Meet U.S. SBA Georgia Small Business Person of the Year: UGA SBDC client Eric Williams

Seeing the opportunity

When Williams began his entrepreneurial journey, he was employed at a metal fabrication company in Macon that was closing due to lower than expected revenues.

“The company believed there wasn’t much opportunity in Middle Georgia, but I saw it as a significant untapped market,” he recalls. “They provided me with a list of assets for liquidation, and the prices seemed unusually low. I saw this as my chance to start the business I had always dreamed of.”

At just 22 years old, Williams purchased the equipment from the liquidation list, hired four employees and founded Unified Defense. The company, located in Byron, specializes in designing and manufacturing ground support equipment and metal goods for both commercial and government sectors, including contracts with the U.S. Air Force, Army and Marines.

Within the first year of launching United Defense, the building that housed his business was put up for sale. Williams was faced with a crucial decision; move his fledgling company or purchase the building.

“It was a new business, and moving would have been financially disastrous,” he said. “I approached several banks to secure financing for the building, but as a new company, I encountered numerous obstacles and roadblocks.”

Securing small business funding with assistance from the UGA SBDC

Williams’ fortunes in securing the necessary business capital shifted dramatically when a local banker introduced him to Peter Williams, a senior business consultant at the UGA SBDC in Macon.

“I helped him prepare the financial projections and business plan I knew the bank would need as they reviewed his loan application,” said Peter Williams. “After helping him secure that loan, we’ve had a great working relationship ever since.”

Since that first meeting in 2016, Eric Williams has regularly sought advice from the UGA SBDC on various topics, including government contracting, product description and pricing strategies.

He still relies on many of the skills he acquired through the UGA SBDC.

“I would advise any small business owner to get involved with the UGA SBDC early and take advantage of all the services they have to offer,” said Eric Williams. “The network and knowledge the UGA SBDC has available to help small businesses, free of charge, is so valuable for any stage of business.”

Unified Defense sees tremendous growth

Since opening in 2016, Unified Defense has doubled its revenue each year and grown from eight to 80 employees.

In 2022, Williams seized the opportunity to purchase Prince Service & Manufacturing, a third-generation metal and components manufacturing company in Macon. The purchase led to tremendous growth for Unified Defense and Prince alike, creating a powerful partnership in the metal fabrication industry.

At the time of the acquisition, Prince Service & Manufacturing was three times the size of Unified Defense. Combined, the two companies now have more than 240 employees, up from 165 employees in 2022. Revenues have increased 207% since the acquisition.

“Eric is an exceptionally smart businessperson and knows a good opportunity when he sees it,” said Peter Williams. “He’s incredibly hard-working and the accomplishments his business have seen demonstrates that.”

Williams named Georgia Small Businessperson of the Year

In April, the U.S. Small Business Administration took notice of Eric Williams’ successes—recognizing him as Georgia’s 2024 Small Business Person of the Year.

In addition to exploring new acquisition opportunities, Williams is planning for continued growth by expanding buildings and equipment to better serve customers. His companies will also continue to invest time and finances in building relationships at local technical colleges and high schools, providing welding training and creating pathways for future employment at Unified Defense and Prince Service & Manufacturing.