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July 2020
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Is Your Business Ready for Hurricane Season

The Florida SBDC at FAU urges small businesses to prepare for the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, which begins June 1 and extends through November 30.

According to a forecast by Colorado State University, the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season is predicted to be above normal, with eight hurricanes, 16 named storms, and four major hurricanes. 

The Florida SBDC at FAU encourages businesses to prepare for the upcoming hurricane season by developing a disaster preparedness plan. Businesses should consider several elements in preparing for a disaster. Not only is it important to protect staff, their building, data, and inventory, it is also critical to prepare a plan to continue operations following the disaster. A good plan may include provisions to relocate to a pre-identified site, retrieve data, including employee, customer and vendor records; and a way to operate efficiently with a smaller staff of key individuals. 

In the event of a disaster, the Florida SBDC at FAU disaster specialists are available to help affected businesses prepare disaster loan applications. 

Read the top 10 disaster preparedness tips, HERE.
The Right Services for Your Business

The Florida SBDC at FAU offers no-cost business services that provide specialized, confidential, one-on-one consultations to help small and medium businesses thrive during this difficult time.

Here's a look at the services:
Government Contracting

With government contracting businesses who are interested in becoming a prime contractor or a subcontractor — for federal, state or local government agencies, our consultants provide the following:

  • Determine suitability and secure necessary registrations
  • Comprehension of the language and contract basics
  • Research procurement histories and forecasts
  • Connect with government buyers and prime contractors
Capital Access

Analysis of opportunities of business credit underwriting with commercial credit and complex commercial lending of all types, including asset based loans.

  • Consulting of lending regulations, policies and practices

  • Preparation, analysis and evaluation of credit relationships with multiple financial and investment entities, approved local financial institutions that participate in asset based lending practices; as well as, insured receivables financing, with public or private risk insurance mitigation

  • Consulting to ensure preventive measures are carried out to fully comply with current rules, regulations and policies related to risks pertaining to BSA, USA Patriot Act, OFAC and other AML related issues
Organizational Development DiSC Assessments

Turbo Charge Any Team is designed to help leaders better understand themselves and others to improve working relationships, strengthen management skills, elevate leadership impact and tackle conflict.

The Florida SBDC at FAU covers the cost of consulting, up to five-assessments per company. Services include individual assessments as well as team debriefs.

A lead consultant will coordinate all logistics with your company to provide access to the assessments, and delivery of the Turbo-Charge Any Team debrief session. All consulting associated with organizational development is offered at no cost. 

Client companies will have the option to acquire, at their cost, additional assessments. The Turbo-Charge Any Team program can help improve profits through:

  • Enhanced communication and effectiveness
  • Reducing staff turnover, conflict and stress among team members
  • Enhanced understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of a team
  • Improved hiring of the right team members
  • Better engagement of employees by understanding what motivate and drives them
Set up your consultation with your consultant below.
Clients Satisfaction


"I appreciate the time and advice you provided. Due to COVID-19 shut down, we invested and reinvented my business by moving from seminars to webinars. I’ve decided to keep the business. You were extremely helpful and offered excellent advice when requested. Thank you James."


“Working with George and SBDC was easy, they understood the reason behind my business, and they are a great resource hub that I can connect to and know that my business will continue to move forward.”   


“When it came to this crisis, SBDC and Debbie provided guidance the entire time. We are very grateful for the help and support of SBDC as we navigate through this ever-changing time,” Freshwater said. “With the added anxiety, the uncertainty and the emotional exhaustion, it has been a godsend to have SBDC with us to help navigate the disaster recovery loan process and as well as updates from the CDC on best business practices. Having the SBDC on our side has been the one solid to rest on.”


"Thanks so much Mike…. We had a great time working with you! It was so much information, that we are still working on getting our heads wrapped around everything, BUT clearly we were speaking to the right person regarding all of this. Your guidance, suggestions and knowledge is all greatly appreciated and we are looking forward to being able to connect with you on our next meeting and more to ensure we are at the top of our government contracting game!”
Opportunity Zone Workshop

You're invited to the first Opportunity Zone workshop of 2020.

This workshop is geared towards helping aspiring and existing business owners and investors learn how to leverage and benefit from new investment programs. Expert panelists and presenters will take a deep dive into what Opportunity Zones are, the tax benefits, eligibility requirements, available resources and more.


WHEN: Tuesday, Aug. 4
TIME: 1 to 5 p.m.

For newsletter inquiries contact our team at sbdc@fau.edu.
The Florida SBDC at Florida Atlantic University is a member of the Florida SBDC Network, a statewide service network funded in part through cooperative agreements with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Defense Logistics Agency, State of Florida and other private and public partners; with the University of West Florida serving as the network's lead host institution; and nationally accredited by the Association of SBDCs. SBA's funding is not an endorsement of any products, opinions or services. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact the Florida SBDC at FAU: sbdc@fau.edu .