IvySys Technologies began with a clear purpose. After completing his PhD at Georgia Tech and working as a software engineer and program manager at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab, James DeBardelaben noticed a recurring challenge: large organizations collected massive amounts of data yet struggled to convert it into meaningful insight. That widening gap between collection and understanding motivated him to build a company capable of closing it for the defense and intelligence communities.

James launched IvySys in 2006, supporting government agencies as a traditional contractor with expertise in measurement and signature intelligence. As social media, publicly available information, and emerging data sources reshaped the information landscape, IvySys expanded its capabilities to meet the moment. The company now delivers artificial intelligence and advanced analytics tailored to mission-critical environments.

At the core of IvySys’s work lies DataFaucet, a platform that generates scalable synthetic datasets for operational analysis, predictive modeling, and scenario testing. The technology emerged from years of research supported by national science and defense initiatives. It has advanced into a Phase III SBIR effort and now actively supports government missions, including spatiotemporal synthetic data development for operational analysis teams.

Transitioning from consulting to true technology development forced IvySys to rethink its structure, streamline operations, and build a foundation focused on innovation rather than hourly contract work.

“That transition was challenging but necessary,” James explained. “We had to reshape our company into one that could move quickly and build products with real long-term value.”

As James refined the business, he also cultivated relationships within Virginia’s innovation ecosystem. His first connection to the Virginia Small Business Development Center (SBDC) came through a statewide innovation roundtable, where he met TJ Master from the Virginia SBDC – Innovation Commercialization Assistance Program (ICAP). Their conversations evolved into a mentorship that has guided IvySys through strategic planning, marketing insights, introductions to university partners, and access to programs aligned with the company’s goals.

TJ kept James informed about opportunities spanning campus-based innovation programs, venture conferences, and pitch events. These introductions helped IvySys forge connections at George Mason University and gain insight into business development resources throughout the region. “The most valuable part of working with the SBDC has been the personal relationship,” James said. “Even when he does not have the exact answer, TJ always knows who to connect me with.”

Looking ahead, IvySys aims to expand its capabilities within defense markets while adapting its technologies for commercial applications. The company also participates in entrepreneurship programs that offer go-to-market expertise and a network of advisors focused on commercialization. Over the next five years, James hopes to position IvySys for a strategic transaction or merger that accelerates the reach of its technology.

“We have built something that has the potential to support both national security and the commercial sector,” James said. “The SBDC has helped us stay connected, focused, and aware of the resources available in Virginia. That support has been invaluable as we grow.”

Economic Impact

• Sustained employment with 6 full-time & 2 part-time staff
• Advanced research into a commercial-ready synthetic data platform
• Earned a $2.1M Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Grant to support tech development
• Strengthened ties with Virginia’s university & small business ecosystems
• Established new pathways for commercialization through SBDC mentorship

For nearly two decades, Krum Rangelov climbed the ranks of the collision repair industry, starting as an estimator and eventually managing multiple dealership repair centers. Yet despite his proven results and leadership, he often felt overlooked and undervalued in the corporate world. When the pandemic struck—and yet another pay cut was announced—Krum decided it was time to take control of his own future. “My boss told me the grass isn’t greener on the other side,” he recalled. “I told him, you’re right—exactly why I’m going to work for myself.”

 For Christina Hudson, fitness has long been a pathway to deeper purpose. After years of military service, she recognized the powerful link between discipline, resilience, and community — principles that later shaped her vision for a space where people could rebuild strength in both body and mind. As a disabled veteran, Christina saw firsthand how movement and shared support can restore confidence and well-being. “Functional fitness saved me,” she said. “I wanted others to feel that same empowerment — to experience fitness as accessible, uplifting, and truly transformative.”

For Nancy Rivers, LR3 Solutions began with a simple but powerful belief: she wanted the freedom to deliver technical work at a higher standard and to build a company where engineers could grow, question, innovate, and take pride in their solutions. After years in large organizations where quality sometimes took a back seat to process, Nancy envisioned a different approach. She imagined a firm that addressed complex utility challenges with clarity and care while mentoring the next generation of engineers along the way.

In June 2020, she founded LR3 Solutions, a technical practice specializing in risk assessment, infrastructure analysis, and strategic planning for government utility systems. The firm supports military installations and federal clients facing aging infrastructure, limited funding, and the pressure to make decisions that affect both safety and long-term resilience. LR3 helps these clients understand their risks, weigh capital improvements, and identify solutions that reduce costs while increasing reliability.

