Anne Arundel County
Maryland Department of Rehabilitation Services referred Mr. James Lewis to the SBDC. Mr. James who is disabled, was seeking assistance in fine-tuning his business plan for a home meal replacement establishment where freshly prepared meals would be available for take out. The SBDC counselor assisted the client in shaping his financial projections. The counselor also assisted in the preparation of the loan package. Mr. Lewis obtained a SBA loan in April 1999 and opened his business, Meals to Go, in May 2000. Mr. Lewis now employs six full-time and fourteen part-time employees.

Baltimore City
Mr. David Gathers, owner of Solo Hardware, was about to go out of business. The client had operated his building at its current location for the previous five years and was asked to relocate because the property owner sold the building to the Walgreen Corporation. The client's lease was not renewed. However, through the help of the SBDC and the Baltimore City Mayor's Office, Mr. Gathers was able to purchase his own building on the same block. The new building has space for residential tenants allowing the client to run his business with more cash inflow from rent and/or mortgage revenue. This improved his cash flow position, thus retaining his ownership and his three employees.

Baltimore County
Mr. Richard Hirsh first came to SBDC on November 23, 1999. He thought he had an opportunity to buy a business in Timonium, but that didn't work out. From the lessons he learned from the Baltimore County SBDC previously on putting together a deal, Mr. Hirsh approached SBDC again on August 17, 2000 with another deal. This was the purchase of a business on The Avenue at White Marsh. This time he had all the ingredients and once again SBDC assisted him with the business plan and  loan package. SBDC also offered him referrals to legal and accounting services as well as recommended him to a landlord. Everyone liked the deal and a commercial bank provided him with financing. On November 3, 2000 the deal was consummated and Richard and his wife became the owners of Something Sweet, a dessert shop.

Howard County
Mr. Ally Abdelazim, an immigrant from Pakistan, requested assistance in starting a new restaurant. Howard County SBDC assisted in compiling, editing and submitting financing packages for a line of credit, equipment leasing and working capital. The SBDC counselor also researched potential restaurant sites, reviewed purchase contracts, assisted in developing a business plan and performed a site inspection. Mr. Abdelazim intends to utilize approved financing to lease a building site, lease restaurant equipment, hire three or four employees and purchase supplies for a shiskabob restaurant.