber.com

MEDICAL
Ocean Chiropractic & Health Center
772.460.9000
oceanchiropracticandhealth.com

Orthopaedic Center of Vero Beach
772.778.2009
orthocentervb.com

South Florida Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine
772.288.2400
SouthFlaOrtho.com

MENTAL HEALTH
Mental Health Association Indian River
772.569.9788
mhairc.org

MUNICIPALITIES
City of Fort Pierce
772.467.3000
Cityoffortpierce.com

City of Port St. Lucie
772.871.5225
cityofpsl.com

NONPROFITS
Children’s Services Council of St. Lucie County
772.408.1100
cscslc.org

Family Meals
772.210.0900
familymealsinc.org

Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Foundation
772.466.9876
hboifoundation.org

Project Lifesaver
772.466.1271
projectlifesaver.org

Treasure Coast Food Bank
stophunger.org

Treasure Coast Hospice
772.403.4500
treasurehealth.org

OPHTHALMOLOGY
New Vision Eye Center
772.257.8700
newvisioneyecenter.com
cataractsurgeryverobeach.com

PERFORMING ARTS
Sunrise Theatre
772.461.4775
sunrisetheatre.com

Vero Beach Theatre Guild
772.562.8300
verobeachtheatreguild.com

PET STORE
The Noble Paw
772.348.0800
thenoblepaw.com

PET SUPPLIES
Pet Supplies Plus
772.873.8170
petsuppliesplus.com

PLASTIC SURGERY
Ocean Drive Plastic Surgery
772.234.3700
oceandriveplasicsurgery.com

RADIO
WQCS
888.286.8936
wqcs.org

REAL ESTATE
ABC Realty 772465.5100 ABCRealtyFortPierceFL.com

Branca Realty Professionals
772.882.9583
brancarealty.com

John’s Island Real Estate Co.
772.231.0900
johnsislandrealestate.com

Keller Williams/AnnMarie Napolitano
Cell: 954.675.2804
Office: 772.236.5700
napolitano.homesandland.com

Keller Williams Realty at Port St. Lucie
561.379.6875
561.779.0309
teambroomfield.kw.com

Mark Walters & Company
772.468.8306
WaltersCo.com

Oceanside Realty Partners
772.418.4420
oceansiderealtypartners

RESTAURANTS
Casey’s Place
772.231.4790
caseysplace.net

Crabby's Dockside
772.252.5672
crabbysdocksideftpierce.com

Ocean Grill
772.231.5409
ocean-grill.com

Sharkys
772.466.2757

ROOFING
EP6 Group
772.332.9100
ep6group.com

SENIOR CARE
Oasis Senior Advisors
772.600.8204
oasisssenioradvisors.com/treasure-coast

SHOPPING
Best Value Jewelry & Pawn
772.467.1199
772.340.2424
bestvaluepawn.net

Kemp’s
772.221.9973
kempsshoesalon.com

Top Drawer Boutique
772.287.2845
topdrawerfl.com

STONE WORK & GRANITE
Real Stone & Granite
772.489.9964
realstoneandgranite.com

SHUTTERS/WINDOW TREATMENTS
Florida Shutters Inc.
772.569.2200
floridashuttersinc.com

Impact Experts
772.285.9342
impactglassexperts.com

WEDDING/VENUES
The Crane Club
772.200.2662
craneclubattesoro.com


ADVERTISING AGENCIES
Adams Media Group
772.492.6570
adamsmediagroup.com

Idea Garden
772.778.2832
ideaga.com

Nicolace Marketing, Inc.
772.299.4889

Pathos 561.688.2880
wearepathos.com
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Dec. 1, 2022|

Florida Power & Light donates $50,000 to support Florida SBDC disaster recovery efforts

FPL donates $50,000 to support Florida SBDC disaster recovery efforts

 

 

The Florida SBDC Network, the state’s principal provider of small business assistance, is committed to ensuring that small business owners impacted by Hurricane Ian receive the resources and assistance they need to rebuild and recover. The network is pleased to announce that Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) has provided the Florida SBDC with $50,000 to support the network’s continued efforts to help small businesses impacted by the storm.

