When MRI technologists Tony Martinelli and Lucas Wheeler looked around their workplace three years ago, they saw more than patients. They saw a problem that desperately needed solving. Working at Lower Keys Medical Center, the only hospital south of Marathon, the two men were on the front lines of imaging care in the Florida Keys.
They loved their work but couldn’t ignore what they were seeing. Patients often waited four to six weeks for MRI appointments unless they were willing to drive three or four hours to Miami. “We kind of saw how it was run, the delays in care,” Martinelli recalled. “A whole lot of things didn’t make a lot of sense.”
For Martinelli and Wheeler, that realization sparked the idea that would later become MRI of Key West, a locally owned imaging center dedicated to providing faster, high-quality MRI services.
Both men came from imaging backgrounds, not business. Martinelli, a veteran technologist, began his MRI career in the early 2000s. Wheeler has been an MRI tech since graduating radiology school a decade ago. “For just two dudes coming off the street and trying to start our own health clinic business, it’s a rough ride,” Wheeler said.
In the spring of 2023, they filed their LLC paperwork, not yet realizing it would take two years before they could open their doors. “We fought through a couple of years of red tape and bureaucracy,” Martinelli said, including state licensing, Medicare inspections, and negotiations with insurance companies. “There were definitely moments where we were so far underwater, we couldn’t see the light up.”
Finding help from SBDC at FIU
With no formal business training, the pair turned to Google for guidance. That’s how they discovered the Florida SBDC at FIU, the small business development center with the university’s College of Business that offers no-cost business consulting to small business owners in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties. FSBDC at FIU’s Keys business consultant Bonnie Barnes would become a crucial part of their journey.
“She killed it. Anytime we had a question, we could call her and she’d spend however long it took to help,” Wheeler said. Adds Martinelli, With Bonnie’s help, “we went from a three-page high-school-style business plan to a 60-pager and this was before all the AI tools came out.” Barnes, a graphic designer, even helped create their distinctive logo.
Martinelli and Wheeler started working with Barnes, a specialist in branding and marketing, financial growth & access to capital, when MRI of Key West was only an idea. Barnes guided them through everything from the earliest business planning and financing, to getting through the inspections and certifications and building relationships for success.
They ultimately decided to buy their MRI machine instead of leasing – an expensive but smarter long-term investment. Still, there were delays. The MRI unit, expected to arrive in October 2024, didn’t make it until January 2025 – and even then, it had to be built on site.
But in March 2025, MRI of Key West opened their doors.
One key to their success, Barnes said, was the relationships they built. She encouraged them to join the Chamber, and when they opened Barnes made sure they held a community reception at their office. “They became part of the community, and they truly have embraced that. And the community helps spread the word.”
“Everything they did, they did well. They were poised for success,” Barnes continued. “Now they’re providing a much-needed service in the community so just everything about [the process] was exactly what it should have been.”
Meeting a community need
Indeed, from the start, MRI of Key West’s mission was simple: Give the people of Key West access to timely, affordable, high-quality imaging. As the only MRI provider besides the hospital, their efforts quickly made an impact.
Now there are new healthcare clinics and urgent care centers starting to pop up, “and they all want to work with us,” Martinelli said. The growth couldn’t come at a better time. The local healthcare landscape is shifting with major hospital groups like Mount Sinai, Baptist Health, and Orlando Health all vying for contracts in Key West as the current agreement with CHS nears its end, Martinelli adds. “Whoever wins that contract, we’d love to partner with them.”
For now, their focus remains on establishing a solid reputation, finalizing insurance contracts, and expanding services. After months of back-and-forth, they secured a deal with Florida Blue, huge news for residents because that one contract covers the most people down there. They also have United and Medicare, and are negotiating with other insurers. Even so, MRI of Key West’s self-pay rates remain intentionally low, around $600 for a basic MRI without contrast. “We’re not being greedy about it,” says Wheeler, adding that even doctors agree the prices are low and fair.
Learning and growing
Even after opening, the business owners have continued to lean on the FBSDC team for support. Now discussions with Barnes are more likely to about marketing or next steps. “She still reaches out, like ‘hey, you should take this class or come to this seminar or the Chamber of Commerce is having event. You guys need to be there’,” Martinelli said.
What’s more, the business owners recently completed a new “Scale to Grow” six-week workshop led by FSBDC’s Nancy Hull and Barnes and sponsored by Truist. The cohort program is designed to help small businesses streamline operations and prepare for expansion. In addition to the class learning, Martinelli and Lucas enjoyed and benefited from the interactions with fellow business owners.
“Small businesses benefit from ‘Scale to Grow’ because it’s not just a class – it’s a hands-on experience that helps owners apply what they learn directly to their own business,” said Hull, Florida Keys Market Growth Specialist for the Florida SBDC at FIU. “During the six-week program, participants strengthen their financial foundations, streamline operations, and refine their marketing and brand strategy while developing a clear, actionable growth plan. Just as importantly, they build relationships with mentors and peers who continue to support them long after the program ends.”
FSBDC at FIU plans to bring a second “Scale to Grow” cohort to the Keys next year to help even more entrepreneurs position their businesses for sustainable growth, Hull added.
Looking ahead
MRI of Key West now runs Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with plans to expand to Saturdays in 2026 to accommodate breast imaging and full-body wellness scans. They’re also exploring partnerships with new specialty centers nearby. Down the line, the business owners ponder opening a second location, perhaps in St. Petersburg. But for now, their focus is on building trust, serving patients, refining their workflow, and expanding their Keys business.
Martinelli and Wheeler know firsthand how hard the road to small-business ownership can be, especially without a background in business. “Be prepared for a long ride,” Martinelli advised. “It takes a lot of dedication.”
Wheeler added that seeking expert help early on can make all the difference, and he’s been recommending to other entrepreneurs to reach out to Florida SBDC at FIU rather than trying to figure it all out alone. “The SBDC made our life a thousand times easier.”
