Archived Success Stories

Zaphryn’s ~ beautiful things to Celebrate One Year Anniversary in October

                     The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Texas Tech University and Zaphryn’s ~ beautiful things are proud to announce the celebration of Zaphryn’s one year anniversary in the month of October.  Located in the heart of Plainview at 711 Broadway, Zaphryn’s would like you to celebrate this special occasion with them.  The owner, Zaphryn Green, will have a special trunk show of Fenton glass October 13-14.  Many fine examples of Fenton glass will be available for purchase as well as Old World Christmas ornaments, contemporary décor, Faroy candles, and much, much more.  Hours of operations are Monday through Saturday, 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM.  For more information about this special event contact Zaphryn at 806-288-9307.    
         Zaphryn Green came to the Texas Tech University Small Business Development Center - Lubbock in 2005 with the idea of opening a mid-priced home décor and gift business.  With 35 years of experience in the gift and retail trade, Zaphryn believed she was ready to take on this venture.  Zaphryn worked with Susan Hoke, Business Counselor, to finalize her financial projections in order to secure financing.  She also utilized the Northwest Texas Business and Industry Data Center and SBDCnet. 

Big Plate is "Big News" to local restaurants.

The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Texas Tech University-Lubbock and the owner of Big Plate, Joe Nuckolls, are proud to announce the opening of a new Restaurant Supply Store in Lubbock, located at 4417 50^th Street (next to "Chez Suzette"). 
          After 20 years of experience in restaurant operation services, Joe thought the time was ripe for a new approach to Restaurant Supply in the Lubbock area. Big Plate goes beyond traditional supply stores setups, by offering a large showroom of equipment available in stock. The store features name brands as well as more generic alternatives, available in bulk or by the piece, with amazing prices. "You could open a restaurant from scratch with what we have in stock", claims the owner, "no ordering and waiting for 3 weeks or more". But Joe's idea goes beyond the sale of products, in order to create a real partnership with local restaurant owners. Indeed, Big Plate features a complete "Information Center" that contains free industry magazines and other information documents that will help his clients with their day-to-day operations. Joe is also available to provide personalized assistance in that area.
  Even though the store's focus is commercial food operations, Big Plate is open to the general public, and sells an increasing range of products for home use. Big Plate is open Mon-Fri from 8:30am to 5:30pm, as well as Saturdays (a first in Lubbock) from 9:00am to 1:00pm.
  Joe first came to the SBDC in July of 2005 with an idea and the first draft of a business plan. He then worked with Ray Laurent, Senior Business Counselor, in order to refine the plan and create a set of financial projections in order to secure adequate financing.

quality CAR services AND PRODUCTS

          Express Car Care was established in 1989 and acquired by Mr. Jim Dailey in October of 1998.  The business focuses on providing superior personnel, expanding its automotive maintenance services, providing outstanding facilities, quality products, and pursuing an effective marketing campaign.
Mr. Dailey requires his managers and lube technicians to be Automotive Oil Change Association (AOCA) certified.  Express Car Care has consistently increased its market share each year under Mr. Dailey’s watchful eye. The business sales over the past five years have grown more than $600,000 in annual sales and the business now employs ten full-time employees and one part-time employee.
          Mr. Dailey came to the Texas Tech Small Business Development Center (SBDC) - Lubbock to pursue assistance in obtaining a Small Business Administration (SBA) 7(a) guaranteed loan to purchase the Express Car Care business. The SBDC assisted Mr. Dailey in preparing a successful business plan and he was able to purchase the business shortly thereafter.  Mr. Dailey states that “the SBDC was very helpful in assisting him in putting together the loan package and financial projections to present to the SBA.”
In November of 2003, Jim entered into an agreement with The Valvoline Company to become a Valvoline Express Care dealer. The Express Care program has allowed Jim to increase sales and services with the products, services, and training from Valvoline.
Mr. Dailey again tapped the pool of loan programs under the SBA umbrella in 2004 obtaining a SBA 504 loan. This has allowed Mr. Dailey to build a second Valvoline Express Care facility.  The new Lubbock location, located at 2302 82^nd Street, is a larger facility and provides the community with the same high quality service with more access.