“Since Ian first impacted our state, our network has been hard at work helping small businesses access the resources they need to rebuild and reopen,” said Greg Britton, state director of the Florida SBDC Network. “We are so appreciative of FPL’s support and their commitment to small businesses. It is through their generous support that we are able to continue to do the important work we do to help businesses recover.”

Hurricane Ian made landfall in Southwest Florida as one of the strongest hurricanes to hit the United States. The powerful storm has caused widespread damage to small business owners across the state.

The Florida SBDC Network serves as part of the state’s Emergency Support Function (ESF-18) for Business and Industry. In this role, the network plays an integral role following a disaster in helping coordinate recovery efforts and helping small business owners apply for disaster assistance.

In partnership with the SBA, state, and local partners, the network has opened and staffed Business Recovery Centers (BRCs) in hard-hit communities where impacted business owners can come for in-person assistance in understanding and applying for state and federal disaster loans. The Florida SBDC has also deployed its fleet of mobile assistance centers (MACs) - a fleet of recovery vehicles - into communities to establish BRCs where physical facilities are not easily available. MACs have been on the ground in the impacted area since immediately after the storm. These mobile units have brought support to eleven counties, helping to facilitate over 2,100 hours of service provided to impacted business owners through consulting at mobile and fixed site business recovery centers.

Florida Power & Light Company’s donation enables the network to extend its MAC and staff deployment in the field to support long-term recovery efforts, ensuring small business owners have access to critical resources

“I believe Florida’s SBDC is the best small business support network in the country,” said Pamela Rauch, vice president of external affairs and economic development for FPL. “They have been on the ground for more than a month in those areas hardest hit by Hurricane Ian and we’re happy to help them extend that support. Small businesses are the foundation of Florida’s economy and getting them back on their feet is critical to rebuilding not just the regions affected by the storm but the entire state.”

FPL’s Office of Economic Development works to attract new and expanding companies and capital investment to the state by providing Infrastructure assessments, energy rate quotes, information on energy efficiency programs and more. FPL also provides a small business tool to help companies identify and map potential customers and suppliers, and map demographics, labor force and consumer expenditure data. 

For more information on how the network is helping small businesses recover from Hurricane Ian, please visit www.FloridaSBDC.org/disaster.

 

About the Florida SBDC Network:

For more than 45 years, the Florida SBDC Network, the state’s principal provider of business assistance [Fl. Stat. 288.001], has nourished a statewide partnership between higher education and economic development to provide existing and emerging small and medium-sized business owners with management and knowledge resources that enable overall growth, increased profitability, and economic prosperity for Florida’s economy. In 2021, the Florida SBDC Network delivered more than 157,000 hours of consulting to more than 18,000 small business clients – resulting in business owners securing over half a billion in capital, securing more than $380 million in government contracts, impacting 28,930 jobs, increasing sales by over $4 billion, and creating 778 new businesses.

With over 40 offices statewide, the Florida SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Department of Defense, State of Florida and other private and public partners. The Florida SBDC Network, headquartered at the University of West Florida, is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs and is a recipient of the President’s E Award for Export Service. Florida SBDC services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Language assistance services are available for individuals with limited English proficiency. For more information, please visit www.FloridaSBDC.org.

 

 

Treasure Coast Business is a news service and magazine published in print, via e-newsletter and online at tcbusiness.com by Indian River Media Group. For more information or to report news email [email protected]

Nov. 25, 2022|

Florida SBDC IRSC teaches how to become a bankable business

Florida SBDC IRSC teaches how to become a bankable business

 

 

The Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Indian River State College (IRSC) in collaboration with the Florida Bankers Association will conduct and host the How to Become a Bankable Business seminar.  The event will take place on the IRSC Massey Campus Kight Center For Emerging Technologies in Fort Pierce on Friday, Oct. 21, 2022 from 8:00 to 11:00 a.m.

