{"id":29629,"date":"2017-11-13T08:38:17","date_gmt":"2017-11-13T13:38:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/biznews.fiu.edu\/?p=29629"},"modified":"2017-12-05T09:54:26","modified_gmt":"2017-12-05T14:54:26","slug":"florida-sbdc-at-fiu-helps-connect-globenet-to-government-contracting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/biznews.fiu.edu\/2017\/11\/florida-sbdc-at-fiu-helps-connect-globenet-to-government-contracting\/","title":{"rendered":"Florida SBDC at FIU helps connect Globenet to government contracting."},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Florida<\/p>\n

Ever the lifelong learner, Ahmed Cruz was at a Small Business Administration training class when experts from the Florida SBDC at FIU gave a presentation.<\/p>\n

The MBA graduate from Florida International University had not heard of the small business development center that is located at his alma mater and was curious about the center\u2019s no-cost quality business consulting<\/a> for small business owners.<\/p>\n

Cruz was no novice. With a background in telecommunications and computer engineering, he and co-founders have launched three startups, including Globenet International Corp., a provider of turnkey tech solutions. The company focuses on data centers, networking, wireless infrastructure, security, energy and software.<\/p>\n

\"Ahmed
Ahmed Cruz<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But, while launching a business and creating a secure network for a business may be easy for Cruz, he wanted guidance through the exhausting world of federal contracts.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe needed help to get into this market, which is very difficult, very bureaucratic and very hard to understand,\u201d Cruz recalled.<\/p>\n

He got the help and was pleasantly surprised.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey did an outstanding job of helping us get 12 contracts \u2013 12 awards — in our first year of going into this market,\u201d Cruz said. \u201cEven though most of the material I read said it would take three years to get the first award.\u201d<\/p>\n

Part of the FIU College of Business, the Florida SBDC at FIU<\/a> offers business owners guidance on growth acceleration by offering a variety of consulting services, including access to capital, growth strategy development, data and research and more.<\/p>\n

It was the center\u2019s government contracting services that drew Cruz.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey provided guidance, they provided counseling, they provided mentoring and helped us when we got stuck,\u201d Cruz said. \u201cWe would raise our hands and, like a nice teacher, they helped us get from point A to B in a most efficient way.\u201d<\/p>\n

Globenet International Corp. now calls the U.S. State Department, Department of Interior and Department of Defense among its clients. The company\u2019s markets include all of the Americas, from Canada to Chile, as well as Spain, Portugal, and some parts of Africa and Australia.<\/p>\n