Success Stories

Amanda Ralston

Business Description: Started in 2007, Verbal Behavior Consulting, Inc. specializes in the support and treatment of individuals with Autism and Developmental Disabilities. Founder Amanda Ralston has worked with hundreds of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other development disorders. The company provides consultations to families, schools and agencies in Kentucky, using techniques and procedures guided by the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). Board certified behavior analysists work with children on language delays and other problems.

SBA Assistance: Verbal Behavior Consulting, Inc. received over 30 hours of consultation from the Bluegrass SBDC over a two year period, and her SBDC consultant helped her develop a business plan and financial projections. That enabled the company to obtain an SBA line of credit and later an SBA 504 loan to purchase a building, furniture and fixtures for her growing company.

Number of employees: 35       

Response to... Read More

Robyn Stuart

Description: Founded in 2008, DB Bourbon Candy, LLC offers many different flavors of bourbon filled candy, liqueur filled truffles, chocolate-covered fruit, a dessert bar for special events and gift baskets. The business specializes in bourbon balls, a recipe created by CEO Robyn Stuart’s mother, Johnnye S.Cunningham.

In its short life, DB Bourbon Candy has enjoyed tremendous success, placing product at high profile events such as the Academy Awards, Emmy Awards, the Breeder’s Cup, a U.S. Presidential Inauguration and numerous other events. DB Bourbon Candy is also the official candy of the Kentucky Derby Festival, a 6-week series of events leading up to the running of the Kentucky Derby each May.

DB Bourdon Candy is a women owned, veteran owned and minority owned business. Product has also been placed in Kroger and Liquor Barn stores in the Midwest and Southeast regions of the U.S. 

SBA Assistance:  Robyn Stuart has received small business consulting... Read More

Photo of Jason Guy

Brief description of the business:  Founded in 2005, Unified Healthcare, LLC is a nuclear pharmacy, which is a highly specialized pharmacy dedicated to the compounding and dispensing of radioactive materials for use in nuclear imaging and nuclear medical products. More specifically, nuclear pharmacy is a specialty practice of pharmacy defined as a patient-oriented service embodying the scientific knowledge and professional judgment required to improve and promote health through the safe and efficacious use of radioactive drugs for diagnosis and therapy.

Nuclear pharmacists receive extensive training on the various radiopharmaceuticals that they use. They are trained in radiation safety and other aspects specific to the compounding and preparation of radioactive materials. To become a pharmacist requires years of school and training, but a nuclear pharmacist requires several hundred hours of training in basic radioisotope handling techniques, both in the classroom and... Read More

Photo of Debra Dudley

Brief description of the business: Oscarware is a family-owned manufacturing business, founded in 1989 by Debra and Reg Dudley. Sensing the anything-can-be-grilled trend, they invented a new product they called “grill topper” making it possible to cook a variety of meals on an outdoor grill.

The original grill topper product transformed the traditional backyard barbeque menu from hamburgers and hotdogs to delicate fish, fresh vegetables and pizza. Grillers got creative with non-traditional foods starting new grilling trends. The company has continued to develop new topper products now offering a complete line of both disposable and gourmet porcelain coated steel toppers, woks and griddles.

All products are made in Bonnieville, a city of less than 300 people in central Kentucky.  Oscarware is the leading manufacturer of both disposable and porcelain coated steel toppers in the U.S. 

Oscarware has grown to 32 employees and distributes product across the U.S. The... Read More

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