Growth Stages

Half Moon Empanadas at Jackson Memorial Hospital, Nicklaus Children's Hospital
Education, Growth Stages, Strategy, Success Stories

Half Moon Empanadas: A savory success story baked with equal parts passion, perseverance, and vision

Even some of Pilar Guzman’s mentors advised her not to expand her Miami small business nationally, yet she persisted. Today, the tasty creations of this entrepreneur’s Half Moon Empanadas can be savored in locations across the US, particularly in airports, with more expansion on the runway. With trial and error […]

Education, Growth Stages, Strategy, Success Stories

Raising capital? What you need to know, from an award-winning consultant who has been there, done that.

When it comes to raising capital, Florida SBDC at FIU consultant Ricardo Weisz has experience in the trenches on both sides of this entrepreneurial challenge. While an executive at The Walt Disney Company, he launched operations in multiple countries, and over the years he has headed and or invested in […]

Growth Stages, Success Stories

For the love of key lime pie, Fookem’s Fabulous creates the recipe for business success, with help from SBDC at FIU

Fresh and delicious key lime pie delivered in a convenient vending machine? Yes, please. It’s the latest expansion of Coconut Grove small business Fookem’s Fabulous, which popped up during the pandemic’s early days as a home business and has since served thousands of Miamians and visitors the oh-so-Florida dessert. Hungry for more? […]

Education, Growth Stages, Operations, Strategy, Success Stories

Leaping into business ownership becomes a ‘magical’ experience, with help from SBDC at FIU

When Kenerly Wright and her husband decided that she would leave her job as a successful property manager to be a stay-at-home mom for several years after her children were born, she discovered that she was having so much fun being home with her kids. When contemplating what she would […]

Growth Stages, Operations, Strategy, Success Stories

IV Hydration Station in Key West grows in healthy ‘leaps and bounds,’ with help of Florida SBDC at FIU

Over lunch one day, Suzyjo Moore and Bobbie Vurro, both emergency room nurses, started talking about joining forces to open a new health and wellness small business. As they envisioned it, the  IV therapy company would offer IV hydration, hangover relief, energizing vitamins, minerals, athletic performance and immune boosting infusions. […]