unleashing
national impact
igniting local
transformation
John Bongiovanni wanted to build the Mexico market for his business, Bon Tool. He knew that a reliable representative would be challenging to find. He reached out to an International Trade consultant at the SBDC, who started to work on a plan to find a Mexican representative.
"The SBDC has been there for us for over 15 years, and we value our relationship with them."
The University of Pittsburgh SBDC International Trade Consultant, Brent Rondon, was able to connect John with a Mexican representative and helped with translation during their first business meeting.
The Mexican rep proved to be a reliable one and Bon Tool's export sales are growing in Mexico and throughout Latin America. The SBDC was also able to provide assistance with export business planning, Go Global seminars, and with a SBA STEP — GAP grant.
Esperanzo Wilcox founded PA Mushroom Company in January 2021. He worked with the PennWest Clarion SBDC to develop his business plan that was used to apply for the AgChoice Credit's JumpStart grant.
"Penn West SBDC has become a dream partner to work with. Their approach to turning ideas into real time actions speaks volumes. Working with the SBDC has not only helped us evaluate and reconceptualize our business. They have also assisted us in creating a plan and course of action that has in turn enabled us to reach milestones that we didn't know existed."
In June 2021, PA Mushroom was awarded its first grant of $10,000 that was used to scale its operations, conduct business research, and market the business. In 2022, the growing operations were moved to a small 300 square-foot cave providing space to grow up to 200 lbs of mushrooms. It was at this time the SBDC encouraged Esperanzo to participate in the Ben Franklin/PA Wilds Big Idea Contest. The business was chosen as one of the seven finalists and after pitching to a live audience, the business shared the prize money and received $25,000. With business growth continuing, a second growing location was secured where the business also was able to package mushrooms for distribution as it was then licensed to sell retail.
With the assistance provided by the SBDC, PA Mushroom Co. was awarded a $10,000 grant.
Jeff and Ron invested in a food truck, whimsically named "Shake Your Buns & Do the Twist". Although adept at running a business, the food industry presented new challenges. Jeff and Ron sought guidance from the Bucknell University Small Business Development Center (SBDC).
"The SBDC was amazing! We couldn't have done it without them. They assisted us with branding, helped us navigate the paperwork to license our food truck and continue to be a valuable resource."
Consultants Denny Hummer and Amber Guerrero provided crucial support on food truck equipment and layout, local regulations compliance, sales tax registration, and Department of Agriculture inspections. The SBDC's student digital team helped develop initial branding concepts, which a graphic designer later refined for the truck's logo and wrap. They also received a digital services grant, which was instrumental in their website development and early marketing efforts.
With their own funds and the SBDC's support, Jeff and Ron successfully launched "Shake Your Buns & Do the Twist" with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on National SBDC Day, March 20, 2024. They have since become a staple at community events and are partnering with organizations aligned with their mission of giving back. Jeff and Ron's story exemplifies resilience, community spirit, and the transformative impact of the SBDC's guidance.