Aqua First flows into Denver City

              The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Texas Tech University-Lubbock and Bryan and Rita Wilmeth are proud to announce the grand opening of Aqua First, a water store, located at 210 E. Broadway, Denver City.  Aqua First offers high quality drinking water and ice through the use of carbon filters, water softener, reverse osmosis, and ultra violet light.  Store hours are Monday through Friday, 7:00 AM to 5:30 PM and Saturday, 8:00 AM to 12:00 PM.  A 24-hour vending machine for dispensing water will arrive in approximately two weeks.  Water can be purchased in one, three or five gallon bottles.  Ceramic crocks with stands are also available.  They have convenient drive-thru and walk-in service as well as ice delivery to businesses and churches.  Aqua First offers an innovative water card system for businesses.  This system allows you to pre-pay for 40 five-gallon bottles of water.  The card is kept in the office and every time you fill up your bottles it is marked off on the card until it is used up. 

Rita first came to the TTU Small Business Development Center with her idea to provide high quality drinking water in March of 2004.  She attended the Start Your Own Business workshop where she learned about all aspects of starting a business in Denver City.  She then worked with SBDC staff to finalize her business plan and financial projections in order to attract an investor.  Rita also utilized the Northwest Texas Business and Industry Data Center to obtain research about the water industry.

 
The Small Business Development Center at Texas Tech University-Lubbock is proud to announce that Asaad Mousavijam was named Small Business of the Year by the City of Lubbock Community Development Program.  The Community Development program provides support to activities that are vital to rebuilding economically disadvantaged areas within the Lubbock city limits. 

“Mr. Mousavijam is being recognized for his entrepreneurial spirit and tireless work.  He saw that there was a need for another food service option in East Lubbock and he decided to take on the challenge.”

Mr. Mousavijam opened MLK Burger, located at 107 Beech Street, in March of 2003.  Although he specializes in fast food, every menu item is of the highest quality and prepared to exacting standards.  Mr. Mousavijam is very conscientious about quality and sanitation.  MLK Burger has twice been named KCBD’s Top Performer.  Mr. Mousavijam worked with the Small Business Development Center to prepare his business plan and application to the City of Lubbock’s Economic Development Fund. 
 

In January of 2004, Jeanette Lubenau DVM (pictured here with her faithful assistant, Duchess), realized her dream of starting her own veterinary practice, Above and Beyond Pet Care Hospital.  Dr. J (as she is known by her two and four-legged clients alike) first came to the Small Business Development Center in November of 2000 to begin working toward her goal of starting her own clinic.  She worked one-on-one with SBDC counselors and attended the Starting Your Own Business Workshop, a four-part series that covers all the basics for start-up businesses.  Senior Business Counselor and Finance Specialist, Lisa Low, assisted Jeanette with the final details of Dr. J’s plan, including financial projections and demographic data to help her determine a good location for the new clinic.
 
“The SBDC was a life saver in preparing me for business ownership.  Unfortunately, accounting is not part of the veterinary school curriculum.  Lisa Low held my hand through the whole process.  She continues to help monitor my progress through quarterly meetings and keeps me on line with financial issues.  She was right-- sixty to eighty hour work weeks are common.  At times it can be overwhelming.”

Above and Beyond Pet Care is located at 3410 98^th Street, in Raintree Plaza.  The clinic hours are 8:30 am - noon and 2:00 - 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday; and 9:00 am - 12:00 pm on Saturday.  For more information, call 792-PAWS. 

Mark Caffey, P.T., O.C.S, of Rehab Source, and June Reedy-Hurst, O.T.R., C.H.T., and Laura Alexander, O.T.R., of Lubbock Hand Therapy are proud to announce their grand openings.   Mark specializes in orthopedic injuries and has an extensive background in industrial injuries, sports related injuries, joint replacement, and post operative rehab.  He has also worked with local physicians over the past 10 years and looks forward to the continuation and growth of those relationships in his new practice.  June’s and Laura’s specialty is the rehabilitation of the upper extremities.  They have been working together for the past six years and are continually referred by leading physicians.  Both offices are conveniently located at 6913 Indiana Avenue in the Liberty Village Shopping Center.  Hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8AM – 5 PM.  To schedule an appointment for either office, please call 806-687-2788 and Mary Martinez or Norma Stephens will be happy to schedule you an appointment or answer your questions.  A physician referral is required. 

            Mark, June, and Laura came to the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at Texas Tech University to obtain assistance with their ideas to develop a business plan.  June also attended the SBDC “Starting Your Own Business” series, where she was given extensive information about starting a business in Lubbock. 

Mark stated that “this would not have been possible without the resources made available by the Small Business Development Center at Texas Tech University.  Personal thanks to Steve Anderson and his staff for guiding us through the process of opening a small business.”

 
Donna Richardson and Her Team of Professionals Wants to Rub You the Right Way!

