Welcome to SBDC - Capital Region
Anthony Ruiz, Capital Regional Director
Anthony Ruiz, Capital Regional Director
Visit our main office in College Park:
Executive Building
7100 Baltimore Avenue, Suite 400
College Park, MD 20740 - Directions.

Visit our Wheaton Business Innovation Center location:
Westfield South Building
11002 Veirs Mill Road, Suite 700
Wheaton, MD 20902 - Directions

Contact info for both offices: 301-403-0501 x11
training @ mdsbdc.umd.edu

Visit the Maryland Lead Office for further information.

Starting a new business? Start Smart!
Let us find out where you are in the process in order to best assist you.

Already in business? Grow Smart!
Learn how you can have your business assessed so that we can create the best action plan to grow your business!
Recent Success Stories

   Memory Lane Photo Design - takes individuals’ photographs and uses them to create custom, one-of-a-kind products. Through the help of SBDC Business Counselor Jeff Stanko, business owner Nicole Urquilla not only received the information and technical assistance she was looking for.. ~more~

   Dream Dinners - a unique company founded on a mission of bringing families together around the dinner table. Ms. Yihung Mohs is now the proud owner of the new franchise located in Silver Spring. ~more~

   Abova Water - A water purification and bottling company located in Baltimore, Maryland announced its grand opening on August 12, 2005. ~more~


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   Success Story Details

   1. Memory Lane Photo Design - Nicole Urquilla

After working for many years as a graphic designer, Nicole Urquilla took her part-time photo-enhancement work and turned it into a full-service business called Memory Lane Photo Design. She has always enjoyed working with personal photographs and adding a creative touch by utilizing digital imaging and computerized design techniques. Her product line includes custom-designed hardbound photo books, photo art prints, hardbound wedding books, calendars, and announcement cards. Visit: Memory Lane Photo Design
For further information visit: www.memorylanephotodesign.com.

To establish her business, Nicole received technical assistance with her business plan and obtained advice on accessing start-up capital. Through the help of SBDC Business Counselor Jeff Stanko, Nicole not only got the all information and assistance she was looking for but also a lot of needed encouragement. “It meant a great deal that Jeff thought that I had a solid business idea,” says Nicole, “and his advice has been invaluable.”  After presenting her business loan package to a number of banks, Nicole obtained a favorable loan with Commerce First Bank.

Today, Memory Lane Photo Design takes individuals’ photographs and uses them to create custom, one-of-a-kind products. “It is just like making a corporate brochure,” says Nicole, “but instead of the piece being a brochure about ‘XYZ’ company, the finished product is a keepsake, such as a hardbound book, about something personal such as a wedding, a graduation, a vacation or a sports season experience. All products are designed using the customers’ photographs and memories.”  Memory Lane Photo Design is an example of the SBDC providing value added services to small business owners.


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   2. Dream Dinners

The Maryland Small Business Development Center Capital Region is proud to announce the grand opening of Dream Dinners. After extensive research and assistance from SBDC Counselor Damon Penn, Ms. Yihung Mohs is now the proud owner of the new franchise located in Silver Spring.

Dream Dinners is a unique company founded on a mission of bringing families together around the dinner table. They provide everything you need to assemble great dinners to enjoy as you relax and talk about the events of the day. They offer freedom from the hassles surrounding the planning and preparation of meals night after night. And they give friends and family an opportunity to come together in a fun-filled setting to assemble their Dream Dinners in just two quick hours.

After several years of soul-searching and working at the Discovery Channel as an executive, Yihung realized that her passions lie elsewhere. With the support of her husband, family, friends, and the Maryland SBDC, Yihung stepped out on faith. After developing a solid business plan and gaining expert advice, she purchased the franchise, secured the lease, and began operations. "I'm so excited about the possibilities of my new business, and I'm sure that with the continued assistance from the SBDC, it will be a success," said Yihung.

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   3. Abova Water

The Maryland Small Business Development Center Capital Region is proud to announce that ABOVA ORP Water, LLC, a water purification and bottling company located in Baltimore, Maryland announced its grand opening on August 12, 2005. With the assistance of SBDC Counselor, Damon Penn, Abova Water, LLC has grown from an idea, into a full-service water manufacturing facility.

