| Brook Nienhaus of Appleton, Wisc., always wanted to own his own business. In 2002, after having been downsized for the second time, he was ready to begin pursuing his dream.
Like many aspiring entrepreneurs, Brook explored opportunities in franchising. A suggestion from his sister led him to investigate Quiznos, the fast-growing restaurant chain that specializes in toasted sub sandwiches. After spending a week working at a location in a nearby city as part of his research, Brook was ready to bring Quiznos to Appleton.
Knowing he’d need a business loan, Brook confidently put together a business plan for a limited liability company that he would use to operate his franchise. When he got to the financial section, however, he felt something was missing. “I was 95 percent done with the plan,” he says, “but I really wanted the financial part reviewed to see if I was ready to got to a bank.”
Brook remembered hearing about SCORE during a college course in entrepreneurship and called the local chapter. Counselor Rudy Cherkasky, a former bakery executive, put Brook in touch with fellow volunteer Cynthia Heenen, a certified public accountant. “Cynthia reviewed my financials and made suggestions that helped me flesh things out,” Brook says. “That gave me the confidence to begin taking my business plan to the banks.” |