The Small Business Development Center at Texas Tech University-Lubbock and Donna Richardson are proud to announce the grand opening of Rub Me the Right Way, a massage therapy and pain relief center located on 82^nd street between Upland and Brownfield Highway in Southwest Lubbock.  Donna has several therapists on staff, and offer extended hours, as well as a wide variety of therapy modalities from Hot Stone to Reflexology.
 

“I wanted to open a facility that focuses strictly on your Massage therapeutic needs and at the same time give you a relaxing and beautiful atmosphere.” says Donna Richardson 

Donna has special packages for the perfect gift and she also caters to pregnant or postpartum mothers with her Mother To Be packages.  If you’re looking for a way to treat your office staff, she will even arrange for on-site chair massages.  New clients receive a $15 discount on the first visit.  For more information call, or stop by Rub Me the Right Way!

 
 The Small Business Development Center at Texas Tech University-Lubbock and Scott Stofel are proud to announce the grand opening of Dot.Com Coffee, a drive-thru coffee shop located at 66^th and Indiana, in the southwest corner of KK’s Craft and Antique Mall parking lot.  This location provides a very convenient source for everything from coffee, tea, and pastries, to bagel sandwiches.  All products are reasonably priced, with tax included!  Dot.Com Coffee may be a drive-thru, but it features a full-service menu.  All products are made to order and served fresh from 6:30 am to 9:00 pm Monday through Saturday.  Scott hopes that this is the first of a chain of locations and his current plans include an eat-in location featuring high-speed internet access.
    Scott first came to the TTU Small Business Development Center with his idea to revolutionize the local retail coffee business in December of 2002.  He attended the free Start-up Business Orientation workshop where he learned about all aspects of starting a business in Lubbock.  He then worked with the SBDC staff and Senior Business Counselor and Finance Specialist, Lisa Low, to finalize his business plan and create financial projections in order to attract an investor.  He also utilized the Northwest Texas Business and Industry Data Center to obtain research about the coffee industry as well as demographic and traffic count data for his proposed location. 
 

“I really didn’t know the first thing about writing a business plan, I was really glad to see that there are programs like the SBDC to assist young business hopefuls.”

Local African American entrepreneur, with the assistance of the Lubbock SBDC, has invented, patented, & commercialized carbonless technology to a new level. 
 

                W-G Green-N-Associates, LP is marketing a new product with a wide variety of uses.  The Carbonless Notepad can produce instant copies of written information to be shared with others on the spot.  The Carbonless Notepads can be used by anyone who uses conventional legal pads; students, teachers, military personnel, lawyers, law enforcement, medical professionals, outside construction, oil field, and general business managers.  21^st Century Carbonless Notepads are designed for universal use from pocket size up to letter pad size.  You can purchase them in two-parts up to four-parts.  The

Carbonless Notepad can be used for meetings, workshops, lectures, church groups, committee meetings, and much more. 

                Students, parents, and teachers can benefit from having instant copies of homework assignments for parents review by using the Carbonless Theme book.  Parents can retain a copy of daily requirements to make sure all assignments are accounted for.  Tutors can review a students’ class work by receiving a copy of the student’s original work that is turned into their teacher.  The Carbonless Themebook is being used by many teachers as a source of accountability for their students. 

To order the 21^st Century Carbonless Notepads and Theme books visit www.instantcopynotepads.com. 

For more information, or to order by phone contact Mr.  L. C. Green, Jr. at (806) 470-0050. 
 

Four Paws Pet Resort provides “luxurious boarding suites for the discriminating pet owner.”  Julie McMahan identified a need in the Lubbock market for an upscale pet boarding facility.  She, with the assistance of Kristin Worley at the Small Business Development Center, conducted research and prepared a detailed business plan to launch her business idea.  She found that the market for pet-related services and products was growing, and that high-end animal boarding facilities in similar markets were in great demand.  Family members, professionals, and other advisors were integral in the development of her business. 

She and her husband, Jerry, opened their 7,000 square foot facility at 6319 19^th Street on November 5, 2001.  They provide indoor suites for dogs, cats, and rabbits, along with outdoor, shaded exercise areas.  Services provided include not only boarding, but also pet day care, bathing, hot oil treatments, nail trims, and flea and tick dips.  Pet products are also sold.  Julie stated business was very good over the holidays and reported a 70% occupancy rate.  Many of her customers are first-time boarders, who were very pleased with the care their pets received at Four Paws Pet Resort. 

 For more information on Four Paws Pet Resort, contact Julie and Jerry McMahan at 806-793-9526.