The Therapy Tree in Douglas

Sound Business Fundamentals and Pandemic Loan Assistance Help Douglas Business Thrive   Teresa McElroy’s business, The Therapy Tree, is a lifeline for families throughout Southeast Georgia who need occupational, speech and Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) therapy for their children, many of whom are autistic.    She launched the business with one patient in her family’s trailer in 2008. A dozen years later, her staff of 35 therapists serves nearly 500 children at offices in Douglas, Fitzgerald, Hazlehurst, Baxley, and Vidalia. In […]

Team Clermont in Athens

UGA helped Team Clermont stay afloat after COVID-19 shut down live music venues and banned large gatherings   Nelson Wells has been promoting musical releases and musicians in Athens and beyond since 1997. When the pandemic hit, it threatened to shut his business down as well.     “People stopped spending money and activities in general just froze,” said Wells, whose company, Team Clermont, includes two full-time and two part-time employees […]

Leads Near Me in Lawrenceville

Strategic and Succession Planning Prepare Visionary Agency Owner to Lead Like a CEO  The secret sauce in Ryan Burton’s digital marketing agency, Leads Near Me, is that he and his team lead with love.     “We have a great team of very special people here working for clients we adore and love,” said Burton. “Our work is based on one principle: we care. We love our clients. Caring and doing the […]

Innovative Fitness Solutions in Kennesaw

GrowSmart® Training Aids Owner’s Strategic Focus   Like relay runners passing a baton, fitness experts Chris and Melissa Conti moved nine times during the first 10 years of their marriage to work in the industry. Within two years of relocating to Atlanta, they found themselves facing another move. The company Chris had joined was going out of business. […]

Davis Brothers Logistics

Pre-Planning Leads Successful Launch-and-Growth Strategy  Deciding where to begin is often challenging for people starting a business. The Davis brothers of coastal Georgia decided to take that first step by putting together a solid, well-researched business plan to launch their ideas and outline their next steps.     Still actively employed, they quickly realized it would be a challenge to respect their commitments to their employers and put […]

UGA Small Business Development Center receives $42,000 grant from Truist Foundation

             Savannah, Georgia – The University of Georgia Small Business Development Center received a $42,000 grant from the Truist Foundation to establish an entrepreneurship academy.   The Truist Entrepreneurship Academy will be a two-year training and development program designed to support small business owners and entrepreneurs. Through a series of […]

What Banks Look for When Deciding on a Business Loan

I spend a lot of time here at the SBDC working with clients on financial issues for their businesses.  A lot of the time, it involves applying for a business loan.  Folks often don’t have a good understanding of what a bank will be looking for when making a lending decision.   The basic idea […]

Assistance with the Lending Process Aids Growth of Murray County Manufacturer 

PolyTech Fibers LLC is a minority- and employee-owned manufacturer of recycled polyester staple fiber. Launched in Chatsworth in 2014, it runs three production lines in three plants and employs more than 100 local residents. Its historical revenue growth is more than 10 percent annually.     Polytech is an economic development success and a beacon of […]