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Hillsborough County is becoming greener with the help of business owners Maria Smith and Gerald Flores. The husband-and-wife team, along with community leaders from the county, the city of Tampa, and the Tampa Bay Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, celebrated the new facility in East Tampa with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday, January 11, 2024. The company, American Industrial Guide, LLC, designs, develops, manufactures, and markets biodegradable products for industrial, institutional, and household cleaning and disinfection.
The couple are originally from Colombia and founded the company in their hometown over 20 years ago. But two years ago, Smith and Flores decided to move to the United States and, after doing a lot of research, decided Hillsborough County was the perfect place to start their business.
Maria Smith, Co-Owner, American Industrial Guide, LLC
Building a new business is an important task for anyone, but when you add a new country, unfamiliar business regulations, and language barriers, the task can become overwhelming. One of the first places Smith and Flores turned to for help was Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at the University of South Florida (USF) subcenter of Hillsborough County. Janet Blanco, assistant director of the Florida SBDC of Hillsborough County, spoke at the ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier this month. She expressed how proud the Center was to provide technical assistance and help launch American Industrial Guide, LLC.
Education about legal structures, community engagement instruction in Hillsborough County, and strategic planning are just a few of the ways the Florida SBDC of Hillsborough County assisted Smith and Flores. The center helped the couple put into practice everything they learned.
Smith and Flores are both chemical engineers with more than 20 years of experience in the design of biodegradable solutions. To create detergents that are biodegradable and safe for people and the environment, engineers study biological compositions, utilize industrial biological wastes, and combine them with other raw materials.
A 4,000 square foot warehouse in East Tampa will serve as a hub for research, production and wholesale operations, and the property has plenty of room for expansion. Mr. Smith and Mr. Flores want to grow not only their company, but also the surrounding community, and look forward to hiring locally and contributing to the region’s economic growth.
Maria Smith, co-owner and ribbon cutting participant;
If you are an up-and-coming business owner looking to make an impact in Hillsborough County, the Florida SBDC of Hillsborough County is ready to help. As part of Hillsborough County Economic Development, the center serves entrepreneurs and small businesses throughout the county and in all industries through confidential free consultation and professional training.
Whether you’re starting, buying, growing, or selling a business, the Hillsborough County Florida SBDC team has the expertise, experience, and resources to complement the vision and passion of Hillsborough County businesses.
Photo information: Entrepreneurs launch new businesses with help from the Florida Small Business Development Center in Hillsboro.
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