Cleveland/Bradley Incubator Assists Entrepreneurs

  • Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Pictured from left to right are Dana Teasley, Owner, Local Strategies and Hurley Buff, Executive Director, CBBI.
Pictured from left to right are Dana Teasley, Owner, Local Strategies and Hurley Buff, Executive Director, CBBI.

The Cleveland/Bradley Business Incubator (CBBI), housed on the Cleveland State campus, offers quality office and manufacturing/service spaces at a cost affordable for new small businesses.    

"The Business Incubator has the reputation for being one of the most successful business incubators in the south,” stated Executive Director Hurley Buff. “We have people that come here from all over. I have gotten calls from Hilton Head, SC, Florida, Alabama—they come here to see how we do it, not only how we take care of our tenants, but how we built the building, how we got started because we do have the distinction of being one of the only incubators that is totally self -sufficient.

Other than our host, Cleveland State, we get money from nowhere. Our operating budget is completely raised here in-house. The only time we accept grant dollars or private money is when we are either building or expanding. Any kind of added value we can give to the tenants, then we will go after that, but as far as operations, we are strictly self-sufficient.”

All types of businesses are eligible for location in the Incubator except retail or non-profit organizations. The company must be either a new start-up in operation less than 12 months prior to locating in the Incubator or a home-based business prior to locating in the Incubator. Office suites and manufacturing/services suites are available in various square footages to suit the needs of various businesses.

According to Mr. Buff, the program has a four-year graduation plan. The Incubator will evaluate your financial ability to graduate at the end of the four years to make sure you are ready to graduate. If not, your business will be able to stay on a month to month basis until your business can stand on its own.   Having owned and operated several small businesses himself, Mr. Buff has first-hand knowledge of what it’s like to start a new business. 

Dana Teasley, Owner of Local Strategies, said, “I wouldn’t be in business if it were not for the incubator. I went to the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in 1998 because I was looking to start a marketing business. I had gone to get information, and that is when they told me they were in the process of starting this incubator. I continued to work in the industry that I was in and did not start my own business until 11 years later. Hurley (Buff) is excellent. Having a manager that has been a business owner himself and has an understanding of the struggles and challenges that you sometimes face with owning your own business is great. Two years after owning my own business, I took a big loss on a project and after that loss, I had to restructure. Would I have been able to do that in the real world? No. The CBBI has been amazing and Hurley is wonderful to work with.”

“Dana is a typical incubator tenant,” stated Mr. Buff. “She came here knowing her business and what she did—her service. And whether it is a product or service, they typically know it inside and out. The part that they don’t know or need help with is the business end. That is where we come into play. We do not make it mandatory that they see the SBDC, but we strongly encourage the tenants to attend some of the workshops the SBDC has to offer. Dave (Hudson, SBDC Director) and I have been working together on different courses and classes.”

Mr. Buff stated, “We have expanded the CBBI four times. Dana was part of the second expansion, and the day we cut the ribbon, it was full.” 

According to Mr. Buff, the CBBI has graduated 123 companies and has created a total of 464 jobs, with 213 people currently employed there.  “That is just out of these two buildings right now, and when you look at that total combined, that is 675 jobs. That is like a small plant. That is the same as Whirlpool opening in Cleveland if you think about it. Out of 123 businesses, only 10 have moved out of state and only 21 have moved out of Bradley county. One of our businesses is in Inc. Magazine’s fastest growing companies in the country. They turned a profit in 2013 of $20.5 million. We also have the Exporter of the Year in the Business Incubator.”

Jennifer Strain, CBBI Graduate and Owner of Good Fortune Soap, said, “The Incubator is a community space…it is businesses helping businesses. There is always another entrepreneur right around the corner to help you out and to brainstorm.”

In 2012, the CBBI expanded to include the new Innovation Center, located on the north end of the Cleveland State Community College campus. The center focuses on a variety of different and forward-looking businesses. New start-ups or young businesses in alternative energy, conservation, recycling, efficiency and other technologies that support these fields now reside in this location.

The 8000 sq. ft. center has eight bays where tenants can pursue their business dreams in an environment that reduces many of the risks associated with starting a business. Seven of the eight bays were marketed to innovative business clients. The eighth space contains CSCC’s Alternative Energy Learning Lab, which developed a new curriculum focusing on alternative fuels.

For more information on the CBBI, the Innovation Center or to find out how to become a tenant, contact Executive Director Hurley Buff at 478-6476 or email him at h@cbbi.net

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