Capital is critical for entrepreneurs as they launch and grow their businesses. A regionally healthy small business community is essential for sustainable economic development and neighborhood revitalization. Entrepreneurs need access to capital, networks and guidance as they grow. Access to capital supports the region’s recruitment of new business ventures, while also providing existing operators the environment to expand operations, which creates new employment opportunities. Frequently, worthwhile projects with great economic potential never move beyond the planning stage due to the inability to access needed capital.

In this seminar business owners will learn from the top banks in the community, get questions answered from real local lenders, and network with other business owners, bankers, and more.

There is no cost to attend, all interested can register via: https://form.jotform.com/222795410943156

Sponsors and speakers for this event include Marine Bank & Trust, PNC Bank, and SouthState Bank. Refreshments and networking opportunities will be available.

Hosted by Indian River State College, the Florida SBDC at IRSC provides aspiring and existing small businesses in Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, and Okeechobee counties with no-cost consulting, low-cost training, and access to business data and research resources.

To learn more about this event or the FSBDC at IRSC please call (772) 336-6285, or email [email protected]

 

About the Florida SBDC Network:

For over forty years, the Florida SBDC Network, the state’s principal provider of business assistance [Fl. Stat. 288.001], has nourished a statewide partnership between higher education and economic development to provide existing and emerging small and medium-sized business owners with management and knowledge resources that enable overall growth, increased profitability, and economic prosperity for Florida’s economy.

In 2019, Florida SBDCs provided 114,064 hours of professional business consulting to 12,535 client businesses, resulting in 37,966 jobs impacted; $4.4 billion in sales generated; $496.5 million in government contracts acquired; and $255.3 million in capital accessed; and 453 new businesses started.  With over 40 offices statewide, the Florida SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Defense Logistics Agency, State of Florida and other private and public partners. The Florida SBDC Network, headquartered at the University of West Florida, is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs and is a recipient of the President’s E Award for Export Service. Florida SBDC services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Language assistance services are available for individuals with limited English proficiency. For more information, please visit www.FloridaSBDC.org.

 

 

 

 

Treasure Coast Business is a news service and magazine published in print, via e-newsletter and online at tcbusiness.com by Indian River Media Group. For more information or to report news email [email protected]
Oct. 10, 2022|

SBA adds central and north Florida counties to disaster declaration for Hurricane Ian

SBA adds central and north Florida counties to disaster declaration for Hurricane Ian

 

 

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the addition of several Florida counties to the disaster declaration for Hurricane Ian that began Sept. 23. This expands eligibility for more businesses and residents to apply for SBA’s low-interest disaster loan program. The SBA is opening a second and third Business Recovery Center, in Bonita Springs on Wednesday and in Naples on Thursday, to provide one-on-one assistance to those applying for a disaster loan.

The disaster declaration now covers Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Flagler, Hardee, Highlands, Hillsborough, Lake, Lee, Manatee, Orange, Osceola, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam, Saint Johns, Sarasota, Seminole and Volusia counties in Florida, which are eligible for both Physical and Economic Injury Disaster Loans from the SBA. Small businesses and most private nonprofit organizations in the following adjacent counties are eligible to apply only for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs): Alachua, Bradford, Brevard, Broward, Clay, Duval, Glades, Hendry, Indian River, Marion, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Pasco and Sumter in Florida.

SBA’s Lee County Business Recovery Center (BRC) will open at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 5 at The Hub at SWFL, Inc. in Bonita Springs. The Collier County BRC will begin operation at 11 a.m. Thursday at The Naples Players in Naples. All BRCs will remain open as indicated below until further notice:

 

 

SBA Customer Service Representatives will be available as indicated above to answer questions about the disaster loan program and assist business owners in completing their applications. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the SBA has established protocols to help protect the health and safety of the public. All visitors to the BRCs are encouraged to wear a face mask.

