About the Discussion

This is an open discussion regarding funding, investment, and startup needs. We would like to learn how your business is progressing and what needs you might have, including what issues you may have encountered in obtaining funding and what challenges you have run into along the way. 

In this webinar we will cover:

• Your questions to the panel
• SBA loan information and eligibility 
• Benefits of an SBA loan
• Show me the money: how much, why, when and where  

We look forward to hearing your questions on Wednesday!

The SF College IPDC Zoom Webinar Series offers local inventors, entrepreneurs and innovators the opportunity to connect with IPDC Partners, organizations and private sector companies who provide mentoring and learning opportunities for start-ups and their founders. These FREE events are led by subject area experts and cover topics relevant to product commercialization and growing your new business. The on-line events will be recorded and available for future viewing. 

Register here!

Thank you to Florida Capital Bank, SBDC, SCORE and our Technical Partner Alpha Creative Studio.

About the Panel

Wendy Robertson is VP/Business Relationship Banker at Florida Capital bank, where Wendy specializes in business banking for customers that want a banker that will partner with them, understands their business and is experienced and compassionate about the challenges businesses face in today’s economic times. If you have a commercial lending need, she can show you how a consultative, creative banker can partner with you to work towards your financial goals.

Wendy has a love for startups and helping their business’ grow and thrive since she has had a few startups herself!  She understands the struggles and is thrilled to be working with the IPDC to help small business’ reach their maximum potential.

Wendy loves to cook and teach people how to enjoy playing with their food! She resides in Gainesville, FL. Please email wrobetson@flcb.com or go to www.flcb.com

Michael Chung has been the Assistant Area Director for the Florida SBDC Network at the University of North Florida since 2006. He advises entrepreneurs on startup and existing business owners on how to grow, increase profitability, improve cash flow management, financial analysis and access capital. 

He services on the Chambers of Commerce in Ocala and Gainesville helping both organizations address the needs of their members so they can grow and contribute to the economic wellbeing of their communities. 

Mike brings 13 years’ experience as an owner /operator of a packing and shipping franchise where he took it from startup to being in the top one-third. Prior to owning his own business, Mike was a USAF Officer serving as a project engineer and contract manger on multimillion dollar R&D contracts for solar cells and solar arrays with responsibility for achieving technical objectives while being on-schedule and within budget. He also managed Phase 1 and Phase II SBIR/STTR contracts and served on proposal review committees.

Amnaya Awasthi currently serves as the Workshop Chairman of SCORE North Central Florida Chapter.

If you have never run a business and/or you have never had any business in your family, Amnaya can help you get started with the right mindset of business ownership. He is a motivator and a success coach. Getting started with a business and achieving success is straightforward when you are equipped with the right expectations and right tools to deliver those expectations. Amnaya discusses these in depth and helps you develop a strong foundation for business ownership.