By Wendy Bautista

Chad Perce, CEO and co-founder of iMethods (www.imethodsinc.com) and your Small Business Leader of the Year for 2012, began his business education before he could drive when he launched his first startup—a neighborhood lawn care empire in his hometown of Lake Mary. Even then, at the age of 15, he learned about the importance of delivering for the customer. “It was quickly apparent to me that the best way to earn and keep clients was to work hard and pay attention to the details,” says Perce.

Those early insights have served him well. Since founding iMethods’ original iteration, Medical Methods, in 2004, Perce and his business partner Clint Drawdy have grown the company from a clinical staffing firm with two full-time employees to an award-winning Information Technology (IT) recruiting and consulting corporation with a sizable staff and projected revenues of more than $10 million for 2012.

A push start

“I would love to say that iMethods was born out of a long and highly scientific market study, but it really grew out of a confluence of skills, experience and opportunity, given an extra push by a dare,” says Perce. “Clint and I had strong combined backgrounds in IT and recruiting and we’d dreamed of starting our own company since the late 1990s.”

Perce says iMethods might still be a dream if their wives didn’t challenge them to “put up or shut up” at a family barbecue, which was also about the time an existing client helped him identify a need for clinical staffing in the medical field.

Energized by the opportunity and the challenge, Drawdy and Perce started Medical Methods in January 2004, recruiting physical, occupational and speech therapists for national and local clients.

Based on their existing relationships with Baptist Health and Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital, Medical Methods was ahead of the demand for contract therapy services, which put them on the leading edge of the market and well in front of their larger competition.

“Our good timing, positioning and newfound expertise in the medical therapy market allowed us to launch nationally with clients such as RehabCare, Heartland and Tenet,” says Perce. “We achieved annual revenues of $415,000 our first year with just two employees—myself and Clint—doing all the selling as well as operating and delivering for our clients. Three years later, that business reached its peak at $3.6 million in annual revenues.”

Making changes

As the market matured and competition pushed margin and supply down for contract therapy services, they diversified their footprint and transitioned away from the now-sluggish clinical skill sets business model to a faster, more agile model in technology.

“It was a wonderful chance to reconnect with old friends in the IT world and continue building our business,” says Perce. “We launched our new IT recruiting business, iMethods, in 2007, well aware that the shift in focus would slow our near-term growth, but believing it would be of great benefit down the road.”

Like many businesses, the recession was a big problem. Perce states that the recession may have affected them earlier than some because demand for recruiting services is an early indicator of economic health.

“The cherry on top of our recession sundae was the fact that we’d made a strategic decision to shift away from clinical staffing to IT services in response to competition and a changing marketplace,” says Perce. “We were in new territory, the economy was crashing around our ears, and the going got pretty tough for a while.”

But iMethods’ growth was noteworthy: revenues for the newer company grew from $1.5 million (2008) to $2.1 million (2009) to $2.8 million (2010). In the fall of 2010, they sold Medical Methods in order to focus exclusively on iMethods and develop the structure of the present corporation and map out the road ahead.

The right decision

For Perce and Drawdy, the decision to refocus on technical staffing was the right one. iMethods has been ranked in the “Inc. 500” (399)/”Inc. 5000” (3,790), placed sixth in the Jacksonville Business Journal’s “Fast 50” in 2008, and was designated twice as one of the community’s  “Companies that Care” by Jacksonville Magazine.

Of the various recognitions, the value-driven Perce particularly cherishes the five “Best Places to Work” awards from Florida Trend and the Jacksonville Business Journal. “I am passionate about the culture of our company,” he says. “If our internal relationships are strong and we stick to our values, our external performance is better and our work is more fulfilling.

“We have diligently worked to create a culture that supports individual growth, healthy relationships and the highest good for all concerned, but we’re well aware that sometimes even the best intentions can erode in the face of the daily struggle to succeed.

“The fact that we’ve been able to preserve a sound culture while garnering positive results for our clients, employees and job candidates is a source of daily satisfaction.”

And with that, iMethods is now an award-winning, values-driven IT staffing and consulting company. Its premier healthcare IT consulting division pairs world-class experts with leading healthcare providers to provide customized consulting options. Its local IT recruiting division identifies and employs top technical professionals in specialties ranging from desktop and network engineering to .NET and application development.

Today, iMethods’ two divisions are expected to exceed $6 million for 2011.

Looking forward

iMethods has been blessed with tremendous growth, which Perce believes has stemmed from strategic thinking, visionary planning, innovative management, and unwavering adherence to their core values—with a healthy dose of outside wisdom and serendipitous timing thrown in.

“I have set and implemented strategies for its growth ever since its inception, successfully anticipating and responding to market trends in a way that has made iMethods nimble and profitable—even in the worst economic recession of our lifetime,” says Perce.

“While our path hasn’t always been easy, our constant commitment to lifting up our employees, recruits and the community has resulted in success beyond our fondest dreams. It has also allowed us to make a positive difference in the lives of individuals and our community. We are truly on a mission!” Perce continues.

“This business was founded on faith, and Clint and I have adhered to our mission and values since day one. By matching skilled professionals with the needs of business, we create value for our clients, ourselves and our candidates, and we are proud and honored to have the opportunity of providing meaningful work for individuals and helping to grow the economy of this community we love.

“Although in different roles, Clint and I have worked together from the beginning,” says Perce, “and any recognition of my leadership is also recognition of his contributions. Our business partnership is a primary ingredient to our success.”

Wendy Bautista is the editor of Advantage Small Business Magazine. She can be reached at Wendy@advantagebizmag.com or 904-222-8140.

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Business vitals

Owner: Chad Perce and Clint Drawdy

In business since: 2004

Projected growth: “My role has been to set strategy and direction for both divisions in anticipation of—and response to—market trends; then successfully execute that strategy. I believe our growth has stemmed from strategic thinking and strong adherence to our core values, with a healthy dose of great advice and fortunate timing thrown in.

“By utilizing the expertise of a volunteer advisory board, playing to our strengths and planning at least two steps ahead for the future, iMethods has been on the leading edge of contract medical services and electronic medical records while meeting the ongoing need for high-quality IT recruiting.

“In the process, the company has grown from a clinical staffing firm with two full-time employees and first-year revenues of $415,000 to an award-winning IT recruiting and consulting corporation with a sizable staff and projected revenues of more than $10 million for 2012.

“Our Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) for the next three years is to exceed $20 million in revenues,” says Perce.

How you can do it

“My partner Clint Drawdy and I are quick to admit we don’t know everything about running a business. Fortunately, we know a number of people who collectively know everything we don’t—and five of them have generously agreed to serve on our volunteer advisory board,” says Perce.

The volunteer advisory board, which has met frequently since just before Perce and Drawdy formed the original company, provides wise counsel, holds them accountable for results, and is generally a blessing to them throughout the life of the business. With intellect, experience and expertise, they provide a sounding board for strategy; answer questions about banking, legal matters and operations; and perform a host of other valuable functions.

“They are anxious to help and have greatly shaped and influenced our business for the better,” states Perce. “Creating the board may have been the single best step we took in planning our business development!

“When we first formed Medical Methods, Clint and I were experts at sales and delivery, but encyclopedically ignorant on just about every other aspect of running a business,” says Perce. “The advisory board’s expertise and wise counsel has been critical to iMethods’ ability to transcend challenges.”

A book titled, “Now, Discover your Strengths” by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton ended up being another critical success element. Perce recalls how the message of the book—working to address your weaknesses wastes valuable time and energy and how you should play to your strengths instead—profoundly affected the way they viewed themselves and their workforce.

“When we altered some employees’ roles in accordance with this idea, they blossomed,” says Perce. “They gained greater satisfaction from their work and became more productive as well. We continue to apply the ‘strengths’ principle on many levels with excellent results. In fact, we apply it to our interview process, requiring promising candidates to complete a ‘strengths profile’ to confirm they’re the right match for a specific position.”

Perce and Drawdy also account iMethods’ survival, growth and subsequent success with their commitment to trying at least one or two new ideas each year. “Our wheels are always turning, especially when it comes to creating close or synergistic lines of service that could increase our footprint in the marketplace,” says Perce. “We operate on the theory that baiting multiple hooks increases your chance for a good catch, even in the rough economic waters we’ve all had to navigate over the past several years.”

Giving back

Because of iMethods’ focus on service, it’s not surprising that it has been active not just on behalf of its clients and employees, but to the larger community as well. Upon founding the business, Perce started an internal Mercy Ministry to support the employees and the community in times of need.

To date, that ministry has conducted numerous food and clothing drives and provided monetary support for individuals and families in crisis. The company has also supported numerous local charities, including the Boselli Foundation, The Sulzbacher Center, Make a wish Foundation, Heart for the Heartless and the MS Society.

Its major community focus, however, has been its association with Baptist Health Foundation, primarily through activities to benefit Wolfson Children’s Hospital.

“I am the founding and current chair of the One to Grow On Ultra Marathon, which raised more than $1.1 million to date, I served on the 2011 committee for The King of the Court Tennis Challenge, and we all participate annually in Wolfson’s Red Wagon Parade,” states Perce.

Along with the rest of the committee that conceived and implemented the Ultra Marathon, Perce made a three-year commitment (through 2013) to the race, with a goal of raising $1.5 million toward the purchase of a 3 Tesla MRI, a piece of equipment that will reduce the need for invasive exploratory procedures on children. This equipment will be installed in the new tower currently under construction at the hospital’s downtown campus.

“Learning the stories of children who have received care at Wolfson’s has been incredibly touching, and I am honored and proud to be associated with this incredible organization,” says Perce.

Another event connected with One to Grow On is Run 5 to Keep Kids Alive, a five-mile race that takes place during the overall event. iMethods is the title sponsor for the 2012 run and was the Internet Sponsor for the overall Ultra Marathon in 2011.

In the local business community, iMethods is a member of the Chamber’s Jacksonville IT Council (JITC) and is also active in multiple technology groups such as the Jacksonville Developers User Group (JAXDUG). Many of the JITC members are active in JAXDUG, which provides opportunities for developers to learn from each other through speakers, forums and mentoring, culminating in an annual educational intensive called “Code Camp.”

“We have supported this event in numerous ways over the years and enjoy the opportunity to share knowledge with our colleagues in the region,” says Perce.

Business planning

“For many years, we have followed Verne Harnish’s process for developing an annual One Page Plan for our business. As part of the Gazelles organization, Verne mentored us through a three-year entrepreneurial Master’s program hosted by MIT in Boston.

“While the plan is only one page, creating it is a complex exercise that helps solidify the company’s core values, purpose, and actions. The plan defines a one-year goal, a three-year target, key performance indicators (KPIs), and other valuable guideposts that keep us on track.

“Complementing the One Page Plan is our standard meeting rhythm, which follows the metrics outlined in the plan. Our teams have daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual meetings that focus on communication and progress toward our stated goals,” says Perce.

“While this may sound like over communication, quick and effective meetings with well-defined agendas have been critical to iMethods’ success and momentum.”

“We congratulate our 2012 Small Business Leader of the Year winners,” said John Bryan, director of the Beaches Division and Chamber Councils. “They are exemplary leaders who have achieved great success in their respective fields and outstanding representatives of the Chamber’s membership.”

The 11 Northeast Florida business leaders were selected for the honor by the Chamber Councils, the Beaches Division and the Entrepreneurial Growth Division. One of these 11 business leaders will be named the overall 2012 Chamber Small Business Leader of the Year at the JAX Chamber’s Annual Meeting Jan. 19, 2012.

The 2012 Small Business Leader of the Year (SBLY) winners are:

Tara Yvette Forrest, Florida Imageworks and Promotions (www.floridaimageworks.com), Mandarin Council

Yvette is president of Forrest Florida Group Inc. dba Florida Imageworks & Promotions, a company that provides screen printing, embroidery, signs, printing, and promotional items from its manufacturing and retail location in Ponte Vedra. Yvette takes care of your apparel, promotional, sign, and marketing needs and is only limited by your imagination. She takes pride in branding your company in new, energetic, and creative ways.

