Small Business Development Center - Success Stories

Deborah Tinsley has accomplished a great deal in a very short time. Her first meeting with the Small Business Development Center was in August 2002. She had an idea and a goal that would enable her to target a segment of the home health care business providing nursing care to medically dependent children.

Deborah was a nurse with five years of expertise in the home health care field. She needed help with getting a loan to begin her business. We helped her get a $50,000 SBA loan to get started. To get this loan, Deborah worked with the Small Business Development Center in developing a business plan and was referred to Tony Tadasa regarding space availability in the Tyler area small business incubator.

On her next visit to the Small Business Development Center, Deborah requested help with getting a loan in the amount of $150,000. She planned to borrow $47,000 from her 401K and put in $ 15,000 cash. Don Proudfoot helped with income and expense projections, revenue and expense assumptions, incubator applications, an amortization schedule, a depreciation schedule and use of funds. Unfortunately , Deborah was turned down by a number of banks in 2003, but managed to keep her business afloat using her adaptive personality and survival skills.

The business began in the Tyler area small business incubator with 140 square feet of office space and quickly grew needing 1,440 square feet. In 2004 Exceptional Home Care was forced to relocate due to such rapid expansion and the need for additional space. They moved into their present location at 1420 WSW Loop 323, Suite 2-A in Tyler. They are utilizing approximately 7,400 square feet and are presently under negotiation to purchase their facility. Exceptional Home Care now has a $300,000 line of credit and banks are pursuing them now.