If you are looking for the face of the future, you will find it at Beach Baby Ultrasound. Run by ultrasound technologist-turned-business owner Karen Devlin, the Virginia Beach business introduces babies — complete with chubby cheeks and smiles — to parents and other family members before birth.

“This ultrasound studio is a happy environment,” Devlin says. “It’s very different from working as an ultrasound tech in the hospital where you’re looking for problems. At the Beach Baby studio, we focus on cute baby features.”

Beach Baby Ultrasound offers parents-to-be a large ultrasound room with ample space, a comfortable seating area and a large TV that provides 3D, 4D and 5D tracking of a baby’s development from seven to 30 weeks. That’s part of the peaceful, celebratory vibe Karen envisioned when she purchased the facility in December 2023.

“I had always wanted to be a business owner,” says Karen, whose pre-entrepreneurial career was as a licensed ultrasound technologist. “I thought it would be a great opportunity.”

As a new business owner, Karen first found the Virginia SBDC Network through the organization’s online resources for starting a business. However, she soon realized she needed more personalized guidance, which led her to contact the Hampton Roads SBDC and advisors Bill Holloran and Donna Norman. While Bill worked with Karen on the key elements of buying a business and arranging a business loan; Donna offered guidance on human resources, business management, and marketing.

“Bill was a wealth of knowledge and gave me suggestions for lawyers and accountants and introduced me to Small Business Administration (SBA) loans, which I eventually went with,” she notes.

Making the transition from employee to business owner, Karen renamed her newly purchased business to Beach Baby Ultrasound, updated the website, and changed the packages offered to clients.

With an existing client database in hand, Karen focused next on marketing.

“Bill and Donna suggested flyers and business cards as well as email marketing campaigns,” Karen explains. “I’ve done two email campaigns that brought in a lot of customers.”

Turning to human resources, Karen increased the employee pay scale and changed a random work schedule to regular four-hour shifts.

“Donna helped me create an employee handbook and advised me on situations like firing an employee, which I had to do,” Karen continues. “She also helped with social media and encouraged me to start and post on an Instagram account. I was able to grab some new clients from that. All her suggestions were really helpful.”

Since signing on with the SBDC, Beach Baby Ultrasound has realized a 29% increase in sales and hired three more technologists and a receptionist.

“Working with the SBDC has been wonderful, and I learned a lot,” Karen concludes. “Working with the SBDC, I don’t feel alone. I know I can turn to them for advice — a good feeling for a first-time business owner like myself.”