SBDC Success Stories

118 Main Street Hamilton, Ohio 45011
513-857-7782

The Studio is a paint-your-own-pottery place where people create unique Masterpieces & Memories. Located in the Main Street Business District & the heart of Hamilton, The Studio provides a relaxing creative space. From building the business plan & market research to choosing a location & securing capital, the SBDC provided the right resources to take this dream & turn it into a reality.

Initially, Dave Riggs at the SBDC was dedicating his knowledge & resources to help start a local cleaning company. Minimal assets, minimal employees, minimal needs. In small talk, my mom's idea of having a paint-your-own-pottery studio in town touched the table. Thanks to Dave's astounding insights & his confidence in us, the idea took off. Dave guided us through the pre-opening process all the way to our Grand Opening in September. Undeniably, the SBDC was monumental in bringing The Studio in Hamilton to life. With the help of the SBDC, The Studio has a solid foundation to provide an art & entertainment experience that benefits our community.

The Studio grows each day & our growth increases our ability to do more for our hometown of Hamilton. We look forward to fundraising for the Hamilton Fine Arts program in October, the Main Street Area Association in November, & The Caring Closet in December. We take pride in our part-time employees. Hamiltonians are creating more Masterpieces & Memories each week. Contrary to what the accountant says our greatest asset is not inventory nor the kiln; our greatest asset is Hamilton. Growing a small business is possible with the help of Dave Riggs & the Butler County SBDC.

The SBDC is comparable to Disney as a place where dreams come true.

2 S. Main Street Middletown, Ohio 45042
513-818-5174

When we first decided to start a business in Middletown we had no idea where to start. It was suggested that we visit the SBDC and see what services they could provide. I set up an appointment with David Riggs and we discussed what our plans where, what type of business we were interested in and how to structure it. He was very helpful in directing me with our Business Plans as well as supplying much needed information that I could use in my research. My partner and I attended a couple of free classes hosted by the SBDC in Hamilton and Middletown. As we were purchasing the property from the City of Middletown we had some added steps that needed to be negotiated. David was very helpful in assisting us during negotiations and helping us come to a conclusion so we could get the deal closed. I would suggest, and have, to anyone wanting to start a business no matter what the size to definitely utilize the SBDC as much as possible. They have a lot of resources that small business owners can find very helpful.