SBDC Director Teaches UWF College of Business Entrepreneurial Consulting Course
The UWF College of Business established a Graduate Level Entrepreneurship Certificate Program, in 2006-2007, made up of three core courses that students take in addition to meeting the requirements for an MBA. The capstone course, Entrepreneurial Consulting is taught by Larry Strain, director of the SBDC at UWF. In the first offering of the course seven graduate students worked with four SBDC client businesses to create business and strategic plans as well as presentations for Venture/Angel Capital proposals. The students spent 13 weeks working on the clients’ Elevator Pitches, Briefing Documents to be distributed to potential investors, Funding Proposal Presentations, and fine tuned the clients’ message and presentation.

In the Fall of 2007 each student team and their client company made a presentation, soliciting funding, to a joint audience of the High Growth Business Club and the Northwest Florida Venture Forum. The entrepreneurs carried the bulk of the presentation, but in several cases the students participated in the presentations and the Q&A portion of the program. The Forum presentations were successful, with one client raising $250,000 in equity growth capital, and a second client receiving an infusion of $80,000 in equity working capital for software development.

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SBDC at UCF Opens Center in Clermont
The SBDC at UCF is reaching out to small businesses in Lake and Sumter counties by opening a satellite service center in Lake-Sumter Community College’s Clermont campus. The Center officially opened on Monday, October 15, and is serviced by Area Manager Gene Romagna. The Clermont office offers one-on-one, business counseling at no cost and training for entrepreneurs and small business owners in the area. Clermont is the fifth satellite service center for the SBDC at UCF.

SBDC’s Pauline Davis, Panel Member for UCF’s Invention to Venture
The SBDC at UCF’s Pauline Davis was a panel member for UCF’s 5th Annual Invention to Venture Conference on November 9, 2007. The I2V is an introduction to the process and practice of technology entrepreneurship with the goal of engaging a wide range of participants, including business, science and technology students, faculty, as well as members of the surrounding business community. Pauline was a member of the finance panel which offered discussion on methods and sources for financing.

SBDC at UCF Participates in Excellence in Entrepreneurship
SBDC at UCF’s Eunice Choi and Jill Kaufman were invited to participate as business plan evaluators during the UCF Technology Incubator’s “Excellence in Entrepreneurship” course on November 13, 2007. The course is a required element of the application process for any of the UCF technology incubator participants. The evaluators' feedback is part of the decision process for accepting a company into the program.

SBDC Participated in FAU Presidential Debate Activities
The SBDC participated in FAU’s Join It! Civic Engagement Week activities leading to the Republican Presidential Debate held at the university. On January 15, Phil Scruton, Nancy Young, Mike Bell, Carole Hart, Parbatee Chang, Yasser Khan, Ted Kramer, and SBDC guest instructor Kristina Sommerkamp prepared a presentation for students and the community. They focused on listening to presidential candidate positions on matters that affect small business. SBDC at FAU staff presented information as part of a round table discussion on taxes, general economy, government contracting, international trade and health care. On January 24 Nancy Young and Mike Bell attended the Republican Presidential Debate on the FAU campus.

Meeting with Monroe County Department of Correction
In November, CBA Greg Baumann finalized the course content for developing a business plan for inmates in the Monroe County Jail. The course will take place in early 2008.

SBDC Partners to Develop New Workshops
The SBDC at UNF partnered with the Jacksonville Children’s Commission, the Brewer Early Learning Center and the Florida Institute of Education to offer a 28-hour training program over six months to owners/directors of child care centers. The participants receive leadership training and training from the SBDC on enhancing their business practices. Sessions discuss business planning, marketing and customer service, human resource issues, cash-flow and budgeting, record keeping and taxes, and strategic management.  

