Success Stories

 

Scott Design

 

Professional graphic designer, Sandy Scott, found out about the Small Business Information Center at the library via doing a Google search.

 

"My experience has been wonderful! By asking me direct questions about my business, the small business librarian was able to compile lots of relevant resource materials and weblinks. Working with the librarian has been like having a personal research assistant.  Her efforts have been thorough and extremely valuable."

 

"Particularly, just learning about all the resources available was a great help. One of the books loaned to me by the business librarian was a business tax guide.  I found it so helpful that I purchased a copy for my personal library.  In addition, it was interesting to learn about competitors in the area and making sure my business name was not already in use."

 

Scott Design's primary focus is developing logos and business marketing material for print.  Sandy targets her services toward emerging and small businesses in Cecil County, MD and New Castle County, DE.  To view samples of Sandra's work or if you are interested in contacting her for possible services, please visit her website: www.sandyscottdesign.com or her Facebook page: www.facebook.com/scottdesignfan.

 

 

Capello Confections & Gifts

Joanne Capello had an unbelievable family recipe and a dream to open her own bakery.  She came to the Small Business Information Center at the Cecil County Public Library to learn how she could turn her family's recipe into a thriving Cecil County business.  

 

With the help of the small business librarian, Joanne formulated a plan of action to open her bakery in historic Port Deposit, Maryland.  Writing a business plan helped Joanne to set objectives to reach her goals.  The library's free databases allowed Joanne to research her competitors. This information allowed her to analyze her competition and narrow down her target market.  The small business databases proved to be a valuable tool for researching demographic information as well.  Joanne was able to find out how much people in Port Deposit were spending on various bakery items in a given year.  With the information garnered at the library, Joanne was ready to start her business.

 

 

Today, Joanne is the proud owner of Capello Confections & Gifts.  She sells homemade scones, bisconnes (a combination of a scone and a biscotti), cookies, eclairs, pies, cakes, and much more.  She is also available for in-home tea parties. You can find more information about her tea parties and her bakery at www.capelloconfections.com or by phone at 410-378-0808.  Her bakery is located at 14 South Main Street, Port Deposit.

The Assistants

 

Charlotte Jones is an innovative entrepreneur who provides professional administrative, technical, and creative assistance to clients from home. After completing the necessary courses to become a virtual assistant, Charlotte visited the Small Business Information Center to learn how to effectively market her new business. 

 

At the Small Business Information Center, Charlotte learned the importance of a feasibility study. The Small Business librarian worked with Charlotte to discover the types of industries that would need a virtual assistant and how to target those industries. The librarian demonstrated how to create free professional business cards online and identified both online and print resources that would help Charlotte create a marketing plan.

 

Charlotte credits the Small Business Information Center in helping her to "think outside the box."

 

If you are interested in inquiring about Charlotte's virtual assistant business, The Assistants, please call 410-642-9276.

Fringe Salon and SpaFringe salon

Ann Hovatter's dream to open a hair salon is now a reality. The grand opening of Fringe Salon and Spa, LLC in Rising Sun was December 5, 2009. The success of the opening and the great location and décor of the salon proves that Ann did her homework before opening her own small business.

 

While in the planning stages, Ann came to the Cecil County Public Library's Small Business Information Center for guidance and information that she would need to be her own boss. The library provided Ann with a brochure that explains all the steps necessary to start a business in Cecil County. Because the process of small business ownership was new to Ann, this brochure was a great place for her to create a checklist and make sure that she followed all the appropriate steps. The librarian showed her the many small business resources available from the library. She also attended a free business program at the library that explained how small businesses can successfully use social media to gain loyal customers. Ann states that "without the help of the library, I could not have pulled this off so quickly - the resources were great! I just took them and ran like the wind!"

 

Fringe Hair Salon and Spa, LLC is located at 225 East Main Street in Rising Sun. To make an appointment with the salon and spa, call 410-658-7575.


 

 

 


Small Business Success Video

Click play to watch a video showcasing a Small Business Success story about Wyre Naturals, a local company that makes beautiful, handmade soaps.


Wyre Naturals

We are very excited to present another success story from the Cecil County Public Library's Small Business Information Center. Veronica Wyre, owner of Wyre Naturals, is a small business owner who lives, gardens and handcrafts natural soaps and products in Cecil County.


Veronica began making soap as a little girl, taught by her grandmother. As an adult, she made soap for her own family and soon, the requests for her gentle and lovely products became more and more frequent. Soap making was a hobby she enjoyed, so Veronica decided to see if she could turn it into a profitable venture. She was also committed to creating a small business that was "green" and chose to embrace earth-friendly practices for her products and work.

 

The soaps produced by Wyre Naturals are made from natural, wild harvested and organic materials, all hand-crafted using carefully researched recipes of her own creation. Many of her products are created fresh when you order, using botanicals she grows or acquires seasonally from local gardeners and growers. As a commitment to providing her customers with the safest and most natural products, Veronica chooses organic ingredients whenever possible.

 

Veronica came to the Cecil County Public Library's Small Business Information Center to get help starting and growing her business. Veronica met with the Small Business Librarian many times to discuss her business ideas, legal aspects of small business ownership, as well as marketing, branding growth and more.


Veronica currently sells her soaps and products online, at the Elkton Farmers Market, and at booths at many local events throughout Cecil County. She is also available to do demonstrations of soap making and use of botanicals. For more information or to purchase products from Wyre Naturals, contact Veronica Wyre by visiting her website wyrenaturals.net.



