As a Minority Woman Owned Small Business Entrepreneur operating in a male dominated service area the challenges are numerous. However, as a child of Jamaican parents who taught me the meaning of willpower, discipline, and self-reliance I was determined to succeed because failure was not an option.

During the past 14 years my company has experienced many challenges due to the shift in federal procurement procedures and the economic downturn, but it has always managed to stay afloat and remain viable and profitable. We were able to accomplish this by first remaining focused on our goals and surrounding ourselves with highly skilled team members who’s vision and values are in alignment with the company’s. We started looking for creative and innovative ways to attract new customers, such as establishing teaming arrangements and joint ventures with other companies, capitalizing on sub-contract opportunities with large corporations, and net-working with other industries.

It is said that chaos breathes opportunities and amidst the economic chaos we have remained proactive by constantly researching, identifying, and acting on the opportunities that still exists today.

Relying on the values that my parents instilled in me, quitting is not an option and I will continue to remain motivated, determined, disciplined, and committed to creating a very successful enterprise that will be unmatched while setting standards and changing the course for future minority woman owned small business enterprises within the facilities maintenance industry.