Businesses and private nonprofit organizations of any size may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets.
For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations, the SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic Injury Disaster Loan assistance is available regardless of whether the business suffered any physical property damage.

Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace disaster-damaged or destroyed personal property.
Building back smarter and stronger can be an effective recovery tool for future disasters. Applicants may be eligible for a loan amount increase of up to 20 percent of their physical damages, as verified by the SBA, for mitigation purposes. Eligible mitigation improvements may include a safe room or storm shelter, sump pump, elevation, retaining walls, and landscaping to help protect property and occupants from future damage caused by a similar disaster.

Interest rates are as low as 3.04 for businesses, 1.875 percent for nonprofit organizations, and 2.188 percent for homeowners and renters, with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by the SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

Applicants may apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via SBA’s secure website at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/ela/s/ and should apply under SBA declaration # 17644.

To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, applicants should register online at DisasterAssistance.gov or download the FEMA mobile app. If online or mobile access is unavailable, applicants should call the FEMA toll-free helpline at 800-621-3362. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services should call 800-621-3362.

Disaster loan information and application forms can also be obtained by calling the SBA’s Customer Service Center at 800-659-2955 (if you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services) or sending an email to [email protected]. Loan applications can also be downloaded from sba.gov/disaster. Completed applications should be mailed to: U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX 76155.

The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is Nov. 28, 2022. The deadline to return economic injury applications is June 29, 2023.

 

About the U.S. Small Business Administration

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps power the American dream of business ownership. As the only go-to resource and voice for small businesses backed by the strength of the federal government, the SBA empowers entrepreneurs and small business owners with the resources and support they need to start, grow or expand their businesses, or recover from a declared disaster. It delivers services through an extensive network of SBA field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations. To learn more, visit www.sba.gov.

 

 

Treasure Coast Business is a news service and magazine published in print, via e-newsletter and online at tcbusiness.com by Indian River Media Group. For more information or to report news email [email protected]
Oct. 10, 2022|

Sunshine Kitchen partners with Florida Small Business Development Center at IRSC

Sunshine Kitchen partners with Florida Small Business Development Center at IRSC

 

Florida's Small Business Development Center

 

The National Restaurant Association estimates that one in three restaurants won’t survive their first year in business. To combat that static, St. Lucie County’s Sunshine Kitchen is partnering with Indian River State College’s Small Business Development Center to provide free consultation to clients at the kitchen.

Starting in October, the Small Business Development Center will have a full-time consultant located at the Sunshine Kitchen to provide advice and direction to small business owners and would-be entrepreneurs on topics such as creating marketing plans, developing new clients and navigating local, state and federal regulations. The consultant will also present group training programs on a variety of business-related topics that meet the needs of local businesses as well as conducting outreach activities to local trade groups and associations.

Located at 7550 Pruitt Research Center Road in Fort Pierce, the Sunshine Kitchen is a 10,000-square-foot commercial kitchen facility designed to offer culinary entrepreneurs the space to grow their business. For more information, visit: www.sunshinekitchenslc.com.

 

About the FSBDC at IRSC

The Florida Small Business Development Center (FSBDC) at Indian River State College (IRSC) is a part of the Florida SBDC Network.

The Florida SBDC Network provides tools, training, and resources to help small businesses grow and succeed. Designated as “Florida’s provider of small business assistance,” the Florida SBDC Network has more than 40 offices from Pensacola to Key West to serve the needs of Florida’s business community. Since 1976, our network of partners has helped construct a statewide ecosystem to foster the spirit, support, and success of hundreds of thousands of entrepreneurs and innovators.

The Florida SBDC Network is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Defense Logistics Agency, State of Florida, and other private and public partners, with the University of West Florida serving as the Network’s designated lead host institution. The Florida SBDC Network is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs.

