Helping Businesses Grow & Succeed
Last year, Florida SBDC at FIU, the small business development center within the university’s College of Businesses, helped close to 1,400 small businesses with business planning, growth strategy, marketing and communications, access to capital, government contracting, and much more. The center’s business consultants provided over 13,000 hours of no-cost consulting […]
As 2025 comes to a close, small businesses can set themselves up for even more success in 2026 by pursuing key educational opportunities. Right now, your small business can apply for exceptional grant-funded small business programs taking place next year. Don’t delay: For two of the programs, applications close in […]
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 […]
By Michelle Lopez / FIU Florida Small Business Development Center at FIU teamed up with OpenAI recently to host a hands-on workshop in Wynwood to help 200+ small business leaders learn practical ways to use ChatGPT and related tools in their day-to-day work, from writing marketing copy and organizing schedules to […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
The Florida SBDC at FIU Business (FSBDC), the small business development center at FIU’s College of Business, opened its doors in January 2014. Since that time, it has helped countless small businesses in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties access capital to start and grow their businesses. Recently the center celebrated a […]
“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 […]
We don’t mean to scare you, but Hurricane Season is already in full swing and we’re headed into the most active part of the season, which extends until Nov. 30. Fortunately, we have some tips to help you prepare you – and your small business – for what’s ahead. According […]