24 Hours Aren’t Enough
Simply running a small business is more than a 24/7 commitment. Being a mother of four, a full time caregiver and president of your family business is enough to overload anyone’s circuits. None of these jobs came with an instruction manual, and Bucks County business woman Trish Grove has had to become very good at handling each job on the fly. Trish came into the family business when her husband, Ben, began a long term battle with stomach cancer. The business he founded in their family garage, Breathe Safe, had grown into becoming a major provider of fire safety equipment throughout the five-county region and South New Jersey. They were recognized for their exceptional service, and developed a large and loyal base in the volunteer fire community. Unfortunately, with Ben’s inability to help with the business, Trish was left to juggle too many balls, and the business suffered.
The Bucks County EDC is a long-term partner to the Groves and has helped Ben expand and grow his business in Bucks County. While quickly learning to run her business, Trish gratefully turned to the Bucks County Economic Development Corporation for assistance. The EDC called on their partner, the SEWN program, to make Trish’s juggling act a little easier. The immediate financial management requirements were addressed through a debt restructuring and cash flow strategy. The Breathe Safe service success stories have been used to leverage contacts and connections into sales leads. Longer term, SEWN has worked with Trish and Ben in securing investment partners to help expand the product offerings and provide additional resources to help grow the business within their market niche.
The daily demands continue to be just as great for Trish and her business, but the helping hands from BCEDC and SEWN have increased her efficiency at managing the business needs, allowing her more quality time to devote to her husband and her children. Making the marketing and business plans more user-friendly for this multi- tasking business owner has positively changed the direction of the business.
Sometimes a very busy person can use a little bit of the right kind of help to become very effective. The good news is that kind of help is available and very willing to get involved. Trish asked and because she is a quick learner, her efforts have breathed life back into the family safety business.
Breathe Safe Fire & Safety Equipment Co., P.O. Box 520, 2507 Bristol Rd, Warrington, PA 18976, or on the web at http://www.breathesafenow.com
If you would like to talk about new marketing strategies for your stressed business, please contact SEWN at sewnse@steelvalley.org or 215-458-7580.