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Jenifer Ross
Westchester W@tercooler, LLC
Email: jenifer@watercoolerhub.com Web site: www.watercoolerhub.com
Jenifer Ross, President of W@tercooler, launched her business in June 2011. W@tercooler is a coworking habitat that provides freelancers and start-ups an inspiring, collaborative environment in which to work. It offers workspace options by the day, week, month or year to those seeking a low-cost, eco-friendly alternative from working at home or commuting to an office. W@tercooler provides clients with all the resources they need without all the hassles and overhead, and is filling a unique niche that supports other small businesses in the process.
Before starting her business, Ms. Ross’ life as a freelancer was not unlike other "independents." She either worked out of her home, which even though she had a "home office" primarily took place at the dining table, or out of local cafes that had free Wi-Fi. There were distractions and of course, no fax machine, copier, or conference room. There was no colleague with whom she could share ideas, discuss industry-related issues or just talk about mundane issues such as kids or the latest gadget. With her three main freelance assignments starting to wind down and the economy still a bit sluggish, she decided she needed to create a business that would support her freelance work, fill a niche, be recession-proof and support her community. Ms. Ross had heard about the coworking model from a colleague and after a little on-line research and a few site visits she knew immediately that she could create a successful shared work space in her town, that would not only satisfy her criteria for success, but also fill her personal need to be an artful entrepreneur, business woman, role model for her children, and catalyst/connector for other solopreneurs.
Ms. Ross found her way to WEDC through a friend. She recalls, “One of my first meetings when I began to plan out my business was with a local friend and fellow female business owner. Within the first five minutes of our conversation she mentioned WEDC, how important it was and that I should meet with Persephone Zill, WEDC’s Program Specialist and Business Counselor. Now I give this same advice to others who are just starting out.”
Ms. Zill counseled Ms. Ross about her business idea and recommended that she enroll in WEDC’s 15-Week Entrepreneurial Program. Ms. Ross graduated from the spring 2011 class and is currently enrolled in WEDC’s Peer Exchange Program. In May 2011, Ms. Ross was one of seven recipients of the Lanza Enterprise Awards Program (LEAP) award which she used to purchase equipment, marketing materials, an outside sign and QuickBooks consulting.
Ms. Ross believes that the most important thing she learned at WEDC was to narrow her target market. “Do what you do well, and try not to dilute the mission of your business by trying to serve too many markets or satisfy too many groups. By choosing one main objective and a few sub-directives, you are far more poised to succeed.”
One of Ms. Ross’ biggest hurdles after launching W@tercooler was helping people understand the model of coworking, so that she could sell the space and its many benefits. From business concept to opening day was exactly one year. She opened her doors on June 1, 2011 with no members but with a great deal of interest. Six months later, W@tercooler had forty-five members, weekly workshops (booked through spring 2012), numerous outside groups renting the space for clinics and events, and best of all, a diverse group of like-minded freelancers who "work together independently".
The outpouring of local support has contributed to Ms. Ross’ success in many ways. Members of the community helped her build furniture, provided pro-bono legal services, and attended her weekly workshop series. Ms. Ross believes that every business possesses both an opportunity to “take on” and to “give back” and one cannot and should not exist without the other. She is certain that W@tercooler will follow this golden rule as it grows and becomes even more poised to “give back.” At the present time, W@tercooler gives back by reserving one desk every Monday for anyone who is unemployed. This individual has use of the space and resources free of charge. She notes that, “What we have (at W@tercooler) is a sense of community and that, in addition to a desk, a printer, a fax and good coffee, is one of the most essential ingredients to finding that inner motivation one needs to land the next gig!”
The mantra for W@tercooler continues to be growth. Ms. Ross notes that the business is still in its infancy and she recognizes that she has miles to go before it functions as a fine-tuned machine and begins to generate a profit. Already numerous individuals and businesses have expressed an interest in opening a W@tercooler in their respective communities. Ms. Ross is in contact with other coworking businesses around the globe to learn how they have approached expansion. She is also working with her lawyer to develop a licensing agreement that would allow Ms. Ross to grow her business and still maintain control of the look and feel of the W@tercooler brand.
Ms. Ross’ advice for people thinking about starting their own small business is classic, but true. “Do what you love and the rest will come. It’s not always easy to turn what you love into a business, but at least incorporate things into your business that move, sustain and inspire you, and guaranteed, you will then do the same for your customers and clients.”