Behind the technical work lies a culture Nancy shaped with intention. She developed formal and informal training pathways, fostered an environment where team members ask questions freely, and launched internal programs that encourage continuous learning. “Being a business owner allows me to set the tone for quality and to support my employees in a meaningful way,” she explained. “We want every engineer to feel empowered to do their best work.”

As LR3 began to grow, Nancy recognized the need for guidance outside her technical expertise. A colleague introduced her to the Mason Small Business Development Center (SBDC), launching a long-term advising relationship that helped her strengthen the company’s foundation.

Her SBDC advisor, Timm Johnson, guided her through business registration, operational setup, payroll and accounting reviews, and marketing strategy development. He recommended workshops, encouraged her to join the Thrive Emerging Leaders program , and offered steady direction whenever new questions arose. Nancy valued that the SBDC didn’t provide quick answers; instead, it offered frameworks that allowed her to make informed decisions and take confident next steps.

In 1996, while a student at University of Mary Washington, Heidi Bass took a trolley ride that changed her life.

As the Trolley Tours of Fredericksburg’s trek around the city came to the end, Heidi heard her tour guide, Butch Wimmer, mention to his passengers that he was hiring drivers. A full-time student in need of income, Heidi approached Butch, who was also the founder and owner of the company, and asked if he was serious. Several months later, she earned her commercial driver’s license and started working as a part-time driver and tour guide.

“It was a fun job, a fun way to make money,” Heidi says.

It was so much fun that 25 years after she drove her first trolley route, Heidi bought the business with the help of the University of Mary Washington SBDC (UMW SBDC).

Even though Heidi had first-hand experience with all aspects of the company during more than two decades as driver, guide and general manager, she still sought out guidance for her entrepreneurial journey. UMW SBDC Director Susan Ball, who previously helped Trolley Tours with the SWaM certification process, stood ready and willing to lead the way.

“I felt confident in my understanding of the business. I felt confident in my abilities to own and operate it,” Heidi says. “But I needed guidance on, you know, getting the state corporation commission, getting established as an independent business, getting the loan paperwork, and working with the bank and getting all my ducks in a row.”

Along with helping Heidi navigate legal and procedural hurdles, Susan also put her in touch with the Bank of Charles Town in Fredericksburg. By June of 2023, Heidi had secured a loan and purchased the business, carrying forward what Butch Wimmer started nearly 30 years earlier.

Since taking over, Heidi has reinvested to upgrade her fleet of trolleys. She has continued to reach new audiences by hosting preschool classes, wedding parties, and trips to Fredericksburg’s many breweries, wineries and cideries.

Today, Trolley Tours of Fredericksburg offers the original Fredericksburg route as well as a holiday light tour, Santa trolley, and more. It appeals to people in all stages of life — in Heidi’s words, “from cradle to grave” — and has even received a request from one patron to someday transport her ashes to her funeral.

“I know how lucky I am to have purchased a thriving business,” Heidi says. “That doesn’t happen every day.”

But for all the strides Heidi made in the company, her transition to owner couldn’t have happened without the SBDC.

“Their help was essential,” Heidi says. “I am grateful for their support. I didn’t know where to start as far as buying the business. But I knew — having already met Susan and worked with her on other things — I knew that’s where I could go to find the answers I needed.”

Rory Brogan, founder and CEO of Torev Motors, has always enjoyed building things – an interest he says likely started while playing with LEGO blocks as a child.

That interest continued throughout Rory’s life and led him to earn dual degrees in electrical engineering and mathematics from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and an MBA from Georgetown University.

While studying engineering, Rory became interested in developing a more efficient and environmentally-friendly electric motor. And like it did as a LEGO-obsessed child, his creativity and imagination led to invention…or at least so he thought.

“After about 50 iterations of motor drawings, I came across the axial flux motor design,” he relates. “I thought I had invented something — then I learned Michael Faraday beat me to it in the mid-1800s.”

However, Rory found new applications for the motor in today’s world and shaped his “reinvention” into a double axial flux motor that improved vehicle efficiency and performance. It was enough to give him the foundation of a business that he launched the day he graduated from Georgetown’s MBA program in September 2022.

Shortly into his entrepreneurial journey, Rory realized he needed more than passion to launch a business. That led him to the Virginia SBDC – Innovation Commercialization Assistance Program (ICAP), which assists Virginia-based technology and innovation-driven startups on their paths to success.

