Success Stories

In early 2024, Rodrigo Landaverde approached the Maryland SBDC to turn his export dream into reality. Though registered in Maryland, his pre-venture business needed support with logistics, marketing, and digital strategy. The SBDC provided essential guidance that helped launch Felicita Enterprise...

When Abby Larkin, owner of Crepes in the Park, decided to part ways with the a crepes franchise and operate independently, she reached out to the Maryland Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for guidance. This decision marked a significant milestone for Abby, who had been running the Seve...

For Asrorjon “Jon” Shukurov, entrepreneurship is more than just business—it’s a mission to create opportunities for others. As an immigrant, business leader, and founder of KLEENUP, Jon saw a gap in the cleaning industry that needed innovation. His solution? A groundbreaking digital platform desi...

Sharon Wilder, founder and CEO of The Oaks Hospitality Group, has demonstrated remarkable vision and determination in the hospitality industry. Over the past four years, she has expanded her business from a successful bed and breakfast in Bethesda, Maryland, to Annapolis, where she acquired and r...

Jon Bullough, owner and craftsman of Severn View Custom Woodworks LLC, has always had a passion for woodworking. His company specializes in crafting high-quality custom cabinetry, tables, and shelves for residential and commercial clients. While his craftsmanship was top-tier, he sought to expand...

For Joshua Buxton, storytelling has always been a passion—first as a video producer in the U.S. Army and later as the owner of Buxton Media Productions. What started as a one-person operation editing wedding videos has transformed into a thriving media company with a dedicated team, a growing cli...

Tomika Robertson, owner of A Giant's Preschool, knows a thing or two about nurturing potential. Her successful Preschool has helped countless young minds blossom, and now, thanks to the Maryland Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and consultant Dr. Candace Pruett, she was able to take her p...

Schuyler “Shy” Kelly and her mother, Tiffany, turned their dream of a mobile pet grooming business into reality with help from the Maryland SBDC and Montgomery County Business Center. Guided by their consultants, they overcame funding and startup hurdles to launch Bad Mutha Fluffa Mobile Pet Groo...

Stephanie Doeler, owner of Easton's newest bakery, All in the Mix Bakeshop, can attest to the transformative power of small business support. Her journey from home-based cake baker to thriving commercial enterprise wouldn't have been possible without the guidance and expertise of the Maryland Sma...

Temeria Wilcox, CRNP, Family Nurse Practitioner and U.S. Army Veteran, founded NP Family Practice, LLC in 2019 to address the healthcare needs of underserved populations in Southern Maryland. After working for over three years at MedStar St. Mary's Primary Care, Temeria recognized a significant g...

Candace Butler, owner of Pretty Prints, Etc., crafts bespoke wedding brooms and acrylic invitations, inspired by her own wedding and the African broom-jumping tradition. Featured in major media like The New York Times, People Magazine, and Netflix’s Love is Blind, she sought Maryland SBDC’s guida...

Tobacco Barn Distillery, based in Hollywood, Maryland, has been named "America's #1 Farm Distillery" by the Heartland Whiskey Competition. Founded by Scott Sanders, Dan Dawson, and Sean Coogan, the distillery uses local resources and traditional techniques to craft p...

The Honey Bun Cake Factory, led by Anthony and Tisha McFarland in Bryans Road, MD, specializes in various honey bun cakes and offers direct sales, catering, and wholesale services. With SBDC's guidance, they overcame pandemic challenges, expanded operations, and received a $10,000 grant.

Princess Parlor Kids Spa, a Glenarden-based business dedicated to providing luxurious spa services for children, has embarked on a transformative journey that showcases the resilience, dedication, and vision of its founders. With strategic guidance from the Small Business Development Center (SBDC...

Heather Lamb, the visionary entrepreneur behind BluZone LLC, has achieved a remarkable success story by overcoming significant hurdles in launching their business with the invaluable assistance of Dr. Candace Pruett from the Maryland Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and a VOLT loan throug...

Fontana Designs is a full service interior design studio and workroom, established in 1991, that specializes in window treatments and upholstery for the DMV area. The business was the recipient of 7 awards including Workroom of the Year in 2022's VISION Design & Workroom Competition.

Date: 05/03/21
Type of Business: Graphic Design
Client Name: Lauren Hamilton, Big Mouth Creative Studio

Kera has been working with Small Business Development Center since February 2016 from the beginning stages of her business to the grand opening events. We are now focusing on the strategic marketing, growth and expansion of the business.
Kera Cherrey has grown from working as an emplo...