Cary and Meryl Gabeler
Anjolie Ayurveda
Email: anjolienyc@gmail.com Web site: www.anjolienyc.com
Cary and Meryl Gabeler are a mother/daughter team in Hastings-on-Hudson whose company, Anjolie Ayurveda, imports organic ayurvedic soaps from India and sells them in gift stores, beauty stores and spas around the US. Their soaps are manufactured in a woman-owned facility in India where the owner and her employees are able to educate their children with the income they earn.
Anjolie Ayurveda was founded in June 2009. Cary Gabeler had previous experience running a childrenswear manufacturing company. Meryl Gabeler studied entrepreneurship, marketing and communications at Cornell University with special internship experience in fashion public relations and a fine jewelry start-up.
Cary and Meryl are taking advantage of WEDC’s many training programs and services. In March 2011, they signed up for WEDC’s 15-Week Entrepreneurial Training Program, which helped them consolidate their business ideas. After graduating, they continued with WEDC’s Business Opportunities and Success Strategies (BOSS) Program, an eight month facilitated peer support program offered to business owners who have been in operation for more than one year. They come to WEDC for one-on-one counseling with our business counselor, Persephone Zill.
At WEDC’s Annual Event in June, the Gabelers were awarded a $5000 cash grant through the Lanza Enterprise Award Program (LEAP), a collaboration of the Lanza Family Foundation, the Women’s Research and Education Fund (WREF) and WEDC. The LEAP awards program is designed to help low and moderate income women who are owners of microenterprises (businesses with five or fewer employees) achieve greater business success. The LEAP Award funded the Gabelers’ booth at the NY International Gift Fair where they were noticed by national retailers. This grew their business to the next level. Representatives from Oprah Winfrey’s organization attended the show and asked for their products and they are in touch waiting for next steps.
Anjolie Ayurveda soaps and beauty products are now being sold in 100 stores nationwide. According to Cary, ‘WEDC has been helping us every step of the way.”
Kendra Charisse Porter
Honor You
Email: HonorYou@kendraporter.com Website: http://kendraporter.com
What do you get when you give yourself the luxury of pursuing your dream career? If you are Kendra Charisse Porter, you create “Honor You”, a full figure – some say plus size, style consultancy.
Doing what you could only dream of doing is not easy. There are so many practical reasons not to do it. The top of the list is to make use of the Master’s degree, travel, and work experience you already have to pursue a “safe” career. Adding to the list is a real need to help others be the best they can be.
So, if you have been following a not-for-profit, help others path, that includes building schools in Africa, how do you deviate from that path and start your own image consulting business in the fashion industry? Good question.
Kendra applied to and was accepted into a special 15-week small business training program offered by the Women’s Enterprise Development Center, Westchester County government, Westchester Community College, and the One Stop Employment Center. Course participants learned what is required to start and build successful businesses and complete written business plans.
Kendra attributes her WEDC instructor, Lew Tischler, with providing her the support, guidance, and encouragement to pursue her passion. Consequently, in March 2011 Kendra decided to honor herself by creating her own dream job. She created “Honor You”, a full service personal image agency that caters to professional executive women with a specialty in fitting women with fuller figures. Her philosophy can be summed up very quickly, “Honor Your Size; Honor Your Shape; Honor You.”
By giving herself permission to explore new opportunities, Kendra landed a coveted apprentice position as a personal stylist with “Style For Hire”, a company co-founded by Cindy McLaughlin, a business executive, and Stacy London, a stylist formerly of the TLC show “What Not To Wear.”
Her openness to explore other opportunities has led to numerous new experiences. Kendra has participated in a number of style related talk programs from “Plus Model Radio” with Chenese Lewis (Entertainment Talk Radio) to “All on the Line” with Joe Zee (Sundance Channel). She has also created an experience called Behind the Scenes @ Nordstrom Rack, an educational and entertaining presentation on how to put together flattering outfits from off-the-rack merchandise at Nordstrom Rack.
Going forward, Kendra has a multi-week photo shoot with Westfield Style Magazine through Style for Hire. She will be contracting as a merchandising manager on that shoot. She has also been asked to be a size model for other upcoming photo shoots. The future is very bright for Kendra. She is riding a very positive career path.
As she says, “I am living my dream. I am going wherever the opportunity takes me.” What could be better than that?
Alice Benedetto
Raw Indulgence Ltd.
Email: alice@rawrev.com Website: www.rawrev.com
In 2003, Alice and her partner launched Raw Indulgence. Alice continued to work as a registered nurse during the week and, on the weekends, traveled to the Hudson Valley Food Works, a cooperative kitchen in Poughkeepsie, NY, to produce her bars.
