SUCCESS STORYS OF

SOME …….

Prairie Signs

Opened: 1986
Principle Owners: Earl Anderson, Suzanne Anderson, Andrew Carby
Number of Employees: 13 full-time

How would you describe your services/products?

Full service & custom sign shop

Through a short interview, Elizabeth assessed our needs and took with her several
years of financial records. She organized and analyzed the information and helped us
pin-point our focus. She also made recommendations on how to improve the
profitability of our products as well as the company as a whole. She maintained a
steady contact with us to track our progress. Using many of her suggestions, we
enjoyed an excellent 2005. As a small business owner it is very comforting to know a
service such as the Illinois Small Business Development Center existing locally and
that there is someone who genuinely cares about helping you prosper.

Kelly’s Bakery & Cafe

Opened: November 2005

Principle owners: Kelly & Jamie Mathy
Number of Employees: 6
How would you describe your services/products?

Kelly's Bakery & Café offers a variety of sandwiches, soups, quiche, and salads to
meet everyone's tastes. They cater to those looking for healthier options, as well as
vegetarians. The home baked goods offer individually portioned breakfasts and
desserts for the fast paced business district of downtown.

The Illinois SBDC helped us analyze the data we had collected and gave us a strong
financial look of how we could be successful. I think the thing that sparked Jamie and
myself was the fact that after meeting with Elizabeth, we felt a lot more confident in
understanding where the previous business stood and things we could improve on to
be successful. The Illinois SBDC helped us understand exactly what we were getting
into and that confidence ultimately made us decide to "go for it."

Quote from Pantagraph newspaper article on 3/21/2006:

Potential business owners, meanwhile, can learn what it takes to start a company.

In Mathy's case, Binning helped with the startup plan. Mathy opened Kelly's Bakery
& Cafe, 113 N. Center St., in downtown Bloomington last November after
Pumpernickel's Deli closed.

Binning and Mathy analyzed Pumpernickel's finances and found ways to operate
more efficiently.

"They helped us trudge through (the finances) and see what the strengths and
weaknesses were. The Illinois SBDC helped us compare where (Pumpernickel's) was
in comparison to other like businesses and what we needed to do in order to be
financially stable and successful," Mathy said.

"Elizabeth Binning also gave us some ideas for some grassroots marketing strategies,"
she added.

Specs Around Town

Opened: October 1998
Principle owners: Julie Kubsch
Number of Employees: 2 full time, 2 part time
How would you describe your services/products?

Optical Boutique offering the most unique, exclusive eyewear and sunwear
collections partnered with the most technologically advanced prescription lenses.
Specs Around Town's forte' is personal service and their reputation rests on your
nose!

The Illinois SBDC is a wonderful resource. The free services they offer are ideal for a
small business wanting to grow, yet on a limited budget. I know if I need help or have
a question the Illinois SBDC is only a phone call or email away!

Rising Stars Academy, Inc.

Opened: 1998
Principle owners: Russ Berndt
Number of Employees: 25

How would you describe your services/products?

Gymnastics, Tumbling, Trampoline and Cheerleading Instruction as well as Birthday

Parties and Day Camps.

Everyone at the Illinois SBDC at Illinois State has been great to work with. They have
helped me narrow my focus onto those things that are important to grow the business
more rapidly and efficiently. After working one-on-one with Elizabeth and Autumn,
we have started working with a group of Entrepreneurship students from the College
of Business. It's good to know that the Illinois SBDC is there to help us along every
step of the way. Thanks for the continued support!!!
 COSI
Opened: December, 14, 2006
Principle owners: Maurizio Carriero, Francisco Petinga, Benjamin Taimoorazy
Number of Employees: 34

How would you describe your services/products?

Cosi is the premium, convenience restaurant that offers breakfast, lunch, afternoon
coffee, dinner and dessert menus full of creative, fresh, flavorful foods and beverages.
Cosi has developed featured foods that are built around a secret, generations-old
recipe for crackly crust flatbread.

This artisan bread is freshly baked in front of customers throughout the day in open
flame stone hearth ovens prominently located in each of the restaurants.

