Three and a half years of hard work is paying off for personal trainer Jaimi Ellison, with the U.S. Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship naming her its 2013 Woman Entrepreneur of the Year. Ellison, 30, owner of Santa Cruz Core Fitness, was nominated by Jack Zahorsky, a business consultant who volunteers with Santa Cruz SCORE counseling startups.
Growing up in Norway, Evelyn Squires had a passion for ballet from an early age. Upon settling in Sarasota, Florida she founded Revelle Academy to bring dance to the next generation. The academy has a strong underpinning of ballet but has responded to market demands by offering tap, jazz, flamenco, modern, lyrical and hip-hop dance instruction. Evelyn says, “Our goal is to teach our students to work together, to believe in themselves, to appreciate the arts and music and to take a chance. The training they get here, they can use for the rest of their lives.”
Two years into the business, Revelle has 10 part-time employees in an 8,200 square foot facility catering to 175 students.
SCORE mentor Charlie Sax commented on Revelle’s success saying, “In a very bad economy, they grew their business dramatically. She has a real passion for what she is doing.”
In 2009, Revelle Academy was named Manasota SCORE Small Business of the Year. The business was recently chosen by Sam’s Club Holiday Cheer for Small Business program to receive a $1,000 gift card and funding to attend a 2-day SCORE “High Speed Growth Seminar” in Dallas, TX. The award was given in recognition of the business’s growth and Evelyn’s commitment to ongoing learning.
How SCORE Helped
Evelyn’s mother-in-law, Heather, encouraged her to contact SCORE to fill in the gaps of her business knowledge. SCORE mentors Charles Sax and Richard Radt taught Evelyn how to develop a business plan and then reviewed the plan with her. The two mentors also brought in a banking specialist to advise on obtaining a loan. When presented with an offer to buy out a competitor, her SCORE mentors helped Evelyn evaluate the possibility.
“They made me think about a lot of things I hadn’t thought of before, how to develop a mission statement, where was my money coming from,” she said. “I would have made a lot more mistakes if they (SCORE) hadn’t helped.”
Casey Steele once rented space in a commercial kitchen to bake cakes for weddings and special occasions. She opened Square One Rental Kitchen & Event Center last week to provide cooking enthusiasts and organizations with the equipment they require to meet their cooking needs.
Steele turned her business dream into a reality with the help of Jim Stenerson, a mentor from SCORE.
Barbara Bailey was frustrated with the skimpy local pickings for plus-sized women’s clothing. So she took her savings, teamed up with Lekesha Bell, and did something to add to the boutique scene.
They sought help with business planning from the Small Business Center at Gaston College and Charlotte SCORE.
Nancy Strojny, chairwoman of the Portland, Maine, chapter of SCORE, shares tips for achieving success as an entrepreneur starting out later in life.
Find people who can act as advisers. “Someone who will tell you the truth—not what you want to hear,” said Strojny. People are “so in love with their idea” that they’re often blind to the facts, she said. An advisory team can offer a sense of perspective and reality.
While many 72-year-olds are either in retirement or beginning to think about wrapping up their life's work, Middleboro resident and recent small business grant recipient Joe Gulino is starting a new chapter of his. With a new cookbook "Let's Eat with Joe Gulino" for sale and a second book waiting to be published, the former hairdresser continues to keep his plate full.
Uncle Sam wanted to know: What kinds of companies are America’s true growth generators? Is it corporate giants like Apple, Amazon or GE? Is it startups? Is it relative newbies such as Facebook.
Uncle Sam wanted to know: What kinds of companies are America’s true growth generators? Is it corporate giants like Apple, Amazon or GE? Is it startups? Is it relative newbies such as Facebook.
After some exhaustive research, the answer was clear: “None of the above.”
About the Author
Daniel Kehrer, Founder & Managing Director of BizBest Media Corp., is a nationally-known, award-winning expert on small and local business, start-ups, content marketing, entrepreneurship and social media, with an MBA from UCLA/Anderson. Read more of Daniel's tips at www.BizBest.com, follow him at www.twitter.com/140Main and connect on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/danielkehrer.
Beginning in January, Bloomington Library staff and guests will give short presentations on resources and information available to the local business community.
In an informal lunchtime setting guests will gain a comprehensive understanding of the ways in which the Library can contribute to, serve and support small businesses and their efforts.
Yo Ho Ho and a Barrel of Rum: North Hampton Startup Making Drink the Old-Fashioned Way
Starting a business brewing artisan rum in an industrial park in North Hampton with little previous experience may sound like a crazy idea. However, Heather Hughes started her own microdistillery, Sea Hagg Distillery, in North Hampton a little over six months ago and business is still going strong.
When it comes to measuring marketing success, many business owners (and professional marketers) prefer to think that results are more magic than math. But that’s just not so. The digital era – with it’s easy (relatively) access to analytics – has introduced a whole new way of thinking.
When it comes to measuring marketing success, many business owners (and professional marketers) prefer to think that results are more magic than math. But that’s just not so. The digital era – with it’s easy (relatively) access to analytics – has introduced a whole new way of thinking.
About the Author
Daniel Kehrer, Founder & Managing Director of BizBest Media Corp., is a nationally-known, award-winning expert on small and local business, start-ups, content marketing, entrepreneurship and social media, with an MBA from UCLA/Anderson. Read more of Daniel's tips at www.BizBest.com, follow him at www.twitter.com/140Main and connect on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/danielkehrer.
Print
Daniel Kehrer, Founder & Managing Director of BizBest Media Corp., is a nationally-known, award-winning expert on small and local business, start-ups, content marketing, entrepreneurship and social media, with an MBA from UCLA/Anderson. Read more of Daniel's tips at 
