Website
  • Advising
    • Start Your Business
    • Grow Your Business
  • Training
    • Webinar & Events
    • Partner Webinars & Events
    • On-Demand Videos
  • Resources
    • Funding Resources
  • Programs
    • Innovation Commercialization Assistance Program (ICAP)
    • International Business Development Program (IBD)
    • Craft Beverage Assistance Program (CBA)
    • Cybersecurity
    • Veterans
  • Successes
  • About Us
    • Staff
    • Office Locations
    • Sponsors
    • Results
  • en English
    ar Arabiczh-CN Chinese (Simplified)en Englishfr Frenchde Germanhi Hindiit Italianpt Portugueseru Russianes Spanishvi Vietnamese
Website
  • Advising
    • Start Your Business
    • Grow Your Business
  • Training
    • Webinar & Events
    • Partner Webinars & Events
    • On-Demand Videos
  • Resources
    • Funding Resources
  • Programs
    • Innovation Commercialization Assistance Program (ICAP)
    • International Business Development Program (IBD)
    • Craft Beverage Assistance Program (CBA)
    • Cybersecurity
    • Veterans
  • Successes
  • About Us
    • Staff
    • Office Locations
    • Sponsors
    • Results
  • en English
    ar Arabiczh-CN Chinese (Simplified)en Englishfr Frenchde Germanhi Hindiit Italianpt Portugueseru Russianes Spanishvi Vietnamese
  • Advising
    • Start Your Business
    • Grow Your Business
  • Training
    • Webinar & Events
    • Partner Webinars & Events
    • On-Demand Videos
  • Resources
    • Funding Resources
  • Programs
    • Innovation Commercialization Assistance Program (ICAP)
    • International Business Development Program (IBD)
    • Craft Beverage Assistance Program (CBA)
    • Cybersecurity
    • Veterans
  • Successes
  • About Us
    • Staff
    • Office Locations
    • Sponsors
    • Results
  • en English
    ar Arabiczh-CN Chinese (Simplified)en Englishfr Frenchde Germanhi Hindiit Italianpt Portugueseru Russianes Spanishvi Vietnamese
Website
Website
  • Advising
    • Start Your Business
    • Grow Your Business
  • Training
    • Webinar & Events
    • Partner Webinars & Events
    • On-Demand Videos
  • Resources
    • Funding Resources
  • Programs
    • Innovation Commercialization Assistance Program (ICAP)
    • International Business Development Program (IBD)
    • Craft Beverage Assistance Program (CBA)
    • Cybersecurity
    • Veterans
  • Successes
  • About Us
    • Staff
    • Office Locations
    • Sponsors
    • Results
  • en English
    ar Arabiczh-CN Chinese (Simplified)en Englishfr Frenchde Germanhi Hindiit Italianpt Portugueseru Russianes Spanishvi Vietnamese
Prior to 2016SouthwestYears

Hello Bagel

Tracy Nayar July 31, 2018

New York Minute: Baking Success

Lora shares, “The advice, advocacy, and mentorship from the SBDC have been a great encouragement during hard times. The counseling and information resources have supported me through an otherwise isolated development process.  I’m proud that my vision for Hello Bagel is now a legitimate business.”

Growing up in New Jersey, bagels – crackly, crusted, chewy, authentic, NY-style bagels — are ubiquitous. This northern treat was one of the things Lora Gellerman missed most when she moved to the South twelve years ago. She and her family have had ties with the mountains, Virginia Tech and Blacksburg for years, so making the decision to move to the area and start Hello Bagel felt like “coming home” in more ways than one.

The Hello Bagel concept began with Lora’s enthusiasm for enriching lives through good food and conversation. The vision was to open a specialty shop bringing fresh baked New York-style water bagels and bagel sandwiches to Blacksburg. She knew she wanted it to be both an efficient venue for take-out orders and a fun meeting place for friends, neighbors, and food lovers to come together and enjoy good food in a warm, casual atmosphere.

As Lora began the research and business development process, the blizzard of complexities became apparent. There is endless information for aspiring entrepreneurs on the Internet and at the library, but she found much of it contradictory and rarely ever applicable to her specific needs.  She was starting to feel very alone in her efforts to start a business. The concept was solid, but she needed to talk with someone from a business and financial standpoint. Once she learned about the Small Business Development Center at Radford University she made an appointment to see what help they might be able to offer.

From the first meeting with the SBDC counselor, she felt like she’d found an advisor who saw the potential for success in her and in the Hello Bagel concept.  Her counselor helped her prioritize and break the project into manageable chunks. This renewed focus and sense of direction helped organize her energy and efforts. His management experience gave tremendous value and insight while adapting standard business practices into the Hello Bagel model. Lora’s counselor helped her set realistic goals and offered strategies to accomplish them.

Lora shares, “The advice, advocacy, and mentorship from the SBDC have been a great encouragement during hard times. The counseling and information resources have supported me through an otherwise isolated development process. We collaborated on the refinement of a business plan and timeline, and now I am approaching investors for financing. I’m proud that my vision for Hello Bagel is now a legitimate business with structure, integrity and growth potential.”

Visionary Consulting PartnersVisionary Consulting PartnersJuly 31, 2018
Virginia Dermatology and Skin Surgery CenterJuly 31, 2018Virginia Dermatology and Skin Surgery Center

Contact Us

+1 703-277-7703

help@virginiasbdc.org

10306 Eaton Place
Suite 180

Fairfax, VA 22030

Stay Connected

Facebook Instagram Twitter Linkedin Youtube

Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration and GO VIRGINIA, a state‐funded initiative administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) that strengthens and diversifies Virginia’s economy and fosters the creation of higher wage jobs in strategic industries.

Copyright © 2021 Virginia SBDC. All Rights Reserved