Spice Asian Market contacted The University of Scranton SBDC for assistance applying for small business grants through the City of Scranton.
"We want to make Spice Asian Market the best we can and this grant - it's a game changer and will allow us to do so many things that we want to do."
Keith Yurgosky, SBDC Business Consultant, helped guide business owners Jarrett and Sumalee Schnessel through the City's CDBG Small Business Micro-Grant Program, for new or early-stage businesses located in Scranton's low moderate-income demographic areas (LMA). The micro-grants supply funds ranging from $2,500 to $5,000 per business to assist with start-up costs, thus contributing to their initial success and continued revitalization of the community. Yurgosky assisted the clients in developing a business plan and financial projections. The SBDC also helped the client with some market research on demographics near the new business.
Jarrett and Sumalee applied for and were successful in receiving a $5,000 micro-grant. Yurgosky also informed the business owners of another small business grant available through the City, the Small Business Startup and Expansion Grant funded by the American Rescue Plan Act. Using the already created business plan and financial projections, Spice Asian Market applied for and received a grant totaling $22,674.
The enjoyment of experiencing the outdoors is more accessible with the Aliner camper. It is a convenient pop-up trailer that is light weight, towable, small in size and able to be stored in a garage. Brett Randall needed information on growing the company and enter the European market. Brett had the team here in the U.S. and in Belgium but needed information and international trade contacts.
"The Pitt SBDC-IEE Go Global webinars gave us key information to do business in Europe."
After meeting with the consultant for International Trade at the University of Pittsburgh SBDC, the process started with developing a list of due diligence steps to be successful. Appointments with members of international commercial banks such as Wells Fargo, FNB, and Huntington were made as well as with COFACE, the EXIM and SBA International finance, the U.S. Commercial Service, and the State of Pennsylvania international program through the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission. Information about the CE Mark was shared and the company attended the Go Global webinar series where they met many more international trade contacts and speakers. Finally, research using the KOMPASS database was able to produce many more international contacts for the company.
The company was able to analyze the market, scout the market needs and comply with the U.S. and European regulations. European customers are more independent, and want to enjoy nature more. The company is working on growing the "Aliner Europe, SA" into the markets of Germany, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Finland.
The SenSV™ device is a revolutionary remote laboratory monitoring platform that measures vibration, audible sound, and ultrasonic sound for the environment of laboratories like microscopy and animal housing labs. The main problem was that Metropolitan Acoustics didn’t have the funding to meet the demand and hire the technical staff to maximize the potential. This project was being funded in-house and Felicia knew she would need more funding to take the technology to the next level.
"It was great to have someone like Bill and the SBDC behind him to bounce ideas off of and answer questions."
The Widener SBDC helped introduce Felicia to partner solutions and other tech entrepreneurs to guide her through the next steps that the business will need to take. After devising a plan of action with the Widener SBDC, Felicia applied for the JVS Women’s Entrepreneur Grant via a recommendation from the Ben Franklin Technology Partners.
Felicia was awarded the JVS Women’s Entrepreneur Grant for $50,000 to use towards the advancement of the SenSV™ device. This money will help Felicia increase the output of the device and hire employees with the technical skills to put this technology on the cloud and web.