Alice’s first batch of bars consisted of 200 pieces. It took more than eight hours. According to Alice," Part of this was figuring out the process. I knew nothing about the food manufacturing business, and it was hard back breaking labor. At times I was on my feet twenty hours a day. I also had to get over my fear of machinery.”
Raw Indulgence continued to grow steadily. In 2006 Alice set up her own manufacturing plant in Hawthorne, New York. She received a line of credit that enabled her to buy the necessary machinery. A significant factor in her decision to expand was the major contract she had recently acquired from a large organic food distributor to produce up to 100,000 of her food bars per week. Raw Indulgence then hired a seasoned sales manager who helped them skyrocket the growth of their business.
Today, Alice employs nine full-time and eleven part-time employees. Raw Indulgence products are sold in more than 5000 stores worldwide including Stop and Shop, Whole Foods Market, Shaw’s, Wegman’s, and the Vitamin Shoppe. The bars are sold on Amazon.com. In addition, Raw Indulgence bars are distributed in Iceland, Australia, Canada, Singapore, and South Africa, and will soon be sold in Mexico. They are also available on her web site www.rawrev.com.
Alice credits the WEDC training for stressing the importance of planning for your business and of following through on details. She admits that she often had good ideas, but was not always able to connect the dots and make things work. She also credits the trainers and her classmates for providing her with the encouragement and motivation she needed to keep herself on track and to complete the many tasks associated with starting a company. If you walk into her office today, you will still see on her bulletin board, a copy of the “top ten characteristics of a successful entrepreneur” which she received in the WEDC training class and which she looks at frequently to keep herself motivated.
Alice’s advice to others thinking of going into business for themselves is simple but wise: “Don’t be afraid to ask for help from other people who have the knowledge you need.” Entrepreneurs have a tendency to want to do everything themselves, but as Alice points out, “when you do that, it can really put a drain on you and your business and keep you from moving forward.
Raw Indulgence is certified as a woman-owned business enterprise by the Women's Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC).
Sheila Kirk Baptista
Lewis & Kirk Music
Email: lewisandkirkmusic@yahoo.com
Website: http://lewisandkirkmusic.com/
Back in their college years Sheila Kirk Baptista and Beverly Lewis Hunter partnered on various music projects in the music department of Shaw University and other post college projects in New York. This collaboration led to the creation of Lewis & Kirk Music Expeditions, Inc. which was formed and incorporated back in 1998 as a part time business enterprise. They began with only four projects, but have grown steadily by focusing on ethnic and female artists, repertoire and development, client specifications and market trends. Lewis & Kirk Music is involved in the creation of first class performances, productions, original compositions, theatrical productions and recordings in many different styles of music. Their activity has grown from 10 clients in 1998 to 150 clients in 2011.
As the major business owner and principal of the company, Sheila, has brought more than twenty years of business and music talent to Lewis & Kirk Music. Over her career she has held legal positions in the Legal Aid Society, MasterCard, Dannon Yogurt, and GTE Corporation. These past roles have allowed Sheila to combine her business skills with training and a passion for the performing arts. In the past twelve years the company has achieved considerable success on national and regional projects while remaining competitive.
Currently, Lewis & Kirk Music is in the planning stages of producing a major music festival in Martha’s Vineyard on September 1st and 2nd. For the spring and summer seasons of 2011 they have been engaged to produce music and recordings for twenty-five new and repeat clients.
Sheila found the Women’s Enterprise Development Center (WEDC) on-line and recently graduated from the fall 2010 15-Week Entrepreneurial Training Program. WEDC was able to provide her guidance with business planning, division of labor, and various marketing strategies. She expresses a sincere thanks to WEDC for the assistance she received to improve her business acumen.
Her future plans include cultivating more opportunities with large music festivals, international markets, and corporate entities. She would also like to complete trademark applications for USPTO and eventually find commercial space. Lastly, Sheila’s advice to people who are thinking about starting their own small business is “Go for it, as there appears to a growing demand for more and more specialized products and services.”
Paola Paredes
The Wall Business Solutions Corps
Email: info@thewallgp.com Web site: www.thewallgp.com
Paola Paredes began her relationship with WEDC in the fall of 2002, as a student in our 15-Week Entrepreneurial Training Program. Although, she did not initially have a clear idea of what type of business she wanted to start, she was passionate about her desire to become an entrepreneur. During the 15-Week Program, Paola realized that what she really wanted to do was facilitate, counsel, and provide support for other up-and-coming small business owners.
