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 2019, Crystal Barker was searching for an underserved area to expand her CPB Behavioral Therapy services. A cash-prize finish in a local pitch competition and connecting with the Longwood SBDC – Western Region made that possible.

“CPB Behavioral Therapy offers behavioral analysis for ages 2 to 21,” Crystal explains. “We work on reducing disruptive behaviors as well as increasing communication and social skills — or anything else a child with developmental delays or a disability needs.”

Crystal still maintains an office in Stafford but her decision to expand the business with an office in Stuart, a town of 1,400 in the Blue Ridge Mountains, was twofold.

“It was the beauty of the mountains plus a push to bring behavioral services to rural areas of Virginia,” she notes. “We moved right before the pandemic.”

When COVID-19 slowed her plans, Crystal used the time to enroll in the Patrick County Business Builders business boot camp. The Longwood SBDC was one of the boot camp sponsors. The course culminated in a business pitch competition that saw CPB Behavioral Therapy win a cash prize as the third-place finisher.

While Crystal was pleased at CPB Therapy’s performance in the competition, she already considered herself a winner.

“That’s where I met Longwood SBDC Business Analyst Michael Scales,” she says. “Michael helped with everything from a business plan to making connections with local banks and others in the business community.”

Crystal used the $2,000 cash prize from the Business Builders competition to lease her first office space and started seeing clients in Patrick County in 2022.

“Being in a rural area you have to approach things differently,” she notes. “Having Michael, who really knows the rural community, is very helpful. It’s nice to have that sounding board.”

Michael also assisted Crystal with obtaining a working capital loan for $25,000 that will help CPB Behavioral Therapy’s future growth, which she’s already planning for.

“We’ve already moved to a larger location down the street that allowed us to double our staff and client base,” she says. “We’re also talking about adding additional services not specifically healthcare based.”

Crystal explained that many in the community had expressed a need for a family activity center.

“We want to add what is most beneficial here,” she adds. “That’s the next project we’ll consult Michael about.”

Crystal credits Michael and the SBDC for a successful start to her business in Stuart.

“We’re definitely growing and looking to diversify,” she says. “Since we started working with the SBDC, we’ve tripled our service delivery and our staff has grown to 20 employees.”

Crystal still takes advantage of SBDC services and encourages others to do the same.

“I plan to work with the SBDC for many years to come,” Crystal concludes. “I tell other business owners — call the SBDC. They’ll help you figure out the right plan for your business.”

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.”

As nursing veterans with more than 40 years of combined experience, Desiree Shifflett and Sabrina Walker share a passion for providing quality care to the elderly and others in need. That mission forms the core of Nomad Nursing LLC and Nomad Nursing Academy, a health care staffing and education agency that the two founded together out of a small home office in 2023.

After running Nomad for nearly a year, Desiree and Sabrina connected with Central Virginia SBDC Business Advisor Rosi Beachy. That partnership proved to be transformative for their business, nursing staff, and the patients within their care.

“Rosi has been a monumental piece in our success,” said Nicole Tompkins, Nomad’s office manager and director of sales and marketing.

Spurred by the 2024 Standardsville Area Revitalization Business Pitch Competition, Desiree and Sabrina first connected with the SBDC to seek assistance writing a business plan for the competition. They ended up winning the competition — and a $10,000 grant — but the journey didn’t stop there. Rosi encouraged them to enter the QuadTank Pitch Competition in Orange seven days later, and they won that as well — along with another grant of $5,000.

“Securing those grants really gave us the ability to grow in the sense of finding a better working space,” Nicole said.

That growth also allowed the duo to launch Nomad Nursing Academy, an education center that has fulfilled Desiree and Sabrina’s vision for an all-encompassing, “one-stop shop” nursing agency. Nurses can take classes, receive certifications and then put their training into practice through Nomad’s staffing operation, which places them in care facilities in need of qualified professionals.

“There’s always a big gap for where health care providers can find classes,” Nicole said. “There are plenty of them, but they’re rarely in the area where they need to be, especially in rural areas.”

Currently Nomad offers courses ranging from entry level to advanced recertifications for practicing nurses and health care professionals. Training their nursing staff themselves provides Desiree and Sabrina the opportunity to share their own passion for providing care to those in need.

“Another reason we started the school is because we want you to learn what health care is and that you’re not walking in just to get a paycheck,” Desiree said. “You’re taking care of somebody’s family member. These are people who want to tell you their story. They want to joke with you. They want to be treated like adults.”

Desiree and Sabrina’s business has received that same level of care and attention from Rosi and the SBDC.

