 What
does a tiny shoe have to do
with starting your own business?
At the Women’s Business Center, we feel
it is very important to reward those who have
taken what seems like a “baby
step” to them, but what we know is a
giant step–making
the effort and commitment to open a business.
We
annually hold the “SAL” (Southern
Alabama) Awards
to allow these clients to be recognized and
applauded
by the community, their family and friends.
A few of our
clients honored are featured on these pages.
They represent only a
small sample of the women and men who are impacting
the local economy as they undertake the
adventure of small business ownership.
Anchor Security Services, IT LLC
Tim Pauline wants to take a bite out of crime.
He opened Anchor Security Services in July
2004 to provide crime prevention services and
security solutions. Anchor Security is a full
service alarm company offering CCTV Access
Control and Video Guard Service (Virtual
Guard). The Women’s Business Center and
SCORE assisted Tim with writing his business
plan and consistently provided him with business
tips. This year, he has overcome funding
issues and personnel problems to exceed his
annual revenue target by 25%.
Fresche
Owner Kim George’s education and work
experience in fashion merchandising combined
with desiring her own business led her to incorporating
Fresche in September 2003. With
a vote of confidence and loan from her banker,
Kim created a modern lifestyle store
specializing in tabletop, home accessories,
and gifts. They offer a bridal and gift registry,
as well as an incentive program for interior
designers and decorators. Kim's experience
and skills from the apparel industry helped
her create a business all her own, utilizing
her creative and analytical skills. Her business
has come with barriers she has had to
surpass, but with the help of the Women’s
Business Center she was able to fine tune her
marketing strategy and find additional sources
of funding that will provide her with the
foundation for many more successes to come.
Prime Care Pediatrics
Prime Care Pediatrics opened its doors on December
13, 2004, providing primary health care for
children from birth to nineteen years of age.
Owner Norma Mobley, M.D., is an established
Board
Certified Pediatrician known for her dedication
to treating the “whole patient” in
a professional yet
caring manner. The goal of Prime Care Pediatrics
is to promote the health of our future by partnering
with families to build a healthier community.
Although she can perform medical procedures “with
her
eyes closed”, she relied on the Women's
Business Center for “First Aid” to
develop her business plan.
Togetherness Catering
Latroya Jessie prepares soul food the “old
time way.” With a home cooked taste,
Togetherness
Catering provides full service catering with
an elegant touch. The Women’s Business
Center provided
Togetherness Catering with the tools to work
up a business and marketing plan and prepare
a loan
application. Latroya has overcome being the “new
kid on the block” and has lived out her
young girl’s
dreams. Since its establishment, Togetherness
Catering has kept with a tradition of togetherness.
They still begin each day, all together, by
bowing their heads and asking the Lord to help
them on each
and every job.
Wales West Light Railway & RV Resort
Ken and Ann Zadnichek, Sr. began The Wales
West Light Railway & RV Resort in 2001.
The Railway is America’s only authentic
Welsh
Victorian narrow gauge railway; where children
of all ages can spend an hour or a day riding
trains, playing, or exploring the wooded
wetlands and lake area. Ken and Ann wanted
to educate others about the history of trains
and they do this through affordable school
field trips lead by a certified teacher. In
England, the couple noted the fun families
were having at preserved narrow gauge lines
around the country and decided families
in America would like them too. Over the past
four years, Ken and Ann have had to
contend with large doses of both Mother Nature
and man’s folly, yet their strong desire
to bring family valued entertainment into the
area has persevered. The Women’s Business
Center offered the couple moral support and
encouragement; assisted them to make
contacts with local media and public officials;
and enabled them to receive working
capital. The steam locomotive “Dame Ann” has
arrived after a three year wait from
England and is finally on track and under steam,
which describes Wales West perfectly.
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