Gymnastics Plus
Margaret Hunter, Angela Taylor and Becky Jones, Owners
Arkadelphia, Arkansas

Margaret Hunter, Angela Taylor and Becky Jones came to the Henderson State University SBDC ready to leap into entrepreneurship and open a gymnastics facility in Arkadelphia.

Hunter and Jones were graduates of the SBDC’s NxLevel program which provides entrepreneurial training and technical support to small, minority-owned and women-owned businesses. The 12-week program takes participants through an in-depth study of starting a small business, from market research to choosing a legal structure to writing a business plan in preparation for financing.

Business Consultant Michael Singleton and the HSU SBDC consulting staff assisted Hunter, Taylor and Jones in developing a business plan and loan proposal. The trio submitted the plan and proposal to Steve Wilcoxon of Summit Bank who approved it. The new business owners used the loan proceeds to make significant renovations to a building and purchase equipment for the gymnastics classes.

Gymnastics Plus opened in December 2004, and its customer base is growing by leaps and bounds.

The Arkansas Small Business Development Center is funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration through a partnership with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock College of Business and other institutions of higher education. All opinions, conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA. It is the goal of UALR to eliminate discriminatory harassment and to promote equal opportunity regardless of race, gender, color, national origin, sexual orientation, age, religion, veteran’s status, or disability.