Welcome to Business Buzz, a whole new name and look for the Brunswick Community College Small Business Center monthly newsletter. We hope you enjoy and continue using this content to build your business! As always, we are here for you and for others you may know who are branching out with a new business. Call or email us anytime and be sure and share this newsletter with co-workers and friends. Have a great July.

The BCC Small Business Center offers FREE learning resources monthly. Some are in person but most are offered online making them available to you wherever you are. Take a look at July's lineup and let us know what you think.

Dave and his wife Dawn had discussed starting a small equipment repair business many times over the years, and with his job ending, they felt it was a now or never moment. Dave recognized a need in Leland for a local small equipment repair company and decided to seize the opportunity.

Despite their concerns about taking on additional bills and whether or not the demand for the mobile service they offered was great enough, Dave's Small Equipment Repair was born. Fortunately, the response was overwhelmingly positive! They found many homeowners needed help transporting their equipment to a shop, incurring costs as high as $80 per trip. Even customers that can transport their equipment are finding the mobile service convenient. It saves them time which is something we all could use more of.

The mobile part of Dave's business appeals to homeowners and smaller companies that rely heavily on their equipment always being in working order. No equipment means no income. Plus, Dave's comes to them, saving time and quickening repairs. Many companies are taking advantage of Dave's maintenance programs designed to service equipment regularly to prevent breakdowns. 

"With the help of April at the Small Business Center, we learned what we needed to do to get our business started and officially opened in March," said Dave. "We just received our 12th 5-star review on Google. When our customers are happy, so are we. We're proud of our accomplishments and look forward to continued success."  

If you have equipment in your garage that needs repairs, call or text Dave at (910) 782-2752 or email him at davecanfixit2@gmail.com.

Established by the Greater Wilmington Business Journal, MADE is a nomination-based competition seeking to spotlight makers, manufacturers, artisans, designers and small businesses in New Hanover, Brunswick, and Pender counties.

With roots in an economy originally built on tobacco, textiles, and furniture, North Carolina is no stranger to the making of things. While its industries may have broadened over the years, the focus on locally made goods continues to hold strong. MADE was created to spotlight some of the innovations occurring in design and manufacturing originating in the tri-county area.

MADE Award winners are selected by a judging panel and will be profiled in a special MADE section of the Sept.15 issue of the Greater Wilmington Business Journal as well as the annual WilmingtonBiz Expo on October 5 at the Wilmington Convention Center.

For questions, please contact Elizabeth Steizenmuller at estelz@wilmingtonbiz.com.

Brunswick Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender expression, age, political affiliation, genetic information, sexual orientation, or disability.