Dr. Joanna Frantz, In Motion Physical Therapy (www.inmotionjax.com), Beaches Division

Joanna is owner of In Motion Physical Therapy, which provides physical therapy, massage therapy, post-surgical and cancer rehabilitation programs to the Jacksonville community. She works with local doctors to address the patient’s musculoskeletal diagnosis to correct their movement impairments. Along with medical services, she provides high-quality, injury specific rehabilitation equipment as appropriate for individual needs.

Ann Freeman, River City Security Services, Inc. (www.rivercitysecurity.com), Entrepreneurial Growth Division

Ann is president and CEO of River City Security Services, Inc., a woman-owned contract security guard and patrol agency providing armed and unarmed security services to customers in Jacksonville, Orlando and Ocala including non-profit organizations, select residential and special or seasonal security needs customers. She offers turn-key service for first-time security service buyers, with the majority of her customers being seasoned purchasers of contracted security solutions.

Sandy Knowles, Coordinated Benefits Group (www.jaxbenefits.com), North Council

Sandy is account executive at Coordinaed Benefits Group, Inc., an employee benefits and insurance solutions company that is small enough to care and know its clients, and big enough to serve its globally distributed employee population. Sandy researches and develops benefits packages for small to large businesses, implements and manages the company benefits, and provides human resource support, as well as claims and billing assistance.

Jennifer Marko, Bottle Snugglers (www.bottlesnugglers.com, Arlington Council

Jennifer is president of Marko Holdings, Inc. dba Bottle Snugglers, a plush animal designed to support a baby bottle at the proper feeding angle during baby’s feeding time, providing the feeder a free hand to tend to other tasks. She manufactures the patented baby bottle holders and sells them on her website and in stores, as well as on other retail websites in the United States and a few other countries.

Diana Otwell, Spectrum Signs and Graphics (www.spectrumsignsfl.com), South Council

Diana is president and owner of Spectrum Signs and Graphics, Inc., a full-service provider of signs and graphics products to local, regional and national companies. She provides quality sign manufacturing including wide-format digital printing, indoor and outdoor signs, ADA signs, trade show displays, channel lettering, custom banners, dimensional letters, engraved signs, menu boards, magnetics, illuminated signs, directories, routed and sandblasted signs, vehicle/fleet graphics and more.

Chad Perce, iMethods, LLC (www.imethodsinc.com), Jacksonville IT Council

Chad is CEO of iMethods, LLC, an award-winning, values-driven Information Technology (IT) staffing and consulting company serving both the healthcare industry and the broader business community. In the process, he also supports other businesses and entrepreneurs and provides meaningful opportunities for the skilled professionals he recruits. His highly personal, detail-oriented approach to client needs is rooted in his commitment to excellence and integrity.

Sandy Polletta, Edgewood Bakery (www.edgewoodbakery.com), West Council

Sandy is owner and vice president of Edgewood Bakery Inc., an award-winning, full-service bakery that has diversified its product line and structure to now include a breakfast and lunch café, full-service corporate and social catering, an on-premise banquet hall, an evening upscale bistro, outdoor courtyard dining and an online bakery with shipping for corporate or personal use. Her mission is to provide customers the best quality naked goods and food with the best customer service possible.

Ann Sabbag, Health Designs (www.healthdesigns.net), Jacksonville Health Council

Ann is founder and CEO of Health Designs, a company aimed at improving the health, well-being, and productivity of its clients’ employees. She helps companies improve employee health, contain health care costs and build a healthy and productive workplace by providing worksite health assessments, health screenings, and face-to-face health coaching that motivates participants toward positive lifestyle changes.

Kirsten Schneider, Dinners Direct (www.dinnersdirect.com), Professional Women’s Council

Kirsten is executive chef and owner of Dinners Direct, a delivery-only meal service that provides prepared, ready-to-cook meals. Customers order online from a monthly changing menu, and meals are packaged, labeled with cooking instructions, frozen and delivered to their home or office. Her mission is to help busy individuals and families put a nutritious meal on the table and reduce mealtime stress.

Jepp Walter, Marlin Technology (www.marlintech.us), Downtown Council

Jepp is owner of Marlin Technology, a technology based business supplying Information Technology services of many kinds, including but not limited to computer sales and support, PC help desk, network design and support, website design and hosting, telephone system sales and support, and data and telephone cabling. Jepp does this by helping customers understand their IT needs and desires and speaking to them in a language they can understand—not “techie.”

By Wendy Bautista

For the first time in American history, we are seeing four different generations working together in the workplace—with some demographers saying there are really five, depending on how the generations are defined.

With some traditionalists (those generally born between 1927 and 1945) remaining in the workforce and the Millennials (those generally born between 1981 and 2000) making their presence known, the workplace has never been more diverse.

“You need diversity and you need lots of it,” says Diana Peaks, executive director at Jacksonville University Center for Professional Studies and an adjunct business professor at Jacksonville University.

“You need cultural diversity, organizational diversity and you also need age diversity because every business works with people of all ages, and that diversity should provide you with a competitive advantage.”

Using that advantage

One company that uses age to its competitive advantage is 5ivecanons (www.5ivecanons.com). Adam Schaffer, Justin Dennis, and Michael Woeppel—all under the age of 30—together own and operate the Jacksonville Beach-based, full service advertising agency that focuses on consumer engagement.

“We like to say we fuse brands with culture,” says Schaffer, the creative director at 5ivecanons. “What that means is we develop immersive consumer experiences for our clients and their brands.”

While the diversity in this year-old company is not multi-generational, each member brings years of experience to the team from different areas and aspects of the industry.

“We knew each other before we started this company,” says Schaffer. “We’ve all been and worked in the industry for years, just in our separate roles—and we just brought all of those skills together to form 5ivecanons.”

Prior to each member’s work experience came years of schooling as well, with Schaffer attending undergraduate and graduate school to be a creative; Dennis, the digital strategist,  studying management information systems (computer science); and Woeppel, the executive producer, studying digital media art.

Breaking barriers

Even with years of experience behind each team member, they sometimes face apprehension from people in the workforce because of their age and youthful appearance. According to Peaks, this is not all that uncommon.

“There are some very intelligent young people out there and we need that, we need that to move forward, but it can be a barrier,” she says. “Where the younger workforce really should be judged on merit, some people, such as a traditionalist, may misjudge them based on their looks and question their experience and knowledge.”

5ivecanons has faced such apprehension head-on.

“One of the best questions we get asked is, ‘Who owns your company?’” says Dennis, with a laugh. “But I just take that with a grain of salt as there are some things we are still learning and I think we are getting smarter about.

“I do think it throws people off sometimes,” continues Dennis. “When we walk in, we will be immediately discounted because we’re not ‘senior’ or don’t have three offices in New York, Atlanta, and L.A. [yet].

“But what we offer is unique and we’re good at what we do,” continues Dennis. “I think people that see past our age and understand that we are experts in the things that we bring to them are the ones that work the best with us.”

“I’ve seen it happen a couple of times where we’ve gone to talk to a client and they are very standoffish when we first enter the room,” adds Woeppel, “But as Adam or Justin go into detail about Facebook or another channel the client doesn’t know very much about, you can see a change come over them. You can see their eyes light up because it clicks—they realize the potential and they realize that we know all the facets and ins and outs of all these mediums.”

The company’s approach

But none of this apprehension has slowed the three of them down. In their first year of business, they have gone from one to 15 clients, with clients such as Chick-fil-a, Community First Credit Union, Coggin Collision Center and Ethan Allen—and the list continues to grow as word spreads on their abilities. With most of their clients coming from referrals, they believe it is based on their five canons approach.

The idea behind 5ivecanons’s name and the basis of their business comes from ancient philosopher Cicero’s five canons of rhetoric. “Cicero used five canons when he spoke to a forum, and us being a digital agency, we also speak to a forum for our clients—we just use five different canons,” says Schaffer.

For every project they do, they use all of these five canons:

•Listening phase—they learn everything about their client’s audience;

•Strategy phase—they plan goals, timelines and milestones for their clients;

•Creative phase—they develop and produce all of the messaging and content;

•Distribution phase—they look at all the channels their client’s audiences are in; and

•Optimization phase—they try to improve everything they’ve done for every step along the way.

While the timing of each phase is different for each project, client and client’s needs, the phases are based on the scope of work in general. “The listening phase is generally our research phase and it can take some time—and that’s where we tend to see the gaps or areas where they could be benefitting from better systems,” says Dennis.

“We listen to the Internet in real time and then show our clients where their potential consumers are and networks they may want to be actively involved in or a contextual style they may want to use.”

“Many of our clients are somewhat technologically savvy and understand the channels and their audience,” adds Schaffer. “They are just looking for someone to improve where they are—and that’s where we come in. Part of our services is offering ways to brand your business to your audience through editorial plans and immersive Facebook applications.

“We develop something a little bit further than, ‘Here’s a post about what’s going on’ and in fact instruct them on when and what to post—such as separate messages, images, and videos, instead of saying, ‘Come on down for this great deal,’” says Schaffer.

“One thing you always want to do is create and present content that is going to engage people and really get them involved,” says Woeppel.

“We can then build data based on what people are clicking on and define not only a demographic but also a psychographic based on whether they watch more of your videos or click on your photos or answer polls,” says Dennis. “We can then make suggestions on technology that we think might be best.”

Woeppel adds, “And we also think of and consider these things as a whole and how they will all work together for the best result.”

Heart of it all

Knowing all of this helps 5ivecanons develop a strategy and the creative to match who they are addressing and from that they build a plan based on each concept. “We don’t put technology before concept so we don’t force anything into a technology,” says Schaffer. “We can then say, ‘This is the idea, here are the technologies that are best matched to that idea and what would you like to do?’ or sometimes it is, “This is what you should do and here are three ideas, which one do you like?”

Diversity for 5ivecanons also comes from how it utilizes crowdsourcing. The small core team is here, but they utilize an expansive network of 60 to 100 people that they work with—not just here in Jacksonville, but all over the world in places such as Dallas, New York, Mexico, Russia, and the Ukraine.

“What we like to do is reach out to people that we know are really, really good at what they do,” says Schaffer. “After the core team has gone through the listening and strategy phase of a project and are on to the creative phase, we will go to the network for something we need or need better—like a killer logo or someone that is an amazing developer for Facebook or Flash—and we get those people involved.

“It makes us a lot bigger, but keeps us still small,” says Schaffer. “And we get to pick the best to work with us—I don’t think we could ask for a better business model at this point!”

Keeping with the curve

With advances in technology happening every day, Schaffer, Dennis and Woeppel find themselves constantly searching for what is coming around the corner—but that doesn’t mean it will be right for their clients.

“We’ve seen ‘trying to be in front of the curve’ not necessarily work all the time,” says Dennis. “But staying right with the curve and knowing exactly where the audience is in relation to that technology curve is what’s important. We don’t bring technology to somebody unless we know there is going to be a use for it on the other end—it has to be  the right fit for their target audience.”

“We are always looking for new things,” says Woeppel. “But as Justin said, if we get too far ahead of the curve, it will go right over our client’s head and so it’s finding that fine balance.”

“I think it’s always a balance between what our client’s needs are and what their audience is,” says Schaffer. “We’re not a technology shop; we’re not inventing anything new; we’re just leveraging those tools for the right channel and for the right audience.”

Learning and challenging

“Technology changes every month and so we’re constantly being challenged,” says Schaffer. “But every day we challenge ourselves and each other, and we learn new things about business and about ways to communicate—and that’s why we love what we do.

“We are all very passionate and have goals and a vision,” continues Schaffer. “And because of that we’re going to challenge each other and we’re going to argue, but we turn that into a dialogue to make sure we have the best product for our clients.”

“I think with all of us being so passionate about the industry, we always end up producing an amazing product,” says Woeppel.

“I think we are hungry for it,” adds Schaffer. “We’re really passionate and each one of us bring something incredible to the table and these are some of the smartest guys I’ve ever met in my entire life—so it makes it easy for us to do this because we are so hungry for it.”

“And we are super competitive,” adds Dennis. “If a company looks down at us for our young age, we’ll challenge them to place us against another shop.”

“We like those challenges,” adds Schaffer. “If they are going to put us against another, maybe ‘older’ shop in town; we are going to bring our A-game. That’s what it boils down to—we’re in business here and we want to do great work, and being young we like challenges! Bring it on!”

