History of SBA * Consulting LTD

In beginning…

It’s all about history

“It all started in a 5,000 watt radio station….” If you were a Mary Tyler Moore Show fan, you would remember Ted Knight talking about how he started in the business. The history of SBA * Consulting isn’t that much different. It started in a bunch of small businesses where I learned to do every job, from the warehouse to secretary; bookkeeper to programmer.

Somewhat like Ted, I had a knack for numbers. Unlike Ted, I wasn’t an “idiot” or at least Mr. Grant thought Ted was… So, I started consulting. I was good at numbers, accounting and computers.

I figured I could create a business combining those three elements and thus was born SBA * Consulting.

Where did SBA come from?

When I first formed my consulting business I needed to pick a name. I wanted something unique, but didn’t’ want to use my name. I felt that was somewhat conceited. So, what to pick as a name that sort of matched what I was and wanted to do. In addition, what type of slogan would I create that complimented both the name and my mission?

So what was I doing in the beginning of history? Installing computer systems. These systems were used obviously in business. And most often I also was putting some of the early PC based accounting systems (like Dac Easy, Peachtree or One-Write Plus). So I looked at what I did and stringed the key words together:

Systems for Business and Accounting

Born was a slogan, now what could I use for a company name? Back in the day, very few people knew about a small division of the US Commerce Department call the Small Business Administration. I figured as people learned about them it would bolster my business. Little did I know… but back to that later. So, the Small Business Administration used the moniker SBA.

Coincidentally so does Systems for Business and Accounting. Viola! a company name was born. SBA Consulting. As an ode to Grandma who worked at Macy*s for over 25 years, I stole the asterisk, and SBA * Consulting was born. In 2001 I incorporated, and again wanted to be different.

In New York State, a corporation can use Inc. or Incorporated; Corp or Limited (LTD) to signify a incorporated entity. Thus in 2001, we became SBA * Consulting LTD.

The prior Logo

When QR tags became the rage around 2011 I thought they were cool. I was about to re-do my website, so I chose a QR tag that when you read it, takes you to what is now this website.

Our current Logo – Growth is Good!

I didn’t forget.

In the years since I became SBA * Consulting the parallel to SBA has produced maybe a call or two a year asking if we did SBA Loans. The real answer is never go to a broker or “consultant” for SBA Loans. Just go to local bank which is authorized to do the paperwork. Save your money.

And the other negative was when I first started on the Internet (I was an early adaptor). The SBA drove me crazy about putting a disclaimer on my website saying we weren’t connected. Not that anything on the website said I did anything with or for the US SBA. Eventually when the law got clarified (I’m sure someone got to their elected officials) they stopped bothering me.

Well, that’s a brief history of SBA * Consulting!

Let’s not forget those clients!