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Piedmont Regional Feeding &                                                                                               Student Involvement



     Oral-Motor Clinic (Danville/Martinsville)                                                                                 Longwoood SBDC offers internships with scholarship potential for up to five Longwood University Business, English

                                                                                                                               and Communications Majors each semester. Interns gain valuable experience conducting research, meeting with

     Amie Teague Boone was still in elementary school when she started                                                         clients, preparing spreadsheets, and analyzing business plans.
     making plans to start her own business. “At the age of 10, I started                 3
     writing to universities asking how to become a speech pathologist,”                  P/T EMPLOYEES                         “My internship at the Longwood SBDC has proven to be a great
     she says. After earning her Master of Arts in Communication                                        26                      learning opportunity which will definitely serve me well
     Sciences & Disorders from UNC Greensboro, the Danville native                                      F/T EMPLOYEES           when competing in the workforce. It was rewarding to
     worked for five years as a clinician.                                                                                      be able to contribute to the organization as well as

     In 2006 Boone decided to step out on her own in a specialized                                                              to the individual clients. I also feel that I could
     field. “It was just me when I started the business,” she says of the                                                       not have asked for a better team to work with
     Piedmont Regional Feeding Clinic. “We work with different things—                                                          throughout this experience.” -Abby Hatley
     it might be a baby having trouble with swallowing, patients with
     autism who can’t stand textures in the mouth, or someone who’s
     had a stroke and can’t swallow.”
                                                                her business weather the recession in 2008. “During that time,
     To get the right start for her business, Boone contacted Longwood   funding cut off just like that,” she says. “I was able to persevere
     SBDC consultant Diane Arnold. Boone credits SBDC with helping
                                                                because SBDC gave me the resources and knowledge to keep                                                                 Intern Abby Hatley, a senior in the College of Business and Economics, meets with
                                                                going—and I will always be grateful.”                                                                                    Executive Director Sheri McGuire and Business Analyst Gary Shanaberger.

                                                                Another setback occurred three years ago when Boone’s husband   “Interning with the SBDC has given me the confidence to talk
                                                                of 14 years developed leukemia and passed away. “My team of    with clients and ask questions to come up with ideas together.”
                                                                employees kept the business going,” she says. “At that time I also   -Marisa Aktug
                                                                realized our business was no longer following our original plan, so we   Intern Marisa Aktug, a senior in the
                                                                started a vision implementation to get back on track.” A chart with   College of Business & Economics, works
                                                                the company’s vision is now displayed on the conference room wall.   on a project in the Longwood SBDC office.

                                                                Several years ago PRFC moved to a new location that allowed the
                                                                business to expand. “We recruit from all over the country,” Boone
      “SBDC has been a big component in helping me get the      says. “We bring master’s and doctoral level people to this area.”
      resources and knowledge I need. I might not be here today   PRFC currently employs 26 full-time and three part-time employees.
      without them!”                                             “SBDC has been a big component in helping me get the                      This year students in the dual enrollment business management course at Buckingham County High School visited
                                         - Amie Teague Boone    resources and knowledge I need,” Boone concludes. “I might not             Longwood SBDC to learn about starting a business and developing a business plan. Business analysts Kim Ray and Gary

                                                                be here today without them!”                                               Shanaberger offered advice and encouragement as the students presented their semester-long business proposal projects.

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