Having the Toughness to Overcome
St. Louis Small Business Monthly
September 2009
by Jeremy Nulik
From time to time, Sine Berhanu, owner of Berhanu Organics, a St. Louis-based orangic food manufacturer, would go make the bank deposit for her business with one of her employees. Berhanu is a a native of Ethiopia and her employee happened to be a white woman. Sometimes when a banker would have something to discuss with them, he would talk only to Berhanu's employee assuming that the employee must be the business owner.
These small prejudiced moments would add up for most people and cause frustration. But Berhanu seems to shrug them off, concentrating instead on growing her business. This concentration has paid off. She has now outgrown her space at the St. Louis Enterprise Center's Midtown location with her recent winning of a contract with a national food distributor. She believes her ethnicity has actually given her an advantage in the uniqueness of her product.
This same concentration is evident in Ollie Dowell, president of Ollie Dowell Communications, a St. Louis-based public relations and communications company. When asked if being a minority presented any unique challenges to her growing her business, Dowell was quick with her answer, "Absolutely, positively not. Every single business owner out there will go through the same thing that I have had to go through. It is going to be tough on everyone."
By focusing on overcoming challenges instead of dwelling on them, Dowell has recently had opportunities for new business knocking on her front door.
While it is a tragedy to know that prejudiced attitudes still exist in our culture, the lesson from Bernahu, Dowell and the other minority business owners from this year's section is this: every business owner has a uniqueness that can be translated into something successful, and, at the same time, starting a business is uniquely challenging for everyone.
Here are the Top Minority Owned Companies:
- Keith Turner - Turngroup Technologies
- Patrick Judge, Anthony Gonzalez-Angel - Gonzalez Companies
- Sine Berhanu - Berhanu Organic
- Nihad simanovic - Vega Transport
- Ollie Dowell - Ollie Dowell Communications
Build And Maintain Solid Business Relationships
Keith Turner - Turngroup Technologies - Top Minority Business Owner 2009
by Jeremy Nulik
Over the past seven years, Keith Turner, owner of Turngroup Technologies, a St. Louis-based IT firm, has grown his company to seven employees and added a number of impressive state and local government clients. But ask what has led to his success thus far and you get a small sample of the entrepreneurial hunger that continues his business.
"According to my standards, we are not yet successful," says Turner. "The fact that we continue to grow when others have been closing and that we have survived with no investment other than a small line of credit are certainly strengths. But, we need to get larger client relationships and demonstrate more success."
However, success for Turner goes beyond just revenue or client goals. Part of his measure for success goes back to what motivated him to start a business.
"At a young age I realized that if I were an employer, then I could hire who I want," says Turner. "I saw that there were many talented people that may not fit the employee prototype, but I could make the decision to motivate them and use their talents. We give people an opportunity who may have otherwise been overlooked."
Part of Turner's long-term vision for Turngroup Technologies includes having over 20 employees with full health benefits that feel fully engaged in his company's mission and vision.
By focusing on building good working relationships with his employees, Turner has been able to unlock talent that may have gone utilized. He also sees his ability to build similar trusting relationships with other small businesses as something that will continue to be a key part of his growth.
"We have been willing to ask for help from companies that have been there, and they have been willing to give me advice, keep me encouraged and on a road to being successful," says Turner. "Some of these same companies are my clients, and, as a result of our relationship, they have said positive things about us to other people. Most of our business continues to be built on good relationships."
Some of the best advice that Turner has received from his informal group of advisors and fans has to do with relationships - advice that he thinks all aspiring entrepreneurs could learn from. "Always provide good service and do what you say you are going to do," says Turner. "Some businesses can afford to provide bad service, but when you operate as a small place, you need to maintain good relationships."
Fight For Your Dream
Anthony Gonzalez-Angel & Patrick Judge - Gonzalez Companies - Top Minority Business Owner 2009
by Jeremy Nulik
Anthony Gonzalez-Angel and Patrick Judge, managing partners of Gonzalez Companies, a St. Louis-based construction management and engineering services firm for public and private infrastructure projects, are certainly in business to prosper. But just beneath the surface there lies a much bigger purpose to their company.
