Mike
Curry owns Great Expectations, a Christian bookstore, in Joplin.
He and his 10 employees offer Bibles, books, religious study materials,
music and gifts at their store, which has been open for one year.
Great Expectations is not Mike's first business. A business owner
for 16 years, Mike first encountered the SBDC at Missouri Southern
State College several years ago when he attended a Quickbooks class.
When he decided to open Great Expectations in March 2001, he returned
to the SBDC for help in structuring his business plan, making financial
projections and research his market demographics. In addition, Jim
Krudwig, SBDC director, and Karen Bradshaw, SBDC counselor helped
Mike work with his accounting program to better understand his financial
statements.
As a result of the SBDC's assistance, Mike is better equipped to
manage the financial aspect of his business. His enhanced understanding
of his company has allowed him to manage more efficiently and to become
more comfortable in dealing with financial institutions, vendors and
marketing representatives.
"As
the owner of a small business, I am aware of the advantages of being
small," Mike says. "These include the ability to react quickly
to changes in customer needs, the ability to make decisions quickly
and the ability to appeal to a large customer base because of our
uniqueness. I am also aware of the difficulties of being a small businessthe
biggest being resources. This is where the SBDC comes in. It's a hidden
treasure!
"I plan to continue to take advantage of all that is offered
through the SBDC, and I strongly encourage other business owners to
do the same!"
With the business operating beyond financial projections, it appears
that Mike's great expectations have not only been metthey have
been exceeded!
Great Expectations
920 E. 15th Street, Joplin, MO 64804
(417) 206-7800
(417) 623-8233 (fax)
mike.curry@expectonline.com
www.expectonline.com
Manufacturer
- Able Products of Joplin - furniture
manufacturer

- Billy Goat Industries of Lee's
Summit - manufacturer of outdoor power equipment
- Dynamic Industrial Services of St. Joseph - rebuilder of electric motors
- Eyes of the World of Rolla - manufacturer of high-quality intraocular lenses for humans and animals
- Eygon Enterprises of Lee's
Summit - manufacturer of a special tool for truckers
- Feather Light Lamp Manufacturing of Kennett - maker of high-quality lighting

- H2OVER Beverage Company of Columbia - canned drinking water distributor

- ISW Group, Inc., of St. Louis - manufacturer of a skin-care product for
African Americans suffering with dermatological problems

- Mo-Sci Corporation of Rolla - specialized glass manufacturer
- The Newberry Group of St. Louis - developer of computer security systems

- Paper Petals of Fenton - printing and custom design of note cards and invitations
- Patric Chocolate of Columbia - gourmet chocolate maker

- Pogue Label and Screen of St. Louis - a specialist in printing labels on plastic containers

- Premier Foods of Milan - poultry processing plant

- Renewable Alternatives of Columbia - specializing in the engineering of phase change materials
to ensure consistent temperatures

- sComm, Inc., of Kansas City - developer of devices to assist the deaf
and hearing impaired

- Sigma Aldrich of St. Louis -
chemical manufacturer

- TechGuard Security of Chesterfield - provider of information network security products

- ValRich Foods of Jefferson City - produces and distributes La Casita salsas

- X-Com, Inc. of Warrensburg, - produces digital communications hardware and software for the Navy and other commercial applications and products
Professional, Scientific and Technical Service
- Aegis Business Solutions LLC of Kansas City -
offers solutions to business problems in information technology 
- Big Vision Design, LLC of Platte
Woods - web site designer/developer

- Brick City Custom Works of Mexico - custom motorcycle repair and service shop
- Flexible Staffing of Chillicothe - provider of temporary workers

- Fundraiser Software of West Plains -
a developer of donor management computer programs

- Gaskin, Hill, Norcross of
Springfield - developer of a text messaging system

- Global Solutions Group of Fenton - network solutions, IT telephone and
systems management firm

- H2O Technical Services, Inc., of Springfield, a provider of integrated water treatment services and applications

- Lee Marketing Group of Joplin
- marketing firm
- Logistical Resource Solutions of St. Louis - storage and inventory control
- Lytmos Group LLC of Lee's Summit - provides peer review and grants management support to organizations that sponsor high technology R&D

- Mail Boxes Etc of Leawood, KS - mailing/shipping services franchise
- Mobile Media Technologies, LLC of Kansas Ciy - wireless communications
- Moresource, Inc. of Columbia - professional employer organization
- NEMS/MEMS Works LLC of Columbia - engineering researchers developing early-stage prototypes of nanotechnology delivery devices to target drug
applications in patients with life-threatening conditions
- OsteoGeneX of Kansas City - drug research and biotech commercialization
- Paragon Business Solutions of Nixa - consulting firm specializing in building performance driven business systems
- Paternity Testing Corporation of Columbia - forensic investigations, DNA profiling
and parental identification

- P/Strada, LLC, of Kansas City - a
consultant in bio-terrorism and homeland security

- Technology and Networking of Cape Girardeau - computer technology and telecommunications sales and services

- The Vacation Channel of
Branson - independent TV station providing tourism info

- Westinn Kennels of St. Charles
- canine boarding and training facility
- Wren Associates, Ltd. of Jefferson
City - provider of retail fraud detection systems

Starred clients were a part of the 2008 Client Showcase [more]
Starred clients were a part of the 2006 Client Showcase [more]
Starred clients were a part of the 2005 Client Showcase [more]
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