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SBDC Success Stories and Testimonials

Communications Commander Grows Centurion Strategies

It all started when young political science student, Michael Bilello, learned the importance of communicating the right message to the right target by working on public relations campaigns for former Florida Governor Jeb Bush. His time in Tallahassee led him to a media relations position with the U.S. Marine Corp. where he escorted national and international reporters to cover Iraqi Freedom. This experience added another layer of understanding to the word communications as quick and strategic thinking was crucial at all times. Bilello worked with Fortune 100 companies, professional athletes, entertainers and healthcare providers upon his return to the United States.

At the age of 27, Michael Bilello decided that the best opportunity for a lively career was the one created by his own making. In setting out to form his own destiny he opened Centurion Strategies, LLC. Through careful planning and a Service-Disabled, Veteran-Owned Business certification, Michael grew Centurion Strategies nearly 60 percent in 5 years. The company is now a $1.5 million operation with a team of 10 professionals who provide marketing, public relations and advertising solutions for professional athletes, Fortune 500s and small businesses.

A year after Bilello started Centurion Strategies in 2008, he reached out to the Small Business Development Center at USF (SBDC at USF) by participating in the Service Disable Veteran Owned Small Business and Veteran Owned Small Business Technology Conference. This conference connected him to U.S. Special Operations Command and other area businesses also owned by fellow veterans. Later on Michael took advantage of the Women, Minority & Service Disable Veteran Certification and Government 101 trainings at the SBDC at USF. With the guidance received from SBDC consultants, Centurion Strategies obtained a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business certification, which provides credibility with potential clients.

“The SBDC forced me to sit down, be patient, and plan. I am not a planner I am an executor, but being with the consultants forced me to be disciplined” said Michael of his experience.

With more than 10 years of high-level public relations, crisis management, international sales and marketing, integrated advertising, events and community affairs experience, Michael has led Centurion Strategies to build a solid reputation not only for the agency, but also for its clients. Michael says the firm has a high client retention rate because “we focus on being productive and making the client successful.” This strategy is not ignored in the industry. By the time Michael reached 29 he was named one of PR Week’s 40 Under 40 Professionals. He has also received numerous recognitions from other public relations publications.

Now that the SBDC has equipped Michael to become a planner of his future, he is preparing for more organic growth by integrating new team members in the advertising/media buying and public relations teams. “The SBDC helped develop a strong foundation for Centurion’s growth,” he said. As he continues, he relies on his family, friends, team, and especially the memory of those friends that did not return from Iraq as his sources for inspiration to move forward.

Michael offers advice from the lessons learned so far:

1. Skype vs. flight – technology is a great asset and if embraced, it can save money, time and make you more productive. In our industry it is about getting the most from each hour of work.

2. Use the right accountant – a personal accountant does not make a good business accountant.

3. Surround yourself with positive people – don’t allow other’s failure impact your business decisions.

4. Iron out invoicing and payroll technology solutions sooner rather than later – once growth has started you can’t stop to get this fixed. You are not in business if you can’t get paid or collect on your receivables.

5. Choose your clients carefully – accept projects that excite you and are aligned with your passion. Always go with your instincts, even if it means turning down money.

We have attended several seminars by SBDC and found the information very useful. We frequently refer new businesses to SBDC, SBIC, and SCORE as all three offer valuable resources with little cost.
— Lori Libhart

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Maintaining Customer Service Under New Ownership

The maintenance light in my car came on about two weeks ago. As usual, it took me a while to find time to get to my mechanic to get my oil changed, so I ignored it for a bit. But I happened to be driving down Hillsborough Avenue in Tampa last Wednesday, and was very close to his shop, so I decided to drop in and see if he could squeeze me into his schedule.

I’ve been taking my cars to the same mechanic since 1985. At first, Jim worked for a small shop that had been highly recommended. So after a few years, when the two owners decided to close their shop, Jim chose to start his small business. Jim was the only one that worked on my car, so it was a no-brainer for me. About 15 years ago, he brought his two sons into the business. Jerry worked as a full-time mechanic, and Charlie, also a mechanic, ran the office. In the last three years, Charlie’s son PJ also started working on cars. Jim has since retired, leaving Charlie and Jerry in charge of the shop. These guys are not the least expensive mechanics in town, but they are the most trustworthy. About 8 years ago, the trunk latch on my car broke. I happened to be driving by the dealer and took it in for an estimate. They told me it was going to be $600 to fix the latch. I figured if I was going to spend $600, I’d take it to my mechanic and let him make the money. Jerry took a pair of pliers and climbed into the car’s trunk and in 10 minutes fixed the latch. He told me that if I treated it gingerly, it might last a while. I asked him how much I owed him and he laughed and said it only took him 10 minutes to fix. I argued that he saved me $600, so I should pay him something. He refused to charge me, knowing, I guess, that my loyalty to them would pay off. By the way, I sold that car a couple of months ago and the latch never did break again.

