StillFire and UGA SBDC Ignite Brewing Success

Putting UGA SBDC Resources to Use Law school opens the door to many possibilities. While sitting in his law school classes at the University of Georgia, Aaron Bisges, general manager at StillFire Brewing, never dreamed one of those possibilities would be opening a brewery after graduation. He worked at bars and restaurants throughout law school […]
Trust, then Verify: CPA Values Well-Researched Second Opinion Prior to Purchasing Firm

Augusta accountant Lisa Mayo is familiar with the variety of resources the University of Georgia’s Small Business Development Center has at its disposal, as she is one of those resources. She frequently serves as a tax panelist and QuickBooks expert for its SBDC StartSMART™ courses. Mayo, a CPA and CVA, or certified valuation analyst, believes […]
How to Stand Out on LinkedIn

“What do people need to know about you?” This basic question should underlie every decision you make about what to include on your LinkedIn profile. User surveys show that the two most popular uses of LinkedIn are to look at somebody’s profile before and after they meet with them. What does […]
Lawn care company exceeds yearly projections with help from SBDC

Kyle Flanagan’s roots are in lawn care – the Florida native started mowing lawns in his parents’ neighborhood when he was just 11. He moved to Athens in 2002 to attend the University of Georgia and worked for a regional chem-lawn company to pay for tuition. As he built connections in the community […]
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. […]
DIESELGRID in Forest Park, GA

Deep Market Knowledge and Operational Flexibility Lead Freight Carrier Through the Pandemic Justin Hughes left trucking and moved into real estate in 2007, just before the Great Recession. Two years later, back into trucking, he founded the freight carrier DIESELGRID in Forest Park, and grew. He contacted the University of Georgia Small Business […]
Financial Assistance from the SBDC Triples the Size of a Family-Owned Assisted Living Business

Nurse Sue Bailey has been a caring person all her life. So, when her family suggested she open a care facility, she did. Twice. “My cousin had started a small place that she ended up expanding. It was a wonderful place. For years, she encouraged me to do it,” she said. When she neared retirement, […]
Sound Startup Advice Leads to Rapid Growth for Canine Rehab Center

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Georgia Bottoms is a licensed physical therapist. She treated people in acute care and skilled nursing facilities in Savannah before becoming the wound care coordinator at Memorial Health. However, her focus changed from people to their dogs after her pup, Ripken, needed extensive rehabilitation to recover from knee surgery. “The physical therapist in the clinic […]