What do you get when a developer and a performance coach team up as business partners? A successful Maine company that’s adding new outlets in Virginia. With assistance from the Longwood SBDC – Eastern Region, The Smoothie Spot recently opened in Colonial Heights with three more locations slated to open in the near future.

A health-conscious smoothie bar that encourages clean eating, The Smoothie Spot is the shared vision of co-founders BJ Grondin and Jeremy Callahan.

“Our goal is to give as many people as we can the opportunity for quick and tasty real food choices,” Jeremy says.

The Smoothie Spot’s first Virginia location opened in Colonial Heights in April 2024.

“While searching for funding to open this business and three others we have planned in Virginia, I came across Eastern Region Director Vandy Jones and gave him a call,” Jeremy relates. “Within a week he called back and has been offering guidance ever since.”

The Colonial Heights location became a reality with a $40,000 loan and a $10,000 line of credit approved by Peoples Advantage Credit Union (PACU). Vandy connected Jeremy with D. Curtis at PACU, who helped secure the financing needed to launch the first Virginia shop.

Expanding to Virginia meant Jeremy and BJ needed help establishing themselves and forming connections with local business resources. Vandy and the SBDC helped them accomplish exactly that and put them in touch with First Community Bank for a Small Business Administration (SBA) loan.

Currently, Jeremy is working with First Community Bank on a $175,000 SBA loan to fund the new locations. While the loan has not yet closed, the SBDC has continued to support Jeremy through the process.

“Vandy has been a great resource to help us find local funding for start-ups,” Jeremy explains. “I signed three leases in the last month for locations in Henrico, Chester and Emporia. We needed funding for these proposed expansions.”

“Vandy has a wealth of knowledge on this area,” Jeremy adds. “That was also very valuable to us.”

Currently the Smoothie Spot has six employees in Maine and four in Virginia. Jeremy expects that number to quickly increase as new locations are added.

“We already have people calling to see if we’re hiring,” Jeremy notes. “It’s great to see people interested in helping other people be healthy.”

As expansion plans continue, Jeremy is conferring with Vandy on vendor approval for airports in Richmond, Baltimore and Washington, D.C.

“There is a certification needed for that, and Vandy has done a lot of research on the topic for us,” Jeremy relates. “That’s been very helpful.”

Also in the planning stage is a distribution center where products can be made and sold to vendors who then offer the products under a licensing agreement in their own place of business.

Overall, Jeremy sees the SBDC as a great resource.

“For me specifically it was the connections I found valuable, but essentially it was the follow up that made a difference,” Jeremy concludes. “Not only did Vandy connect me with the right organizations and people but also checked on me during the process and after. The commitment that the SBDC has to its clients makes for a great partnership — one that I plan to continue.”