Entrepreneurs gain tools for success through the School District of Palm Beach County's Small Business University in partnership with PBSC and Kaufman Lynn Construction

Consulting, transportation, tutoring and catering—these are just a few of the businesses that participated in the Summer 2025 Small Business University (SBU) at Palm Beach State College’s Lake Worth campus.

Now in its eighth year, SBU empowers local entrepreneurs with the knowledge, tools and strategies needed for business growth and long-term success. The program is organized by the School District of Palm Beach County in partnership with PBSC and Kaufman Lynn Construction.

This year’s SBU began on May 8 and concluded with a completion ceremony on July 10 at PBSC’s Lake Worth campus. Local entrepreneurs were recognized for completing the 8-session, free summer learning series and received certificates of completion from the Office of Small Business Development, School District of Palm Beach County as well as digital badges from PBSC that they can display on their LinkedIn profiles and email signatures.

The 2025 curriculum covered essential topics such as building client relationships, smart financing strategies, legal and ethical practices, competitive marketing and operational efficiency. Participants gained insights from PBSC faculty and industry experts who offered practical solutions to the challenges small business owners face. 

“This program is not about the College. It's not about the school district or Kaufman Lynn Construction. It's about the community and making people more successful, which in turn strengthens the community,” said Jeff Zalkin, vice president of development at Kaufman Lynn Construction. “If our small businesses thrive, our institutions thrive and we all are much more successful than we otherwise would be. That is why this program exists.”

Zalkin led the program’s first session titled “Building Client Relationships and Business Foundations for Success.” This course kicked off the sessions and explored key principles such as customer service, communication and networking that help establish a strong client base. Zalkin has been involved with SBU since its inception and has gone on to hire participants and provide internships for PBSC students at Kaufman Lynn Construction.

David Dolan, chief facilities manager at The School District of Palm Beach County, emphasized the program’s value in helping entrepreneurs gain essential skills while expanding their professional networks. “We recognize how hard small business owners are at working, and we realize they need the opportunity to improve and make that next step,” Dolan said. “Ultimately, we’d love them to graduate out of being a small business into being larger businesses and work with each of our companies.” 

In addition to business owners, this year’s SBU welcomed prospective and current PBSC students. By participating alongside entrepreneurs, students experienced firsthand how classroom concepts are applied in real-world business settings. This integration helped bring academic theories to life through hands-on engagement. The SBU closing ceremony concluded with a networking social hour where local agencies, businesses, students and fellow entrepreneurs connected—building relationships that support their goals now and in the future.