Dr. Joseph Jiao, President of ABOVA ORP Water, LLC has been a client of the Capital Region SBDC, Montgomery County since 2003. Over the span of two years, the MDSBDC assisted Dr. Jiao with licensing his business, locating commercial space, market research through SBDCNet, securing over $1MM in capital for the acquisition of his facility and working capital, obtaining a Strategic Assistance Consulting Services grant for the development of a website, and assistance with minority certifications.

Currently, the company operates out of a state-of-the-art facility, and has the capacity to produce over 20,000 units of water daily. Available for the first time in America, ORP (Oxidation Reduction Potential) water is healthy, anti-polluted and rich in beneficial minerals.

Abova Water, LLC can be found online at www.abovawater.com. The Maryland Small Business Development Center (MDSBDC) and ABOVA ORP Water, LLP are proud of the accomplishments that have been realized thus far, and are excited about what the future holds.

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   4. IVR Commercial Property Services

Liliana Rojas, President of Crystal Cleaning Maids, Inc. first came to the Maryland SBDC in 2004. She was looking for assistance in marketing and expanding her residential cleaning business to the government procurement sector.

In July 2004, Mrs. Rojas contacted the Maryland SBDC for assistance in supporting her and her small business concern. The SBDC helped her with developing a strategy for growing her cleaning company into a full-service commercial cleaning company. Over the span of 1 year, Crystal Cleaning Maids, Inc. has grown from a residential cleaning company, into IVR Commercial Property Services, Inc. a full-service commercial property company.

With the assistance of the MDSBDC, Ms. Rojas was able to secure a grant from the Strategic Assistance Consulting Fund (SACF) for the development of a professional website; assistance with designing a corporate logo; listing her newly formed company on several government procurement search engines including, CCR, Emaryland Market Place, and Fedbizopps. More recently, IVR received approval of its Department of Transportation Minority Business Enterprise (DOTMBE) certification program, and the State of Maryland Small Business Reserve Program.

Currently, IVR specializes in contract cleaning, retail floor care, facilities management, landscape management, and steam cleaning services. IVR Commercial Property Services can be located in Germantown, Maryland or by visiting www.crystalcleaningmaids.com. Mr. Rojas is now referring potential and existing cleaning companies to the SBDC for assistance in government minority certification.

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   5. Curves

Fostina Scott and her daughter Tina Scott shared dreams of starting a business together for several years. However, life took them to different directions: Fostina to a stay at home mom, and Tina to the banking industry. It wasn’t until Tina took the opportunity to walk away from her position with a local bank when their dreams started to materialize taking the form of a new business.

After extensive research, Fostina and Tina Scott found Curves, the largest fitness franchise in the world with over 8,000 locations worldwide. As plus size women they both could relate to the customer base for Curves, and found an attractive market for a fitness and weight loss facility dedicated to provide affordable, one-stop exercise and nutritional information for women.

They found the several websites that were very resourceful, but still had a lot of questions concerning the starting process. Fostina had already been in contact with the Capital Region SBDC when she took a Smart Start seminar, so she returned there for business startup, marketing, location assistance, business planning, management and financial counseling, and for support and encouragement. "SBDC was extremely helpful to us. They answered all of our questions no matter how many times we asked the same question. No question was too small or too insignificant", said Fostina.

Although their first attempt to obtain a loan failed, Damon Penn, Business Counselor with the MDSDC, suggested other financing resources and helped Fostina and Tina during the whole loan process. "Mr. Penn provided many words of encouragement when the easiest thing would have been to walk away when the process grew tedious", expressed Fostina. With a $48,000-dollar bank loan Fostina and Tina, dba: Curves recently opened it doors. Currently, the company has 3 part-time employees and is already providing health and fitness services to 100 members.

They will continue to look for management and guidance sessions at the SBDC. “More than anything Mr. Penn believed in us, and we will definitely look for his assistance when we begin considering opening our second location".

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SBDCs are a program supported by the U.S. Small Business Administration and extended to the public on a non-discriminatory basis. SBA cannot endorse any products, opinions or services of any external parties or activities.