Ready to get your business started on the path to success? Contact your local Florida Small Business Development Center at IRSC!
[email protected] | (772) 336-6285 | www.irscbiz.com

 

 

Treasure Coast Business is a news service and magazine published in print, via e-newsletter and online at tcbusiness.com by Indian River Media Group. For more information or to report news email [email protected]
Sep. 9, 2022|

Inaugural Treasure Coast Women Who Rock awards

Inaugural Treasure Coast Women Who Rock awards

To be held Oct. 11th & 13th  in celebration of National Women’s Small Business Month

 

 

The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Indian River State College (IRSC) has partnered with weVENTURE Women’s Business Center (WBC) at Florida Tech’s Bisk College of Business and presenting sponsor PNC Bank to host the Inaugural Women Who Rock Awards of the Treasure Coast on Oct. 11th and 13th in honor of National Woman’s Small Business Month. 

“The Florida SBDC at Indian River State College is excited to partner with weVENTURE Women’s Business Center to elevate the profile of successful women in business and recognize the economic impact they have on our community,” said Katherine Culhane Associate Director of the SBDC at IRSC. 

The community is encouraged to nominate women who live or work in Indian River, St. Lucie or Martin CountiesNominees who reside in Indian River and St. Lucie Counties will be celebrated Tuesday, Oct. 11th, 2022, at the Indian River State College, Mueller Campus, 6155 College Lane, Vero Beach, FL  32966.  Nominees from Martin County will be recognized Thursday, Oct. 13th, 2022, at the Indian River State College Chastain Campus, 2400 S.E. Salerno Road, Stuart, FL 34997.  Both events are luncheons, taking place 11:00am-1:00pm.  

Kathryn Rudloff, Executive Director of weVENTURE WBC notes that her organization has hosted the Women Who Rock Awards in Brevard County for the last 14 years. “We are so excited to partner with the SBDC and PNC Bank to bring this popular event to the Treasure Coast,“ Rudloff stated.  

The 2022 Women Who Rock Awards categories are:

  • Small Business Owner of the Year, Presented by PNC Bank
  • Executive of the Year, Presented by Bank of America
  • Excellence in Mentorship, Presented by SBDC at IRSC
  • Women Trending in Tech, Presented by weVENTURE WBC
  • Excellence in Caregiving

The nomination period will be open until September 9th.  After evaluating nominations to ensure they meet the award criteria, finalists from each category will be announced and celebrated in promotions during the weeks leading up to the event. One outstanding nominee from each category will be recognized as a 2022 recipient of the Women Who Rock Awards.  For more information call (321) 674-7007 or to submit your nomination, send correspondence to [email protected]

Sponsorships are available for both events and include tickets to the event.  Tickets to attend either luncheon are $50 and are available for purchase online.  All proceeds benefit weVENTURE WBC and SBDC community programing. Please visit https://weventure.fit.edu/events/women-who-rock-awards/

 

About weVENTURE WBC

weVENTURE Women’s Business Center (WBC) was launched in 2007 at Florida Tech, accelerates growth for entrepreneurs by providing customized coaching, business education, mentorship and networking programs. weVENTURE WBC also strives to be the leading voice and resource for professional women across all industries, providing leadership development and purposeful networking events for women on the Space and Treasure Coasts. weVENTURE WBC is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration. For more information, or to register for weVENTURE WBC courses and mentorship programs, visit https://weventure.fit.edu/ or call 321-674-7007.

About Florida Institute of Technology

Florida Tech was founded in 1958 at the dawn of the Space Race that would soon define the Atlantic coast of Florida and captivate the nation. Now the premier private technological university in the Southeast, Florida Tech is a Tier 1 Best National University in U.S. News & World Report and one of just nine schools in Florida lauded by the Fiske Guide to Colleges. Florida Tech is ranked among the top 5 percent of 20,000 degree-granting institutions worldwide in the 2020-21 World University Rankings and has been named a Top College and Best Value University for 2019 by Forbes. Florida Tech offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in aeronautics and aviation, engineering, computing and cybersecurity, business, science and mathematics, psychology, education and communication. Learn more about our relentless pursuit of greatness at floridatech.edu

About the Florida SBDC Network: 

For over forty years, the Florida SBDC Network, the state’s principal provider of business assistance [Fl. Stat. 288.001], has nourished a statewide partnership between higher education and economic development to provide existing and emerging small and medium-sized business owners with management and knowledge resources that enable overall growth, increased profitability, and economic prosperity for Florida’s economy.

