unleashing
national impact
igniting local
transformation
Deirdre Darr, an independent dyer of wool, had a background in ministry and being a stay-at-home Mom. She was unsure how to begin her entrepreneurial journey, much less how to realize her dream of exporting to other countries from her home business in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.
"If the Michigan SBDC gives you a list of things to do, do those things, because you're getting free advice on how to build your business, grow your business, and they're in your corner. Because the Michigan SBDC helped walk me through each step, I'm doing things I thought I never would have done — like starting a YouTube channel!"
Michigan SBDC Business Consultants Mariah Goos worked with Deirdre on her business plan, cash flow management, marketing, and sales. They tapped into Certified Business Consultant Nicole Young Potvin's expertise in exporting. They referred Deirdre to the U.S. Commercial Service and Michigan Economic Development Corporation, where she completed export training.
Deirdre's dyed yarn is now being exported to Australia and export leads into Canada.
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At just 21 years old, Jamauri Bogan realized his football career at Western Michigan University was coming to an end. He assessed his options and sought counsel by reaching out to the Michigan SBDC, where he met business consultant John Schmitt.
One of Jamauri's first interactions with John was pretty pointed: "There's no entrepreneurship framework here in Kalamazoo — why shouldn't I just go back to New Jersey?" John's answer: "You've just answered your own question. You create the entrepreneurship framework." Jamauri accepted the challenge, and now walks and talks it every day of his life. Jamauri founded a real estate development company focused on uplifting the living standard of children, families and individuals by providing affordable and workforce housing in urban communities to households making below 120% of average median income.
"I was a young driven developer of color in a business that looks a lot different than that. There were unique opportunities that showed up at my front door that I had to figure out how to navigate. I was fortunate to have a plethora of great mentors, including the Michigan SBDC's amazing John Schmitt, who helped guide me through some tough storms that every entrepreneur goes through in their startup phase. Thank you to the Michigan SBDC for your relationship, your partnership and what you mean to our community here locally and statewide."
Review of business model, business plan, financial projections and pro forma, website, VC and traditional lending institution pitches; networking with government agencies.
Jamauri successfully completed his first building project, which included 12 fully occupied units and an early learning center. He is now focused on Phase 2 of the development.
As a groomer, Jennifer Wager learned the extraordinary patience and special space required to care for difficult, fighting and biting dogs, and it made her want to open her own, better, pet salon. Her first step was to find funding, so she called the local chamber of commerce, who referred her to Michigan Women Forward and in turn the Michigan SBDC.
"The main thing that I learned from Shannon that helped me was my 5-year projections: keeping an eye on my money, where it was going, what was coming in, what I needed to do to cover my bills to ensure that I was successful. The financials were the hardest part of opening the business, and I felt like she prepared me for that in more ways than one. I used the 5-year projections to ensure that moving to a larger location was the right option. Upon doing that we've tripled the number of dogs we see and tripled the revenue we realize in a week."
There she met Business Consultant Shannon Schwabe, who helped with her business plan and financial projections. Jennifer secured a 1,000 square foot location in Marysville and within five months opened Urban Paws Pet Spa.
The business grew exponentially, to say the least. Urban Paws outgrew its original space within seven months, and within one year had three full-time groomers, two part-time groomers and two bathers on staff. Jennifer decided it was time to find a larger location, but wanted to ensure it was the right decision for the business.
