Success Stories

To stay in business for more than 30 years, means you’re able to adapt to change and GeoControl Systems, Inc. (GCS) is familiar with this concept. GCS is a engineering and science based corporation that offers a variety of support services to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

The company was founded as a research and development organization in 1984, for the purpose of supplying control systems to the energy sector. The company was founded by a retired NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) employee, who was married to a real estate broker. After starting the company, his wife sold her business and both her and her son (a Rice University graduate), decided to join GCS.

The company began a successful start with contracts from Ore-Ida Foods, The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisiana Intrastate Gas and Rockwell. Then, after a few years of success, the oil and energy crisis hit, evaporating contracting opportunities in the energy sector. Fortunately,... Read More

Reaching New Heights with SBA

As a woman-owned business, SBA has helped this small business leader reach new heights. Helen Callier is the president of Bradlink LLC, an award winning technical services firm that provides program management, building design, permit expediting and facilities support services, to government agencies and private firms. She has multiple locations in Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio, with less than 15 employees. Helen started her woman-owned small business with a desire to help meet the needs of customers like her. Through her extensive travels, she noticed, she could provide help to airports and transit authorities.

While a student at Prairie View A&M University, Helen searched for resources that would help her learn and grow, in her chosen field. Before graduating from the university, she learned about a female engineering graduate, who completed a dual major in Civil and Architectural engineering and had started her own small business. Helen met this graduate after... Read More

Tin Roof BBQ is a family-owned restaurant in Humble, Texas.  Ronnie Webber started the restaurant business with his wife Nancy in 2001 after retiring from the Houston Police Department with 31 years of service.  Ronnie’s love for cooking barbecue gave him the inspiration to open a restaurant and start a new adventure.

Ronnie’s barbecue hobby has been enjoyed by local residents for many years.  He often volunteered to make barbecue for local fundraisers and socials.  Ronnie and Nancy didn’t have any restaurant experience so they started small with an old house they saved from being torn down in Houston and moved to a small piece of land they leased in Humble.   

The business quickly gained popularity and outgrew its space.  Ronnie & Nancy purchased a piece of property to expand their business and in 2003 they received a SBA 7a program loan to make improvements to the property.  The original Tin Roof was moved... Read More

SBA Gave a Small Family Owned Business a Renewed Purpose

At an attempt to brand the company, Nancy Olson, renamed and renewed a small business, thus, the family owned LCD Concepts, Inc. was born.  LCD Concepts is a company that creates custom industrial-grade Flat Panel LCD displays, Panel PC’s, Interactive Conferencing Displays and Ethernet switches.  They specialize in large screen displays and a diverse line of high-performance rugged displays built for harsh environmental conditions, durability, and long life for the commercial, entertainment, military and oilfield markets. Brian Olson (an Electrical and Mechanical Designer) originated the small business in 1981, as an independent contractor of an electronic development and design company.  Not long after the company began, disaster struck hitting NASA and the oil industry, crippling the small business.  He lost all his major customers and only made $6,000.00 (in profits) for the year.  While trying to get back on his feet, Brian knew it was time for a major change.

In 2008,... Read More

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