In 2019, Florida SBDCs provided 114,064 hours of professional business consulting to 12,535 client businesses, resulting in 37,966 jobs impacted; $4.4 billion in sales generated; $496.5 million in government contracts acquired; and $255.3 million in capital accessed; and 453 new businesses started. With over 40 offices statewide, the Florida SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Defense Logistics Agency, State of Florida and other private and public partners. The Florida SBDC Network, headquartered at the University of West Florida, is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs and is a recipient of the President’s E Award for Export Service. Florida SBDC services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Language assistance services are available for individuals with limited English proficiency. For more information, please visit www.FloridaSBDC.org.

About PNC Bank

PNC Bank, National Association, is a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE: PNC). PNC is one of the largest diversified financial services institutions in the United States, organized around its customers and communities for strong relationships and local delivery of retail and business banking including a full range of lending products; specialized services for corporations and government entities, including corporate banking, real estate finance and asset-based lending; wealth management and asset management. For information about PNC, visit www.pnc.com.

 

Treasure Coast Business is a news service and magazine published in print, via e-newsletter and online at tcbusiness.com by Indian River Media Group. For more information or to report news email [email protected]

 

Aug. 12, 2022|

FSBDC Admin and IRSC graduate wins statewide award

FSBDC Admin and IRSC graduate wins statewide award

 

Katie Muldoon

Katie Muldoon serves the community and Indian River State College as the Marketing Specialist for the Florida SBDC at IRSC.

Katie Muldoon, who serves as the Administrative & Outreach Specialist for the Florida SBDC at Indian River State College (SBDC), has been named the Florida SBDC Network 2022 Rising Star. This annual statewide SBDC award recognizes a young professional in the network for their outstanding talent, exceptional achievement, and the marked difference they have made to their center, the network and community during the year.

“From her first day as the Marketing Specialist with the Florida SBDC at IRSC TEAM, Katie has accepted and taken on every task and responsibility included in the job description with a high level of professionalism and enthusiasm,” said Tom Kindred, Regional Director Florida SBDC at IRSC. “Beyond her proficiency in conducting the day-to-day work of marketing specialist Katie has also accepted additional responsibilities, including taking on a lead role with the center’s support of the 2020 COVID-19 Emergency Bridge Loan program (EBL).”

Muldoon is a graduate of the Indian River State College School of Business, earning her degree in Organizational Management. She has been employed at IRSC since 2017. Muldoon was recognized and accepted her award at the recent inaugural Florida SBDC Network’s Small Business Success Summit in Tampa Bay, Florida. The award was presented by Greg Britton, Florida SBDC Network State Director during an awards celebration, attended by over 150 conference participants and network professionals.

“I am completely humbled and overwhelmed by this recognition, thank you to my team for the nomination and recognition,” said Muldoon. “I look forward to continuing my education and a career in the small business sector.”

Muldoon’s work during the COVID-19 pandemic required her to spend countless hours managing the application process and moving EBL applications from submission to final approval. Her work was instrumental in assisting over 95 applicants receiving over $3 million in emergency funding. Following her work on the EBL program she accepted the leadership role in supporting and facilitating the center’s partnership and collaboration with local municipalities in support of their small business grant programs.

During the center’s small business pandemic support programs, she also assumed responsibility as TEAM Leader for a group of IRSC students who served as grant processors for St. Lucie County. Katie’s efforts helped hundreds of Treasure Coast businesses gain access to over $7 million in pandemic-related grants. While executing her job responsibilities for the SBDC at IRSC, Katie maintained her volunteer leadership role with Indian River State College’s DECA program.