In August 2004, Paola opened the doors to The Wall Business Solutions Corps, a firm offering accounting and administrative services, with her partner Dora Orozco, a 2002 graduate of WEDC’s entrepreneurial training program in Spanish.
Without a university degree, but with great experience in business administration, determination, and the tools she received from WEDC, Paola has achieved success. She is certified and accredited by the International Coach Federation (ICF) as an ACC. She is also a certified facilitator for the Personal DISCernment® Inventory, a Notary Public in Washington State, and a Certified QuickBooks ProAdvisor.
Now WEDC contracts with the Wall Business Solutions to provide entrepreneurial and computer trainers for the fall sessions of our 15-week training program in Spanish. Paola conducts the entrepreneurial training. She provides valuable information to her students based on her expertise and experience as a business owner, and her enthusiasm motivates her students to persevere through the more challenging portions of their business plan preparations.
Paola actively promotes entrepreneurial activity to members of the Latino community in the United States because she believes it is an effective means of improving their quality of life and achieving the “American Dream.”
Michele D. Wood
Michele Wood Consulting, LLC
Email: michdenwood@aol.com
Web site: www.linkedin.com/in/michelewoodconsulting
After working for fifteen years at IBM in a consulting and sales capacity, Michele Wood was ready to start her own management consulting firm. Both her attorney and accountant advised her to wait until she had a contract before she took this step and she heeded their advice. She expanded her skills by becoming certified as an entrepreneurial trainer and also developed a program to teach young aspiring entrepreneurs. Just as her program was about to begin, Ms. Wood’s former employer (IBM) contacted her about a consulting assignment. The first thing she did after hanging up the phone was call her accountant and attorney and in July 2004 Michele Wood Consulting, LLC was formed.
Ms. Wood offers professional services ranging from executive and business consulting, to corporate training and workshop facilitation. Michele Wood Consulting, LLC is currently a small business, but the plan is to expand. Most of her clients come from referrals as well as from various speaking engagements she has throughout the year. Ms. Wood learned about WEDC from her financial advisor who recommended that she speak to Anne Janiak, the Executive Director at WEDC, about her business. After speaking to Ms. Janiak, Ms. Wood enrolled in the fall 2007 15-Week Entrepreneurship Training Program. Ms. Wood stated that WEDC helped her learn how to prepare financial statements and the power of peer group meetings.
Today Ms. Wood facilitates a weekly career strategy group for the Five O’Clock Club in Manhattan. She helps her clients find their dream jobs and to start businesses. She chose to start a management consulting practice because she has a passion for developing strategy. She has developed sales and marketing strategies at IBM, technology strategies for IBM customers, career, business, and communication strategies. As Ms. Wood stated, “It’s just something that I love to do!”
“Business ownership allows me the degree of freedom and independence that I enjoy. The greatest challenge that I experience is carving out personal time for rest, relaxation and rejuvenation. However, I’m getting there.”
Roxanne Ferrance
Cake in a CupNY LLC
Email: info@cakeinacupny.com Web site: www.cakeinacupny.com
Roxanne Ferrance is the owner of Cake in a Cup NY, a home-based business specializing in homemade and custom decorated baked goods. Her specialty item is cupcakes. Ms. Ferrance came up with the business idea in late autumn 2008 when her oldest son asked her to bake him a sacher torte. After many recipes and dozens of samples she found that she really enjoyed baking and creating “wonderful masterpieces.” So she started Cake in a Cup NY.
Ms. Ferrance had been expanding her business through events including birthday parties, weddings, grand openings, and vendor shows. She began building a strong reputation and following for her business. In fall 2009, she enrolled in WEDC’s 15-Week Entrepreneurial Training Program because she was concerned with how quickly and in what fashion she should expand her growing business. During the program she decided to utilize a commercial kitchen. She contracted with additional vendors and identified time saving operations that would allow her to maintain her current volume of business while allowing for expansion.
Ms. Ferrance graduated from the 15-Week Program in January 2010. She wrote that, “WEDC taught me the basics of starting and growing a business and writing a business plan.” After graduation, she booked two weddings. She started supplying cheesecake and other cakes to Lola's Tea House in Pelham (owned by Leslie Allicks, a WEDC graduate) and picked up another vendor. Ms. Ferrance participated in WEDC’s microenterprise fair in June, where she sold some of her products and was hired to bake for a christening the following day. Cake in a Cup NY’s sales increased by about 75% between January and October 2010.