Rory was connected with ICAP Mentor TJ Master, who taught him to dig into the specifics of why customers should care about his product. A major point of emphasis was the environmentally friendly aspect of Rory’s motor design.

“90 to 93 percent of electric motors rely on magnets that are produced by rare earth metals,” Rory explains. “Harvard National Review reported that every ton of rare earth metals can create 2,000 tons of radioactive waste. Reducing that amount is a big win for the environment.”

Looking to raise funds for his new business, Rory also turned to TJ and the SBDC.

“TJ coached me for a number of competitions including the Accelerate Annual Conference in 2022 and the $75K Virginia Innovation Partnership Commonwealth (VIPC) Commercialization Fund Grant,” Rory adds. “We received funding from both.”

Torev Motors also received a $3,500 grant from VIPC Federal Grants; was one of four winners (out of 1,500 applicants) in the Global Automotive & Mobility Innovation Challenge (GAMIC) in April 2024; and one of three winners in the Summer 2024 EPIC (Energy Program for Innovation Clusters) Pitch Competition.

Recently Torev Motors surpassed $1 million in funding, which Rory says “will make a world of difference as we move into the development stage.”

“I credit TJ for telling me about the Virginia SBDC,” Rory continues. “Without the SBDC and ICAP, I wouldn’t have known about the VIPC that led to several funding grants. We wouldn’t be where we are today without ICAP and assistance we received from TJ.”

Gwendolyn Shelton left a career in banking to start a health care staffing business in 2022. It was a career change that’s paid dividends in more than dollars and cents, and one that, eventually, connected her with a helpful business partner in the Virginia SBDC.

“My teenage daughter graduated high school a year early to take up nursing,” Gwendolyn says. “After she started working for a nursing facility, she came home almost every day upset that clients weren’t properly cared for. That opened my eyes to health care.”

Gwendolyn took her daughter’s words to heart and decided to do something about the issue.

“I talked to my husband about starting a medical staffing agency,” Gwendolyn says. “In 2022 we invested our savings and started United Choice Healthcare Staffing.”

A sign she had made the right choice came a week later.

“The week after I started putting my own business plan into place, I was laid off from my job,” she says.

Starting her business from scratch, Gwendolyn sought out a mentorship program to expand her knowledge of the health care industry and learn how to run a business. That empowered her to launch the medical staffing agency. In 2023 she decided to switch gears and began seeking licensure for home health care.

This switch led her to the University of Mary Washington SBDC and Director Susan Ball.

“I knew the basics of business when I reached out to the SBDC,” she notes. “Susan opened my eyes to the areas of home health care I could provide and introduced me to certifications that would help my business.”

Susan also assisted Gwendolyn through the certification process for the Small, Women-owned, and Minority-owned Business (SWaM) certification, a state program to enhance procurement opportunities in state-funded projects, and System for Award Management (SAM), a government-wide registry for vendors doing business with the federal government.

The SBDC also provided step-by-step guidance through the micro-loan application process.

“Susan explained each piece of the micro loan application, and we did write a business plan to apply for one,” Gwendolyn notes. “We did not complete the loan application process because we decided we should wait on that. At first, I worked cases myself and saved enough to allow me to hire other individuals.”

United Choice Healthcare Staffing started with three employees in October 2023; currently the employee count is 18. Since March, Gwendolyn’s business has also reached the six-figure income level. And even as the company continues to grow, Gwendolyn plans to keep her connection with the SBDC.

“Since I started with the SBDC, Susan Ball has not left my side,” Gwendoly says. “Without the SBDC, I really don’t know where I’d be today. I still meet Susan monthly. I always have questions, and she’s there to answer them.”

In business, patience is a major virtue. For Ashley Rushing – therapist and owner of Evolve: A Behavioral Health Center – patience, a passion for helping people overcome addiction, and an assist from the Loudoun SBDC guided her on a years-long journey to opening her own practice.

As a licensed therapist specializing in substance dependence, Ashley’s plan for Evolve was an all-encompassing suite of mental health and medical assistance services to help those individuals evolve beyond their addictions and return to productive, normal lives.

“Addiction treatment is where I started my career, and I’ve had a passion for that population,” Ashley says. “Prior to the pandemic, there was an opioid epidemic, which is still quite frankly going on. [Before opening Evolve] I had already been working with that population, treating them, providing group therapy and recommendations for medication-assisted treatment.”