"My parents came here from Cuba with a mission and endured many hardships in pursuit of their American Dream - a better life," says Gonzalez-Angel. "I am continuing their legacy as I pursue and realize my own American Dream."
Indeed, four years ago when Judge joined Gonzalez-Angel to further build Gonzalez Companies, he was motivated by very much the same principles.
"I wanted freedom," says Judge. "Freedom to make my own decisions, to make my ideas and dreams become a reality. It is in my blood. I've known that I wanted to own my own business since I was little kid."
Driven by a deep passion, the partners have grown to four Midwest locations including St. Louis, Kansas City, Swansea (Illinois) and Omaha (Nebraska), and their full-time staff has grown from two to 30 employees.
Their journey hasn't been without challenges. "From the start, we have had a lack of access to capital," says Gonzalez-Angel. "To start from nothing, you have to live under your financial means and tune out the forces pushing you to spend your money on things that don't support your mission. I have found that excellence has minimal competition, so that is what we strive to bring to the table in everything we do regardless of our circumstances."
Gonzalez-Angel and Judge's commitment to excellence has been recently recognized. Gonzalez Companies was selected as the Hispanic Company of the Year for 2008, by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis. An honor that Judge sees as important for other minority-owned businesses in the area.
"A very wise business owner once told me that achieving success fosters more success," says Judge. "More minority entrepreneurs need to be exposed to successful minority business owners. Growing up in the inner city, I didn't have a lot of exposure to successful business owners and I don't believe most have the opportunity of this exposure either. Being an entrepreneur is very challenging and most lack enough mentoring or support to make their dreams a reality. As we continue to succeed, we also give back with our time and advice."
Success Is Not All About You
by Jeremy Nulik
From the time that she was very young Sine Berhanu had a fascination with America. And, many years ago, Berhanu gave in to her fantasy - traveling here from here native Ethiopia.
"I was young and curious," says Berhanu. "I decided to come here as a tourist, and I have just never left. I came to America because I thought it was El Dorado."
A marriage, three kids, a college degree and a business later, Berhanu now claims that she has found the Lost City of Gold right here in the United States.
Part of what motivates that feeling for her is the success of her business, Berhanu Organic, a healthful food manufacturer that specializes in the production of Ah! Zeefa - an Ethiopian spread made from black lentils, lime juice, olive oil, peppers and sea salt. Currently, you can find it locally where natural foods are sold.
"Ah! Zeefa is organic, kosher, vegan and gluten free," says Berhanu. "I love it because it is good tasting and good for you. Having this business has been so wonderful because it combines my passion for cooking with my love for people. I want to make healthful food not just to make money selling something - I want to support humanity."
This passion for serving others well is part of what has led to Berhanu's success thus far. "You have to focus on the excellence of what you do well," says Berhanu. "We have a unique product that looks good, tastes good and people like it when I bring it into a store, but I have to focus on the excellence on my service and how good I can make the product. It is not about me. It is about how much excellence I can bring to my customers."
So far, her philosophy of putting others first and working with passion is paying off handsomely. Just a couple of months ago, Berhanu won a new contract to supply United Natural Foods, a national food supplier, with Ah! Zeefa. All in one day, she outgrew her current location in the basement of the St. Louis County Enterprise Center's Midtown location.
"We went from crawling to running," she says. "We have been forced to find a new packing company to meet the larger demand. So far, everything has gone well, and I feel like I have been blessed."
For other aspiring minority entrepreneurs, Berhanu offers some lessons in humility. She says that her humble perspective has allowed her seed of a business that was literally planted in a basement and allowed it to break out into new ground.
"To anyone who wants to be in business, I would tell them that it is not about you," says Berhau. "If you love it, it will work for you. So, do what you love with passion and everything will fall in place. You will be focused and not discomforted by anything."