“Rosi really cared about us and was constantly checking on us,” Desiree said. “It didn’t feel like a job connection between us, and it was a really good relationship. She believed in us, and it really gave us the strength to keep going.”

When a search for a retirement property brought Mike and Kathie Boyce from Hagerstown, Maryland, to Scottsville, Virginia, the couple brought along their love for wine-making with them. With help from the Longwood SBDC, the Boyces turned their hobby into a thriving business in Buckingham County.

“I’ve been making wine for about 17 years,” Mike says. “Kathie and I joined an amateur wine-making group that included chemists from Ft. Meade as well as members from Appalachia that learned from their granddads. I use both techniques in wine-making.”

The Boyces opened Muddy Paws Winery in October 2023 and currently offer 17 varieties of fruit wine and mead. The couple started the winery with Mike concentrating on wine-making and Kathie focusing on developing the business. The name “Muddy Paws” is inspired by the Boyces’ love of dogs and animals. Over 23 years of marriage they have adopted numerous animals and chose to honor their memories by opening a dog-friendly winery and naming each wine after one of them.

They initially contacted the Longwood SBDC to get more information on grants, but soon discovered how much the center had to offer.

“I learned about the SBDC during a Women in Business presentation,” Kathie explains. “I was referred to the Longwood SBDC and Regional Director Dana Knott. At the time I didn’t realize all the SBDC had to offer. Since then, Dana and others from the local SBDC office have helped with resources and educational opportunities to help our business grow. I also love the training webinars the SBDC offers and have taken many of them.”

Dana connected Kathie with CO.STARTERS, an accelerator program designed to provide insights, relationships, and tools needed to turn business ideas into action.

“Although we had already started our business, CO.STARTERS was really helpful,” Kathie notes. “The six-week program included basic business concepts from marketing to funding — invaluable information for a new business — and all for free!”

The Boyces still meet regularly with the SBDC to expand their business acumen and ensure their winery’s financial health.

“Dana’s an ongoing help,” Kathie says. “And she’s a good resource on Facebook — things like what days to post what — and helping me with Canva. When we get together, we’ll plan one topic that transitions into two or three others. She also kept me informed about grant possibilities and helped compile a list of businesses the winery might partner with.”

Those conversations have spurred more ideas on how to creatively package Muddy Paws’ wines through services like a wine club, subscriptions, and creation of custom wines for weddings and special events. They have also discussed future expansions to their facility, including a nature trail, an observatory for “wine and star” nights, and a dog park that would put the “paws” in Muddy Paws.

The Boyces also give back to their local community by donating to various animal organizations. Muddy Paws is also gaining accolades, winning the People’s Choice Award at the Powhatan Wine Festival. As their business grows – in accolades, sales, offerings, and more – the couple plans to rely on SBDC advice.

“We exceeded our expectations for our first year,” Mike concludes. “The SBDC definitely played a part in that.”

A knee injury changed Dave Johnson’s life forever. Connecting with business partner Evan Eckersley and the Central Virginia SBDC to launch Icarus Medical Innovations turned that tragedy into triumph.

Dave’s injury — sustained while playing high school football at age 15 — led to early onset osteoarthritis, decreased mobility and chronic pain. As his symptoms progressed, and surgery proved ineffective, he began modifying his own braces by installing springs that offset the load on his knee. His first prototype allowed him to return to his longtime passion of snowboarding and bend his knee without pain. It also proved to be the foundation for Icarus.

“I knew I was onto something, and then every year I tried to make it better,” says Dave, who filed his first patent in 2016. He soon realized that his problem was one that impacted one in ten Americans seeking knee pain relief.

With a novel design but minimal experience running a business, Dave first met entrepreneur Evan Eckersley at a local accelerator program in 2020. Powered by the pair’s complementary skillsets and mutual excitement in driving impact through innovation, Icarus Medical Innovations took flight that same year.

When the two connected with Central Virginia SBDC Director Rebecca Haydock, Icarus began to soar.

“I come from a background of believing there’s nothing free out there,” Dave says. “But every time I met Rebecca, she was genuinely interested in what we were doing. She always asked how she could help and what we needed. She made introductions, got us mentors, got us connected to this or that. She’s been such a huge help.”

Rebecca had previously mentored Evan during his first entrepreneurial venture, Lytos Technologies. He knew she could connect their fledgling company with market contacts for manufacturing, sales and more.

“Rebecca was always bringing valuable guidance and connections to our team. Her mentorship is a big reason that I have continued down this path as an entrepreneur” Evan says.