Wendy Bautista is the editor of Advantage Small Business Magazine. She can be reached at Wendy@advantagebizmag.com or 904-536-2234.

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Utilizing the youth

5ivecanons’s clientele has climbed from one account to 15 in a year—with the list continuing to grow as word spreads of their abilities. To see what this “young gun” team can do and see some of the companies that are utilizing them, visit:

Chick-fil-a: http://www.5ivecanons.com/rhetoric/mobile/turn-consumers-into-the-advertising-message/
Community First: http://www.5ivecanons.com/rhetoric/mobile/community-first-credit-union/
Ethan Allen: http://www.5ivecanons.com/rhetoric/social-media/ethan-allen/

Business vitals

Owners: Adam Schaffer, Justin Dennis and Michael Woeppel

In business since: 2010

Projected growth: “I think our work speaks for itself,” says Schaffer. “We sent out an email to our network and it was just our reel of recent work and with that people saw the work and want to work with us. It wasn’t like we were trying necessarily to bring in business; they just saw the scope of what we are capable of and want to work with us.”

Dennis adds, “In the first year, we went from one to 15 clients and we are expecting to double our revenue this year—and then we’ll go from there and hopefully the trend will continue.”

“But I do see the most growth happening by way of mobile and social media—that is where we are just really booming,” says Schaffer.

Woeppel adds, “Yes, this year is the first year that mobiles outsold desktops.”

“In the United States, 53% of Americans are using a smart phone,” says Dennis. “Even though it’s still a very personal device and still has a personal sense, if we can get our clients on that very personal device, it’s almost an intimate connection, which is why I thinks it’s going to be a huge market.”

How you can do it

“Be as passionate and as hard working as you possibly can,” says Schaffer. “It’s a really tough economy right now and an even tougher industry, and I think just having skills or an education will not cut it—you have to be hungry, passionate, smart and dedicated to what you do. You have to be committed to the end result.”

Woeppel adds, “It’s being agile and reading and keeping up on trends and just keeping up with it all. You should always be searching, always looking for new things.”

Dennis adds, “I think our model is unique in crowdsourcing. The book ‘The World is Flat’ by Thomas Friedman explained that people who manage their channels the best and how they get their work done from a global perspective are going to be extremely successful.

“It’s no longer this 50-person shop in one place because you can reach different people around the world if  you embrace the idea that the world is flat and get savvy about how to use technology in your business, and even cut corners and save money.”

By Wendy Bautista

With a motto stating, “Success measured by solutions,” you know Gary Donoher, president of Analysis, Design & Diagnostics Inc. (AD&D Inc., www.adndinc.com) sets his reputation on the line and expects to succeed—and he and his team work hard to make it happen.

“We measure our success by the solutions we bring to our customers,” says Donoher, whose customers include defense and commercial industries, such as the U.S. Navy, the oil and gas industry, and port authorities.

With these customers, come unique needs. Since AD&D is a solution-oriented company with a unique knowledge of undersea acoustics in complex marine environments, they make solutions happen by hiring only those with real world experience—with many employees being former Navy acousticians.

Days of yesteryear

“When we first started out in 1992 it was during the height of the Cold War,” says Donoher. “In those days, we basically supplied onsite support and provided mission reconstruction and data analysis—and during the height it was a good business to be in.”

Acoustics during the Cold War generally meant listening for enemy submarines and communications. “As the Cold War started winding down, however, we saw the writing on the wall and said we’ve got to be able to do other things.”

That was when he started looking into what else he could do. “One thing we’ve always done as a company for the Navy was act as an independent agent for them so companies like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, USSI and others would develop technology and the Navy would have us evaluate it,” says Donoher.

It was during those evaluations that they discovered they knew more about the Navy’s problems and probably had the solutions than the companies who were developing the technology. That was when they started moving into the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program, a highly competitive program that encourages domestic small businesses to engage in Federal Research/Research and Development (R/R&D) that has the potential for commercialization.

Getting innovative

Under the SBIR/STTR program, the Navy issues solicitations four times a year where it identifies a problem it has and then a company writes a response to that problem on how it can solve it. The Navy then evaluates all proposals, and based on your technological proposal, may give you a Phase I award.

According to SBIR, the objective of Phase I is to establish the technical merit, feasibility, and commercial potential of the proposed R/R&D efforts and to determine the quality of performance of the small business awardee organization prior to providing further Federal support in Phase II. SBIR Phase I awards normally do not exceed $150,000 total costs for 9 months.

The objective of Phase II is to continue the R/R&D efforts initiated in Phase I. Funding is based on the results achieved in Phase I and the scientific and technical merit and commercial potential of the project proposed in Phase II. Only Phase I awardees are eligible for a Phase II award. SBIR Phase II awards normally do not exceed $1,000,000 total costs for two years.

The objective of Phase III, where appropriate, is for the small business to pursue commercialization objectives resulting from the Phase I/II R/R&D activities. The SBIR program does not fund Phase III. Phase III may involve follow-on non-SBIR funded R&D or production contracts for products, processes or services intended for use by the U.S. Government.

“If you go to Phase III, it could be up to a $25 million contract where you could now be on every platform out there,” says Donoher.

Finding a solution

“One of the biggest problems the Navy has faced in recent years was being accused of harming and killing whales and dolphins with its active SONAR during exercises,” says Donoher.

In fact, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) brought a lawsuit against the Navy in 2008 stating the active SONAR poses a deadly threat to whales and other marine mammals. The case went to the Supreme Court, which sided with the Navy—but as part of the settlement, the Navy agreed to do a better job about not harming the animals and to do the best it can to be aware of where they are. They want to be able to take action if they get too close and be able to turn SONAR off or to maneuver around. “If there are whales in front of them, they want to know how to avoid them,” says Donoher.

This opened up many opportunities for AD&D.

“We use an acoustic intercept system which accepts all acoustic noise,” says Mike Jackson, the COO of AD&D. “We kind of knew from the word ‘go’ that yeah you want a marine mammal detection mitigation system and there are things to do with that, but we all knew and understood from our backgrounds that the core of this was what we dealt with for years [in the Navy]. We just need to adapt it to whatever it needs to be adapted to—adding function to what already exists.”

From years of listening for enemies and such underwater, they also knew the sounds of a biological being. So what was of no importance in their Navy days has turned into their competitive advantage.

The successes

•MMDM: AD&D’s Marine Mammal Detection Mitigation (MMDM) program is an automated system that passively detects and automatically classifies marine mammal vocalizations prior to the activation of active sonar systems for the Navy.

“We’ve developed this technology from a Phase I through a Phase III STTR program, with Duke University Marine Laboratory and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution working with us as support contractors,” says Donoher. “This system is on a couple of ships right now and has been at sea and tested and evaluated.”

According to Donoher, the Navy’s P-3 Orion community had a similar problem and AD&D responded to its solicitation with a multichannel system.

“When we first started, we used to classify by saying it’s a marine mammal or SONAR, but we can classify now to a certain species and say if it’s a sperm whale or a North Atlantic right whale,” says Donoher.

The system automatically classifies it, has it show up on a classification display with the points of where the signals were captured and allows the operator to play it back if necessary. “Because the Navy is now looking to reduce manpower levels, we are trying to automate this process 100% to where an operator doesn’t need to be involved,” says Donoher.

Under that same program, AD&D developed a sensor that gets anchored to the ocean bottom and floats about 6 feet to 8 feet off the ocean floor, where it can record data 24 hours a day, seven days a week on an SD card that is integrated into the acoustic modem.

“A file that has approximately 1.5 man years of data—2,772 hours—would take an acoustic analyst 1.5 years to get through, but with our processors with a much higher data rate we are able to get through that data in a short amount of time because of the automation,” says Donoher. “In a two hour file, we can process eight hours of data. We are currently modifying our technology to run at higher data rates.”

•MADPT PS: The Marine Assessment, Decision and Planning Tool for Protected Species (MADPT PS) is a software-based tool for use by environmental and operational mission planners to decrease interactions with protected marine species and assess impact prior to and after exercises.

“Any time the Navy does an active SONAR exercise or training they have to log all of their active SONAR missions and any mammal sightings,” says Donoher. “The sighting info is required any time they do any major exercise, but the sonar is required every day. When a Navy ship turns on its SONAR, they have to log every active emission and report it, and that goes into a central database.”

AD&D has developed two systems to help. One is the Automated-SONAR Positional ReportingSystem (A-SPORTS), which taps into the ship’s network and automatically extracts every time the SONAR pings as well as the latitude and longitude of the ship and all of the pertinent information required; and the other is the Automatic Logging Reporting System (ALRS), which is a handheld device for reporting sightings of marine mammals

Donoher is hopeful these systems will be next to go to Phase III.

Moving forward

“Our goal is to continue to improve that technology (spiral development) so as it goes on board the platforms or is developed, we continue to make improvements,” says Donoher.

“Eventually you come out of the ‘phase’ program, and that’s really the goal,” adds Jackson. “To get it to the point of where they say, ‘Yes, I need to get this in and get this into the budget and we’re going to get it into the program of record.’ Then it just becomes that it was an SBIR program and now it’s a program of record, and you stay in the spiral development for as long as they need to use it and need support for it.”

“We found out that it’s the hardest part,” says Donoher. “What we’ve seen in the past is some sponsors are remiss and slow about getting the funding in place, so we’re trying to get better at working with our program sponsors to start that transition process sooner in the phase process.”

Success is in the staff

Donoher says one of the things he always tried to do as a company was never be a “body shop.”

“We just haven’t gone after contract work just to get contract work because that can only last a couple of years and then all of a sudden you’re laying people off,” says Donoher. “When we bring people on, we want to be able to offer them long-term employment, good benefits, keep them around for a while, and have a good core group of folks. Not have the body shop mentality that a lot of companies out there seem to have.”

So how can a company with 10 people do so well? Be up to the challenges, says Donoher.

“The problem with being a small company is that contracting officers are  more likely to give a contract to a company like Lockheed Martin because if they fail they can say, ‘Well, I gave it to Lockheed—a well-known company in the industry,’” says Donoher. “But if they give it to us and we fail, they are going to get blamed and asked, ‘Why did you give it to that small company?’

“So one challenge is to really show that we can do the same type of work these big companies can,” says Donoher. “That’s a challenge we face every day—but we’re up to the challenge. We love it and are ready to take it on!”

Wendy Bautista is the editor of Advantage Small Business Magazine. She can be reached at Wendy@advantagebizmag.com or 904-536-2234.

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Business vitals

Owner: Gary Donoher

In business since: 1992

Projected growth: “We are going to continue to develop technology and try to work with integrators to get our technology into other platforms. Our technology has other applications that can be spun off for many other things.

“Anything that vocalizes, we can track. We are currently working to alter our acoustic detection and classification technology to fulfill an Air Force SBIR request for detecting and classifying desert animals. We have a proposal in to take our technology and modify it to their needs, and use our folks to process the data.

“We are also developing a handheld device for Navy divers that will alert them to the presence of ships or active SONARS and create situational awareness, and we just had a kickoff for a program with John Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory working with the Navy’s unmanned undersea vehicles, which could basically replace the submarine fleet,” says Donoher.

“What they need is a lightweight navigation system to navigate those platforms because they can’t surface to get a GPS position and don’t know how fast they are going or if they are drifting. We are building a system that pings at a high frequency and we’re getting the reflections and measuring the vectors and then passing that information along to John Hopkins. They will then develop an algorithm that measures the drift of the vessel as it goes through the water and also measure its speed.

“I was also on phone with Fleet Forces Command and it wants 20 of our A-SPORTS handheld devices with some in Hawaii, San Diego, Jacksonville and Norfolk, and then they will issue them to the ships.

“Now our job will be to make modifications based on their requirements and to put together a training program. Every now and then we will have to show how to use the system and qualify people to use it.”

How you can do it

“It always takes perseverance and hard work,” says Donoher. “Because I had been in the field, I kind of understood a little bit about the contracting perspective but not very much because I worked primarily on the technical side. So I spent a lot of time learning how the system works and still do on a daily basis—it’s a learning process.”

“I’m not sure I can say we would be where we are today without doing the SBIR/STTR program,” says Jackson.