Work On Your Business, Not In Your Business
Nihad Simanovic - Vega Transport - Top Minority Business Owner 2009
by Jeremy Nulik
Nihad Simanovic did not come to the United States with the intention of starting a small business. The native Bosnian emigrated here in 1999 and, while working on a degree at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, got a job as an interpreter for Bosnians who were studying for their commercial driver's licenses. It was during his conversations with the soon-to-be drivers that Simanovic saw an opportunity for business.
"I heard the complaints from the people that wanted to be drivers, and I got to know the industry from their point of view," says Simanovic. "I knew I could create a company that would serve with integrity and honesty. And that we would serve our shippers and customers unconditionally."
So far, Simanovic has been successful. Vega Transport, his nationwide trucking company, has grown to 32 employees in four years. Simanovic has seen his Bosnian ethnicity as an advantage, rather than a challenge, for his business.
"We have no problem recruiting and retaining good Bosnian drivers," says Simanovic. Beyond speaking the same language, we also know what is important to them. That is why we have a policy that we bring all of our drivers home for the weekend. Being at home with their family matters to them. They are also more rested and better able to serve our customers."
And while employee happiness has been key for Vega Transport's success, Simanovic does not lose sight of whom the company serves.
"The customer drives everything," he says. "Some will say that you have to make your employees happy first, but really you have to work on relationships with employees and customers at the same time to have a long-lasting and viable business."
For aspiring minority entrepreneurs, Simanovic offers some advice he received in an issue of St. Louis Small Business Monthly. "I read that 'You need to work on your business, not in your business,'" he says. "It is very easy to get bogged down with small daily tasks and lose focus of the primary goals. By focusing on the business, we have been able to grow our company from two tractors and trailers in 2005 to over 60 tractors and trailers today."
Tough Times Don't Last, Tough People Do
Ollie Dowell - Ollie Dowell Communications - Top Minority Business Owner 2009
by Jeremy Nulik
Is there a tougher place to try to run a business than an airport? People are in a hurry, frustrated with airport security and, without fail, the airline has misplaced luggage or delayed flights. This terrain would not seem like a likely place for a customer service-focused entrepreneur, but what most would regard as a roadblock, Ollie Dowell takes on as a challenge.
Back in 2004, the former KMOX reporter formed Ollie Dowell Communication, a St. Louis City-based public relations firm after growing tired of being let go by what seemed like promising career jobs.
"I had lost so much," says Dowell. "I did not want to go through the pain of losing my job again. I was not going to have someone else dictate to me my future of employment. What I have learned is, that attitude would not sustain my business. Just focusing on how mad at somebody or making a lot of money will cause you to fail."
Dowell shifted her negative energy toward building something new and positive. She took advantage of many of the entrepreneurial programs that St. Louis offers including the Washington University's Olin Cup Competition, Grace Hill Women's Business Center. She also was able to find affordable business incubator space with the St. Louis Enterprise Center's Midtown location.
After a couple of years of getting her business and name established, Dowell landed a $1 million contract from the Lambert-St.Louis International Airport to train and staff the airport information booth, a contract that she recently won once again just a couple of months ago.
"If somebody is looking for an unaccompanied child, their Internet dating partner failed to show up or they are just looking for the bathroom, they come to us," says Dowell. "We problem solve all day long. Training the staff on customer service is crucial, so we hold training sessions four times a year, and we do a lot of role play and are in the process of better documenting the situations that we help people to navigate. We then share this information with the airport to make service even better."
Apparently, helping people to get diapers for toddlers and locate their lost loved ones was not enough for Dowell. In July, she became the sole investor in a Lambert Airport's first spa - an opportunity that came her way because of her history of excellent customer service training. With Dowell's $350,000 investment, the New York-based XpresSpa opened a location next to gate E-18. The spa offers weary airport travelers a chance to get a massage, manicure and many other spa luxuries. Dowell's new venture was open in time for the All-Star game and, so far, her newest tactic in making weary travelers happy is working out well.
Dowell chalks most of her success up to some advice that she received about the time she had lost her employment.
"Tough times don't last. Tough people do," she says. "If I wanted to have a successful business, I need to rise to the level of the things that I want to attract. You need to rise to the level of what it is you want to do."