That passion fueled a years-long journey to launch Evolve, and it also led her to Eric Byrd Manager of the Loudoun SBDC. Those initial consultations, which began in 2018, inspired Ashley to streamline her ideas for the business and gave her direction on what she needed to eventually open a physical space for her center and offer the many interconnected services her patients would require.

As that dream for Evolve continued to take shape throughout 2018 and 2019, so too did Ashley’s foundations as a therapist and business owner. She grew her clientele through telehealth, and when the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020, demand for those virtual therapy services increased.

By June 2022, Ashley officially launched Evolve as a telehealth-based practice. By December 2022 she began accepting new patients. In 2023 she was ready to seek capital for her expansion into a physical location, prompting her to reconnect with the SBDC.

Eric and the Loudoun SBDC team connected Ashley with the Community Business Partnership Business Finance Center, which approved her for a $50,000 microloan. That supported her quest to consolidate her services “under one roof.”

“The SBDC was essentially a bridge between me and the Community Business Partnership (CPB),” Ashley says. “And by way of the SBDC, I was able to connect with CPB and look into the process of securing capital through them.”

The loan allowed Ashley to find office space that will soon serve as the new home of Evolve. She will continue to provide services for addiction counseling, couples counseling, mental health therapy services, perinatal and postpartum therapy, teen counseling and trauma counseling, and has hired two full-time clinicians to expand those services.

“It was a lengthy process, but I’m happy that I stuck with it,” Ashley says of the SBDC. “It’s a great option to have for small businesses that may need a more creative, more flexible way of obtaining capital to jump start or enhance their small business needs.”

Perry and Diane Sandy began their entrepreneurial journey when they started a yard sign business in Pennsylvania during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“That business wasn’t intended to be permanent,” Perry says. “But it helped me discover the freedom of being my own boss.”

Perry, a 23-year military radio specialist and 14-year government IT manager, and Diane, a veteran and nurse practitioner, began looking for a business they could own and manage full time. They found Communications-Applied Technology (C-AT) in Reston, deemed it “a good fit”, and purchased it in May 2023.

Already in operation for several decades before the Sandys took ownership, C-AT produces communications systems designed to link rapid responder communications across a variety of systems and platforms.

After previously working with the Pennsylvania SBDC, the Sandys wasted little time in connecting with the Mason Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Starting in June 2023, they participated in a training titled Organization of Daily Business. Then, with the goal of “learning more about export markets as part of our long-term strategy,” says Perry, they connected with the Virginia SBDC’s International Business Development (IBD) Program and Senior International Trade Specialist Dulce Zahniser.

“Learning the international side of business was very useful,” Diane comments. “We reach out to Dulce a lot — and still do.”

The SBDC recognized that C-AT’s team needed comprehensive training in international trade documentation, particularly in the Harmonized Code and Schedule B Systems.

Through the SBDC IBD program, the Sandys were able to identify and update outdated product classifications that C-AT had been carrying from the business’ 30 years in international markets. With these product updates, C-AT successfully engaged the U.S. Department of Commerce and received formal product export control classifications.

“Dulce put in a lot of hours helping us with that,” Perry adds. “We couldn’t have done it without her.”

The company’s commitment to international growth led to their participation in the SBDC’s inaugural Summer 2024 Global on Ramp program, supported by the Small Business Administration’s Growth Accelerator Fund Competition. Additionally, the SBDC provided student-led market research information on four target markets: Argentina, Chile, Indonesia and Kuwait. Following this research and assistance from the SBDC, C-AT relaunched its export program in the Kuwaiti market.

The Sandys are also taking advantage of SBDC training on business-related topics. Perry is currently engaged in a three-part training session on financing with Director of the Mason SBDC Timm Johnson, who also helped the Sandys revamp the C-AT website.

C-AT’s partnership with the SBDC has yielded additional benefits. In October 2023, the company was accepted into the Global Defense Program (GDP) that helps Virginia defense companies diversify into international markets and received a $10,000 grant for an international export initiative.

“Since May 2023 we’ve increased our revenue and started new product development,” Perry says. “We also added two more employees for a total of eight.”

As their company continues to grow, Perry and Diane plan to continue their connection with the SBDC.

“We have confidence in the SBDC’s trusted experts,” Diane concludes. “It’s a great resource that’s helped us a lot.”