{"id":25650,"date":"2015-07-20T10:26:20","date_gmt":"2015-07-20T14:26:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/biznews.fiu.edu\/?p=25650"},"modified":"2016-12-09T08:24:21","modified_gmt":"2016-12-09T13:24:21","slug":"sbdc-at-fiu-jumps-in-with-sky-zone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/biznews.fiu.edu\/2015\/07\/sbdc-at-fiu-jumps-in-with-sky-zone\/","title":{"rendered":"SBDC at FIU jumps in with Sky Zone"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"SBDC<\/a>Sky Zone wants to keep its South Florida fans jumping, and the SBDC at FIU is making sure that the indoor trampoline park\u2019s expansion plans continue at a quick pace.<\/p>\n

Juan Brandt, who holds the franchise rights to Sky Zone in Miami-Dade County, opened his first Miami location inside a 32,000-square-foot warehouse in Doral in 2012. He reached out to the SBDC at FIU early this year for help in securing financing for a second location, which opens this month in Cutler Bay.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey opened doors so that banks could compete for my business,\u201d said Brandt. \u201cI was able to communicate my needs and the situation of the business in order to negotiate the best terms.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sky Zone\u2019s expansion marks the first time Brandt works with SBDC at FIU, where he was guided by business finance consultant Marjorie Weber.<\/p>\n

\u201cShe has great contacts in the financial industry and was able to direct me to the right banks,\u201d he added, revealing only that the SBDC at FIU helped him secure financing \u201cat very favorable rates and conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"skyzone\"<\/p>\n

Brandt opened his Doral location one year after he visited a trampoline park in San Francisco. When he sought to enjoy the adventure closer to home, Brandt was surprised Sky Zone didn\u2019t exist in South Florida. The nearest one was in Tampa.<\/p>\n

\u201cI loved the concept because you can be active while having fun and it is especially good for kids,\u201d said Brandt, a veteran of the cigar industry. \u201cI had never experienced something like this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sky Zone LLC opened the first indoor trampoline park in Las Vegas in and today has 96 locations in the U.S. as well as operations in Australia, Canada and Mexico.<\/p>\n

Weeks before the second Sky Zone location opens its doors, Brandt is already eyeing No. 3 – in Northwest Miami-Dade, to open in early 2016. And the SBDC at FIU is the first call he\u2019ll make.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey are a very valuable resource and unfortunately they aren\u2019t better known,\u201d said Brandt. \u201cYou can engage the SBDC at FIU to start a business or grow a business and you get expert advice from professionals at no cost.\u201d<\/p>\n

The best advice he received from Weber? Don\u2019t settle.<\/p>\n

\u201cBanks sometimes feel they have all the power and you don\u2019t realize that you can negotiate better terms,\u201d Brandt added. \u201cDepending on the situation, you don\u2019t have to accept the offer.\u201d<\/p>\n