Emily has been working with Wynne Briscoe of the Small Business Development Center since April 2017 from the beginning stages of business planning to the grand opening of her own agency. We are focusing on the strategic marketing, growth and expansion of the business. As a long time employee i...

Rubing connected with the SBDC from an event Wynne Briscoe created called “Small Business Love Day” in February 2017. A collaborative open house style event between the St. Mary’s County Department of Economic Development and her SBDC office to connect with the local community. There he met the o...

Jessica’s first session was filled with lots of hesitation and a few tears on starting the endeavor she knew she was meant to launch. The strategic planning session gave her the clarity she needed and a process to start and grow her business. From the beginning, Jessica’s business grew rapidly wi...

Jordan Research and Development, LLC is an innovation-based company with a primary goal of creating solutions to the world’s biggest problems. These solutions are created in the form of new products, ideas and innovations. The Airzooka is the company’s most successful product to date. The Airzook...

Cut Your Food, Not Your Fingers!

Do you play sports? Are you tired of your gloves losing their grip? Well, Grip Boost understands and has a solution.

Basecamp Coffee owner Hayden needed help securing an investor, so we helped him create some financial projections that he would need to show an investor some viability.

Looking for fun and exciting bike tours on the beautiful Eastern Shore of Maryland? Look no further, Beach 2 Bay Bicycle has you covered!

Jon Felton saw an opportunity to expand his coffee shop and his offerings to his clientele. He came to the SBDC for help to secure the funding for this opportunity.

Christopher Grossnickle was an experienced restaurant worker who decided it was time to open his own business. He worked closely with the SBDC in order to get the financial help he needed to start this business and make his dream come true.

Glenne Blocher owns a tree removal and lawn care service that has relied on the advice of the SBDC for over nine years. Seeking to determine the feasibility of continuing her business, she met with one of our consultants to analyze financials to figure out her options. "He has work...

Larry Wegner started a medical equipment business to provide respiratory and other medical equipment to the general public. This venture has created some jobs for the Hagerstown community and an important service to the surrounding area.

Chuck Fry decided to start an ice cream store using the milk from his own cattle. His store features a community atmosphere with fresh ingredients from his farm. The Rocky Point Creamery officially opened for business on November 12, 2011, creating ten local jobs.

Rejuvenation, stress/pain relief and relaxation await at Ocean Elements Salt Spa & Float Center of Delmarva.

Gerrie LHeureux has been working with Wynne Briscoe of the Small Business Development Center since April 2017 from the beginning stages of business planning to the grand opening events. We are focusing on the strategic marketing, growth and expansion of the business.

It was 2002 when Deborah Taylor attended SBDC's Start Right for Success class. One week later she met with Business Consultant, Bill Hitte. Deborah came to the meeting with industry experience, a business plan including researched startup costs, a tentative location and family support. In th...

"As I entered into the program . . . I thought of Mr. Hitte's advice - and how right he was! got the experience I needed to run a spa from the ground up and acquired my aesthetician's license for the State of Maryland in May 2016. In Sept 2016, I opened my business. In July 2017 I ...

When it came time to find a special person to be the new owner in 2008, then owners confided in their SBDC Business Consultant, Bill Hitte. They had been relying on SBDC for advice and education to grow Fran's Nu Image since 2001. It was a natural progression and a great fit for another SBDC Client.

Although this is a relatively new business, BEKÔZ has wasted no time in fulfilling their mission of being a business that is willing to tackle any challenge; no job is too small or too big as long as it has a cause and mission to reach others.

Terri St. Cloud found that she had a passion for short writings which would help women with "emotional healing" concerning challenges in their lives. She called them "Bone Sighs", so she started Bone Sigh Arts in April 2002. She also fou...

Check out the newest addition to the Maryland wine scene!

No Thyme to Cook began as a personal chef service in 1999. Owned and operated by Gwyn Novak, it provides in-home personalized gourmet meals to clients, and has evolved to include a robust series of seasonal cooking classes and additional streams of income. Beautifully situated on the Patuxent Ri...

Maureen Kennedy had a dream to open a store based on her passion for the outdoors and nature. She turned her dream into a reality when she launched My Backyard, LLC where she brings her knowledge and love for outdoor life to beautiful Ocean Pines, MD.

