Client: Joseph Serkoch & Christopher J. Lewis

Address: ORIONVEGA LLC
PO Box 702
Carnegie, PA 15106

County: Allegheny

Website: http://www.orionvega.com

Industry: video production, web design

Year Founded: 2009

SBDC Assistance: SEA program training, business planning, financial planning, market analysis

Additional Partners: Career Link

Late 2008 Joe Serkoch and Chris Lewis lost their corporate positions producing television commercials. Their entire department was eliminated due to cutbacks related to the down economy. With only two months until their official separation date, the enthusiastic young professionals teamed up with a local freelance web designer. Collectively they built ORIONVEGA, from the ground up. They began their operations just in time to have a seamless transition from their old positions to their new company, creating video, web and print media for local, regional and national companies.

Being a new company of four young professionals, the ORIONVEGA team realized that they needed to learn more about how to manage and market their company. They’ve heard about Small Business development centers from one of their friends and found out about the Self Employment Assistance (SEA) Program searching the web.

Having been accepted by the SEA program, Joe and Chris received 20 hours of training at Duquesne University Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Their training covered all vital areas of business start-up: business planning, marketing and promotion, and financial projections. At the end of the training program, Joe and Chris started working in person with their SBDC consultant discussing in more details their current managerial and marketing challenges as well as working on their business plan. Their consultant directs their managerial efforts, teaches them how to research and analyze the market, handle client and supplier relationships, promote their business and create financial projections.
Having met all SEA program requirements, Joe and Chris continue working with their SBDC consultant to ensure their financial independence as a new entity.

Results

ORIONVEGA beat their first sales goal in March and continues to generate steady revenue that allows the company not only to sustain their four employees but also to upgrade all of their equipment. Through numerous discussions with their SBDC consultant, Joe and Chris have learned to forecast their revenue and expenses more realistically and anticipate what they were not anticipating. Whether dealing directly with clients or with the less familiar business end the burgeoning company has attained valuable knowledge through their experience with the SBDC.

ORIONVEGA is optimistically looking forward to the expansion of their business and feels confident that their SBDC consultant will help them overcome their business growth challenge.

Now that the SEA program has ended for Joe and Chris, they continue to schedule regular meetings with the SBDC, stating that the value of what they have learned is priceless. Future plans include continuing to update their business plan, developing a marketing budget and plan, and hoping to move into their first office by early 2010.

If you would like more information on how the Duquesne University SBDC can assist you with your business, please contact us by: form, phone 412.396.6233, or email duqsbdc@duq.edu