The SBDC at UNF has developed a new workshop to assist participants in writing a business plan. InterACTIVE Business Planning helps new and existing business owners get that first word on “paper.” Utilizing ActivePlans Strategic Planning Netware, the six-hour workshop includes detailed instruction, in-depth discussions on components of the plan and hands-on application in a computer lab setting. The first session started in February.

SBDC at UNF Director Janice Donaldson in front of Beaver Street Office

The SBDC at UNF has developed a partnership with the Beaver Street Enterprise Center, a core city incubator, to provide on-site technical assistance to tenants and neighboring businesses two days a week. CBAs Tanya Douglas and Kevin Monahan alternate coverage. read more

Staff Participated in Learning Initiatives for Teambuilding Mike Bell, SBDC at FAU PTAC Specialist climbing pole

On December 4, SBDC staff members celebrated the 5-year anniversary of ISO 9001:2000 Certification by participating in a Teambuilding Rally at FAU's LIFT (Learning Initiatives for Teambuilding) course. Staff were joined by local small business owner Shantelle Moxie, Specialtea Parties. LIFT facilitators guided them through the day's events, consisting of games challenging them to work together and communicate as a team. The rally was chronicled by Sun-Sentinel Reporter Marcia Pounds with a story and video and is featured on the Sun-Sentinel's website. The morning's events took place on the ground and in the afternoon anyone who wished to participate strapped themselves in and, with the help of the entire team, were able to walk across a high wire or a telephone pole 40 feet in the air. It was an exhilarating experience.

Peake Honored As Star of the Space Coast SBDC at BCC Director Victoria Peake was honored by the Brevard Chapter of the American Red Cross for Educational Leadership. The Gala named the Stars of the Space Coast at their annual gala on January 18, 2008. The award was presented by Senator Mike Haridopolos.

Vicky Peake and Senator Haridopolos

	At the recent Santa Rosa County Chamber of Commerce's 71st Leadership Awards and Installation Banquet the SBDC at UWF was widely recognized. First, the SBDC received an award from the Chamber for its efforts in support of the Chamber’s members and activities. It was noted that the SBDC provides Business Resource Kits at no charge for area small businesses and the volunteer efforts of the SBDC staff on behalf of the Chamber were applauded.
	Strain Installed as 2008 Chamber President During the banquet, SBDC at UWF director, Larry Strain was installed as the 2008 Chamber President. In his remarks Larry discussed his goals for the year and for the coming year.  He went on to discuss the importance of small business to the economy and to the Chamber.

SBDC Interviewed for TV Shows
In November, the SBDC appeared on the TV shows, “Around our Town” and “Nuestro Pueblo.” The latter of the shows is in Spanish. Carole Hart, Phil Scruton and Nancy Young were interviewed on the Around our Town and Rafael Cruz and Nancy Orozco were interviewed on Nuestro Pueblo. The shows aired on West Palm Beach TV Channel 43 and its Spanish equivalent. SBDC service deliverables were discussed for the viewing audience.

CBA Participates in Congresswoman Brown-Waite's Small Business Event
Mario Iezzoni, SBDC at USF CBA, participated in Congresswoman Ginny Brown-Waite’s small business event this quarter. He staffed a table along with North District SBA Director Wilfredo González and gave information on SBDC services to participants.

SBDC at UCF’s Advisory Board Council and SBRN Programs Host VIP Holiday Mixer

On November 27, 2007, the SBDC at UCF’s special programs, the Advisory Board Council and Small Business Resource Network, hosted a “VIP Holiday Mixer” to celebrate the accomplishments of the two programs over the past year and show appreciation to the programs’ clients, volunteers and members. Because of interest of the SBRN members and ABC volunteers to serve the small business community, the SBDC at UCF also used the holiday mixer to introduce the programs and their participants to the other with the goal of gaining more volunteers for both ABC and the SBRN. The reception featured brief remarks by Eunice Choi, Interim SBDC Director; Jill Kaufman, Assistant Director and Program Manager for the ABC program; Kellie Snaith, Marketing Director and Program Manager for the SBRN program; Dr. Djehane Hosni, Associate Dean, College of Business Administration at UCF; and John Lewis, Orange County Government. The holiday mixer was well attended with over 150 guests.