So imagine my surprise when I roll into the shop to get my oil changed and Jerry tells me that they sold the shop two months ago to a new owner! Both Jerry and PJ are still working there. Jerry introduced me to Bill, the new owner. While Jerry is telling me the story, all I can think of is “do I want to leave my car here today?” I have to admit, I was dismayed at the prospect. After almost 30 years, I was faced with a decision about one of the important relationships in my life: my mechanic!

As an SBDC business consultant, I think a huge opportunity was missed here, by both the outgoing owners and the incoming owner. The original owners must have had dozens of similar long-term relationships with other customers. Why didn’t they send out an email or a letter to their clients letting them know of the changes that were happening? Instead, they waited until we brought our cars into the shop to tell us. Had I called to make an appointment over the phone, which is my usual protocol, I would have heard the news from the new owner instead of my trusted mechanic. If down the line, they decide to open another shop, then their old customers may hesitate to return to them. Additionally, they didn’t tell me they were thinking of selling. Our consultants at the SBDC could have done a free valuation of the business and given them the necessary information to determine the right price for their business.

The new owner, Bill, is also missing an opportunity. When he bought the shop, not only did he buy the land and the infrastructure, but most importantly, he bought a book of business….all of Charlie and Jerry’s customers! He should have communicated with all of their customers immediately, introduced himself, and outlined his expertise and his commitment. Charlie and Jerry’s customers need reassurance that Bill is also trustworthy and will deliver similar services at similar prices. If they don’t receive those assurances, what’s to stop them from finding another mechanic or going to the dealership?

Unfortunately, this is not an anomaly. My dentist did the same thing three years ago as did my mom’s primary physician most recently. Customer service extends beyond the life cycle of the current business owner. As the seller, once your non-compete has expired, you may not have the loyal following you thought you had. If you are planning on buying an existing business, communication with the existing customer base is part of the purchase. If you fail to address this, you may find that your financial investment is not worth as much as it was the day you closed on the deal. I’m going to wait 3,000 miles and see if I need to find another mechanic or not. I hope he calls.

The Big Start-Up Business Mistake!

You’ve probably heard the alarming statistics saying that start-ups have failure rates of 80 percent and higher. While this statistic may be inflated, the truth is that many start-up companies do indeed fail. After working with hundreds of start-ups as a business consultant, I have identified the number one mistake causing most start-ups to founder is in the way they order the execution of the start-up process. Allow me to explain. When planning a start-up, burgeoning entrepreneurs usually think about the three main functional areas of a business in the following order: operations, finance and marketing. While all three are certainly important, they need to be executed in the correct order. Let’s explore this further.

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Transition from Fortune 500 to Florida Mid-Size

Transitioning from a multinational Fortune 500 company, to a Florida mid-size business is filled with challenges. When Steve Collins purchased Coast Brothers from the original owners in 2010, he took over the 13,000 square foot warehouse and its 10 employees and 8 account managers in Pinellas County. Keeping with the business’ all in the family tradition Stephen’s son, Patrick, joined the company. Now, Coast Brothers, which was established in 1988, is a multi-million dollar leading wholesale distributor providing over 1,000 items for the hospitality, healthcare, government, and commercial cleaning industry.

Both father and son experienced new owner transition pains in their first year of operations. The combination of Steve’s seasoned business savvy, Patrick’s enthusiasm and the Small Business Development Center Growth Acceleration consultants, Pearl Para and Dino Eliadis created a team destining the business for success. After completing a thorough health check, the team focused attention on the sales and marketing processes.

Working with Eliadis, 1,000 products sales volumes and gross margins were evaluated. This analysis helped to create a strategy focusing on Coast’s premium products and a plan to create customer promotions directed towards maximizing profits and providing a foundation for growth.

“Their knowledgeable and common sense approach makes it easy to focus on what’s important. This is one program in the state which is paying dividends. As I grow, I will be hiring more people.” said Stephen.

As a result of the SBDC’s Growth Acceleration assessments and strategy implementation, Coast Brothers is projecting 50 percent growth in revenues by 2015 with the expectation that the growth will help fill in their seasonal lows.

“Success isn’t complicated, it comes with simplicity,” said Dino. He explained that after finding where Coast Brothers had success, a marketing program focused on regularly promoting those products. He added that it shouldn’t take long to begin moving revenue northward. From there it’s adding more resources to scale the success formula. “I am confident if Coast Brothers follows the plan, growth isn’t that far away,” said Dino.

With world class tourist locations and top notch healthcare facilities in the St Petersburg/Tampa area, Coast Brothers, poised with knowledgeable account managers to assist clients with all of their janitorial supply needs, is destined to grow.

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