After spending ten years in the mental health and social services field, Lichele White saw an opportunity to create something deeply personal and mission-driven. She founded an organization focused on supporting individuals at their present stage and assisting them on their healing journey. What started as a solo therapy practice in 2020 has evolved into Rooted in Recovery Therapeutic Services. This vibrant and esteemed mental health practice now provides individual, group, and family therapy to clients throughout Virginia.

Rooted in Recovery plays a crucial role within a larger circle of care crafted by Lichele White, who leads the nonprofit, A Few Good Roots, and manages the New Roots Treatment Center. Through these intertwined initiatives, a comprehensive continuum of support is offered. This includes counseling services and treatment for substance use, alongside essential community resources. These resources encompass food pantries, clothing closets, and a state-certified sober living home, all designed to support individuals on their journey to recovery.

This all-encompassing, holistic strategy allows her team to address every facet of well-being—mind, body, and environment.

When it was time to grow, Lichele realized she needed assistance in managing the business aspects of expansion. Motivated by her bank’s advice, she contacted the Capital Region Small Business Development Center (SBDC) just sixty days prior to finalizing the purchase of a new building. “I assumed services would be costly and complex,” she remembers. “I was delighted to learn that the support was no cost.”

Through personalized business advising, financial training, and loan preparation assistance, the Capital Region SBDC guided Lichele through the process to secure SBA funding to purchase her first building, turning her vision for growth into reality. With the loan approved and business plan refined, she quickly hired four new staff members and increased her services by 30%.

“Once I followed their process, everything fell into place,” Lichele said. “I realized I should have called the SBDC months earlier.”

Beginning in Virginia and now proudly licensed in Maryland and North Carolina, Lichele White is dedicated to broadening her impact while remaining steadfast in her mission: to guarantee that recovery and compassionate mental health support are available to everyone. Plans are underway to establish additional offices in both North and South Carolina.

Economic Impact:

KTL Restorations began as many great American businesses do, rooted in family, craftsmanship, and shared purpose. More than twenty-five years ago, Kurt Lawrance and his father, Tom Lawrance, spent evenings restoring classic vehicles in Tom’s backyard shop after his retirement from a long career in engineering, welding, and automotive work. That early work reflected more than a hobby. Attention to detail, deep respect for automotive history, and pride in doing things the right way quickly set them apart. Clients noticed. Those seeking more than a quick repair found something rarer: excellence.

Opportunity and vision prompted Tom’s move from Long Island to Danville. A newly purchased property included a five-thousand-square-foot shop that felt expansive compared to anything available in New York. KTL started modestly, incorporating initially to access discounted auto parts. Demand steadily followed. Word spread through enthusiast circles. Vehicles arrived from increasingly distant places. Along the way, the Lawrances unknowingly laid the groundwork for what would become a nationally recognized restoration facility.

Today, KTL Restorations operates as a world-renowned shop with three distinct service lines. Full restorations preserve vehicles exactly as they left the factory, honoring every original detail. Restomods blend classic aesthetics with modern drivetrains, braking systems, suspension, and comfort features. Full customs give clients the opportunity to design one-of-a-kind vehicles built entirely from the ground up. Collectors from across the United States, Canada, and overseas seek out KTL for a reputation built on precision and artistry few shops can rival.

Following Tom’s passing in 2014, Kurt and his wife Crystal stepped fully into leadership as second-generation owners. Their vision carried both ambition and personal meaning. One evening, Crystal asked Kurt where he saw the business in five years. His answer came quickly and confidently. He wanted KTL’s work recognized at SEMA, the world’s most prestigious automotive trade show. That milestone arrived in just three years. Since then, the company has grown from a team of three or four employees into a staff of fifteen, operating out of a thirteen-thousand-square-foot main facility and a nine-thousand-square-foot body shop.

Growth brought clarity that passion alone would not sustain expansion. That realization led the Lawrances to the Longwood Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and advisor Michael Duncan, who soon became a trusted partner. During his first visit, Michael saw both opportunity and constraint. Continued expansion within the existing footprint no longer made sense. A multi-year advising relationship followed, defined by candid conversations, strategic planning, and decisive action.

Throughout each phase of expansion, Michael worked alongside the Lawrances, evaluating space options, exploring financing strategies, and preparing the business for long-term sustainability. Crystal describes him as both strategist and steady presence, someone who challenged assumptions while grounding decisions in reality. “We might have eventually moved without his guidance,” she said, “but we would not be where we are today.”

GCI, also known as Glenn’s Crane Institute, carries a legacy of mentorship, grit, and deep regard for an industry that quite literally keeps America standing. For more than thirteen years, K.C. Wallace worked as a crane operator, honing his craft under the guidance of a mentor who reshaped his future. That mentor, Robert Glenn, taught him not only how to handle cranes safely and skillfully but how to lead with integrity.