The Small Business Resource Network of Central Florida held its December member luncheon on Tuesday, December 11 at the Disney Entrepreneur Center. Members, guests and the SBDC at UCF staff were asked to bring unwrapped toys to donate to ‘Toys for Tots’ on behalf of the SBRN. The meeting was attended by 22 guests and members, bringing in several bags of toys for the Marine’s holiday program.

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Rodriguez and USF Student Meet With U.S. Ambassador to South Africa SBDC at USF Interim Director Eileen Rodríguez attended a reception at USF for the U.S. Ambassador to South Africa, Eric Bost, in October. Eileen and one of her management students, Nady Gustave, met with the Ambassador. Nady spent the summer of 2006 in Cape Town, South Africa interning with the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service through a U.S. Department of Education Title VI B Grant that Eileen co-sponsored with Dr. María Crummett, Dean of International Affairs at USF. Ambassador Bost is a USF alumnus.

During the week of September 30 - October 5, 2007 local and state Small and Minority Business Offices came together to celebrate Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Week in the Tallahassee area. The event focuses on the outstanding achievements and contributions of minority businesses and the significant support given minority business development by government and the corporate community. MED Week has been observed nationally since 1981 when then President Ronald Reagan designated the first full week of October as MED Week. Locally, this year was the 15th annual observance. “MED Week provides us the opportunity to give special recognition to local entrepreneurs who have made outstanding contributions to Tallahassee, Leon County and the surrounding communities,” said Chairman Ben Harris. “We showcase successful businesses, help boost the confidence of future business owners and attempt to give them the tools they need to get started.” read more

SBDC at FAMU Director Robert Nixon Speaks at MED Week event Attendees at MED Week event

The SBDC at FAU is pleased to announce its 5th-year anniversary as an ISO 9001:2000 registered organization. They first received registration on December 5, 2002. Among the thousand plus SBDCs across the U.S., providing counseling and training services to small business owners and entrepreneurs, the SBDC at FAU was the first center to embark on the journey to meet ISO (International Organization for Standardization) criteria for quality management. With ISO 9001 certification the SBDC has made a commitment to its stakeholders, who include resource partners, small business counseling clients, seminar attendees and SBDC staff, that the organization has a management system in place focused on continuous improvement and customer satisfaction.

The registration is a "seal of approval" that the quality management system developed and used by the center has been assessed and determined to be in conformance with the requirements of the ISO 9001 standard and verified through a series of audits. Further, maintaining the registration shows customers that the SBDC is functioning as intended, and has processes in place for preventing and correcting any gaps in service.

The SBDC's registrar, International Management Systems (IMS), is a provider of ISO 9001 third-party certifications and is accredited by the ANSI-ASQ (American National Standards Institute - American Society for Quality) National Accreditation Board, (ANAB).

IMS Lead Auditor Jack Doherty conducted the initial SBDC certification audit in 2002 and all subsequent surveillance audits. He said, "The SBDC has shown a strong commitment to maintaining the quality system and to its clients and community supporters. I have enjoyed watching them grow with their quality management system."

Dr. Dennis Coates, Dean of the FAU Barry Kaye College of Business acknowledges the milestone achieved by the SBDC, "The SBDC is an excellent example of running an organization the way a quality business should be run. The staff's commitment to quality reflects well on the SBDC and FAU."

The SBDC at UCF held its regional strategy retreat in Daytona Beach December 6-7. The retreat included the SBDC's 18 staff members including staff from the 5 satellite service centers. Together, the group worked to define the SBDC at UCF’s mission, vision and goals for the next 10 years using the FSBDCN’s strategic plan as its reference and template. The retreat was held at the Daytona Beach College’s new Mori Hosseini Center.