Strategy

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 […]

Operations, Strategy, Success Stories

Award-winning small business AmePower exemplifies how a success story is made

Vision. Expertise. Tenacity. Hard work. Perseverance. Teamwork. Resilience. These are ingredients of a successful small business. AmePower, an industry-leading technology company in the transportation and renewable energy sectors, is a success story. This week, as part of National Small Business Week, the Miami small business’s CEO, Luis Contreras, and President, […]

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 […]

Operations, Strategy, Success Stories

With Florida SBDC at FIU’s help, small business success stories thrive in North Miami Beach

Small business owner Melissa Guzman offers the beloved foods of her Caribbean homeland – but she veganizes them for healthier living. She should know – it’s helped her, too. Now she wants to expand The Caribe Vegan brand into retail. Darren Mendoza’s Lutong Pinoy restaurants are wildly popular with the […]

Disaster Preparedness, Economy, Operations, Strategy

How an integrated plan can help relieve supply chain pains

Even as the world begins to emerge from the Covid19 pandemic, its effects are still being felt throughout the supply chain that are resulting in delayed orders, rising prices, and customer frustration. Overall, 44% of small and midsize business decision makers believe supply chain issues could dampen holiday sales, a […]

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. […]

Growth Stages, Marketing, Strategy

How to spot market shifts and react in a fast-changing world

The pace of change in the marketplace can be downright overwhelming. We’re talking technological changes disrupting industries, economic highs and lows and ever-rising customer expectations. Entire industries, such as taxis, didn’t see it coming and were clobbered. How do companies compete with all this market change and digital transformation seemingly […]