YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Bill Barna, a former police officer and the inventor of the Bolo Stick door barricade, turned to the Small Business Development Center at Youngstown State University to help bring his product to market. Initially unfamiliar with manufacturing, marketing and cost management, Barna worked closely with the SBDC to streamline production, reduce expenses and build an online presence.
The Bolo Stick, now used in hundreds of schools across 47 states and six countries, is manufactured entirely in the U.S. Barna credits the SBDC with guiding him through the early stages of business development and connecting him with local partners.
The SBDC, funded in part through a partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration, provides no-cost consulting to entrepreneurs nationwide.
Read more in Denise Dick’s story HERE.