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Success Stories

How Ruth Agbaji started Code Wiz with SBA counseling and capital

By Norman Eng

 

According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Economic Census[1], there are over 300 different types of franchise businesses in America – contributing significantly to the fabric of our main streets.  The importance of franchising, particularly in the food service industry is highly impactful.  An estimated 122,042 franchise restaurants make up approximately 54% of all fast-food restaurants and contributes to about 73% of all fast-food restaurant employment. 
 

 

In industries other than food service, the data also revealed that franchise ownership was associated with a higher percentage of sales and a higher annual payroll per employee in those businesses – compared with the industry average.  

 

But Ruth…

Sitting in a counseling session at 125 Woodland Street at the Clark University-based Small Business Development Center – Ruth Agbaji was... Read More

Resilient Ready 2 Run anchored by SBA counseling, capital and contracting

By Norman Eng

 

For small businesses in creative services, marketing and other service-oriented industries – surviving the downturn due to customer budget cutbacks has been a universal theme. 

“We pulled back – we just made sure we had enough cash to survive and just be here for our customers when they’re ready to come back,” said Dave Winchester. “If this continues to go on, we have a 12-month plan to make sure we’re still here.”

In 2011, after working for years as an exhibit builder, CAD technician and print shop manager – Dan Winchester started the business experimenting in his basement and creating visual arts for his own projects.  The brothers came together in 2013, when Dave Winchester began preparing for his retirement from the Navy – laying the foundation to incorporate Ready 2 Run Graphics & Signs by actively seeking out resources provided through the SBA and its’... Read More

The SBA and Massachusetts Export Center supports life sciences market expansion

By Norman Eng, Public Affairs Specialist

 

Worcester-based Euro-American Worldwide Logistics has been providing supply chain solutions for the life science industry for three generations.

The family-owned firm was started in 1966 by Neil Lucey, who began exporting products in the heyday of manufacturing in central Massachusetts.  Co-owner and Treasurer Karen Busenburg became the first licensed female customs broker in Massachusetts back in 1972 when it was a male-dominated industry. 

Today, Lucey’s grandson, Eric Busenburg is at the helm of the company - leading the company through the next phase of growth with a focus on the life sciences industry.

Pharmaceutical companies can’t simply ship medical products and equipment in typical fashion.  It is a highly regulated industry, major players have come to rely on Euro-American locally as their trusted go-to because of... Read More

By Norman Eng, Public Affairs Specialist

 

Neurala is on a mission to make artificial intelligence more applicable and useful in the real world.  Its core technology allows you to build a brain, a custom neural network modeled after the human brain that can interact with its environment and imitate human learning.

The idea for Neurala came about in a coffee shop in 2006; cofounders Max Versace, Anatoly Gorshechnikov and Heather Ames were working together on their PhDs at the Boston University Department of Cognitive and Neural Systems. The team came to the realization that major developments in the latest graphics processors for gaming, also had vast potential for artificial intelligence.

What if each pixel was treated like a neuron of a brain? This notion was tested and granted a patent, enabling Neurala’s founders to build practical applications for the technology.

In 2009, the team had established a company and began subcontracting with... Read More

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