Sommer Curry’s journey into entrepreneurship is deeply rooted in family, resilience, and an unwavering belief in self-investment. “I’ve always been around hair,” Sommer Curry recalls. Her mother, who had been a licensed aesthetician and cosmetologist, not only introduced her to hair care but modeled what it meant to be a […]
Success Stories
Novak Technologies evolves and expands globally, with help from FSBDC at FIU and STEP grants
When Augusto “Tony” Lizarraga reflects on the nearly 25-year journey of his Miami-based company, Novak Technologies, one theme stands out clearly: adaptability. Founded in 2000, Novak Technologies began as a supplier for major petroleum companies such as Shell, Mobil, Texaco and others by providing the equipment and solutions needed to […]
How 2 MRI techs built a business to fill a critical need in Keys healthcare
When MRI technologists Tony Martinelli and Lucas Wheeler looked around their workplace three years ago, they saw more than patients. They saw a problem that desperately needed solving. Working at Lower Keys Medical Center, the only hospital south of Marathon, the two men were on the front lines of imaging […]
How a boutique dental lab forged the path to success, surviving a few bumps along the way
When Danielle Wuensche walks into Zahntechnique’s Miami Lakes office each morning, sunlight streams in from the surrounding glass windows, filling the boutique dental lab with natural light. For this small business owner, her space represents more than just a modern workplace: It’s a symbol of resilience, vision, and a decade-long […]
How these sisters built an award-winning chocolate brand with Venezuelan roots
When Isabel Garcia Nevett talks about chocolate, it isn’t just about flavor: It’s about history, family, and the immigrant journey. Together with her sister Susanna, she has spent more than a decade transforming this passion into an award-winning Miami chocolate shop now recognized among the best in the United States. […]
Sweet returns: How this entrepreneur created Guudy with health at the forefront
On many Miami mornings, Olivia Gonzalez is packing a cooler with small-batch pints and heading out to meet customers where they are — gyms, neighborhood markets, and small retailers. Gonzalez is the founder of Guudy, a healthy ice cream company built for people who want dessert without the sugar crash […]
How a Miami small business finds success in government contracting
When John Bowen founded Maintenance Services 360 in 2017, he didn’t have corporate experience or a background in government contracting but what he did have was grit, curiosity, and a willingness to learn. That’s the combination that helped him create a business that today supplies Miami-Dade County with everything […]
How EPIC Consultants takes continuous improvement to the next level – for clients and the firm
“Let’s make it better.” For the leaders of EPIC Consultants, this is more than the company’s tagline. “We are in the business of making things better, it’s really something that we will live by,” explains Adriana Abbade, EPIC’s director of marketing, brand management and business development. EPIC Consultants was founded […]
Florida SBDC at FIU’s award winners represent the best of Miami-Dade’s small business community
Marlon Romero is the owner and CEO of World Truck Parts, which specializes in sales of heavy-duty truck and trailer parts. He began the company as an import-export business just after he moved to Miami from Venezuela. His 19-year-old company is thriving, and today it focuses 70% on the domestic […]
How award-winning Grainman is shaping the future of American manufacturing
Eduardo Castellanos, now a CEO, didn’t take the traditional career pathway of obtaining a college degree or climbing a corporate ladder. In his last two years of high school, instead of taking electives he joined an on-the-job training program. “I was blessed to be able to work with my father, […]