Four years later, Icarus has expanded to nearly 50 employees, five lines of innovative braces with market-leading outcomes, and a growing national footprint. They have also been able to leverage other SBDC resources, such as the Innovation Commercialization Assistance Program (ICAP) mentors and International Business Development Program (IBD). Through the IBD Program, Dave and Evan visited an industry-heavy region in Northern Italy in October 2024. That trip put them in contact with Italian manufacturing companies seeking to collaborate with businesses eyeing international expansion.

“It’s interesting to us because we need a launchpad into Europe,” Dave says. “We can make any custom device from an iPhone scan using our software, instantly and anywhere in the world, so we’re looking at establishing 3D printing capability there. In the meantime, we’re trying to build demand and a distribution network, first throughout Italy but really all of Europe.”

That IBD Program trip weaved seamlessly into Icarus’ business model, which has leveraged digital technology with advances in 3D printing manufacturing to streamline production of bespoke devices at scale.

“We started out building braces practically in a closet,” Evan says. “Now we’ve established a print farm right here in Charlottesville using some of the most advanced software and additive technology in the industry. We’ve cracked the code on how to scale through our software.”

As Dave and Evan have proven, with the SBDC in Icarus’ corner, the sky is the limit.

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.”

In 2022 Tanya and Jeff Taylor sold their home and business in Greenville, South Carolina, and moved to “the side of a mountain” near Pennington Gap. Soon afterwards, they launched Stone Mountain Yogurt in 2023 using personal funds. After launch, the Mountain Empire Community College (MECC) SBDC helped them apply for a local grant. Stone Mountain Yogurt’s opening helped spark a surge in the town’s revitalization.

“We were looking for vacation property when we purchased 42 acres on Stone Mountain,” Jeff explains. “Once we built a small cabin there, we realized we were too young to retire.”

In addition to investing in a vacation property, Jeff, who previously worked at General Electric, and Tanya, who had worked at a local bank in Greenville, SC, also felt called to invest “in a small town in need of help.” In exploring Pennington Gap, they found a Main Street that was mostly deserted. Once based around coal mining and tobacco, the town’s economy had faded — and so had the businesses in the town’s main thoroughfare.

“We saw Pennington Gap as Norman Rockwell’s America,” Tanya adds. “We wanted to bring that small town feeling back with a store downtown — and that’s exactly what we did.”

Jeff and Tanya contacted the town manager and the Pennington Gap Industrial Development Authority (IDA) and presented their idea for a new business on Main Street. Both were “helpful and open to our idea,” Jeff explains, which led the Taylors to seek additional funding. They started Stone Mountain Yogurt with personal funds and then later sought out a matching grant after opening to add additional equipment to better serve the community. Jeff found it in the form of the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority (VCEDA)’s Seed Capital Matching Grant, which provides support for economic development projects from funding created from a percentage of taxes paid by coal and natural gas companies in Southwestern Virginia.

However, even though Jeff had previous business experience running a high-end auto detailing business in South Carolina with his son, he still sought guidance in applying for the grant. That’s when the SBDC joined the picture.

“The town manager told me about the Mountain Empire Community College SBDC, so I called Director Becki O’Quinn-Purdie and made an appointment,” Jeff relates.

Becki met with Jeff and Tanya and helped them through the application process. The application was approved and a $10,000 VCEDA Matching Grant was finalized and awarded to Stone Mountain Yogurt in June 2024.

“Becki walked us through details we needed for a matching grant,” Tanya says. “She does a great job answering questions — I can email or call her any time.”

From there, Jeff and Tanya worked with the Town of Penning Gap to find an appropriate location; which turned out to be a 100-year-old building on Main Street. The Town of Pennington Gap provided instrumental assistance with the renovations through a downtown revitalization project along with the HK Lee properties, the owner of the building. The shop’s frozen favorites quickly created a snowball effect all along Main Street.

“When we opened last July, there was nobody on this street,” Tanya notes. “Since then, a coffee/sandwich shop, hair salon, candle shop and arts and craft store opened. We’ve about filled up the street!”

Stone Mountain Yogurt hired its first employee in February 2024, and as Tanya reports, the shop sees new customers every day.

“The SBDC has the tools you need to open a business,” Tanya concludes “I encourage every small business owner to contact the SBDC.”

Chantel West-White’s Wick & Pour Candle Bar started in a basement during the COVID-19 pandemic, borne out of a desire to stay busy and connected with her friends and neighbors.

“I’m an elementary school nurse and wanted to keep my family safe during COVID,” she says. “I spent a lot of time in my basement then and started making candles. I sent them to friends with encouraging notes on the labels — everyone loved that.”

