 August 2014Veterinarian sticks with her dream, owns successful clinic in Beatrice thanks to SBA financing  The day after Dr. Jennafer Glaesemann (pictured) closed on her loan to take ownership of Blue Valley Veterinary Clinic in Beatrice, she left her office to head out to a nearby farm. A donkey was suffering a troublesome birth, and she needed to sedate the stricken animal before she could start treatment. As she tells it, the farmer's inexperienced son tried to help her hold the donkey still so she could safely administer the sedative. "The donkey wasn't real fond of the situation," she explained. And when the donkey charged forward on him, jostling her, she accidentally jammed the needle into her own thigh. "Like, welcome to real life," she sighed. No place to go from there but up, right?And so she has, with monthly revenues from the business up by a third since she bought the practice two years ago, with help from an SBA guaranteed loan. Blue Valley offers preventive and emergency care from house pets to large farm animals, including the occasional uncooperative donkey. Such care includes dentistry, reproductive medicine, nutrition and body condition management plans, and behavioral interventions. The clinic also provides veterinarian and support personnel on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide the only emergency care within 20 miles of town; the nearest full-service emergency clinic is 40 miles away in Lincoln. Making Lincoln a better place, one treat at a time, is the goal for Le Cupcake  | | She likes to talk about the time she joined her daughter-in-law, Megan, on the popular Food Network show Cupcake Wars, but television appearances aren't why Yvonne Loy (pictured) started what she calls her "passion." What makes Le Cupcake more than a crowd-pleasing, fast-growing business in south Lincoln's Briarhurst Center is its kindhearted "Random Acts of Cupcakes." "A few times each month, we surprise someone with a free gift of cupcakes," Loy explained. Sometimes they hand out delectable delights right in the store, other times, people will come in to let them know someone who is going through a struggle and could use a pick-me-up. | With her staff of 12, including a full-time manager, Loy's been busy since she opened the doors at the end of 2011 thanks to help from Lincoln-based Community Development Resources and an SBA microloan. This past Mother's Day weekend, it was all hands on deck churning out some 5,000 cupcakes. Loy and her team of "champions" bake daily in the back of the store, rotating a lineup based on family recipes. Overall, revenues are up 38 percent this year. "Number one thing is word of mouth," Loy said of her marketing strategy. That and tastes such as Peanut Butter Cookie, Chocolate Malt, Banana Split and Orange Dreamsicle. >Read more | | Grand Island Lender Named SBA Nebraska Financial Services Champion of the Year  Kurt Haecker, First Vice-President of Home Federal Bank in Grand Island (above, with SBA Nebraska District Office Lead Economic Development Specialist Barb Foster, left, and Nebraska Business Development Center Director Sara McMillan, right), was named the SBA's Nebraska Financial Services Champion of the Year for 2014. Haecker was nominated for this award by McMillan for his passion and dedication to the banking industry and to the Grand Island community. The award recognizes "an individual who assists small businesses through advocacy efforts to increase the usefulness and availability of accounting or financial services for small businesses." With more than 28 years of banking experience, Haecker is dedicated to helping small businesses reach their financial and operational goals. Financing plays a major role in the start-up and growth of many small businesses, and Haecker has relied on SBA and U.S. Department of Agriculture loan programs for borrowers, in addition to traditional financing. Haecker, however, sees banking in a bigger picture. "The role that banking plays is developing relationships by assisting and advising customers, especially small business owners." Haecker began working for Home Federal Bank in 2007, and noted that Home Federal is supportive of community involvement by encouraging employees to be active in the community. "We are a local bank that values the community; 'Home' is in our name. The bank and its employees believe that it is important to help their customers and the community as a whole to succeed. He believes, "We're successful if they're successful." Outside of the bank, Haecker is heavily involved in the community. His extensive list of involvement includes board appointments for College Park, Grand Island Chamber of Commerce, Grand Island Education Foundation, and Stuhr Museum Foundation. He is also active with his church, Downtown Improvement Board, Rotary, Grand Island Sports Council, and Nebraska Diplomats. McMillan has worked with Haecker and small business clients to obtain financing. NBDC offers confidential business advising and analysis, business plans, financial and loan packages, business valuation reports, business exit and transition planning and market research for small businesses and entrepreneurs. For additional information about the Nebraska Business Development Center's Grand Island office, contact McMillan at 308-382-9210. Listen to how the owners of Take Aim, a new indoor range in Bellevue, got their start thanks to SBA financing  | Connect with us on social media. | |  |  | NETWORKING EVENTOmaha Empowerment Breakfast August 8
7 a.m.
Regency Lodge, 107th & Pacific, Omaha. Featured Speaker: Hugh Schuett began his career as a heavy vehicle mechanic in the military, working his way up to programming nuclear missiles before he moved into teaching. These days, he's the creator of the Fab Lab at Metropolitan Community College, an innovative approach to give artists, entrepreneurs and students an opportunity to create. Some focus on building circuits, while others turn to 3-D printing and software design. The idea is to bring the use of tools and the physical creation to enhance the learning for our students in existing credit classes, give entrepreneurs an inexpensive way to create their prototypes and start a business, and to work with existing businesses for the creation of partnerships and a path to a career for MCC students. Bring your business cards and have fun at the area's premier business networking event. > Register here | |  WORKSHOPWinning Federal Contracts for Your Small Business August 21
8:30-10:30 a.m.
SBA Nebraska District Office, 10675 Bedford Ave., Suite 100, Omaha. Speakers include representatives from: SBA Office of Government Contracting SBA Office of Business Opportunity and the NBDC Procurement Technical Assistance Center. Get a beginner's overview of selling to local, state and federal government, including where to find bids on the Internet; Federal Business Opportunities; and SBA certifications, such as HUBZone and 8(a) Business Development. > Online registration is requred | | Women-Owned Small Business Contracting ProgramAugust 13
1:30-3:30 p.m.
SBA Nebraska District Office,10675 Bedford Ave, Suite 100, Omaha. This federal contracting program is designed to give women business owners an advantage in the federal marketplace. You will learn: How to determine if your business is truly "woman-owned" and determine whether you qualify. The advantage of participating in the Woman-Owned Federal Contracting Program. How to self-certify to be eligible for this program. How to find opportunities in this special set-aside program for your business. Cost: Free but you must register to attend Register online or call Lisa Tedesco at 402-221-7229 for details. | | | | Take Your Business Global Did you know that 95% of consumers live outside the United States? And a whopping two thirds of the world's purchasing power is in foreign countries? Exporting can mean big things for your small business, and SBA is here with resources and information to help you succeed. • Financing Programs – SBA has three core export loan programs specifically designed to help you develop or expand your business' trade and export activities. • Expert Guidance – U.S. Exporting Assistance Centers are staffed by professionals from the SBA, the Department of Commerce, the Export-Import Bank and other organizations. They'll help you understand the global marketplace and get you organized. • Planning Tools – Perfect for the small business owner exploring exporting, the Export Business Planner is a free, customizable tool that helps you work through the critical processes of export readiness and planning. Learn more about Export Express in this video clip  | | | |
All SBA programs and services are provided on a nondiscriminatory basis | Reasonable accommodations will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance |
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