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In her 20 years as a chocolatier, Amanda Cox has never been afraid to ask for help. She started selling her confections out of her home after she was laid off from her job in 2004, but now her business, Nothing But Chocolate , is at its third location, a 2800-sq ft manufacturing and retail space just south of downtown Cambridge, Ohio.
Guiding her during her entrepreneurial journey has been Cindy Voorhies, a certified business advisor with the Small Business Development Center at Ohio University’s George Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service . Cox went to Voorhies from the start, taking free seminars offered by the SBDC, then working with Voorhies on a business plan and assisting on the first big hurdle: finding a loan. With Voorhies’ help, Cox secured a small business loan through the Guernsey County Port Authority.
“They have funds available for those that the banks might feel are too much of a risk to lend to,” says Voorhies. “Whenever Amanda has had to make big decisions for her business, she's reached out to me to brainstorm ideas. She’s very smart, and she doesn't make an emotional decision.”
Most recently, Cox went to Voorhies to discuss purchasing a piece of equipment that she thought could transform her business. The $55,000 manufacturing conveyor belt with a built-in cooling system could help double her sales and allow her to expand her product line while giving her a longer runway for production.
“It allows us to start making Halloween products in the spring or Christmas items in the summer,” says Cox. “It extends the shelf life of chocolate dramatically.” It also helps Cox schedule her employees, who can number up to 10 during busy periods.
The market price for the raw cacao used in chocolate has become increasingly volatile (in April, the price increased by 75% over three weeks), so Cox returned to Voorhies to discuss ways to become more efficient. Voorhies set her up with the Ohio Manufacturing Extension Partnership (Ohio MEP) and trained Cox in data collection used to control costs.
“[Cindy] is like a small business therapist,” Cox laughs. “As a small business owner, you just need someone to bounce something off of or feel like you're not doing this alone.”
The Ohio University SBDC is an award-winning institution , consistently the top-rated SBDC in Ohio. In 2023, Voorhies worked with more than 190 small business owners in various stages of development, ranging from just an idea to someone like Cox, making strategic significant capital investments. Voorhies adds that it’s a myth that the SBDC only works with start-ups.
“Just this week, I've worked with a med spa, a hair salon, a construction company, and a food truck,” says Voorhies. “Many business owners come to me with a blank page for a business plan, and they’re stressed,” says Voorhies. “For my colleagues and me at the SBDC, we hold their hands, walk them through the process, and hopefully ease that stress. And making their dreams attainable. That’s what is so rewarding.”