Road Striping Services began with a straightforward idea that felt anything but simple at the time. After leaving a large company when culture and priorities shifted, Danielle Brouillet and Murray Hood set out to build a lean, values-driven operation centered on people and performance. The mission was clear: earn trust through quality, serve clients of every size, and grow only as fast as excellence allows.

From its first job in August 2024 to a full calendar in 2025, the company specialized in pavement markings, temporary traffic control, bike lanes, and ground-mounted signage. Work contracts span from federal and state projects, local municipalities, commercial sites, and neighborhood lots. Relationships drive the business model: many contractors already trusted the leadership team’s reputation and were eager to have Road Striping Services tackle delayed jobs once its doors opened. That early confidence, coupled with thoughtful hiring and training, transformed a small crew into a tight-knit six-person team.

The Hampton Roads Small Business Development Center ( SBDC) served as a trusted guide at every stage. Danielle first connected through a webinar and quickly moved into one-to-one advising. With SBDC support, the business developed a compliant startup checklist, secured the necessary licenses and pre-qualifications, established financial systems, and accessed expert resources for bookkeeping and accounting.

As the company grew, advising evolved from “how do we start” questions to capital planning and equipment strategy, helping the team scale responsibly while maintaining its hands-on quality.

“Could I have achieved this on my own? Perhaps. However, would it have been as focused, swift, and consistent? Definitely not. I had a team, a roadmap, and the assurance to continue progressing.”

Looking ahead, Road Striping Services intends to remain deliberately sized and consistently reliable, expanding capacity only when the right people and processes are in place. The vision is steady: maintain crew safety; keep traffic moving; and deliver every project on schedule, on budget, and true to the company’s promise.

Economic Impact

• Launched operations and completed first projects in 2024, with sustained growth through 2025
• Built a six-person full-time team, with workforce development and on-the-job training for new hires
• Achieved required licenses and pre-qualifications to compete for state and municipal work
• Diversified customer mix across federal, state, local, commercial, and private sectors
• Strengthened cash-flow management through vendor terms, bookkeeping systems, and SBDC financial advising
• Pursuing growth capital to add equipment and expand capacity while maintaining quality standards

D&S Wellness Spa began as a deeply personal mission for founder Diana De Paz-Ceus. After moving to Williamsburg, Diana contracted E. coli while traveling and spent long, exhausting hours waiting for IV therapy in the emergency room. She recalled a similar experience during pregnancy when she required IV support for hyperemesis and often wondered why no dedicated wellness space offering this level of care existed in her community. With experience working in a plastic surgery office and hands-on familiarity with cosmetic procedures, she saw an opportunity to create a space that combined medical expertise with compassionate care.

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.”

As a founder and professional educator, Rhondnita Reed’s philosophy focuses on one core principle: relationships first.

“I believe in building relationships with kids,” she explains. “You know, they’re little humans. They need a safe space to be themselves while being held accountable. Our motto is ‘Rules without relationship will lead to rebellion.’” This approach, rooted in trust and guidance, is at the forefront of the Because I Care Educational Services (BICES) model, which began in August 2020 as a tutoring and homeschooling service dedicated to serving students’ individual needs.

While Rhondnita started her business with a clear vision, established clientele, and a gift for teaching, what she did not have was a business location to call her own.

“I started out meeting my students at Panera,” Rhondnita says. “I would homeschool in the morning, and then I would get to Panera about 10 AM and literally sit in a booth and students would come see me from 10 AM to around 8 PM.”

With the growth of her clientele, Rhondnita’s business outgrew the makeshift meeting space at Panera, leading her to connect with Donna Norman, a Hampton Roads SBDC advisor. “I wanted a real office,” Rhondnita recalls. “My clientele was growing, and I was tutoring multiple students at once in an environment that wasn’t conducive to learning.”

With Donna’s guidance, Rhondnita secured an office at The IncuHub, where she could foster a structured, student-centered space. At the same time, Donna supported Rhondnita beyond finding a physical location. She helped Rhondnita work through the steps of formalizing BICES as an LLC, obtaining her business license, and establishing an operating budget for long-term, sustainable growth.

“Donna listened to me and pushed me to be my best. Without her, I probably wouldn’t be here,” Rhondnita shares.

Since securing office space, BICES has experienced significant growth.

Rhondnita outgrew the original space and upgraded to a larger suite where her business lives today. The dedicated workspace allowed her to accept more students, hire summer interns to meet demand, and provide a distraction-free learning environment.

“Our space at the IncuHub has been a blessing,” she says. “I see our program expanding and transforming into a school over the next year, offering comprehensive support tailored to each student’s educational journey.”

Because I Care Educational Services (BICES) has shown remarkable growth over the last six months, achieving a 50% increase in clientele.

Teviya and Jon Abrahams rely on creativity. It’s the foundation of Jpixx, the creative video agency the couple spearheaded in Virginia Beach in 2013.

Jpixx started ten years ago when video had just become a necessary tool all the way down to the local level, so they did not need heavy sales to get going. However, when the COVID pandemic allowed for forced downtime, Teviya relied on her creative instincts and contacted the Hampton Roads SBDC.

