With guidance from the Alabama SBDC, a passionate artist transformed her vision into a thriving performing arts studio now expanding its footprint and impact. After years of professional training and performance experience, Elena Ontiveros, the founder of The Studio for…
Jamorean Hampton first learned about the Alabama SBDC in 2019, when he met SBDC center director while working as a server at Carrabba’s. Casual conversations evolved into an invaluable partnership after he shared his business ideas with her. During the…
From collegiate entrepreneur to technology disrupter, Mark Spencer pivots from his multi-million-dollar telecommunications company to providing cutting-edge avionics solutions for civil aviation, the military and NASA. Mark Spencer, a seasoned software and technology disruptor, began his entrepreneurial journey in college…
From 30-Year Army Career to French Pastry Chef: L’Etoile Patisserie In a surprising turn of events, Kevin Zurmuehlen bid farewell to his 30-year military career and embraced an unexpected path as a flourishing French pastry chef. Sparked by inspiration from…
Wafel-Bitte began as a cottage food industry, where Belgian Liege waffles were made at the home of Bailey M. Erickson-Nichols and Alexis Hope Nichols, using an authentic Belgian waffle maker and imported Belgian Pearl Sugar. They sold the waffles at…
The Bold Agency propels companies to be their boldest, most authentic selves to connect to their audience/customers. Lauren Gowins taps into her unique upbringing of living in four different countries to relate to people and to approach branding in broad,…
CEO Jamie Miller spent 10+ years working for a major IT consultancy in Washington, DC, but wanted to leave the ‘madness” of Washington, DC; so that he could build a new business model that focused on the philosophy of innovation,…
The CARES Act legislation opened the door to disaster assistance for many nonprofit organizations, allowing them to keep their doors open. Camp Maranatha is a great example of how SBDC Business Advisors helped so many small entities, both for-profit and…