The Cosi menu features Cosi sandwiches, freshly tossed salads, Cosi Melts, soups,
Cosi bagels, pizzas, S'mores and other desserts, and a wide range of coffee beverages.

"The Illinois SBDC helped a great deal with putting together our business plan. We
appreciate the time and quality we received from our friends at the Illinois SBDC."
stated Francisco Pentingo, Cosi Manager.

"We would recommend the Illinois SBDC to any organization, I know we wouldn’t
be were we are today without them. Special thanks to Elizabeth Binning and Autumn
Laube."

Cosi restaurants are designed to be welcoming and comfortable with an eclectic

environment. Cosi's sights, sounds, and spaces create a tasteful, relaxed place that
always provides a fresh and new dining experience.

The Cosi vision is to become America's favorite quality, convenience restaurant by

providing customers authentic, innovative, savory food while remaining an affordable
luxury.

Hutton Auto Care Success Story

 Opened: August 14, 2006
Principle owners: Bobby and Debbie Hutton
Number of Employees: 3

How would you describe your services/products?

Hutton Auto Care opened its doors after working with the Illinois SBDC at Illinois
State for 8 months. Referred by their banker, Bobby and Debbie Hutton, came in
seeking help writing a business plan. "They were very skilled technicians and knew
how to perform technical repairs to any car – even racing cars, but they were
overwhelmed by the thought of writing a business plan," said Illinois SBDC Director,
Elizabeth Binning. In fact, everything was written by hand on a stack of papers.

"Together we talked about all the aspects of the plan their banker would expect to see
- financial projections, competitor analysis, marketing strategies - and we slowly
began forming their notes into a cohesive plan." The Huttons had been planning on
opening their own business for sometime. Hutton recalls, "I was doing repairs at home
at night and saving the money I made to purchase tools and equipment." A lot of tools
and equipment - $216,000 worth. With a loan to purchase a building and do all
renovations necessary, Hutton Auto Repair opened its doors on August 14, 2006.

Brad Barker Honda

Opened: November 1982, moved to present location in February of 1988
Principle owners: Brad Barker, president; William Barker, vice president; Al Barker,
secretary/treasurer
Number of Employees: 40

How would you describe your services/products?

We are a Honda automobile dealership that focuses on new and used vehicles sales,
Honda parts and accessory sales, Honda vehicle service and repairs.

Three management employees from Brad Barker Honda have utilized training from
the Illinois SBDC at Illinois State. The Certificate in Small Business Management has
refreshed our overall management skills, particularly in the areas of human resources
and marketing. The information presented gave our management team fresh ideas for
overall dealership improvement as well as planning ideas for future growth. Large or
small, every business can benefit from the ideas presented through the Illinois SBDC
training program.

Chem-Dry Clean Masters Success Story

Opened: July 2003

Principle owners: Stan & Margie Huff
Number of Employees: 3 full- time & 3 part-time

How would you describe your services/products?

Chem-Dry: Residential & Commercial Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning. The company
emphasizes hot-carbonated extraction, which cleans with less than 20% of the
moisture of the traditional steam-type cleaner. The process is 100% non-toxic and
dries much more quickly than other cleaners, usually 2-3 hours.

"Working with the students allows me to do two things: 1) Polish and shape ideas for
organized growth of our companies, while 2) revisiting and checking ourselves
regarding what we have been doing in the recent past. It develops both direction and
accountability for our companies and actions through honest, subjective evaluation of
our activities and goals. "

Quote from The Pantagraph 3/21/2006 article:

Stan Huff, owner of Chem-Dry CleanMasters, which has offices in Bloomington and
Peoria, said his business jumped 30 percent after consulting with Binning last year.

Through the center, Huff tested his ideas and expanded the market area of his
residential and commercial carpet and upholstery cleaning business.
"It's a great tool for a small business that doesn't have the manpower or the hours in
the day to do the research," he said. "It's paid off tangibly. It's helped our tangible
growth and it's helped in terms of saving time and money." - Stan Huff, Chem-Dry
CleanMasters