When Robert began planning retirement, he encouraged K.C. to return to the company with the intention of purchasing it. Robert’s unexpected passing halted that transition, yet it also sparked a fresh start. K.C. and his wife, Sarah, built their own training organization from the ground up, developing new curriculum, reconnecting with clients, and fostering a culture driven by professionalism and respect for the load-handling industry.

Today, GCI stands as a nationally accredited training provider, offering certification programs for crane operators, riggers, signal persons, and professionals working across industrial and transmission environments. Their certifications follow workers throughout their careers much like a driver’s license, giving students long-term value and access to higher-paying opportunities. Sarah manages operations as co-owner while K.C. leads instruction as CEO and subject matter expert. Together, they have shaped a company centered on safety, skill, and confidence for hundreds of students each year.

As their business expanded, GCI turned to the Longwood Small Business Development Center (SBDC) for support. Entrepreneurs in their region spoke highly of the Center, and the Wallaces were connected with advisors Dana Knott and Jacob Dolence, who quickly became trusted partners. With both owners immersed in daily operations, the SBDC offered a neutral sounding board for brainstorming, growth planning, and strategic decisions essential to scaling a technical training company.

The SBDC guided GCI through an important shift in focus, helping refine their direction for 2025 and identifying new opportunities. Dana and Jacob also introduced the Wallaces to financial partners who supported two major SBA loans, enabling the purchase of commercial property and an expanded equipment lineup. Four additional cranes significantly increased training capacity and elevated the professionalism of their in-house programs.

The Abdus-Sabur family has raised livestock in Prince Edward County since the mid-1980s, caring for sheep and cattle long before the idea of owning a meat processing facility emerged. For decades, they experienced the same frustration many small farmers face: no reliable, local place to sell animals for high-quality meat production. Without a nearby USDA-inspected facility, producers often traveled long distances or accepted lower value for animals raised with care.

The family recognized that their community deserved better. Central Virginia consumers wanted access to fresh, locally grown meats they could trust, and farmers needed a dependable partner who respected the effort involved in raising animals responsibly. Out of that need grew 5 Pillar Meats, a family-owned USDA-inspected processing facility specializing in beef, sheep, and goats. Their mission centers on service: supporting farmers by providing a local market for their animals and serving consumers by delivering quality, locally sourced products that strengthen the regional food supply.

Building a facility of this scale required significant learning and perseverance. Financing a USDA-inspected plant involves a complex process that typically demands an entire team of bankers and attorneys. The family had neither. They approached the journey with determination but quickly realized how challenging it would be to secure the capital needed to construct a plant meeting federal standards. That is when they connected with their county’s Rural Development program and were referred to the Longwood Small Business Development Center (SBDC) .

Through the SBDC, the family received guidance that clarified the full scope of the project. Advising sessions addressed regulatory expectations, operational planning, and strategies for long-term sustainability. The SBDC provided insight into business structure and planning, and helped the family prepare materials necessary to pursue multiple funding opportunities.

LR3 continues to evolve as Nancy and her team explore new service lines and support more clients tackling complex infrastructure challenges. The firm recently launched a service for electric companies responding to emergency events, creating another pathway for growth. Nancy finds fulfillment in seeing employees engage in generating fresh ideas and identifying ways the company can expand its impact.

“The SBDC is a rich resource. Their guidance does not just provide answers. It helps you learn how to build your business step by step,” Nancy said. “Good employees make all the difference, and I am grateful for the chance to lead a company where we can grow together.”

Looking ahead, LR3 Solutions plans to deepen its technical offerings and continue supporting government partners who rely on accurate data and thoughtful analysis. With the SBDC still by her side, Nancy focuses on scaling with purpose, strengthening her team, and maintaining the standards that set LR3 apart.

When Andrew Morris moved from California to Tazewell, Virginia in 2024, he saw more than a new place to call home—he saw a need. The region faced a shortage of skilled contractors, leaving residents, particularly veterans and people with disabilities, struggling to find help for basic home modifications. With decades of hands-on experience in residential construction, Andrew founded Ardent Construction to fill that gap and provide reliable, quality workmanship to his new community.

“I wanted to create something meaningful,” he explained. “There’s a big need here for accessibility and integrity in construction. People should feel confident that their contractor will do the job right and treat them fairly.”

Ardent Construction focuses on residential improvements under a Class B general contractor license, specializing in accessibility projects such as wheelchair ramps and walk-in showers.

Andrew’s entrepreneurial path took shape when a contractor licensing course in Tazewell, referred him to the Southwest Virginia Small Business Development Center (SBDC). “I didn’t even know the SBDC existed,” he recalled. “Meeting Denise was a turning point.”

Through personalized advising, Denise helped Andrew develop a business plan, secure a Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority (VCEDA) seed capital grant, and connect with local economic development leaders. Those new relationships quickly paid off, opening new business opportunities and earning recognition within the community.

“It’s like having a silent partner who promotes your business with you,” Andrew said. “Denise helped me with everything—from business planning to finding a CPA. She’s been incredible.”