When Augusto “Tony” Lizarraga reflects on the nearly 25-year journey of his Miami-based company, Novak Technologies, one theme stands out clearly: adaptability. Founded in 2000, Novak Technologies began as a supplier for major petroleum companies such as Shell, Mobil, Texaco and others by providing the equipment and solutions needed to keep gas station operations running smoothly. But after the world changed on September 11 – and national and global security needs shifted dramatically – Lizarraga saw an opportunity to evolve his business.
“I looked around and saw that a good opportunity was coming in security,” said Lizarraga, Novak’s president. With his natural curiosity for engineering and a mind trained in business administration at the University of Colorado, he expanded the company’s focus. Novak Technologies launched a new security division.
Partnering early with industry leaders like Samsung, Lizarraga and his team immersed themselves in security monitoring, intelligence solutions, X-ray screening, and the full suite of technologies that modern security projects require. Novak built the capability to support complex projects delivering engineering, project development, equipment, and installation for ports, airports, and high-security sites around the world. “We are really doing turnkeys projects,” Lizarraga said. And importantly, Novak Technologies and Novak Security now export 100% of their U.S.-made products. In addition to their Miami headquarters, Novak also has offices in Peru and Guatemala.
Despite their international reach and technical expertise, Lizarraga admits that until a few years ago he had never heard of Florida SBDC at FIU. The small business center within Florida International University’s College of Business provides no-cost business consulting to small businesses in Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties.
It wasn’t until a conversation with Christopher Munoz, Senior International Trade Specialist at the U.S. Department of Commerce in Miami that he discovered this community resource that would ultimately help Lizarraga accelerate the company’s growth. He contacted the small business development center right away and has been working with FSBDC at FIU for going on three years now.
Lizarraga has been working closely with FSBDC at FIU business consultant Shelly Bernal, a specialist in international business development and trade. Lizarraga found Bernal to be a “very smart and professional” consultant who deeply understood his global business, “and she gave us a very good master class,” he said. She also saw opportunities he hadn’t yet considered. “When we spoke about what we are doing in the security division, she immediately found a lot of information that gave us the strategy to grow,” Lizarraga said.
One of the most impactful resources Bernal introduced was the Small Business Administration’s State Trade Expansion Program (STEP). The Florida SBDC Network received a grant from the SBA through STEP to assist small businesses with export development. Through awards to eligible businesses, the STEP program helps small businesses overcome obstacles to exporting by providing grants to cover costs associated with entering and expanding into international markets. For example, these grants can cover costs incurred for trade show fees and related travel expenses, product sample shipments, export credit insurance feeds, translation services, international promotions/marketing plans and more. This program builds on the long time, successful Export Marketing Plan program under SelectFlorida and the network, in partnership with the U.S. Commercial Service.
“STEP is a great model of a Federal/State partnership to tailor export promotion activities towards local business needs,” said Brian Van Hook, Regional Director, FSBDC at FIU. “Whether they are ‘new to exporting’ or ‘new to market’, clients in our region have utilized STEP grants to gain an advantage in increasingly competitive international markets.”
To be sure, international development is costly because the projects often require on-site visits, meetings with engineers, travel, hotels, and deep exploration of local needs. The timelines can be long too, including sometimes three to six months of investment before a project even materializes, Lizarraga explained.
For Novak Technologies, multiple STEP grants helped cover upfront costs. “It was a really great help,” Lizarraga said.
With guidance from FSBDC at FIU and support from the STEP program, Novak Technologies strengthened its export journey. Doing business with Colombia, for example, became a major focus last year. “We went to Colombia eight times,” Lizarraga said. Although political challenges slowed progress, the relationships and projects they developed remain active, he said.
Today, Novak Technologies is busier than ever. Lizarraga is working nearly 14-hour days preparing for seven major projects scheduled for next year. Their engineering, security, and export capabilities continue to expand, and Lizarraga is confident about what lies ahead. “In five years, Novak Technologies will probably be seven or eight times bigger than it is today,” he said.
For him, the formula for success is clear: hard work, constant learning, strong partnerships, and making full use of the resources available to small businesses. “The SBDC and the U.S. Commercial Service are a big part of our success. I’m really glad for the help that they gave us.”
As Novak Technologies continues to bring American-made security technology to ports, airports, and government sites around the world, Lizarraga’s story stands as an example of how small businesses can scale internationally with the right support.
And for entrepreneurs just starting out, Lizarraga’s advice is straight-forward: Don’t wait decades to seek help like he did. Use the tools that exist to help you grow.