Patricia's Thrift Store

On September 5, Patricia Gayles opened up Patricia's Thrift Store in Elkton. Patricia has been planning the opening of her store for a long time, and started her preparation at the Cecil County Public Library. With the help of the small business librarian, Patricia was able to develop a plan of action for starting her business. The librarian was able to send her relevant information pertaining to her business plan and personally invite her to programs that she felt Patricia would benefit from attending. Patricia praises the small business planning books she was able to check out at the library. They provided her with a wealth of information to guide her in the planning process. Along with the small business books, she was also able to research demographic information on one of the library's free small business databases. This allowed her to narrow down her target market and have a better understanding of her customer base. The library also helped Patricia identify competitors and set a pricing strategy. Patricia attended a library program presented by a SCORE volunteer that taught her how to develop a positive cash flow.

 

Patricia's Thrift Store is located at 10 Chestnut Drive, Suite N in Elkton, MD and is open Monday through Saturday from 9am to 5pm. She has a wide variety of new and used products for sale, including clothes, furniture, and household items. She sells children's clothes for as little as $2.00 and women's dresses for $5.00! She accepts donations to the thrift store during regular business hours, and also accepts major credit cards.



AAMCO Transmissions: Complete Car Care

The library is proud to welcome a new small business to the community! Tom Furlong opened an AAMCO franchise at 349 East Pulaski Highway in Elkton. AAMCO specializes in transmission diagnosis and repair, as well as complete car care including: brakes, exhaust, shock/struts, radiators, oil, lube and filter changes, air conditioning and tune ups. With over 900 locations nationwide, the AAMCO's warranty will follow you across the country. Marketing research shows that the "Double A...BEEP/BEEP...MCO " trademark is recognized by an astonishing 90+% of the motoring public.

 

Tom was able to gain the necessary information needed to start his AAMCO franchise by meeting with the Cecil Business Resource Partners, of which the library is a member. The library's Small Business Information Center guided Tom through the process of writing a business plan. "The small business librarian helped me craft a business plan that was innovative and quite complete. The library provided both anecdotal examples as well as websites and URL's for valuable information going forward. It was with this help that I was able to secure funding for equipment purchases as well as vital marketing/ advertising activities. With the help of the SBDC and the library, we are well into our first month of service and the results have been quite amazing. Cecil County and specifically the Elkton automotive community have embraced us and we are off to a great start."

 

If you are interested in having your car serviced at AAMCO, they can be reached at 410-392-6383.



Que's Cart Hot Dog StandQue's Cart Hot Dog Stand

The Small Business Information Center is excited to introduce a new business to the community. LaVerne Lewis has opened a hot dog stand, "Que's Cart." In the early stages of developing her hot dog cart business, LaVerne visited the Small Business Information Center at the Cecil County Public Library. LaVerne explains how the library was able to guide her through the stages of starting her small business.

 

"Getting information on putting together a business plan for a small business like a hot dog cart was invaluable for me. Also, the most important aspect was learning how to capitalize on finding the right location and learning the competitive side of business. Being a new business in a very small town and still being able to make income was the best thing ever. I know in my heart that I would not have been able to do this had I not come to the library."

 

The hot dog stand is open Monday through Friday, 11am to 1pm at Triumph Industrial Park. Que's Cart is also at the Elkton Farmer's Market, Monday through Thursday from 2pm to 4pm and every Friday from 2pm to 6pm, as well as Saturday from 11 am to 3pm. LaVerne's hot dog cart sells all beef hot dogs, hot sausages, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, soda and bottled water. Don't forget to ask her about her delicious carrot cake too! The hot dog stand is also available for hire for events and parties. If you are interested in reserving the cart, LaVerne Lewis can be reached at 410-392-3818 or at quezelecuisine@aol.com.



Kilby Cream

Lisa Kilby's dream to launch a homemade ice cream shop started with fresh ingredients from her family's dairy farm. In addition to sweet treats, her vision was to create an educational opportunity for children.

 

The Cecil County Public Library was key to helping her develop a business plan and secure grant funds. Our Library's Small Business Information Center provided much of the data in her plan, which helped her secure $50,000 in seed money for her agritourism venture. According to Lisa's husband Brad, my wife would have gone crazy without the library's help.

 

Kilby Cream is thriving in its first location, recently opened a second location and is expanding its product line. Stop by for a cone sometime!

 

 

 

Kebbi Web Hosting

Kabir Abubakar is a dual citizen of the US and Nigeria. He came to this country to attend university, then served as an intelligence specialist in the US Army.


Despite personal, economic and cultural hardships, Kabir dedicated himself to create Kebbi Web Hosting LLC to help himself, his family, and the community he left behind in Kebbi State, Nigeria.
Through the Cecil County Public Library's Small Business Information Center and their partners, Kabir developed a compelling business plan to provide web hosting for business and government customers.


Building on his success and to show his appreciation to his adopted community, he is working to develop a sister-city program between his home in Nigeria and Elkton, Maryland.

 

 

 LuMu Candies

LuMu Candies is a love story. Joanne, an organic chemist and ardent candy maker, met Norm, a business consultant and teacher. After merging personally, they meshed their professional skills to develop a candy making business. "LuMu," is their acronym for "Love You, Miss You," which they used in their frequent emails while dating.


Joanne learned how to develop and grow her business via the Cecil County Public Library's Small Business Information Center. Thanks to hard work and the skills learned at their library, LuMu Candies was awarded the Cecil County Chamber of Commerce Small Business Entrepreneurial Award in 2006.


Award-winning buttery English toffees, barks and crunches are now part of the LuMu product line and are all hand-made from uniquely formulated blends. They are now sold in numerous local shops and on the company's retail website.