“I reached out to the SBDC to build our business knowledge,” Teviya says. “We were experts in our field, but we learned about running a business as we went along.”

By that point, Teviya and Jon’s team had already produced thousands of videos, traveled the world, and built an impressive roster of clients, including government contracts. But it was a pivotal time to leverage the experience they had gained over the years.

SBDC Business Analyst Bill Holloran helped Teviya and Jon gain perspective and realize what would help cinch up their business processes and structure to grow more mindfully.

“Bill got to know how we run our business,” Jon relates. “He gave us confidence in areas we were excelling in and suggested other areas to adjust and points to consider.”

“One of our favorite projects is a video about booster seat safety that went viral with over 20 million views,” Jon says. “Knowing we could reach so many parents all over the world and actually save lives was a huge moment for us. Reframing our thinking with the SBDC, we now like to use this to help others understand the impact of video marketing. It became fuel for us to define what projects and goals to focus on going forward.”

“Bill helped with increasing sales, defining costs, and talent development for our staff,” Teviya says. “He helped us prioritize growth options and the delineation of duties for us as owners.”

“When soft-launching a new website, Bill compiled notes from professionals and business students, making our website more effective for future clients,” Teviya mentions.

Jpixx has grown to 12 staff and counting. They produce commercials, but are particularly adept with 3 – 5 minute videos that tell in-depth, complex stories. “Jpixx is stellar at making the viewer feel as if they are in the room to experience it firsthand. So many things in life cannot be communicated or understood fully in writing,” Teviya says. “That visual element is crucial, and we love being a part of that.”

Capture Life Creatively is the motto Jpixx began with, and it’s still prevalent today. Teviya is so very grateful she got in touch with the SBDC. “It is invaluable to have a reliable and trustworthy resource to learn from, whether it is the very helpful SBDC webinar library or our very own mentor, Bill, to reach out to throughout the year.”

Dr. Bobbie Hansel-Union established Hansel Union Consulting, PLLC in 2010 to provide personal therapeutic services. After experiencing, and surviving, a brain aneurysm in her late 30s, Bobbie was convinced of the value of therapeutic services.

“After my experience, I realized it was only through therapy I was able to come back,” Bobbie says. Inspired by a desire to help others with developmental, intellectual and neurological disabilities, she opened her office in Portsmouth with a staff of one – herself. However, even though Bobbie embarked on her business venture on her own, she knew that didn’t mean she had to go about it alone.

“I was the only one on staff,” she says. “But I knew about the Hampton Roads SBDC, so I reached out to them for help.”

Bill Holloran, a Hampton Roads SBDC Business Analyst, answered Bobbie’s call and has been her advisor ever since. Their partnership started with a business plan Bill helped her write, along with developing business goals for Hansel Union Consulting’s future.

As Hansel Union developed its primary goal – to serve children and adults “from birth to the end” – the company experienced steady growth, both in personnel and clientele. While the SBDC was instrumental in getting Hansel Union off the ground, their assistance didn’t stop there. Bill and the SBDC helped Bobbie secure grants of $25,000 and $10,000 and advised on staffing as Hansel Union expanded.

“Next we added recreation therapists and occupational therapists,” Bobbie says. “From there we added psychologists, physical therapists, speech therapists, and a nursing staff.”

As Hansel Union’s team expanded, so too did its footprint in the community. They now provide both in-person and virtual services across the commonwealth, from Richmond to Roanoke and Northern Virginia.

As the company continues to move forward, Bobbie plans to take the SBDC along.

“Without the SBDC I don’t think I would have been as successful as I am,” she says. “My first year in business I made $33,000; today Hansel Union is a $5 million agency with 36 on staff.”

“The SBDC has always been there for me,” she adds. “I don’t understand why anyone would start a business without SBDC support. They provide a wealth of knowledge — and it’s free.”

Sandra Eduardo and daughter Ebony Vargas possess the qualifications and experience to operate an early childhood education center. They lacked a business plan that would allow expansion and growth. When Hampton Roads SBDC Advisor Bill Holloran joined the mother-daughter duo, a plan for growth took shape.

“My mother was an educator for 25 years and wanted to share her Hispanic culture and native tongue,” Ebony says, remembering A New World of Learning Bilingual Academy’s launch in January 2018. “I was in college and wanted to learn about being a business owner. During an SBDC-sponsored course for child care facilities, Bill was assigned to be our mentor.”

When the pandemic arrived in 2020, that educational course, as well as plans for expansion, were put on hold.

“When things opened up again, Bill reached out,” Ebony explains. “He was a phenomenal mentor and immediately helped us apply for relief grant funding.”

Those connections resulted in grants through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) totaling $10,000; Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) for Hampton Roads totaling $10,000; and four rounds of Department of Education Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES act) totaling $23,000.

Bill also helped Sandra and Ebony make practical connections.

“Bill connected us to a science firm that provided us with a laser jet printer with a lifetime guarantee,” Ebony continues. “He also suggested a USDA subsidy that reimbursed food purchased for the school.”

