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 […]

Do you have enough capital to start your business?

  One of the things we talk about as a significant failure factor for new businesses is being under-capitalized when they start.  Undercapitalizing is simply a fancy finance term for underestimating how much money it will really take to (1) get the business started and (2) to cover initial losses while sales ramp up before […]

A UGA-Assisted Doggy Day Care and Dog Treat Bakery in Savannah is Thriving

When Tonya and Nick Rintye decided to open a day care and boarding facility for dogs, they went to the UGA Small Business Development Center (UGA SBDC) in Savannah for assistance. They learned right away that they needed more than an idea to start a business. “I didn’t have any money to put down on a […]

Finance And Marketing Assistance Put Tour Operator On The Path To Rapid Growth

Tour bus parked in vibrant green grass; vineyards extend into the background behind bus

VIP Tours president Christina Ernst is a seasoned travel agent who grew up in White County. So when the chamber of commerce leadership, county commissioners and local winery owners were looking at how to attract visitors to the region, they invited her to join their meeting. “They wanted advice on what was possible and how […]

Improved Financials Position Savannah BBQ Owner for Rapid Growth

Bryan Furman was a laser operator at the JCB manufacturing plant in Pooler, GA when he decided to start a small BBQ business on the side.   “I have a passion for cooking and felt like there was no good BBQ where we stayed. And I wanted to be able to leave something for our kids.”  He tried to open a small place in Savannah in 2012, […]

Funding Your Small Business

savings, finances, economy and home concept - close up of man with calculator counting money and making notes at home

Cash is to a business what oxygen is to a human…necessary for survival. Finding the needed cash for your business can be challenging, but with the growth of alternative lenders, there are more options available now for established companies.  Startups on the other hand, may find it more difficult to gain access to cash without […]

An Elf’s Success

The UGA SBDC helped catapult “The Elf on the Shelf” to stardom. Here’s how:   Since helping Carol Aebersold and her twins, Christa Pitts and Chanda Bell launch the best-selling holiday book in 2004, the UGA Small Business Development Center has continued to provide support and guidance to the Kennesaw-based company. “The Elf on the […]