Wynne Briscoe, Business Consultant So MD SBDC, discusses the various avenues for drone companies to monetize as a business, work in their niches, and create income streams.

Lowell Cade’s invention of the RYG Light, a portable, handheld device is used to control pedestrian and auto traffic. His patented device won first place in the 2018 Southern Maryland Innovation and Tech (SMIT) Initiative finals of the 4th annual Crab Pot Pitch Contest.

Here is what Mrs. Belinda had to say about her experience with the SBDC. “Mr. Del Gallo along with Al Henry were instrumental in helping me with my business plan and connecting me to a bank. They were eager to help a small business, like mine. The support and guidance I received forming the visio...

Derrell Lee and John Pace are U.S. Military Veterans who graduated from Harford Community College. They are two passionate entrepreneurs with a passion for healthy living and fitness. They came up with a revolutionary idea that they knew would be a success. However, before pursuing this venture h...

Early 2015 after being first denied a business loan to start a restaurant, Flavor owners Julia and Vanna came to the Baltimore city SBDC Center for assistance and guidance to secure a business loan and launch their ‘lifetime’ dream: a full upscale restaurant.

Elizabeth Mason, President/Founder, affectionately known as “BJ”, with motivation and information from attending the classes at the SBDC and coaching from Melissa Dent, Business Consultant, restarted Irish Seams as an LLC in 2013. Initially, BJ had been working the business as a hobby and a sole ...

Jennifer and Dan McGrath are the owners of Galvinell Meat Company which has been a staple in the Cecil County, MD community since it was founded in 1967. When the SBDC was called into Galvinell’s in early 2015, owners Jennifer and Dan were feeling overwhelmed with the mounds of work to be done an...

Richard (Rich) Jones and Timothy (Tim) Williams became a client of Al Henry and Ryan Del Gallo at the Small Business Development Center in October of 2015 when they dove into the idea of opening a government contracting based logistics company. When it comes to experience, Rich and Tim do not fal...

Randy Douglas, the founder of Douglas Security Technologies LLC, is an inventor from Aberdeen, MD who contacted the Northern Region of Maryland SBDC with the hopes of bringing his patented mobile technology to market. With the help of SBDC counselors and an SBDC event, Douglas is closer to his dr...

When Regina “Gina” Della’s brother, Rich, was struck head-on by a drunk driver in 2002, he was placed in a coma and deemed paralyzed. Although doctors recommended cutting off life-support, Gina refused to give up. Gina spent months researching and investigating recovery methods. Against all odds ...

Edel became a client of Al Henry at the Small Business Development Center in August of 2014 with the vision of purchasing a bridal shop. After weeks of going through the processes of investigating an established business and working closely with Mr. Henry, it was determined that the business in q...

Brenda Trice has been crocheting most of her life, and knitting for several years. A former teacher, she came to the Maryland Small Business Development & Technology Center-Eastern Region at Salisbury University (SBDTC) last August for direction in opening her own yarn shop in historic downtown B...

Tamera Rush became a client of Al Henry at the Small Business Development Center in February of 2014 as she became interested in purchasing an existing technology company in Harford County. The company was appealing to Tamera because she had a background in technology with the confidence to grow ...

On October 20, 2016, the Calvert County Chamber of Commerce recognized Heather Maertens, owner of Maertens Fine Jewelry & Gifts in Lusby MD, as the 2016 "Chamber Member of the Year".

McClintock Distillery is scheduled to open Spring 2016 with the cooperative efforts of the city of Frederick and the Frederick SBDC. The new owners want to continue the legacy of McClintock Young by restoring a 5,000 square foot downtown location to produce craft gin, vodka, and rum, followed by ...

Keffa Coffee, LLC is importers of specialty-grade Ethiopian coffee, headquartered near the Port of Baltimore. We are proud to offer the most extraordinary and unique selection of Ethiopian coffees. With our strong commitment to sustainability, transparency, and the improvement of farmer livelihoo...

As she has stated, Devora Kimelman-Block became a businesswoman by chance. An idea for a business dropped into her lap and she decided to quit her non-profit job in the education sector and take a chance with the new business venture. KOL Foods, Devora’s company, is selling Kosher grass fed beef,...

Communication Apptitude’s owners first came to the SBTDC in April 2013 for business plan training. Additional needs including some special business needs surfaced and were addressed in subsequent business counseling sessions.