Today the Learning Academy’s most pressing issue is expansion. The school is thriving, and a larger facility has become a necessity. The SBDC’s projections helped set an expansion plan in motion, and Ebony and Sandra’s partnership with the SBDC has grown alongside their business.

“We have three waiting lists,” Ebony notes. “Our current location accommodates 30 preschoolers with six older children before and after school. Bill showed us the fundamentals of business growth. Currently, we’re working with a loan officer to find a property we can own.”

With the SBDC on their side, Sandra and Ebony are confident of success.

“This process would have been five times harder without the SBDC connecting us to all these resources,” Ebony says.

“The SBDC is always looking out for us,” Sandra adds. “Support is very important, and the SBDC supports us 100 percent!”

When employee call-outs left chef Jermaine Boothe short-staffed during a busy evening at the restaurant where he worked, he said to himself, “I wish there was someone I could call.”

“I wanted to create something where you have a bunch of professionals on call,” explains Jermaine.

Jermaine previously met Hampton Roads SBDC Assistant Director Debra Farley in 2012. As his vision of owning a restaurant shifted to staffing, he knew exactly whom to contact. With Debra’s help, he began planning his new venture.

“Debra has been there in every stage of my business and growth so far,” he says. “She knows my business inside and out.”

In 2013, Jermaine founded Elite Culinary Staffing, a temporary staffing agency. Elite Culinary seeks to meet the growing needs in the hospitality industry, and offers transitional job opportunities and skills training for military veterans, foster children aging out of the system, and formerly incarcerated individuals in the Hampton Roads area. In 2018, he expanded services, opening a training facility for hospitality professionals ranging from servers to small-business owners.

Since Elite Culinary launched, the SBDC has facilitated growth through one-on-one advising and workshops, and helped Jermaine with marketing strategies and insurance options. During the pandemic, Debra provided professional insight, keeping Jermaine up to date on available resources.

“I can Google things and take a shot in the dark, or I can contact Debra and say ‘this is what I’m looking for,’ and she will connect me with people I can trust,” Jermaine says. “Like many businesses, ours was adversely affected by the pandemic. Debra assisted me in pivoting. We began working on a mobile application, which connects employers to employees directly.”

With Debra’s help, Jermaine launched his staffing app in 2020. The SBDC also provided support for state and federal grant applications, resulting in approximately $160,000 in funding.

Looking to the future, Jermaine has big goals. He hopes to grow his mobile app to serve 10,000 users, secure more government contracts, and begin consistent workforce development and training in his new facility. He cites the SBDC’s professional network as the organization’s most valuable asset.

“As I grow and sustain my business, it’s so important to me that I have someone I can call that understands business — and most importantly, understands my business and can give me constructive advice,” says Jermaine. “I do and will refer people to the SBDC all the time.”

Michelle Lankford-Johnson was ready to launch Dominion Psychological Associates (DPA) in 2021 — pandemic or not. Fortunately, the Hampton Roads SBDC and Associate Director Debra Farley were on hand to help her establish that business.

“Debra Farley and the SBDC were heaven sent,” Michelle affirms.

In actuality, it was an earthly messenger, Michelle’s sister, who pointed her toward the SBDC after attending a class at Thomas Nelson Community College. “My sister told me the person teaching that class could tell me everything I needed to know about running a business,” Michelle notes. “I called Debra, made an appointment, and that was it!”

Michelle’s initial meeting with Debra began with crafting a plan. “Debra told me, “Number one is always a business plan,’” Michelle recalled. “Debra was very direct about that and a lot of other things — that’s what I like about her.”

Along with discussion of a business plan, Michelle received practical advice on how to get started. “We talked about how to register a business with the city,” Michelle explains. “Debra also made sure I knew who was important to have on my team — a banker, lawyer, CPA, and bookkeeper — things like that.”

Following the SBDC’s advice, Michelle registered her business last September. “From September to June 2021, I worked with the SBDC doing webinars and getting the groundwork done, so I could launch the business,” Michelle explains. “In grad school, they taught us a lot about social work but, then when I got a license, I suddenly realized — there’s a business part to this. I feel blessed to have help from the SBDC.”

Currently, Michelle is working with the SBDC to complete her business plan. “With Debra’s help, I’m going through the business plan to make sure I’ll be able to explain it,” Michelle says. “Once that’s done, I plan to apply to the city for funds to help with the set-up costs.”

Recently, Debra introduced Michelle to the SWaM (Small, Women-Owned, and Minority-Owned) business program. “I qualify for each area of SWaM,” Michelle notes. “There are benefits in that program, and I plan to take advantage of them.”

As a counselor herself, Michelle especially appreciates the business counseling she’s received from the SBDC. “When you hit that brick wall and don’t know which way to go next, having someone there to tell you the right way to go is extremely helpful,” she adds.

Michelle is already spreading the word about her number one resource — the SBDC. “You need a good foundation when you start a business,” she concludes. “The SBDC is an excellent resource to get you through those important first steps and be confident about the future.”