UGA SBDC helps Columbus restaurateur launch $6 million culinary destination

A woman with long, dark hair is standing with hands on hips, wearing a black sweater. The background is a plain gray color.

With guidance from the UGA SBDC, Columbus entrepreneur Melinda Newton, better known as “The Chicken Lady,” is transforming her passion for food and community into a $6 million dining destination called CARGO. The project is expected to create up to 450 jobs, generate $15 million in annual sales, and contribute $1 million in local tax revenue.

Georgia manufacturing company expands globally with support from the UGA SBDC

A group of five people standing in an office-like environment, positioned near a sign that reads ‘Flint Technical Geosolutions.’ The individuals are dressed casually, and there is a potted plant and some office furniture visible in the background.

With guidance from the UGA SBDC’s International Trade Center, Flint Technical Geosolutions expanded into over a dozen international markets—boosting global sales by 250%, adding $2 million in revenue, and growing its workforce. Based in Metter, FTG specializes in environmental engineering solutions used worldwide.