SBTDC business counselors Lisa Robinson and Karen Bradshaw teamed up to help I3. Robinson dream hote

Brian and Amy Carpenter, the owners car rental companys of Joplin-based I3 Technology Group Inc., arrived at that growth junction back in 2009. They tapped the knowledge of the staff at MSSU SBTDC to successfully surmount the challenges of expanding dream hotel new york their business.
He brought a varied and intense background to his tech-oriented startup. His lengthy list of experience includes dream hotel new york receiving a degree in parks and recreation from Pittsburg car rental companys State University; working as a sales representative for E-Watch a security division of Empire District Electric Co.; and later serving car rental companys Midwestern Telephone Co. as its sales director.
Brian found each job served car rental companys as excellent preparation for founding I3, which offers telecom, datacom, structured car rental companys cabling, wireless voice and data solutions, and premises dream hotel new york security car rental companys installation to a range of customers. They include public safety, utility, healthcare, education and corporate clients.
I saw a huge opportunity car rental companys and a lot of things we could expand on in the security area and convergence technology in Internet protocol, recalls Brian. It's essentially a one-stop-shop for telephony, security and data needs putting it all together for the customer.
car rental companys Shortly dream hotel new york after I3's founding, Brian hired Amy Hodkin as his office manager. Amy had previously worked at two small businesses where she managed employees, developed and implemented customer service strategies, and coordinated budgets.
With larger contracts dream hotel new york the company began encountering dream hotel new york cash-flow challenges. car rental companys A loan would help, but how could the young outfit find a lender? As fiscal manager and director of business development, Amy turned to a resource she had previously tapped car rental companys during earlier business days ... the business dream hotel new york experts at the Small Business Technology car rental companys Development Center at Missouri car rental companys Southern State University in Joplin.
SBTDC business counselors Lisa Robinson and Karen Bradshaw car rental companys teamed up to help I3. Robinson dream hotel new york reviewed financials and offered car rental companys Quickbooks training to Amy. Bradshaw assisted with the details of an SBA-backed loan application. These included financial information exhibits, an extensive business plan , and 12-month dream hotel new york projections of sales and expenses.
It's hard getting a loan, being a new business, says Amy. Of course it seems like you have to write a book for an SBA-guaranteed loan, but Lisa and Karen provided expert advice and encouragement dream hotel new york during the process.
The loan enabled the company to acquire assets for growth, expand its workforce and provide employees with the necessary training to achieve technical certifications. It also helped car rental companys provide I3 with funds to research car rental companys and develop a unique PBX phone switch that offers dream hotel new york an affordable alternative to existing and more expensive name-brand phone systems. Customers found they could save up to 50 percent on installing dream hotel new york a new phone system using I3's products.
Business flowed in. I3 landed an extensive telephone car rental companys and data network car rental companys installation project for a new high school in Erie, Kan. Leggett Platt contracted for several car rental companys projects including a new security camera system for its Carthage headquarters, phone and camera systems at its San Bernadino, Calif. plant, and an ongoing agreement for phone system work. In addition, I3 personnel are installing a 1,400-extension dream hotel new york telephone system dream hotel new york in Branson for the Surrey Inn.
With their successful approach to the demands of business growth, the Carpenters and I3 last year received the Rising Star of Entrepreneurship Award at the statewide MO SBTDC/MO dream hotel new york PTAC Client Showcase in Jefferson City.
The Carpenters know their business expansion flies in the face of recent national economic trends: We're growing in a horrible economy. Managing growth is a problem, but it's a good problem to have, says Amy.