The feedback was so positive that Chantel considered molding her basement hobby into a business. With help from the SBDC – Lynchburg Region and the CO.STARTERS business accelerator program, it soon began to take shape.

“At CO.STARTERS I was introduced to the services offered by the SBDC,” Chantel adds. “After the program ended, I connected with SBDC Executive Director Stephanie Keener and others at the Lynchburg office, including Financial Planning Advisor Jordan Reeves and Branding/Marketing Advisor Jawansa Hall, who helped me prepare for the Launch LYH.”

Similar to CO.STARTERS’ 10-week entrepreneurship training program, Launch LYH is an eight-week educational course that culminates in a pitch competition. Launch LYH is funded by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development via the Community Business Launch program. Although Chantel wasn’t among the pitch competition’s winners, she says that she gained valuable business knowledge from the course as well as important connections that led to more milestones for her then-fledgling company.

Participants in Launch LYH were introduced to available retail and offices spaces in Downtown Lynchburg, which led to Chantel finding a physical location.

“Those connections helped me find a permanent location for my business,” she says. “The SBDC gave me a high recommendation — I wouldn’t have had that without those connections”

At her store, Chantel not only sells her own handmade candles, she hosts workshops to teach the candle-making process. And even as she has settled into her downtown location on Lynchburg’s 9th Street, Chantel has continued to consult the SBDC.

“Jordan helped with the financial piece by getting spreadsheets ready for my business plan,” she says. “Jawansa assisted with marketing and offered suggestions to improve my website. Then Stephanie connected me with students at a local community college who helped me create my new website.”

The SBDC is also providing help as Chantel prepares to hire her first employee.

“Stephanie helped me write an employees’ manual,” Chantel adds. “She also advised me about financing as we get into the holiday season. I’m looking into it — one step at a time.”

Chanel recently tried out the idea with a small working capital loan of $1,000. She also continues to make connections in her new downtown location, partnering with neighboring business owners for special events. Among those is a community display shelf where she and other owners showcase products from their downtown businesses.

With the SBDC’s help, Chantel’s candle business continues to burn bright.

“The SBDC has had a hand in every aspect of my business,” Chantel concludes. “They not only tell me what I need to change in my business but also how to change it. The information, guidance and connections I gained from the SBDC have been wonderful.”

Inspired by the recent surge of city-dwellers seeking new ways to experience the outdoors, Kevin Wilson decided to put his entrepreneurial experience to use in a new venture. With help from the Capital Region SBDC, his plans to provide a luxury “glamping” experience through Camp Yellow Cardinal are taking flight.

The idea for a glamping location near Farmville, an hour from Richmond and three hours from Washington, D.C., was a “meeting of the minds” between former Boy Scout Kevin and wife Laura.

“I’d be happy with a sleeping bag and the stars, but I think a Holiday Inn is about as close to camping as my wife wants to be,” he says. “Glamping really blends both worlds — you have the luxury of a high-end hotel in the great outdoors. With Millennials and Gen Z looking for these adventures, we felt this was the right time to capitalize on our idea.”

As a former restaurant owner, Kevin understands the stressors of opening and running a business. However, for his first foray into glamping and hospitality, he sought out the SBDC and business advisor Korinn Carter.

“I learned about the SBDC in 2024 at a finance seminar at the Henrico County Public Library,” Kevin explains. “It had been 16 years since I wrote a business plan. The SBDC helped me with that as well as the financial projections. Having another set of eyes on the business plan and financial piece was absolutely invaluable. With the SBDC’s help, I applied for and have been conditionally approved for a Small Business Administration 7(a) loan.”

And, even as a seasoned business owner, Kevin found the SBDC’s educational resources beneficial.

“It’s always good to have a refresher” he says. “In an hour-long webinar, there might be 59 minutes of information that was already familiar, but that one minute of advice I’d never thought about before made the whole hour worthwhile.”

Kevin has targeted a plot of land in Prince Edward County near Keysville as Camp Yellow Cardinal’s headquarters. While he waits for zoning approval, he continues to make plans for a luxury camping destination that will include six geodesic domes. Each will have its own hot tub, fire pit and grill, king-size beds, private bathroom, kitchenette, air-conditioning and wireless internet.

“Our goal is a boutique experience from the time guests hear about us until they leave with smiles on their faces,” Kevin says.

Kevin is also smiling as he recalls insights gained from the SBDC.

“I’ve told business friends about the SBDC and encouraged them to reach out,” he concludes. “Services are free, and you’ll get insights and support often lacking in the business world. The SBDC is staffed by entrepreneurs and experts. It’s advice you can take to heart —that’s been transformative for me.”