“Going beyond the call of duty is standard operating procedure for Katie,” said Kindred.  “Each day she demonstrates a willingness to learn, serve and support the Florida SBDC Network and the regional center as we carry out the mission of providing credentialed consulting to help businesses, start, grow and succeed.”

For more information regarding the FSBDC at IRSC, please contact your local center at (772) 336-6285 or [email protected]

 

Florida's Small Business Development Center

 

About the Florida SBDC Network:

For over forty years, the Florida SBDC Network, the state’s principal provider of business assistance [Fl. Stat. 288.001], has nourished a statewide partnership between higher education and economic development to provide existing and emerging small and medium-sized business owners with management and knowledge resources that enable overall growth, increased profitability, and economic prosperity for Florida’s economy.

In 2019, Florida SBDCs provided 114,064 hours of professional business consulting to 12,535 client businesses, resulting in 37,966 jobs impacted; $4.4 billion in sales generated; $496.5 million in government contracts acquired; and $255.3 million in capital accessed; and 453 new businesses started.  With over 40 offices statewide, the Florida SBDC is funded in part by the U.S. Small Business Administration, Defense Logistics Agency, State of Florida and other private and public partners. The Florida SBDC Network, headquartered at the University of West Florida, is nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs and is a recipient of the President’s E Award for Export Service. Florida SBDC services are extended to the public on a nondiscriminatory basis. Language assistance services are available for individuals with limited English proficiency. For more information, please visit www.FloridaSBDC.org.

 

Treasure Coast Business is a news service and magazine published in print, via e-newsletter and online at tcbusiness.com by Indian River Media Group. For more information or to report news email [email protected]

 

 

Jul. 11, 2022|

Know Your Numbers: 5 Keys to Small Business Success

Know Your Numbers: 5 Keys to Small Business Success

 

 

The phrase “Know Your Numbers” typically refers to measuring your personal health by knowing your blood pressure, weight, cholesterol levels, etc. You and your doctor can use these numbers to make sure you’re healthy and identify early indicators of potential issues.

The same concept applies to your small business. Some small business owners consider their business to be a success if their bank account is growing – or at least not shrinking. But that’s the equivalent of saying you’re healthy because you feel good today. Just like for your health, there are key metrics that will help you better understand your business and uncover opportunities and potential issues.

#1: Start Simply

You do not need to become a data scientist to make sense of small business metrics. But it is easy to get overwhelmed. So start simply and build from there.

Find a performance dashboard you like, such as the one provided by your point-of-sale system. In this Best Practices for Small Business Success series, we’ll use examples from the Manage My Business app because it is specifically designed to help small business optimize their results. But use whatever you’re comfortable with.

You already know your sales numbers, so start by looking at this metric from different perspectives. For example, a "heatmap" graph is an excellent way to visualize your sales by the time of the day as well as the day of the week. In the following example, it’s easy to see the busiest day is Saturday and the slowest hour is 4-5pm on weekdays – perhaps indicating the need to close an hour earlier on weekdays.

Similarly, sales trend graphs often provide great insights, especially when viewed from different perspectives. This next example shows sales on Wednesdays are declining slightly over time, which could indicate a normal seasonal trend or a potential issue to investigate further.

The key is to start by looking at a few key metrics (like Sales and Order Size) to avoid getting overwhelmed and frustrated, and then expand from there as you become more comfortable with your data.

#2: Only Use Apples-to-Apples Comparisons

Comparing today’s results to those a month ago can be useful as long as “month” is defined as “four weeks ago”. This is because the day of the week influences sales for almost every business. So comparing April 30 (a Saturday) to March 30 (a Wednesday) is typically not useful, but comparing April 30 to April 2 (both Saturdays) can be very useful in measuring growth.

The same concept applies to holidays, where Mother’s Day is May 8 in 2022 but May 14 in 2023. Holidays that are on the same date every year (Christmas, Juneteenth, etc.) are exceptions, where it may be useful to compare the same date year-over-year.

