Casos de Exito

Casos de Exito:

Esta sección les informará sobre Empresarios que han sido asistidos por el Centro de Desarrollo de Pequeñas Empresas de Puerto Rico (PR SBDC) y son ejemplo de éxito empresarial.

CASE: Wireless High Tech Services, Inc.

Situation:

Wireless High Tech Service (WHTS) is a start up company dedicated to remanufacture and repair cellular phones. This is a high-tech service offered only on a limited basis by one company in Puerto Rico. WHTS was awarded a repair service contract with MoviStar, a cellular service provider in Puerto Rico. MoviStar requested that WHTS prepared a business plan before awarding the contract.

PR SBDC Approach:

The client and the counselor worked together in preparing a business plan that includes a Mission, Vision, Short Term Objective, Action plan and the key person components. Also, financial documents were prepared for the company. The client presented the loan proposal to a first bank but it was declined. It was then presented to a second bank.

Results:

Movistar awarded the contract to WHTS in March 2002. The second bank approved a line of credit for the client.

Summary and Economic Impact:

  • Begin a new business
  • 12 direct jobs were created.
  • WHTS uses advanced technology to remanufacture and repair cellular phones,
  • Opportunity to export services to the Dominican Republic and Venezuela.

CASE: Los Flamboyanes Restaurant
Cabo Rojo, PR

Situation:

Luis Matías has a small restaurant in Joyudas, Cabo Rojo. Beautiful beaches, fishing villages and good restaurants, characterize this tourist sector. The restaurant has over 15 years in the market and it has a total staff of 5 employees. Los Flamboyanes Restaurant has excellent physical facilities, including parking, children play area and dinner room. The market of the restaurant is wide including younger people, families and seniors citizens. The client needs counseling in advertising and visual marketing aspects. He wants to design strategies and advertising to attract and retain clients. Also, he needed training in areas of customer service and marketing. Mr. Matías wanted to increase sales through the design and implementation of effective marketing strategies.

PR SBDC Approach

PR SBDC analyst evaluated the current business situation, including current marketing strategies, product attributes and benefits, competitive advantage, market behavior and competition with the objective of prepare the marketing strategies. The marketing strategies included the following aspects:

  • Radio advertising
  • Newspaper advertising
  • Printing promotion
  • Visual marketing elements
  • Marketing and Customer Service training

Results

The marketing strategies began on January 2002. The client put in practice all the marketing recommendations and monthly sales increased by 12%.

Summary

  • Five jobs retained
  • Increase of sales
  • Success promotional campaign

CASE: Panadería & Repostería Ponciana, Inc.
Ponce

Situation:

During 1976 Mr. Erasto Bobet started Ponciana Bakery at Sabanetas, Ponce. In 1978 he acquired the property and created the corporation Panadería & Repostería Ponciana. Seeing that the business was becoming quite successful, he decided to remodel, creating a modern bakery and expanding services as offering breakfast and lunch, as well as deliveries to cafeterias and restaurants. During all the process, he counted with his children’s help. They began working at the bakery at a very young age. In 1994 Vanessa, his daughter assumed a manager’s position at the business and worked with her husband Mr. Rurico Rivera. Both worked in the different phases of the business, production, sale, and administration. In 1999 Vanessa came to our Center after participating in a marketing seminar offered by the Center to explain the new ideas for Ponciana. These included an expansion of the building and the development of a new enterprise known as Best Baking Enterprise, Inc.

PR SBDC Approach:

At the Center, we evaluated all aspects of the family business and advised client in the preparation of the business plan. Then we completed a financial proposal, including the financial projections of these changes for the next three years after the expansion and began the new business. The clients and his staff continued participating in the seminars offered by the center in areas like Human Resources, Marketing, and Computers. We provided 54 hours of counseling services.

Results:

The clients obtained a loan with the Small Business Administration (SBA) Guaranty under 7a Loan at a local bank for the expansion and remodeling of the property. At the beginning of 2002 the construction was in process. They expect to reopen their new facilities this summer.

Summary and Economic Impact:

  • More than fifty- (50) direct jobs were retained
  • New couple of local (Hispanic) entrepreneur
  • Recognize the team of Mr. Erasto Bobet, Vanessa Bobet and Rurico Rivera as 2002 Puerto Rico Small Business Person of the Year
  • Vanessa has participated as speaker at seminars of our Center