“Even though it has pretty clear-cut guidelines, it is still trial and error for some SBIR/STTR bids,” says Donoher.

“It takes a lot of patience and time,” says Jackson. “You also have to let some of these other people or program sponsors that may not know you or your work , get to know you. “

“Yes, it takes a lot of developing personal relationships and branding, and in the last two years I’ve spent more time in Washington, D.C. than I ever have,” says Donoher. “It is getting up there in front of folks and talking about and showing them our technology. Some say they can do it, but I take a laptop running our technology with me to show what we can do.”

By Wendy Bautista

What started with a 2-foot-by-2-foot square metal ceiling projector mount has turned into amultimillion dollar business that supports the K-12 classroom teacher’s need for technology. Classroom Technology Solutions Inc. (www.ctsed.com) not only fills that initial need, it builds upon it by finding and filling ongoing requests for more related products.

Working together

Business partners Walt Mischley and Cy Marshall have known each other for years, having crossed paths many times throughout their separate careers, but it wasn’t until August 2008 that they decided to work together.

Combined, Mischley and Marshall have more than 40 years of professional experience in both technical and teaching environments. Mischley, who was a teacher for several years after graduating from San Jose State with a master’s in history, mainly focuses on marketing and field operations, while Marshall, who has spent most of his career in technology including working for Bell South, the Air National Guard in its electronics program, and most recently for Gateway Computers, focuses on product development and the operational side of the business.

“While working at Gateway, I was part of a team that was developing what they call 21st century classroom technology products,” says Marshall. “I developed mounting products while I worked there and when Gateway got out of the commercial computer business and sold it off, I was able to keep the manufacturing relationships to those products.”

They were both working in real estate and joke that they were retired, but admit  they were not “really retired,” when Marshall started receiving phone calls from people wanting to know where they can get the mounting products. “That’s when Walt and I started talking about a little hobby to keep us occupied,” says Marshall.

That little hobby now occupies a lot of their time with 70-hour work weeks, working on weekends, a staff of 22 people, an ever-growing product line that can be found in the 48 contiguous states, and revenues of $2 million in its first year, $5 million in its second and projected revenue of $10 million this year—with north of $15 million, already accounted for, in existing contracts alone.

Mount up!

And to think it all started with a projector mounting product. The mount itself is a 2-foot-by-2-foot metal square plate that can accommodate an audio-visual projector and essentially take the place of a ceiling tile in the classroom. A safety wire made of aircraft cable attaches onto the plate and is then placed up and over part of the building structure, where a slip ring will lock it in place so it can’t come loose from the ceiling.

The plate is painted with an eco-painting process known as anodic electrode position. The plate passes through a number of baths, and then goes into a tank that has acrylic paint suspended in liquid. An electrical charge is applied to the plate and the paint adheres to it. After which it gets lifted out and placed into another tank to wash off any excess material—which go back into the painting process—and then the product gets dried.

“By design this process assures us that the entire plate gets covered—there are no missed spots,” says Mischley. “The underside, the crevices, everything is covered so there is no chance of rust or chipping paint. Especially when dealing with schools, we try to keep the ‘green’ in mind to support their concerns for the children’s well-being.”

Building a business

“What’s interesting is when we started, our original plan was to manufacture a couple of products and then get them distributed to resellers across the country,” says Marshall. “But we found that to be a lot more of a challenge than we had anticipated.”

When they didn’t get the traction they wanted, they decided to pick a market area and market direct. They made a list in a specific area, did an email blast with a flier and sent it out that morning. By the afternoon, orders were coming off the fax machine.

As they were answering the requests for mounts and dealing with more people, they started getting asked if they also sold the projectors that went on the mounts.

“At the time the answer was no, but we decided to look into it and found that maybe we should,” says Marshall. “Then as more time went by, our customers said they would also like it to be hooked up, so we looked into adding the wiring and found that that would also be beneficial.”

“The next biggest thing that happened was we started winning contracts,” says Mischley. “We went from buying a hundred products at a time to buying containers full. These are multimillion, multiyear contracts with major school districts in the Southeast.

Mischley says one of the most important aspects of the contracts was it made their vendors and suppliers take notice, which placed them on their radar screen as a company to watch—and it didn’t hurt that it helped with pricing.

“Our prices went from ‘single unit’ to ‘high volume,’ and the vendors started bringing us customers because obviously from buying a hundred of something to buying 4,000 of something, it changes things,” says Mischley.

The start of something new

“We don’t go out and find a product and take it to the school and try to convince them that they need it,” adds Mischley. “Customers drive our product line by letting us know what they want and or need.”

Marshall continues by saying, “The set of customers that we’ve developed will come to us and say, ‘This is what we are looking for and these are the projects we want to do, what is available and how can you help us?’ and we’ll bring them up to speed with what’s new or try to find solutions to what they need or want.”

From there they started adding or manufacturing other products such as projector screens, wireless tablets, document cameras, DVD players, anti-bullying software, Internet security, as well as a line of speakers that fit in the ceiling which are incorporated into the sound and audio visual systems in a classroom —all at the request of their clients.

“We’ve now taken the mount products and bundled them with other manufacturers’ product(s).  These bundled solutions provide greater value to our customers, give us a competitive edge and have allowed us to expand our business,” says Mischley.

“Essentially, what our clients were telling us was they would like to have a one-stop shop, and now we basically offer them a technological classroom in a box,” says Marshall.

Building from a box

“We design everything around ease of use, functionality and speed of install,” says Mischley. “With 95% of our business in that K-12 market, these elements are essential.” But in the beginning, the install speed was missing from the equation and was called to their attention by their customers and it needed to improve.

An average install, where the technician took all the equipment, tools, wires, and products with them to the field, opened packages, assembled the items, installed the units and then checked to ensure it was all working, would take more than two hours.

Since many of the technicians Marshall and Mischley hire have Audio Visual installation experience, they were not without ideas on how to better the system and devised a way of pre-assembling the ceiling mounts.

All products needed for an order are unpacked, checked, and attached to the mount; the items get wired according to what will be required; the safety support cables are attached; and the completed unit is placed and ready for delivery—taking that two hours that used to be in the classroom installation and putting it to better use at the shop getting all mounts ready.

The technician then takes the completed unit into the classroom for installation and can now install it in about 30 minutes. “For the most part, the technicians are doing on the spot trainings, which is included with all installations” says Mischley. “The training is very important because it alleviates a lot of the problems on the back end and gets the user acclimated to the new technology on the spot.”

The technician writes the room number on each box tag and brings the box back to the shop, where administration will cut each tag from the box and record the information, serial number and product information and provide it back to the school for its asset management program.

Finding and funding

“While school and teacher funding is going down, the lower technology budgets are a plus for us,” says Mischley. “When we source our products, we don’t look at price or for a brand-name product, we look for functionality and for something we can put a three-year warranty on for the life cycle it’s going to be in the classroom, and we offer that to the customer. We also make sure that many of our products are from here in the states so the schools can qualify to use federal funds for products Made In America.”

“We have a lot of companies calling us to sell their products and we will probably expand our product offerings,” says Marshall. “For now, all of the vendors we settled on really work closely with us, but where there are holes in our product line and we have requests, we will source those.”

“I remember when the ratio in a classroom was 42 students to 1 teacher, then it went down to 25:1, then as low as 16:1, which then became the norm,” says Mischley. “Well, it’s heading back the other way again because of teacher budgets being cut. So when we do a product search, we have to do something that allows that teacher to do more in the classroom with less. That’s what drives the whole thing.”

The changing classroom

“In today’s classrooms, you have varying levels of teacher skills,” says Marshall. “We need to make sure we have products that get all of these different teachers comfortable with technology because the dynamic in the classroom is changing.

“With technology, there really is no need for teachers to stand with their back to the class. They can take the wireless tablet and be walking around or standing in the back of the classroom while still having all the functionality and interaction to teach a lesson and operate the projector,” says Marshall.

“If we can get that teacher untethered from that ‘back to the students’ mentality and put that teacher out in the class where they can sit alongside the student and show them how to do something, it creates a better learning environment and keeps up with what students are accustomed to.

“The problem a lot of schools have is the students have more technology in their hip pocket than they do in the classroom,” says Marshall. “We want to change that.”

Wendy Bautista is the editor of Advantage Small Business Magazine. She can be reached at Wendy@advantagebizmag.com or 904-536-2234.

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Business vitals

Owner: Cy Marshall and Walt Mischley

In business since: August 2008

Projected growth: “One of the first things to grow, and is still growing, was our space,” says Marshall. “When we started out, we had a 3,000 square foot mini warehouse and we quickly outgrew that. We moved over here to 25,000 square feet in August of last year and spent about a month and a half to two months painting and moving in and we’ve been doing the rest of the renovations as we can and as time and money permits.”

“This facility was just a box warehouse that had been sitting empty for about three years, so we’ve had to put a little money into it,” says Marshall. Some of the renovations include a briefing center, a showroom, a training room, conference room, reception area and lobby, a sales area, a soundproof test product area, a product assembly area, a stage for presentations, and a secure area for high-value products.

Some other changes include a change in staff. They’ve recently expanded their sales force, are looking to develop a marketing team with a director of marketing, and brought a graphic artist and web staff in house—with plans to expand to an online shopping cart.

Another area they are looking at is digital signage and bulletin boards. “Schools are starting to show real interest so they can push out bulletins, announcements, and menus, and even have interactive kiosks where a parent can come in and see what is happening and get a lot of information and not disrupt or tie up a staff member,” says Marshall.

“Most of the markets we’ve done were through emails and calling people on the phone and we’ve been really successful at it, but you can only get so far,” says Marshall. “Our next level is to build out a nationwide field sales organization.”

“The sales side is going to grow, integration side is going to grow, and all segments of the business are going to grow,” adds Mischley. “Vision wise, I want the mount business to grow.

“We are able to focus on other parts of the business because the mounting products are very profitable. That small square up there has allowed us to do all of the other things,” continues Mischley. “The business is built around that 2-by-2 square mount and that is what keeps us going.”

How you can do it

“Don’t be afraid to fail—even if it’s more than once,” says Mischley, who then adds, “As the saying goes, ‘There is no successful person that hasn’t failed.’ You better get into something you know and know all of the dynamics of it, you have to be debt free because I don’t think you can drive a business by amassing a lot of debt, and you better understand tax codes. The federal government makes it difficult so you have to understand how they make it difficult—not so you can get around it, but so you can get through it.”

“It’s more than doing something you like,” says Marshall. “I don’t care how much you like it if there is not market for it, it won’t succeed. I see so many businesses start up and they are passionate about what they want to do, but it’s passionate to them or a close-knit group they associate with. If there isn’t a general market, perhaps reconsider.

“You’ve just got to be smart about it,” adds Marshall. “You’ve got to know what you’re going to do, like what you’re going to do, have a market for what you’re going to do, and then you can go for it.”

“Oh, you have to go for it! Even at the stage we’re at now, I still want to go for it. Go for more,” agrees Mischley.

By Wendy Bautista

While her company’s name often gets jumbled, Leigh Burdett’s vision for her e2ridebiketours (www.e2ride.com) doesn’t. “When I first came up with the name and logo, I wanted something recognizable that if and when e2ride bike tours (red “e” to ride bike tours) becomes something either nationwide or worldwide that when you saw the red e, you would know that that’s my bike tour and you could expect the same type of service and experience,” says Burdett.

“I wanted a symbol that was clean, big and bold, and could stand on its own, and I felt the red e eventually could. Right now I find that most people call me e2ride bike tours or ezride bike tours, and I just gently correct them,” she continues. The red e logo and company name represent how she runs her bike tours—when you show up, she has everything set and you are “ready to ride.”

“Often when we are on a tour, riders will be looking at the license plate signs on the bikes with the logo and all of a sudden I hear, ‘Oh, I get it now!” and I laugh knowing exactly what they are talking about. But once people get it, they never forget it!”

Getting inspired

For Burdett, it took losing her job in corporate America as a general sales manager to find her true calling. She found herself watching Oprah one afternoon when the book, “A New Earth” by Eckhart Tolle was being touted. Burdett says they were discussing how the book basically teaches you to lose your ego and fear and follow your passion, and if everybody in life followed what they were good at, the world would operate more smoothly, people would be happier, and it would be a better earth— therefore a new earth.

