Eight small businesses recently were honored by the New Jersey Small Business Development Center hosted by Rutgers Business School during its 2026 Success Awards & SBA Lender Recognition.
The honorees, one from each of the eight centers NJ SBDC has around the state that are hosted by higher education schools in the region, were honored for their connection to the theme of this year’s event: Turning Change into Progress.
Kelly Brozyna, the CEO of the NJ SBDC, saluted the winners — saying that she wished more small businesses could have been honored.
“Our programs and guidance have proven to provide a spark for small businesses in the state,” she said. “I’m proud of the fact we have so many success stories — and look forward to creating more in the year ahead.”
In 2025, the NJ SBDC facilitated more than 350 business starts while assisting in the retention/creation of 6,000 small business jobs — and it does so with a special interest in helping veteran- minority- and women-owned businesses.
“Our only aim is to help those working hard who need just a little more guidance,” she said. “Doing so is not only good for the small business but the state itself.”
Here’s a look at the eight winners (one was a husband-and-wife team). Each provided a statement about how the NJ SBDC helped them.
Ubaisneke and Ugoeze Achilike
The company: WELL-Care Nurses & Staffing
The quote: Participating in the NJSBDC program was transformative for me as an entrepreneur and small business owner. Receiving support, guidance and mentorship during my early days at WELL-Care was pivotal for the growth we are experiencing now.
Alyssa Bollenbach
The company: Lysscoley Nails
The quote: My consultants at the NJSBDC made me feel supported during some of the most stressful times of my career. Their support helped me persist and maintain focus on my end-goal.
Abigail Hope Vasseur
The company: HoPEMADE Yarn
The quote: With guidance from the NJSBDC, I was able to strengthen the financial foundation of Hopemade Yarn Co. while focusing on my creativity and growth. The SBDC helped to answer questions about paying myself, finding the right accountant, and navigating the financial side of running a business, and connected me to classes and resources that helped me grow with confidence.
Today, just over 4 years after my first trunk show, I’ve expanded to over 1,200 skeins per show and now wholesale to multiple yarn stores as my business continues to thrive.
Lynee Lopez
The company: Verve Early Childhood Consulting
The quote: I often tell my consulting clients, “We are always better in community.” This is exactly what the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) embodies at its core, connecting entrepreneurs with essential resources and expert guidance through every phase of business growth.
The foundational support I received through my 12-year SBDC collaboration was instrumental in establishing a solid base, which allowed my business to scale to seven figures.
Cathy McBarnette Neilley
The company: SPIN Doctor Laundromat
The quote: The NJSBDC at The College of New Jersey has been an essential resource that has really supported my small business during several challenging times including during the pandemic. In the Mercer County area in particular, it is especially helpful to know there is a close by support system that is accessible if I have a question or need advice.
My SBDC counselor Shakira Brown has been indispensable no matter the issue I have presented and I always appreciate her outreach with information.
Terry Price
The company: The Wayfarer Café
The quote: I would like to offer the SBDC at Rutgers, and especially Vanessa Schwartz, my deepest thanks for their assistance in opening The Wayfarer Cafe, walking me through the early bureaucratic steps I needed to move my fledgling dream project into reality.
Adam San Miguel
The company: Cortaditos Coffee
The quote: We have never applied for or received any grants in my history with Cortaditos. Typically, when looking at a grant of this nature, my expectation is that I would be working through deep layers of bureaucracy, inefficiency and many obstacles.
Nonetheless, in NJSBDC I found a very transparent, clear, streamlined process that was very manageable. Whatsmore, the people behind the process showed me that they actually care to help and do right by the customer. We a grateful for the help of all the team members of NJSBDC for helping us from the beginning to the end.
Kevin Speina
The company: Foogly
The quote: The NJSBDC team played a pivotal role in helping me focus. I tend to think big, sometimes too big. They helped me narrow in on a specific beachhead market and build credibility there first. They were instrumental in refining my business model and strengthening the broader impact narrative in my NSF SBIR proposal.
Beyond technical edits, they gave me confidence, reminding me that this idea had real merit. That clarity and structure made all the difference.