A similar issue comes up for intraday comparisons. It doesn’t make sense to compare results as of noon today to the entire day of sales yesterday.  However, a comparison of sales as of noon today to sales as of noon yesterday can be very insightful.

Oddly enough, most dashboards do not make it easy to make apples-to-apples comparisons. The Manage My Business app is perhaps the only app available to small businesses that is built to ensure apples-to-apples comparisons – including understanding holidays, as shown in this example:

#3: Keep Everything in Context

It’s easy to misinterpret or misuse data, especially when it’s taken out of context. You know your business well, so make sure all metrics are interpreted within the context of your business.

Let's consider the first example above where 4-5pm on weekdays is the slowest hour. Perhaps this is good because it allows your employees to start pre-closing work and leave a little earlier – reducing payroll costs while still offering convenient store hours for your customers. Or perhaps it would be better to close earlier. Putting the data in context will ensure you make good data-driven decisions.

Keep external influences in mind as well. For example, COVID-19 caused Order Size to increase for many small businesses as consumers bought larger quantities to reduce the number of trips outside the home. The Order Size then declined as life slowly returned to normal. A decline in this key metric is usually a negative indicator, but this external factor explains why it might not be a cause for concern in this situation.

Similarly, a major retailer of cribs saw a sudden drop in their crib sales some years ago and didn’t know what to do. Based on data from a market research firm, they discovered crib sales were down for all retailers, not just them. This market context prevented them from making a bad business decision (heavy discounting or discontinuing crib sales). Crib sales returned to normal within the next six months.

#4: Keep Asking “Why?”

Analytics are only useful if you can identify why something happened and apply that insight to improve future performance. Understanding why crib sales dropped (an unusual, short-term drop in demand) allowed that retailer to make informed decisions about its future. Not understanding why could have led to disastrous results.

As you’re looking at your performance data, keep asking yourself why something happened – regardless of whether it was a positive or negative change. Negative results tend to draw our attention, but there’s a lot to be learned about why performance improved as well.

For example, price changes can obviously affect sales. In the graphs below, it’s not clear why cappuccino sales (as a percentage of total sales) were flat or trending slightly up after the price increase while latte sales were trending down. Perhaps one was still favorably priced compared to competitors while the other became overpriced. Digging deeper into the “why” will help determine if additional price adjustments are needed.

It's a never-ending process, but that’s part of the fun of owning a small business. It’s a series of challenges that push you to find new and innovative ways to create great products and customer experiences. Continually asking “Why?” will often identify new ways to make your small business special.

#5: Trust Your (Informed) Gut

Most small business owners don’t have a business degree, but they do have an intense passion for what they’re selling – whether it’s coffee or antiques or fashion or whatever motivated them to start their business. As a result, you are a subject matter expert for your business and will have good instincts for how to run it.

Analytics complement your expertise by providing insights that may not be obvious from just observing the day-to-day business. Going overboard with analytics is just as bad as ignoring analytics. It’s the balance between expertise, instinct and data-driven decisions that will be the key to your business’s success.

Steven Roth is the creator of the Manage My Business app and best practices guides. He is passionate about helping "mom-and-pop" stores make better data-driven decisions by making analytics accessible and actionable.
Steven has been a retail consultant for 20+ years, including several years at Google. He is an expert in retail analytics and has helped build tools and services used by millions of retailers worldwide. He currently owns two small businesses, giving him firsthand knowledge of the challenges small businesses face daily.

Next Steps

Get to know your numbers by finding a dashboard that supports your business needs. Big retailers have teams of data scientists that do this analysis, but a data-focused mindset along with your existing expertise and instincts can give your small business a big edge.

 

Florida's Small Business Development Center

 

Treasure Coast Business is a news service and magazine published in print, via e-newsletter and online at tcbusiness.com by Indian River Media Group. For more information or to report news email [email protected]

 

Jul. 7, 2022|