The words touched home for Burdett, who then read the book, and she began to wonder what she would want to do if she didn’t have any fear. “I started to look at the things I enjoy versus what I had at my old job because I could have gone to another company and gotten a job doing what I was doing,” says Burdett, “But my old office had no windows and I was practically in front of a computer all day.”

While she continued her analysis, she would hop on her bike and ride through her neighborhood, and it was then she realized she wanted to do something outdoors. “Even as a child I would be on a bike or was heading outside to do something; I was never an inside person,” she says.

On the right path

Still forming her idea, she continued to think of what else she liked to do. As a younger adult, she gave tours at the Anheuser Bush Brewery and remembered how much she loved meeting people from all over the world, hearing their stories, communicating with them, and sharing her stories. That’s when she asked herself, “What can I do that is outdoors and I can talk to people?”

“I had friends go on bike tours in France and on wine tours, and they all said what a great time they had,” says Burdett. “And I thought, ‘My goodness. There are places in our own community that are beautiful enough to create similar bike tours!’”

While she was contemplating the administrative element of creating week-long bike tours, the right idea came to her—why not daily bike tours?

Practice rides

Once she had her epiphany, she set her wheels in motion. She began gathering information,researching, and learning the history of the area and of each location she was considering, with much of the information coming from the communities’ preservation societies.

She then did test runs with friends and watched their reactions to the information she was putting out. “If it made them light up, I did more research on it; if they seemed uninterested, I took it off,” says Burdett. She wanted it to be like bike riding with a friend who just happens to know the history of the neighborhood. She didn’t want to bore people with a myriad of dates and history that will be “snoozey.”

“I then basically took that information and put it to a route that had not only safety as a factor, but a ‘fun feel’ factor as well.” During all of this planning, she realized she wanted to provide an opportunity for people to “step off the gerbil wheel of life,” as she calls it, and be able to throw on whatever is comfortable and show up, which meant supplying gear for every rider and getting it to the locations without having a storefront at each location.

Ready, set, ride

What she has is a fleet of 20, easy-to-ride Trek 7200 hybrid bicycles that can be adjusted for anysize and comfort and a trailer to haul 16 of them—wedged like a puzzle—with room for the other four in her truck, if needed. Each bike is outfitted with a computer to measure mileage and speed, a basket for personal belongings, and a red flashing tail light for inclement weather, and each rider is provided a biking helmet, ice cold water in an e2ride bike tour souvenir water bottle, and healthy snacks, along with Burdett’s history knowledge and preservation tips and facts.

“Riders can also bring their own bikes and gear and enjoy a $25 discount off the regular price. I built it that way to offer flexibly to my customers as well as my company,” says Burdett. “I have 20 bikes, but once I’m out of those 20 bikes I can’t take any more riders. By offering the opportunity for people to bring their own bike, I can have tours as large as possible, which I have had up to 82 people.”

e2ride bike tours has five tours to choose from—Riverside/Avondale, San Marco, Springfield, Beaches, and Old Mandarin—with each tour starting at a select location in the community (such as the Riverside Avondale Preservation Society for the Riverside tour). They each run about three hours and are 10 to 12 miles in length, but Burdett says it’s an easy ride that is set to the pace of the slowest rider with plenty of sightseeing stops.

“I’ve taken thousands of riders and nobody has had to stop,” she says. “Some riders are so proud of themselves for doing the distance that they have pictures taken next to the odometer to prove they did it!”

Pedals and preservation

One aspect of e2ride bike tours that came as an added bonus was Burdett, without really knowing it, created a sustainable tourism business. “While I operate in five neighborhoods, my business doesn’t alter the way a neighborhood looks—it works in harmony with the natural habitat. I do not have a physical structure or a business that may look out of place in these neighborhoods,” says Burdett.

Her business also works with a community to support the businesses within that community. For example, when a tour is over, riders can buy their food, visit the shops, and purchase souvenirs at different businesses in that community. “I am bringing people who wouldn’t necessarily be coming to San Marco or Springfield or Riverside into these pocket neighborhoods and helping the communities with their goal of being sustainable communities.

“I look at it as more than a business or more than a bike tour, I see it as a cog in the wheel of preservation and ecology,” says Burdett, who is an ambassador for the St. Johns Riverkeeper and a member of the Riverside Avondale Preservation Society, Springfield Preservation and Revitalization Council, Mandarin Museum & Historical Society, and the Beaches Area Museum and Historical Society.

“I basically learn from these societies and then pass the information along on the tours, such as the health of the river and the world’s waterways and what makes a river-friendly yard. I am trying to be a business and a cog in a wheel that educates people in the importance of preservation, going green, being environmentally conscious, and having community engagement—all while having a good life and remembering to get off that gerbil wheel.

“I want people to know that this business is about fun and relaxation, but it is also about preservation and being green,” says Burdett. “Put what you are feeling and learning on the tour today in your life when you go back to your everyday life.”

Being greener

Burdett knows she, personally, is doing different little habits and she hopes that others are doing different little habits based on what she talks about on the tours. “I don’t think they are going home with every little fact, but I like to think they are going home with say three little things that they remember and those three little things are helping them to be a little greener, a little more into preservation and conservation, and a little more thoughtful with their actions,” says Burdett.

One of the biggest thrills for her is that fact that she’s made neighborhoods the biggest attraction in Jacksonville (as rated #1 on TripAdvisor). “And isn’t that what we really want to get back to? That off-the-gerbil-wheel, happy, and relaxed way of life?” asks Burdett.

“I love it because instead of being in an office without windows, I will either be with a group of people leading a tour or I will be going to other communities to learn their histories and setting set up bike routes. It’s an opportunity for me to be out and about and an opportunity to change the world and make an impact or footprint on the world in my small way.”

Wendy Bautista is the editor of Advantage Small Business Magazine. She can be reached at Wendy@advantagebizmag.com or 904-536-2234.

Business vitals

Owner: Leigh Burdett

In business since: September 2009

Projected growth: “Along with bike tours, I realized so many companies are looking to involve themselves with employee wellness or associate their branding with things that are green and about preservation, conservation, and community engagement, so one thing I am doing is talking to businesses about sponsorship opportunities.

On my tours I have heard many riders say, ‘If my wife saw these houses, she would want to buy a house here’ so another aspect I am looking into is real estate. I will talk to these companies and see if they want to sponsor so people can see the houses in the neighborhoods and communities by bike as part of what they offer as a service.

In some of my research, I discovered that business groups don’t want to book events in Jacksonville because there are not many activities right out the front door. So I have been working with hotels such as the Omni and Hyatt to book group tours. It’s a wonderful thing to have such a flexible business that I can offer this service and make people feel like they can walk right out the door and there’s the bike tour.

And of course, the more sponsorships and business deals I can make means there are more opportunities I have to grow e2ride bike tours—either growing this location or other franchises.

How you can do it

“It may sound a little simplistic, but start by reading ‘A New Earth’ and really get an understanding of putting that ego and fear on a shelf. Then ask yourself, ‘Is what I’m doing providing a service to others or is this just what I like to do?’ Then you have to be in a place where you have a passion for what you do and an enthusiasm that you’re never going to give up. Listen to what customers are saying, as they are offering good advice, and fine tune your business by what they were saying. When people come on the bike tours they say I was born to do this and I feel like I would not have found this without putting my fear and ego on a shelf and following my passion.”

When you walk into Joseph Wood’s classroom at The Broach Schools of Jacksonville’s Westcampus, it’s far from the traditional setting.

Besides the typical desks and marker board, there are a number of plants sitting around the room, hanging from the ceiling, and sunning from the light coming through the windows.

But if you asked Wood where his students learned the most, he wouldn’t even mention the classroom. Instead, he would walk outside the building and around the corner to a greenhouse both he and his students built by hand.

Grant to grasp science

Wood originally started the greenhouse project from a grant designated by the University of Florida to give Broach School students a hands-on learning environment and an alternative approach to grasp science concepts.

“Teaching is not a script. We educate and treat students as unique people, so they can become successful in direct proportion to their potential,” he said. “In the greenhouse project, we are creating a living, breathing classroom where they can see, hear, touch, smell, and taste what they are learning.”

In addition to accomplishing these goals, however, students have discovered their talents through the greenhouse project.

“Being at The Broach School has allowed me to have a hands-on experience, especially on the greenhouse project,” said Austin Martin, a ninth-grade student at Broach West. “The school has allowed me to do what I’m good at.”

“The students have gotten really excited about it,” said Darrell Lewis, director of

Broach West. “They’re working harder in their other classes to get their work done, so they can spend time in the greenhouse.”

Turning into a movement

Because of the impact of the greenhouse project at Broach West, The Broach Schools ofJacksonville turned the program into a movement both at the organization’s other campuses and out in the community.

“What started as one teacher’s project has now become a primary focus of our entire school,” said Tommie Broach, the president and founder of The Broach Schools of Jacksonville. “As we move further into the 21st century, we’re seeking more ways to go green and be environmentally friendly.”

With the help of Home Depot, Broach South students and staff are taking the initial steps toward forming their own greenhouse project, while Broach Beach and Orange Park look to follow suit. And with assistance from the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce’s West Council, Broach West expanded its green efforts to the entire school grounds through an Earth Day beautification project.

Branching out

In addition, the Broach West students branched off campus at a solar cooking competition, where although they did not place, they became known as the only school to cook using vegetables they grew themselves. And they are helping beautify other gardens in the community and donating their fruits and vegetables to those in need.

The goal, according to Wood, is to teach the students education is about more than just yourself. It’s about helping others using your knowledge, and in this case, using your knowledge to help the environment.

The Broach Schools of Jacksonville are a group of small, non-profit private schools with five locations in the Jacksonville area. They specialize in helping students getting lost in overcrowded classrooms succeed at overcoming learning disabilities by providing them small classroom sizes and individualized attention from their teachers. It can be reached at 904-637-0300 or through www.broachschooljax.com.

We put it to you, the small business community, to come up with who you thought were the top 50 small business influencers in Jacksonville—and you exceeded our expectations.

After hundreds of nominations to sort through and multiple back-and-forth conversations between many, the list has been narrowed down to this Top 50 (in alphabetical order) and some honorable mentions that just couldn’t be eliminated.

Be sure to attend the Meet the Top 50 event on June 8 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Aloft at Tapestry Park and meet the “dream team” of influence makers that will open doors and help you make connections to push your business to reach new levels of success.

Bring your magazine along and check the box next to the influencer  to be sure you’ve met every one!

Tawnia Adams, Hancock Bank

Tawnia is a “must know” because she works diligently to help all of her business clients meet their financial goals and dreams. She is more knowledgeable about the inner workings of small business than most business owners and strives to assist each company to be the best they can be by offering financial solutions that make a difference in their financial world.

Al Bagocius, The A & I Consulting Group/Creative Packaging Solutions

Al is a “must know” because he is an inspiration to small business people learning how to be successful using social media. Al would admit he’s older than the average hipster trying to make a splash in the social media world, but that hasn’t stopped him from setting the pace for many in Jacksonville. He is all about the other person, and firmly believes that good deeds will be rewarded. He is a delight to work with,  a man of his word, and willing to freely share his social media knowledge to help others.

Richard T. Balog, CPA, Balog & Tamburri CPA

Richard is a “must know” because of his 25 years of experience as a CPA and his dedication to the success of small business. Not only is Rick associated with many networking groups and has many certifications, he constantly strives to bring the “best of the best” together in the business community and provide them top options to assist them with their business.

Sandra Bartow, Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce

Sandra is a “must know” because she is a powerhouse of information and connections, both of which helps her run the Jacksonville Women’s Business Center for the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce.

Pat Blanchard, Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce

Pat is a “must know” because she is dedicated to the success of women entrepreneurs at every stage of their business development. She assists aspiring and existing small business owners gain access to education, capital, resources, and networks to help them become more successful. She spearheads and implements programs designed to deliver these benefits in support of women as they launch and grow their businesses.

Nancy Boyle, Small Business Resource Network (SBRN)

Nancy is a “must know” for her extensive involvement as director of the SBRN, where she provides a free resource and referral service for small business owners and coordinates activities for professional and agency members; and for the local, 30-minute, television interview show, “Speaking of Business,” devoted to discussing topics relevant to operating a small business, which she produces and hosts; and for being an adjunct professor teaching organizational behavior at the UNF Coggin College of Business.

