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Success Stories
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Client Name:
Candi Cooper
Company: Sweet Soul Desserts
Type of Business: Bakery |
SBDC Assistance:
Business Plan
Results:
Business Start-Up
Employees Hired: 3 |
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In April 2007, Candi Cooper and her
sisters came to the Small Business Development Center with a three page
business plan, hoping to get guidance in starting a bakery where they would
specialize in baked goods for diabetics. After several months of guidance
from an SBDC counselor and after attending many seminars, the Cooper sisters
were ready to take their re-written business plan to a bank. But obtaining a
loan was not easy, and the banker informed them of what was still missing
from the plan. Candi returned to the SBDC and worked with the counselor on
updating the information. On September 2007, the Cooper sisters were back at
the bank, but this time they were successful.
Sweet Soul Desserts opened to the
public on June 23, 2008, 5 years after the business was simply an idea. The
Cooper sisters know the value of hard work and dedication and the importance
of customer service. They plan to make a few more remodels to their location
and want to continue offering a variety of sweet goodies. Ms. Cooper
believes the SBDC’s assistance was invaluable and she wished that more
people knew about their services; in her words, “We wouldn’t be here without
the SBDC.” |
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Client Name:
Jay Coleman
& Burt Stringer
Company: Craft Tech
Manufacturing
Type of Business: Fabrication Shop |
SBDC Assistance:
Business Plan
Results:
Business Start-Up
Employees Hired: 14 |
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In the spring of 2007, Jay Coleman and Burt
Stringer came to the UTPB Small Business Development Center for help in
opening a new material processing shop in the Midland-Odessa area. The
SBDC gave the two entrepreneurs assistance with their business plan and
put them in contact with local bankers. Thanks in part to the SBDC,
Coleman and Stringer were approved for an SBA loan. In June of 2007,
Craft Tech Manufacturing began
operations with seven employees and the business has been expanding ever
since. Craft Tech currently employs 14 people who use high-tech water
jet, plasma, and laser machines to cut parts and materials to exacting
standards for customers all over the world. While Coleman and Stringer
are pleased with how the business has grown so far, they have even
bigger plans for the future. They plan to open a second location in
Odessa in 2009 and several more locations in cities around the country
in the years to come. |
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Client Name: Dawn Melvin
Company: Industrial Crankshaft Repair
Type of Business: Repair Shop |
SBDC Assistance: Business Plan
Results: Business Start Up |
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Ms. Melvin came into the UTPB Small Business Development
Center with a very determined attitude, wanting to
start her own business grinding various types of crankshafts. She had
many hurdles to overcome along the way to starting this life changing
venture. Through much hard work and never giving up, she was able to
start her business. She has been running this business successfully for
over two years and is still experiencing a daily customer base increase.
She is an inspiration to any one who wants to start their own business,
and thinks they can't due to lack of financials or poor credit. |
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Client Name:
Dalila Melendez
Company: Western Grill Steak House
Type of Business: Restaurant |
SBDC Assistance: Business Plan & Loan
Results: Business Start Up |
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Dalila Melendez saw an opportunity in Andrews,
Texas to fulfill her dream. When
K-Bobs closed their operation in Andrews, Dalila purchased their former
location and opened the Western Grill Steak House. She offers delicious steaks, cooked to order, a daily buffet,
and provides meeting areas for business functions or private parties.
The Western Grill has been in business for almost a year and is a
popular gathering place for people throughout the Permian Basin.
The company is still growing and new people are discovering the
steak house for the first time almost daily. Dalila has been able to
expand the business since it first opened and has found that she must
employ additional people to meet the demands of her customers.
Dalila contacted the SBDC from the very beginning.
The SBDC provided a sounding board for her ideas and once she
decided the exact format for her business, the SBDC assisted her with
business planning, financial projections, and SBA loan acquisition
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Client Name:
Norborn
Mitchell
Company: Mr. Bar-B-Q
Type of Business: Restaurant |
SBDC Assistance: Business Plan
Results: Business Start Up
Employees Hired: 3FT, 3PT |
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Norborn Mitchell first came into the Small Business Development Center
several years ago wanting to know how to start a
business. He had always
wanted to own and operate a Bar-B-Que Restaurant.
After learning what was required to start a business, he began
his long journey to his dream. While
he was working on his business plan and gathering the needed equity for
the loan, he started catering his Bar-B-Que for friends and family to
try to perfect how he would cook it when he opened his business.
For the next four years, he gathered the needed
equity to get a loan so that he could start his business at the level
that he felt was needed to be successful.
While gathering the equity, he continued working with the Small
Business Development Center to create a business plan.
Mr. Mitchell was always changing and updating the Business Plan
to reflect how the economy and the competition were reacting. Mr. Mitchell was
eventually approved for a loan of $130,000
from Security State Bank in Odessa, Texas.
Soon, Mr. Mitchell opened the doors of his new
restaurant to the public. Mr.
Mitchell has hired three full-time and three part-time employees to work
in the new restaurant. While
Mr. Mitchell went through the process of opening his dream, he had a lot
of ups and downs. He never gave up on opening his restaurant no mater what
problems he faced. Because
of his determination he has finally been able to reach the second leg of
his journey – to operate his restaurant.
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Client Name:
Lucy and Andres
Ortega
Company: Ortega Welding
Type of Business: Welding Company |
SBDC Assistance: Business Plan & Marketing
Results: Business Start Up |
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Lucy and Andres Ortega opened a welding company that specializes
in manufacturing trailers that are designed for the oilfield industry. These trailers are designed to meet the needs of compression
companies. They have all of
the needed equipment in them for the companies to do all of the
fieldwork. This type of
specialized trailer has been very receptive in the industry.
With everything that is placed in the enclosed trailer, a field
person can test and repair almost anything that could go wrong in the
field.
The Ortega's contacted the Small Business
Development Center who assisted them with business and financial
planning, and marketing. |
News Articles About the
SBDC
Tax Time: What Every Business Owner Needs to Know About Taxation |
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