Dreambox
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When everything was ready, Angela Cacia and Mikki Rodriques presented their proposal for an SBA-backed loan that literally wowed officials at Monson Savings Bank. “The bank president said it was the best business presentation he’d ever seen,” Angela says proudly. Adds Mikki, “It was really our business dream, reinforced with solid ideas and information we learned through SCORE.”
Dreambox would actually be four companies in one. Along with the gift line and motivational speaking subsidiaries, Angela and Mikki also wanted to develop Dreambox Direct to provide incentive gift programs and Gift-it-Forward to partner with charitable organizations.
Long-time friends and colleagues, Angela and Mikki had become highly successful in the challenging world of direct marketing. Their drive and spirit was contagious, giving them the unique ability to continually motivate and empower others to succeed.
After having spent several years developing a national design company, Angela and Mikki sensed that the time had come to try something new. They met in New York City with Mikki’s friend Joanna Sharpe, a highly talented artist. From that meeting came the idea for Dreambox. Dreambox would also provide a platform for Mikki and Angela to mentor other women business owners in sales and merchandising techniques.
“We already had a lot of great experiences,” Angela says, “but we also felt that it was important to create a new story to share.”
With Joanna serving as Dreambox’s Art Director, Angela and Mikki have developed a full line of products that have been well received at major gift shows in New York and San Francisco. Their web site, designed by Angela’s husband Nick, is proving to be a valuable marketing tool for the company. Dreambox has cultivated a strong network of manufacturer representatives on the East Coast and hopes to develop relationships with others elsewhere in the U.S.
Even with their vast experience, Angela and Mikki knew they needed help making Dreambox more than just a dream. They returned to their respective homes and immediately got in touch with their local SCORE chapters. Angela began working with Ed Schneider in Wilmington, DE, while Mikki met with Marge Fauteaux in Springfield, MA. Drawing on her experience as president of a temporary personnel agency, Marge offered valuable tips to help Mikki develop and refine her business plan.
“Marge let me borrow her confidence,” Mikki says of her first counseling session. “She gave me the positive reinforcement and objective perspective I needed to make sure we were going about this the right way.”
“It’s exploding,” Angie says. “Things are moving like crazy. And SCORE is a big reason why.”
Mikki agrees “It was clear from the start that Marge wasn’t going to babysit us. If we were serious, she’d be there to help. And, she gave me the confidence I was looking for. It’s great to get that reinforcement from a person you respect and want to consider a peer. I just wish more people, particularly women entrepreneurs, knew about SCORE.”
