When Nick and Lauren Goebel launched Goebel Media, they had a clear vision but little business experience. They knew how to craft compelling digital marketing campaigns—offering web design, social media management and graphic design—but navigating the complexities of hiring, financial planning and long-term growth was a different challenge. That’s when they turned to the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center (UGA SBDC) for support.
Fourteen years later, with guidance from the UGA SBDC, the Goebels have transformed their small operation into a thriving agency serving clients across Georgia and beyond. Their revenue has grown, they’ve expanded their team, and opened a new office in Decatur in 2024.
Back in 2010, however, the future of Goebel Media was far from certain. Operating out of a coworking space in Milledgeville, Nick and Lauren Goebel had just hired their first part-time employee when they realized they needed outside expertise to sustain and scale their business. They connected with Lisa Rackley, area director of the UGA SBDC in Macon, for help.
“Working in marketing, we felt like we had that aspect of the business figured out,” said Lauren Goebel. “It was the operations and admin piece—hiring, firing, HR—that we needed help with. We had never really been in a position where we were managing a team before.”
Rackley provided the Goebels with vital HR training, including guidance on hiring, employee retention, benefits and corrective actions for employee-related performance issues.
“When you’re young and you start a business, you think it’s all going to be fun,” said Nick Goebel. “There are parts of it, like HR, you don’t think about when you first jump in. Then when you experience some growth and need to hire, you’re lost. But that is where Lisa and the UGA SBDC came in for us.”
Over the years, Rackley’s support has extended beyond HR training to strategic planning, capital acquisition and market diversification.
One of the most impactful resources for the Goebels was SBDC GrowSmart, an intensive training program designed to help small business owners develop effective growth strategies.
“GrowSmart was a turning point for both of us,” said Nick Goebel. “It made us realize we needed to find time each week to work on the business, not just in the business.”
The program’s emphasis on strategic planning became an essential part of Goebel Media’s success. During their first session, the Goebels worked with Rackley to develop a five-year plan, identifying key business goals and strategies for achieving them.
“Lisa really helped us think ahead. That is where our first strategic planning came in,” said Nick Goebel. “Lisa gave us homework—a SWOT analysis, for example, was one thing we hadn’t done before—and she helped us identify the things that we needed.”
Five years later, with a growing staff, the Goebels reassessed their business strategy. Their second strategic planning session with Rackley led to a major shift in their revenue model, moving from one-off projects to a recurring revenue structure.
“It was during that second strategic planning that we changed our revenue model from a one-off process to a recurring model, which was a big growth moment for us,” said Nick Goebel.
Rackley also provided crucial guidance in securing capital to support Goebel Media’s growth including a commercial line of credit, a U.S. SBA Community Express loan, and pandemic relief funds. In 2020, the agency invested in its first office building in downtown Milledgeville, with Rackley’s assistance. Later, when the agency expanded to Decatur in 2024, Rackley conducted the market research needed to ensure the new office location would effectively serve Goebel Media’s growing Atlanta clientele.
“Even now, 15 years later, when we have a question or we’re considering making a change, Lisa is still our first phone call,” said Lauren Goebel. “She has grown with us. If we disagree on anything, she’s a tiebreaker.”
The impact of strategic planning and financial guidance has been substantial. Since 2010, Goebel Media’s annual revenue has increased by more than 1,230%, fueling its expansion from a two-person startup to a team of 11, with seven full-time employees. Today, the agency serves clients across Georgia and as far as Texas and California, a testament to its sustained growth and success.
“Working with business owners like Nick and Lauren Goebel is one of the reasons I love my job,” said Rackley. “They work together as a team to strategize and make the best decisions for their business. They have an awesome partnership in business and life.”
Reflecting on their journey, Nick and Lauren Goebel credit Rackley and the UGA SBDC with providing the tools and knowledge they needed to navigate business challenges and capitalize on growth opportunities.
“When we met [our UGA SBDC business consultant] Lisa, we were in our 20s with this dream, and she took us 100% seriously. Not everybody did. It’s easier now, 17 years later, with success and sustainability. But back then, she treated us like a business that had been at it for years. She really respected us and helped us, and that meant a lot.”
All programs of the UGA SBDC are open to the public on a non-discriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance.
Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The University of Georgia
Small Business Development Center
382 East Broad Street
Athens, GA 30602-5412
P: (706) 542-2762
