MIAMI – Administrator Linda McMahon, the head of the U.S. Small Business Administration, today announced the 2017 National Small Business Week awardees for 16 different categories ranging from exporting, outreach, contracting, lending, disaster recovery to manufacturing and research and development.  

Although not recognized at the national level, David Rosen, owner of Kira Labs in Pompano Beach, was named the SBA’s 2017 State of Florida and South Florida District Exporter of Year. 

Rosen started Kira Labs in 2001 in Pompano Beach, Florida; and in a little over fourteen years, has turned the company into a multimillion dollar international cosmetics manufacturer in the global skin-care industry. 

“This announcement could not have come at a better time,” said South Florida District Director Francisco “Pancho” Marrero.  “Today, the America’s SBDC Network is celebrating their first inaugural #SBDCDay and much of Kira Lab’s success was due in part to the exporting assistance his company received from the Broward SBDC in Ft. Lauderdale.”

As an SBA resource partner, Small Business Development Centers (SDBC) provide assistance to small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs by helping them realize the dream of business ownership and help existing businesses remain competitive in a complex, ever-changing global marketplace.

SBDC advisors also provide aspiring and current small business owners a variety of free business consulting and low-cost training services including: business plan development, manufacturing assistance, financial packaging and lending assistance, exporting and importing support, disaster recovery assistance, procurement and contracting aid, market research help, 8(a) program support, and healthcare guidance.

In an article published by the SBDC Ft. Lauderdale, Rosen attributed Kira Lab’s growth to a wise decision he made nearly six years ago.  After he sought strategic advice from Parbatee Chang at the SBDC Fort Lauderdale in 2009, Kira Labs has since grown from 10 employees to over 60. 

“Parbatee was generous enough to take the time and effort to put together a very detailed Export Marketing Plan which we today find ourselves exporting as far as Russia, Norway, Korea you name it; we’re all over the map,” said Rosen. 

Kira Labs implemented this custom designed, revenue-generating Export Marketing Plan which proved to be a golden tool propelling the company to a higher level of excellence. As a result, the company is currently considered a formidable contender on the skin-care global landscape. 

Rosen and several of his staff also attended the comprehensive SBDC ITCP (International Trade Certificate Program) and credit this for further helping him understand the support that is available for a growing independent business in the United States. 

For a complete list of additional awards announced today and more information about National Small Business Week visit: www.sba.gov/nsbw.

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ABOUT THE U.S. Small Business Administration:  The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 and since January 13, 2012 has served as a Cabinet-level agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of our nation.  The SBA helps Americans start, build and grow businesses.  Through an extensive network of field offices and partnerships with public and private organizations, the SBA delivers its services to people throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Guam. www.sba.gov

 

 

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