Anna Brosche, Ennis Pellum & Associates

Anna is a “must know” because she is a person of action, and those actions are executed in a thorough, professional, and inclusive way. Anna’s ability to synthesize—groups of people, ideas, goals—to support the small business community is remarkable.

John Bryan, Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce

John is a “must know” because he is one of the top networkers in Jacksonville and a “must know” with the Jacksonville Chamber. His knowledge of who, when, where, why and how to network is second to none. Plus, he is the nicest guy you will ever meet and a lot of fun to be around.

Ellen G. Bushnell, Bushnell & Company, PA

Ellen is a “must know” because she is a highly motivated CPA who always has the best interests of her clients on the top of her “to-do” list. She does not let her clients, no matter how big or small, feel like they are just a number. They are treated with respect, courtesy, and with the utmost importance to their needs while never losing the small business advantage.

Tresa Calfee, BROOKSLACAYO Advertising

Tresa is a “must know” because she really does know everybody and everybody knows her—mostly because, above all else, she works to help businesses succeed and shares her connections specifically to do so.

Camille Clement Gregg, Outside the Box Consulting

Camille is a “must know because she is a networking queen and the best referral source when you need to do business in the North Florida business community. She either knows everyone or knows how to get to everyone. She works diligently to connect businesses, forge great relationships, and promote businesses—even those who are not clients—all of which helps the small business community flourish.

Lynne Coggin, BNI Northeast Florida

Lynne is a “must know” because as executive director of BNI, she helps businesses expand their networks, build strong business relationships, and effectively communicate their goals for business and personal growth through networking and referrals.

Sheila Collins, Collins Capital

Sheila is a “must know” because in a period of extreme financial uncertainty, not only has the company she built survived, it has prospered as never before. She is also a pioneer that blazed a path through a historically male-dominated investment management industry so other women didn’t have to. She serves as a role model for women in our industry and never shies away from what she feels is her responsibility to encourage and promote diversity.

S. Roger Dominey, Financial Design Associates

Roger is a “must know” for all of the associations in which he is a part of, the successful salesperson he is, the outstanding leader that he has come to be, and the community service initiator that people are happy to work with. Within the company, he developed a team of specialists in the areas of investments, marketing, brokerage, annuities, long term care and disability, and life insurance, to help the small business owner—all at the needs of our clients.

Janice Donaldson, Small Business Development Center at UNF

Janice is a “must know” because as the regional director of the Small Business Development Center at UNF, she assists thousands of existing and potential business owners through individual counseling, facilitating SBDC workshops, and teaching entrepreneurial classes through the UNF Coggin College of Business. She is one of North Florida’s strongest supporters of small business and economic development, and is often found at meetings and events in support of SBDC clients and stakeholders.

Barbara English, English Solutions

Barbara is a “must know” because she helps small, minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses become city, state, and nationally certified and be positioned to win identified government contracts, which can be a very confusing, difficult, and challenging area for small business owners to navigate. Over the past three years, she has used her 36 years of government contracting experience to provide winning government contract insight to more than 600 small businesses in Jacksonville. Her one-on-one consulting has enabled small businesses in Jacksonville to be awarded $3.1 million in government contracts in the last 12 months. She is a winner who helps others to win!

Jen Errair, Admin 911

Jen is a “must know” because she truly dedicates herself to her clients in a very unique way. No matter the circumstances, no matter the work, she jumps in with both feet and frees her clients of the administrative headache of running a business.

Raul Espinosa, Fairness in Procurement Alliance (FPA)

Raul is a “must know” because he helped establish a procurement Think Tank at UNF and his peers in the Jacksonville business community voted him as a “Minority Champion” in 2010.

Jessica Evans, Regions Bank

Jessica is a “must know” because she can get lending done for people seeking to buy a business, expand, build, or buy equipment. She assists many clients capture the American Dream of business ownership. If it is something she is unable to do through the bank, she will suggest alternatives to them.

Deb Eveson, Allstate

Deb is a “must know” because she left a long career in financial services because she knew there was a need to serve at a personal level for those needing insurance and has become the go-to girl for all things insurance….honest, fair, supportive. She is a great example of leadership

Wilfredo J. Gonzalez, U.S. Small Business Administration

Wilfredo is a “must know” because of his diligent dedication to ensuring the small business community in North Florida has access to capital, technical, and management assistance to open a business or expand an existing one. In addition, he ensures that the issues affecting the small business community are heard at all levels of government. He is the number one advocate for the small business community in Jacksonville.

Eva Greenfield, Hometown Threads and Chair of the Chamber Councils

Eva is a “must know” because of her ability to help foster the success of business women in the Jacksonville community. As immediate past president of Professional Women’s Council, she also helps develop women leaders and enhance business relationships.

Cathy Hagan, Small Business Development Center (SBDC)

Cathy is a “must know” because she is the heartbeat of the SBDC and has helped businesses in countless ways. She is always full of ideas, helps make connections to the right people if she can’t help, provides new opportunities, and gets the word out there about all the ways small businesses in Jacksonville can receive help and so much of it free. She is a tireless crusader for small business!

Brad Hollett, Accelerated Construction and ACT Architects

Brad is a “must know” because he has helped hundreds of Florida businesses connect with health care related work. He helps new business owners with special advice and referrals on everything from acquisition to construction to marketing and advertising and beyond. He is an amazing man and gives back to the community every day.

Keith Johnson, Keith E. Johnson CPA PA

Keith is a “must know” because he has a passion for the needs of small business owners and help them achieve their dream of success. He has been in practice since 1997 and has worked with organizations devoted to small business needs such as the Beaver St. Enterprise Center, UNF Small Business Development Center, and the Jacksonville Chamber Small Business Center for many years. He is also active in many professional, business, and social organizations.

Scott Keith, BB&T

Scott is a “must know” because as the regional president of BB&T, he has the influence internally at BB&T as well as in the community to make business happen! He can connect influential business people with just about anyone in Jacksonville.

Keith Kessler, Kessler Creative

Keith is a “must know” because he enjoys assisting other businesses reach their goals. Whether it’s a new business, mom-and-pop shop, or an established business looking to expand, he works with them one-on-one to ensure their expectation is his mission. He understands the pitfalls and obstacles one must face to be successful. He also understands that it never hurts to have a helping hand to lead in the right direction. In addition to working with small businesses, he also assists with non-profit organizations throughout Jacksonville.

Suzi Lemen, Dynamic Corporate Solutions Inc. (DCSI)

Suzi is a “must know” because she is a tireless proponent of small business development. She is a much requested speaker on small business, HR, and women’s business issues, and is an active member and past president or Women Business Owners of North Florida. She will begin her third year as the instructor for the e200 program which the SBA sponsors annually to help small businesses grow. She also sits on several committees including the Mayors Commission on the Status of Women.

Joe Lemire, eLYK Innovation

Joe is a “must know” because he helps business owners have a clear understanding of how their website can help them grow, as well as help design, develop and implement an internet strategy that will work for them.

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Lauren Little, Edible Arrangements

Lauren is a “must know” because she is influential and very involved in the Jacksonville community and devotes time out of her schedule to assist other business leaders and aspiring leaders. She is driven, inspirational, focused, and determined, as well as a veteran.

Michael Margolies, Littlebanc Advisors

Michael is a “must know” because he leverages his extensive expertise and deep professional relationships with many of Wall Street’s most influential professionals to enable Littlebanc’s clients to meet their funding and M&A goals. He and his team provide the best financial and strategic investment services to traditionally under-served growth companies. He believes in long-term relationships and focusing on each client’s individual needs and circumstances. Michael and his team deliver quality results quickly.

Daniel McCarthy, Lifestyles Realty Web

Daniel is a “must know” because even though he is still under the age of 30, he helped form Lifestyles Realty Web and lead it into a profitable small business during what is supposed to be a “down market” where other Real Estate companies were cutting cost and some even closing their doors. He is very active in the community with charities, has been named one of the 40 under 40 by Jacksonville Business Journal, and has formed alliances with other small business owners to help all involved.

Mike McCreary, Baymeadows Moving and Storage

Mike is a “must know” because he knows who is going where, with who, and why, but won’t say! His connections and business sense are undeniable, which is why he is also the Small Business Leader of the Year 2010-South Council.

Michele McManamon, Sandler Sales and Training

Michele is a “must know” because she trains some of Jacksonville’s finest to make them better. She helps many small business owners develop winning strategies to reach the level of success they desire. She is truly amazing!

Kevin Monahan, Small Business Development Center (SBDC)

Kevin is a “must know” because he is a staple in the small business community in Jacksonville. He specializes in community economic development, small business development, and nonprofit technical assistance. As special projects director and certified business analyst at SBDC, he works with small business owners through individual meetings and seminars to help them start and/or grow their businesses. He is also responsible for all nonprofit curriculum, contracts, and technical assistance.

Candace Moody, WorkSource

Candace is a “must know” because she has helped countless business owners who have come to her for advice on everything from marketing to public relations to business strategy to hiring and objectives—mainly because she is so well connected.

Janice Newton, Flippin’ Good Cookies

Janice is a “must know” because her and Michael have done an incredible job to create an image for their cookies in business, personal, and charitable contributions. No house is complete without a Flippin’ Good Cookie within reach.

Linda Nottingham, SCORE

Linda is a “must know” because her personal experience as a small business owner and her strong desire to help, guide, educate, mentor, and support other small business owners and aspiring business start-ups, makes her a very effective business influencer. She has served as a coach for SCORE for 10 years, was recently appointed to the Board of Directors of the Jacksonville Urban League, and currently serves as a consultant to the Business Advisory Counsel program on behalf of the Jacksonville Women’s Business Center. During the last six years, she has mentored dozens of women business owners—many of whom have since received business awards and acknowledgements for their contributions to the community.

Diana Otwell, Spectrum Signs and Graphics Inc.

Diana is a “must know” because she is extremely helpful, produces signs that are tailored to each client’s needs and provides rewarding partnerships. Her service is second to none and she is truly an asset to our local community.

Kendall S. Park, Merrill Lynch

Kendall is a “must know” because he has worked with small- and medium-sized businesses for the past 17 years advising them on everything from retirement plans to cash management and commercial lending. He provides one point of contact for his business owners who can call him and get access to everything from capital markets to investment banking. He adds a lot of value to a business owner because of his years of experience and vast amount of knowledge in knowing what business owners need.

Jackie Perry, Beaver Street Enterprise Center (BSEC)

Jackie is a “must know” because she took the reins as executive director of BSEC and has never looked back. She is a tireless advocate for small businesses and has been honored several times for her drive and advocacy for small businesses. She also serves on other boards connected to small business development, including the Chamber’s GrowJAX initiative for second stage business growth. Jackie is a wonderful example of a small business influence.

Donna Reade, Car-Tech USA

Donna is a “must know” because she leads one of the few 100% women owned auto repair shops in Jacksonville. Her business is few and far between when it comes to the quality and reliability of the firm’s services and she has made sure that the customer is truly number one. Customers do not go unnoticed when they walk in the door and as soon as you walk in, you feel at ease. It is a true example of a client relationship.

Marshall Reddy, FranNet

Marshall is a “must know” because he has great expertise in small business with a specialization in franchising. He is a long-standing committee member of SBRN and was recently added to the Board of Directors for the Ponte Vedra Chamber. He is willing to do anything to advance the small business community and is extremely well networked.

Peter Reynolds, The Griggs Group, CPAs

Peter is a “must know” because he brings leadership, knowledge, and effective strategy to the complex financial matters of high net worth individuals and closely held businesses. His dual role as an accountant and firm managing partner has helped him provide clients with accounting and consulting services as well as insight into business planning, operation management, and oversight issues. He also volunteers his time and accounting expertise to help some of his favorite charities.

Elton Rivas, Zero Confines

Elton is a “must know” because he helped establish Downtown’s first co-working space and is instrumental in helping us promote Downtown as the creative, innovative and technological hub of Jacksonville.

