In 2011, George (G) and Berla (B), two very experienced masons, began offering concrete and masonry services to homeowners and commercial property owners in Northeast Philadelphia, Bucks, and Montgomery counties. They quickly established a reputation for high quality work and customer service, and developed an impressive level of sales
Unofficially, Andreea Ambrus was helping George and Berla manage and organize all the business aspects of the company, everything from bookkeeping to scheduling to advertising. To continue expanding the business operation, Ambrus took on the role of owner. She formally established G&B Construction, Inc. as a woman-owned company in 2013.
As G&B Construction continued to grow, Ambrus began to feel more and more uncomfortable with the lack of a clear plan or roadmap to guide that growth. In October 2014, Andreea discovered the Temple University Small Business Development Center and contacted us for help.
Over the ensuing year, Ambrus worked with Karl, our Senior Business Consultant, to develop a strategic business plan and project cost estimation models, work on financing strategies to support the expansion of the business, and to address several operational and human resources issues that typically arise as a business grows.
When the pandemic hit, we provided information, support, and guidance in navigating the various federal, state, and county loan and grant programs that have helped G&B Construction recover from COVID-19 and its effects on the business. When asked about her experience with the SBDC, Ambrus said “The SBDC educated us in the fundamentals of all areas of business operations and now continues to coach us in working smart and avoiding the pitfalls that can be encountered when growing a business venture.”
Recently, G&B Construction has refocused its business strategy to emphasize municipal and state construction projects, while maintaining crews to service their residential customers. This has resulted in significant growth of their truck and equipment fleet as well as the number of employees.
We will continue to guide G&B Construction as they grow and look forward to seeing their success.