December 2011 Update: Cake in a Cup NY continued to grow throughout 2011. Ms. Ferrance was awarded WEDC scholarships to attend two cake decorating courses. Some of Cake in a Cup NY’s catering events included the "LaChanze" book-signing tea party for “Little Diva,” the NAACP Yonkers Presidential Inauguration of Tanika Inlaw, Russell Simmons’ Rush HeART Foundation luncheon at the Plaza Hotel and a birthday cake for Dr. Bob Lee of 107.5 WBLS radio station. Ms. Ferrance left her full-time job and began focusing all her efforts on her business. In 2012 Cake in a Cup NY will be teaming up with Chocolations (owned by WEDC graduate, Maria Valente) and Lola's Teahouse at the Boston Post Road location. She will be available for consultation and walk- in purchases on a daily basis.
Ms. Ferrance’s advice to those considering entrepreneurship is, “Think your business idea through and find a group such as WEDC that will help guide you and help you make right decisions for you and your business... Stay focused and stay positive but always be prepared for the negative.”
Beatriz Messina
BM Consulting of New York LLC
Email: bmessina@bmcny.net Web site: www.bmcny.net
Beatriz Messina, President and CEO of BM Consulting, is a graduate of Columbia University with more than 20 years of experience in the technology, government, global business, architectural, and engineering industries. Prior to starting her business, Ms. Messina had a rewarding career in the software technology field working as Product Manager for a software developer in Manhattan’s “Silicon Alley.” In this role, she travelled worldwide meeting with prospective clients as well as responding to Requests for Qualifications (RFQs) and Requests for Proposals (RFPs) from such companies as BASF, GE Medical Systems, Texaco, BP-Amoco, Pillsbury, IBM, Xerox, Cummins Engines, Bayer, and Kellogg’s. She won contracts for the software developer with all these companies as a result of writing IT proposals and providing presentations.
Lending her project management skills to complex projects, Ms. Messina has also successfully coordinated multiple facets of work with federal, state, and city agencies. She has provided project management services for the Bronx Overall Economic Development Corporation (BOEDC) executing the grant requirements of the Bronx International Opportunities (BIO) Program for the New York State Department of Economic Development. She managed the multidisciplinary teams at BOEDC in the process of successfully executing the grant requirements on time and within budget.
At engineering and architectural firms, she provided proposal management services and wrote winning grants and proposals for contract project work with agencies that included the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nassau County Department of Public Works, Federal Deposit Insurance Company (FDIC), American Airlines at LaGuardia Airport, and Massachusetts Water Resources Authority, among many others.
In February 2011, BM Consulting of New York LLC was formed. Ms. Messina describes her business as a grant and proposal writing and management services firm that also provides pre-proposal document preparation in advance of submitting proposals. Additionally, the firm offers project management and technical writing services as a project team member when proposing for government contract work.
Redina Hembree
Kings Southern Delight Corp.
Location: Mount Vernon, NY Phone: (914) 668-7335
Redina Hembree and her mother have always shared a love for food and cooking. In 2005 the mother-daughter team had the opportunity to turn their passion into a business venture when a local business owner decided to sell his business and relocate to Georgia. Redina and her mom jumped at the chance and opened Kings Southern Delight Corp.
The new restaurant served good food and the two women created a friendly atmosphere. However, neither Redina nor her mother had any formal business experience and in 2008 Redina turned to the Women’s Enterprise Development Center (WEDC) of White Plains, New York to learn how to become a better entrepreneur. She enrolled in WEDC’s 15-week entrepreneurial training program and created a formal business plan for Kings Delight Corp. WEDC staff provided one-on-one counseling helping Redina identify growth opportunities, capacity constraints, and marketing opportunities. Through the organization’s Peer Exchange Program Redina joined a network of other women business owners. “When I was introduced to WEDC I never dreamed that so many opportunities would be available to us. It is so wonderful to have a network of the same mind set and interests. I have learned so much in our sessions, not only from the instructors, but also from fellow business owners,” Redina says.
In 2009 WEDC selected Redina to receive a $5000 Women & Co. Microenterprise Boost Program® award. The money went towards a new Garland G Series Restaurant Range to replace Kings Southern Delight’s old used stove. The new range makes cooking a breeze and allows Mrs. Hembree to handle more orders faster. The small investment is making growth possible, but it has also helped Redina gain the confidence to grow as a business owner. She says, “Receiving this award has not only helped our business improve financially, but it has made me realize that I don’t have to know all the answers. WEDC is the place I can go for help to improve my business. It has made me more confident and proud to be a small business owner.”
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