Ann Sabbag, Health Designs

Ann is a “must know” because she is a pioneer in the health and wellness business with a proven record of success in the small business community. She has been a long-time supporter of women-owned businesses and has a strength for connecting people. She is a native to the Jacksonville area and truly believes in the city and the development of Jacksonville and being a positive influence in the business community.

Heather Sams, HAS Art Solutions, LLC

Heather is a “must know” because she knows and works with every small- to medium-size business. She is active in numbers of associations like CREW, the chamber, IFMA, and others. More significantly, she enjoys learning about a business and promoting its success by connecting other people to it.

Dr. Judith A.M. Smith, HandsOn Jacksonville

Judith is a “must know” because she is your “go-to” person to help position your business as a community transformer. She has led Volunteer Jacksonville for 16 years and successfully brought the organization through the brand evolution in 2008 to become HandsOn Jacksonville. She provides opportunities for people to bring solutions to critical community needs that affect health, literacy, the environment, homelessness, and the arts, and other impact areas by knowing how to mobilize volunteer resources and non-profit management. Her energy and enthusiasm is infectious and she is one of those rare individuals whose passion will inspire you to do great things.

Patsy D. Underwood, Atlantic Laser Office Products

Patsy is a “must know” because she has been a role model for women business owners for at least 20 years. She was one of the founding members of the Women Business Owners (WBO) group, holding several leadership positions during her tenure, including president. Whatever her chosen project is, Patsy gives generously of her time and of her heart to make her business community a better place. She has served as a mentor to many small businesses, and has helped grow companies by providing the guidance and products they need to survive and thrive.

Vicky Zelen, Zelen Risk Solutions

Vicky is a “must know” because she is a no-nonsense, go-getter that will fight to get you the best deal for your insurance. She understands the needs of small business and will work day and night to provide service. She is also an excellent connector, matching a small business with others that can support them, and looks for business opportunities for her clients.

Honorable Mentions

Nancy Alvarez-Hernandez, SBA Jacksonville

Nancy is a “must know” because of her willingness to take the time to help, regardless of the everyday pressures of her day-to-day responsibilities. She is accessible, knowledgeable, and most importantly truly able to assist in the success of small business.

Michael J. Bernhardt, Academic Dermatology Consultants, P.A.

Michael is a “must know” because after having his own practice for over 25 years, he has grown his practice from a staff of 10 to a staff of over 40 employees in the past two years. He continues to provide excellence in patient care and is expanding to further meet his patients’needs.

Sandra Brooks,  BROOKSLACAYO Advertising

Sandra is a “must know” because she is a mentor to all, a connector, a brainstormer, and a pillar of the Jacksonville Business Community connecting “the giants” to the little guys.

Fraser Burns, Ocenture

Fraser is a “must know” because he is an advisor and friend to small business throughout Jacksonville. He invests in local businesses and is the founder of one of Jacksonville’s only Inc. 500 companies. Without a doubt, Fraser leads by example and is well known in our business community.

Ricky Caplin, HCI Group, Inc.

Ricky is a “must know” because he is a dynamic, young, and influential business person willing to help your organization grow and prosper. He has been very helpful and knowing him can only help a company grow.

Martin Cohen, SCORE

Martin is a “must know” because he undertook to develop small business support services in the St. Augustine area. This pioneering effort has been most successful and continues to positively impact small business development in the northern part of St. Johns County. He has extensive, practical business experience and possesses expertise in the marketing and advertising realms. Now that he is retired, he is leveraging his skills and experience to guide and mentor small businesses in Jacksonville and St. Augustine. He has partnered with the Chamber of Commerce to conduct small business counseling on a regular, scheduled basis with effective ongoing support and mentoring.

Kimberly Deas, Tioli Marketing

Kimberly is a “must know” because she is well networked everywhere and knows exactly who to match with you to help increase sales and create strategic alliances. She loves helping small businesses succeed and goes out of her way to do so.

Jack Manilla, Portofino Pools

Jack is a “must know” because he is a very active leader in many organizations: business, professional, civic, and church. He is the president/owner of Portofino Pools and the founder of the Portofino Aquatic Technical Institute. He holds numerous certifications, speaks at and moderates conferences, and is a technical consultant for the first Go Green GeoThermal commercial pool heat/cool system in northeast Florida. In the spring of 2010, Jack was retained as a technical consultant/certified instructor for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.

Mayor John Peyton, City of Jacksonville

John is a “must know” because during his administration, he was a champion of small businesses. His leadership and support of the small business and minority business program has afforded companies to thrive. His unwavering interest in community outreach and genuine concern for the community was a positive for not only small businesses, but the city as a whole. He was always attentive and recognized those he worked with by name and projects.

John Ream, Connect Integrated Marketing

John is a “must know” because he provides clients access to extremely educated specialist in a consultancy role which promises lower execution cost vs. the full service agency. He’s also helped in the revitalization of Downtown Jacksonville through his commercial and residential real estate work, most notably along Bay Street where he turned an abandoned, deteriorated property into a thriving, state-of-the-art residential and retail space. John is passionate about what he does and he’s hard working, genuine, focused—he is everything you’d want in a small business leader.

Bud Sikes, Sikes & Stowe, Inc./Downtown Collision

Bud is a “must know” because he has successfully run this collision business with knowledge and wisdom, and is the best boss in the world according to his long-standing employee’s. 85 years in a family business.

Ladi Stepps, Brinmar Construction & Development Group LTD

Ladi is a “must know” because she helps create jobs in the Jacksonville community through city and private contracts. She is also the executive director of Operation Community Restore, Inc., a non-profit service agency whose mission is to keep homeless families together. She serves our Jacksonville community as a hero, role model, and business owner showing others that giving up is not a viable option.

Howard Stockdale, Jacksonville IT Services

Howard is a “must know” because of his integrity, straight forwardness, and his knowledge of the IT services business what a small business needs. His many years of business and IT experience helps him fine tune their business operations through smart technology integration and builds a solid foundation for growth and efficiency.

Tanya Waller, Computer Solutions

Tanya is a “must know” because she has assisted more than 2,000 businesses in Jacksonville and surrounding areas for over 15 years by directly lowering the total cost of ownership for their office environment by implementing proper procedures for their network. She is active with the Assoc. of Medical Office Experts, is the 2011 Small Business Leader for the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce-South Council, and is a member of the Clay County Chamber, AIA, and various other networking groups.

Chad Munsey and Fraser Burns sit down with a bottle of wine at III Forks with our own Brian Barquilla to discuss their backgrounds, how they came together to form their new company Vingevity (www.vingevity.com), and the recent success they have found—all while remaining friends. Below is the Q&A session.

Brian Barquilla (BB): You guys are friends and each accomplished businessmen in your own right and decided to get together on this new venture. Tell us a little bit about yourselves.

Chad Munsey (CM): I was born and raised here in Jacksonville, but moved away to go to college. Shortly after college, I started bartending because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do and that lead me into the restaurant industry.

After a few years of managing restaurants outside of Jacksonville, I moved back in 1996 and started managing Biscotti’s. I then went on to manage Bistro AIX and then opened The Grotto in 2001. It was the first, official true wine bar in town. I sold the business in 2007 and went to work for a big wine company in Santa Barbara, Calif.

When I was living in California and our corporate offices were relocated to Sonoma, I thought, “This is it. I’m going to be living in wine country—where for the last 14 to 15 years I’ve traveled to at least once a year. This is going to be heaven.” But quite frankly, there was just something missing.

Basically, it was the good friendships and sense of community that I have here. I spent a lifetime building those friendships and it’s difficult to be in a place that you think is your dream, but not have your friends to share it with.

I’ve always felt that Jacksonville was a great area to base a business and that it has a lot of things going for it.

BB: Now Fraser, you are quite the entrepreneur yourself, aren’t you?

Fraser Burns (FB): Well, I have lived vicariously through guys like Chad for most of my life as I am kind of the opposite of the restaurateur. My background comes from the pure business side of things.

I started my first company when I was 18 years old and, in 2000, started another company that I currently own and operate called Ocenture, which does wholesale private label development of products and services for Fortune 500 companies. I started branching out and doing some other things within the business world, such as I am an investor in the new Alhambra Dinner Theater, co-founder and chairman of a healthcare staffing firm, and a co-founder with Chad in our wine distribution company, Vingevity.

I’ve had a good opportunity to partner myself with intelligent people, knowledgeable people, and very passionate people like Chad to start businesses that allows me to earn a dollar with good friends and good opportunities. I’m a sheer entrepreneur at heart.

BB: How was the company conceptualized?

FB: That’s not a very easy question to answer; the idea really was forged over time. We are both passionate about many of the same things including wine. Chad’s knowledge in the wine industry and my background in building new businesses make for a great opportunity.

Basically, the way it all started was shortly after Chad returned from California we were introduced through a mutual friend and started to discuss a few possible ideas he had within the hospitality industry. Because of his past ownership in The Grotto, we were very conservative about competing with that particular company.

Our first conversation about a wine company was at my house over a glass of wine, I think it was a glass of Curran Grenache Blanc, it’s a great bottle.

CM: It was, yeah. It was brought to my attention by dear friends of mine—this husband and wife in California that are wine makers—that their wines weren’t available in Florida and they began telling me how they would love for me to represent their wines.

And over that glass of wine with Fraser, we started kicking around the idea of starting up a wine brokerage company. After doing some homework, I found that the large distributors weren’t really interested in these little, family-owned, small boutique wines.

FB: We decided that if we can’t get the ‘big boys’ interested in these brands that we feel bring value, quality, and opportunity for everyone here in Jacksonville as well as California and other communities around the world that we have family partnerships with, that we were just going to do it ourselves.

So we filed the required paperwork with the state, obtained a 7,500 square foot warehouse, filled it with wine, and took a leap of faith. We opened the doors for business and have been astounded by the support we’ve received.

BB: So tell me more about your new business.

FB: We have two segments of our business. One is our distribution company and second is our own wine brand where we produce a red and a white wine named Huguenot Cellars. On the distribution side, we partner with family-owned wineries from around the world to help them distribute their brands into Florida. Currently, we have about 70 brands, and that’s growing every day. The Jacksonville restaurant and fine wine shop community have been very supportive of our distribution philosophy; we really are doing things a little different on the distribution side.

CM: The other side of our business is our own Huguenot Cellars brand. We currently produce both a white and a red wine out of the central coast of California, more directly from the Santa Ynez Valley. Huguenot Cellars is a project that I was previously working on for some time and that we were able to push to completion because of our new partnership. It’s been a fun project. We are also working on a few more brands that will hit the market soon; our next project is called Esplanade, it’s going to be a Napa California wine with a little New Orleans attitude.

BB: Tell us a little bit about the infrastructure, such as the number of employees, trading area, whatever you feel comfortable with.

FB: I would prefer not to get into too much of our trade secrets, but I can tell you that our current trade area is the entire state of Florida. We currently distribute throughout Jacksonville to most, if not all, of the top restaurants, and we just opened up the Orlando and Tampa Bay markets. Our main goal is to expand throughout the state as soon as feasibly possible.

CM: We have coverage and the ability to ship throughout the state—and we have, down south and in other areas. Within the next long side of four months, we’re also going to have someone full time down in the Palm Beach and Del Ray area covering that south Florida market as well.

BB: What makes your business different from your competitors?

FB: Our model is a lot different than most distribution companies. Based on an extensive amount of industry evaluation, we feel the large distribution companies have lost their way in how they manage their supply chain. We are a hands-on organization, and we value our relationships with our clients. We do not treat them as just another number; we truly care about their businesses.

With all the industry consolidation happening right now, the distribution industry has become a check-the-box business. Typically a new, untrained representative shows up at the restaurant door and simply checks the box of your order without understanding how their brands may affect the overall wine list.

CM: We want to bring the romance back to what the wine industry was about—relationships and food and wine. We learn the restaurant’s menu so we can bring them the proper wines that work with their menu. We want to teach the staff and educate them so they can educate their guests and be able to make suggestions.

It seems that every time you talk to someone who’s been to wine country, they say, ‘There’s this little place I went to in … have you ever heard of them? I can never find that wine in Florida.’ Now we are the distributor that’s bringing you that little place you love so much. It’s treating our customer base, our accounts, and restaurants as partners. We want to partner with them to grow their business, which will in turn grow our business

FB: The industry as a whole has also gotten away from relationship building. We are bringing the old school model of relationship building back. Some other big differences between our competitors and Vingevity is that our entire supply chain uses climate control delivery to make sure our products are delivered at its very best. Our warehouse and delivery trucks are climate controlled, and that is a big deal when you are transporting such a delicate product.

We are also using technology to our advantage, our drivers and wine representatives use iPad’s to check inventory and communicate with the home office. We are adopting very new ideas in a very old industry that is slow to evolve. And as you know, a nibble and a well-run company will gain market share every time.

BB: Most emerging businesses have an ‘ah-ha’ moment when they realize they are on to something good and excitement is at its peak. Tell me about yours.

FB: I am not sure we’ve had our biggest ah-ha moment yet. We are just scratching the surface and have a tremendous amount of growth opportunities going forward. I guess you can say our first ah-ha moment, if you want to call it that, was when we finally decided to compete with the large distribution companies and not just be wine brokers. Being our own distribution company was the only way to go—we understood that very quickly and made it happen very fast.

CM: I was going to say another ah-ha moment or realization was the first day we went into the warehouse and it was ours. It was like, ‘All right, we’re doing this.’ But the full Aaaaa-haaa moment hasn’t happened yet—but it will. We’re in this for the long haul, no doubt.

BB: What has been your biggest surprise?

FB: I do not think anything has totally surprised us yet, but what we are very excited about is the warm reception we have received so far. Restaurants like III Forks, Bistro AIX, Orsay, Biscotti’s, and Vino’s have all been early adaptors of our brands, including our Huguenot Cellars brand. In fact, III Forks is serving Huguenot Cellars, Cuvee de Blanc, our white wine by the glass.

I can tell you that it feels great to see our products having great success in the market. Jeremy the Sommelier and Curtis one of the proprietors here at III Forks has really gotten behind our brands and has helped us a great deal. Let’s face it, wine just goes better with great food and good friends. We truly value our relationships with these great restaurants and look forward to future growth with them.

CM: I can tell you a really cool surprise is when you walk into a restaurant and you order your own wine. It’s one thing to order a wine that you represent, it’s a whole other thing when you sit down at a table and order your own wine.

Business vitals

Owner: Chad Munsey and Fraser Burns

In business since: 2010

Projected growth: The business will certainly look a lot different than it does now in three to five years. Short term, we are expanding into the Orlando and Tampa Bay markets and within the next 12 to 24 months, we plan on being in the South Florida market. As far as our three to five year plan, we would love to have full coverage throughout Florida and then we will look to expand into a few other states like Louisiana and South Carolina.

We also want to expand our brand management and import divisions. In the coming years, we know our Huguenot Cellars and Esplanade brands should become a staple in many Florida restaurants and fine wine shops. Our plans are to grow the company using solid business practices and just keep building relationships.

I know over time our business model will allow us to scale effectively and allow us to provide a superior service to all our clients.

How you can do it

Take a leap of faith, but put together a very solid portfolio, especially when entering a proven, long-term successful market. It also doesn’t hurt that one business partner owned the hottest wine bar in town for years and knows almost everyone, and the other has a proven track-record for starting up new businesses. At the end of the day it’s all about relationships.

The story behind the Huguenot Cellars brand

Chad Munsey: The first evidence of modern wine making was in 1564 on the bank of the St. Johns River by the French Huguenots. There is a longstanding history with the French Huguenots who fled France, landed here, and built Ft. Caroline—and this kind of stemmed the naming of the brand.

Talk about an ah-ha moment! I was reading a book on wine history on one of my many flights and that’s where I learned about the history. It’s just an amazing background story. Many of the wineries that we represent have great stories associated with them and I don’t know if there is any other better story.

The genesis of the wine was I wanted a white wine and a red wine that somebody could put on their table and regardless of whom in the group liked white or liked red, everybody at the table would find something about that wine they liked. I wanted it to be the kind of quintessential everyday wine.

One of the big things I used to tell people was to drink what you like, eat what you like, and it will all work out. I wanted this to be a wine that people just opened and it’s good.

By Wendy Bautista

While he might have gotten into the moving business “kind of by accident,” the success Mike McCreary, owner of the family-owned and operated Baymeadows Moving and Storage (www.baymeadowsmovers.com), has found is no accident.

“I started out in 1974 as a truck driver, hauling just about anything, and after six years, I learned not to like it,” says McCreary. “I didn’t like being gone all the time, so I got into a sales position.” That sales position lead to a couple of different jobs in sales, but nothing related to the moving and storage industry, until he saw an ad in the paper.

“There was a sales company looking for a sales representative for a moving company and I thought I would give that a try,” says McCreary. “So I went to that address only to find I was at the wrong place! But it was another moving company and they hired me.”

Over the years, he worked for various movers and after too many unfulfilled promises about becoming a part owner, he decided to start his own company. In August 1996, McCreary bought the name Baymeadows Movers from the gentleman who owned it. He took that and all the years of work he’d done making contacts with people and businesses and let everyone know he was starting his own company. “And you know what?” asks McCreary. “They were right with me the whole time; I never lost a customer.”

Business booms

What started as one truck, three men, and a 10-foot by 20-foot storage unit quickly grew to two trucks, six men, and a 5,000 square foot space within the first year. Over the years, they have expanded to the current 15 trucks, a staff of about 50, and 36,000 square feet of warehouse space on 6.5 acres.

Most of that warehouse space is used to store household goods and commercial storage, such as office furniture, cubicles, etc., and all the items needed for packing (paper, boxes, blankets, etc.). They will not store chemicals, perishable items, steel, lumber, or freight.

It is not uncommon for McCreary’s crew to do 10 to 12 jobs a day, six days a week, sometimes even stacking jobs if the truck is capable and depending on what the logistics are of the moves.

“Military members’ household goods are a big percentage of what we do—about 40% to 50% of our business,” says McCreary. “We represent 15 different carriers for military work and move people to anywhere in the world they want that person to go. Sometimes, they will be gone for a couple of years and their stuff is still here.”

They also do a lot of work where trucks aren’t even involved, with many of their commercial jobs just needing equipment and manpower at a job site—but not just any old manpower. McCreary ensures all of his employees are clean cut, respectful, have manners, and are upstanding, ethical people with a great work ethic.

“I have a dress code and an employee manual that they all must follow,” says McCreary. “If I have rules about dress code and ethics that they are willing to follow, and encourage everybody that works for me to educate themselves and get training or go to trade school, then that’s the kind of people I want to hire—and I think I will get a better employee for it.”

Life mission

Whether it’s blanket wrapping something to ensure its safety, loading the trucks so you get your rugs first, or stacking some of your boxes in the garage so you have room in your home, McCreary has learned over the years it’s all the little things that you do that make a difference in life.

“I tell everybody that I want to be better today than I was yesterday,” says McCreary. “What can I do tomorrow that I should’ve done today or I didn’t do today, and how can I be better? I always want to do something just a little bit more.”

That little bit more he gives is what brings in the referrals and provides a competitive edge. While others were sitting on their wallets during the recession, he decided to spend money.

“I just did everything I could to promote my business, even changing the image of company by going to red, white, and blue lettering on the trucks—and now the trucks are so recognizable.”

Getting noticed

McCreary says he’s always been “incognito” and didn’t really want his competition knowing what he was doing, but sometimes it can pay off. North American Van Lines, one of largest moving companies in the world, has chosen Baymeadows Moving and Storage to represent them in northeast Florida—and he has a competitor to thank.

“They say one closed door is an open door for someone else, and I believe it,” says McCreary. “When the other North American agent that was here opted to close for whatever reason, the general manager from that competing company told them I’m the one they should look at. So essentially my competition is what got me this relationship.”

The relationship began with North American wanting to see was his financials. Once they saw his financials were decent, they then came down to meet the staff and see the facility and find out all they possibly could about the company.

While this relationship may be new, McCreary has competed against them for years, but says he never really paid any attention to them. “On a local level, you pay more attention to the local agent than the van lines itself, but after I went up to Fort Wayne, Ind., and met the CEO and each of the department heads, I felt really comfortable with their laid back, family approach to business.

Getting connected

Baymeadows Moving and Storage’s strength lies in the southeast, but their affiliation with North American Van Lines allows them to go anywhere in the world using their network of agents.

“The fact that they are represented in 200 countries and have 350 agents in the continental United States and Canada just adds to my network because anything coming or going within this city, whether I’m doing it or their doing it, they may need to use me,” says McCreary. “From here to somewhere else, or from somewhere else to here, they may need me.”

For the past 90 days, even before officially signing on with North American Van Lines, McCreary’s warehouse has been busy doing work for them. North American Van Lines has an 80-person call center that operate 24 hours a day, 364 days a year that he is now linked up to. When anybody needs a move in this zip code area, they make appointments for McCreary to go see who might be moving where.

“The nice thing about that is the lead is pretty qualified already,” says McCreary. “Getting the lead and having it qualified is 50% of the sale, so then it becomes a matter of the McCreary boys putting on the charm!”

McCreary is referring to the charm of him and his two sons, who also work at Baymeadows Moving and Storage. “I am trying to have my boys be the face of the company as someday I will hand them the keys.”

Moving forward

McCreary says they are in the learning process of how to adapt to their system because the way they do things is real in-depth and a little different from what they are used to, but it will net him half a million dollars to a million dollars just from the relationship.

“It’s not easy; in fact it’s complicated, but I’ve got smart people around here and we will figure it out. It will take about a year to get to where we want it, but North American Van Lines gives me the support I never had in the past,” says McCreary. “There are all these different people that are there to help you that I didn’t have with the former company we were with.”

Part of the support they are provided are laptop computers that allow McCreary’s sons to do in-home estimates by using a service that lets them to do inventory electronically. “It brings us out of the ice age and into a new world, and we can print the quote in residence or send it to e-mail. That is something new through driver services,” says McCreary.

Being better

“Their philosophy is perfect for me—they specialize in one thing and one thing only and that’s household goods relocation,” says McCreary. “This puts me over the top because I already do everything else, but I’ve been reluctant to do long distance because I never had the support they can give me, but our strengths are still in whatever we can do locally. And now this relationship pretty much puts us where we need to go.”

Wendy Bautista is editor of Advantage: The Resource for Small Business. She can be reached at Wendy@advantagebizmag.com or 904-536-2234.

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Business vitals

Owner: Mike McCreary

In business since: 1996

Projected growth: “We don’t know how big this new relationship is going to be, but I know that if things continue the way they have been, it will gross us a half a million dollars to a million dollars in revenue. I’m already in the position where I might have to hire more people.”

How you can do it

“I am not sure this could be done in just any community. But in this community, I found my place here and I’ve been able to be successful because of this community and the people that I’ve made contacts with over the years.”

Green efforts

Baymeadows Moving and Storage makes it a point to go green whenever possible. They have their own baler, recycle at their desks, and each warehouse has a recycling area.

After clients unpack, they make truck runs to get the opened, used boxes and paper for recycling. “Some may be reused for certain jobs and customers depending on the situation, but the paper and boxes that are damage are baled,” says McCreary. “Bales are anywhere from 1,000 to 1,200 pounds each.”

He says he has literally been paid thousands of dollars for recyclable materials, and most of the big movers in this city do it and see the value in it. They recycle paper and cardboard in the tens of thousands of pounds, with one of the largest pick-ups weighing in at 41,000 pounds.

He also has a container for metal recycling for things such as steel bedrails, old file cabinets, and bases of certain chairs.

“I try to do everything I possibly can,” says McCreary. “I even took out ads in the local newspaper about recycling stating, ‘Recycle Jacksonville. It’s the right thing to do! Sponsored by Baymeadows Moving and Storage.’ Whether it made a difference or not, who knows?

“You can’t find it all the time but you can certainly try,” says McCreary. “The recycling program is basically me because I feel guilty if I throw something into the dumpster that I know could possibly be reused somewhere or recycled.”

As movers, they get a lot of furniture that people don’t want any more. McCreary gives HabiJax or Angel Aid anything he thinks they can sell for a profit that goes to charity. He also helps the Kiwanis Club with their auction by donating a tractor trailer and a couple of big containers loaded with stuff that they can auction off to generate money to give to their charities.