"Details
to Delight You" is the tag line used by the Furniture Gourmet,
an Internet-based retailer of decorative home accessories. Karen Parry
and her daughter and co-owner, Jennifer Yarbrough, have begun delighting
people from across the country with their web business. Karen came
to the Southwest Missouri State Small Business Development Center
to attend the "How to Write a Business Plan" session and
then began working one-to-one with a consultant.
Karen's
original plan was to partner with a "brick & mortar"
design business in Springfield by providing the online portion of
the business in exchange for decorating expertise. She also planned
to have many custom and exclusive products from which customers could
choose. As the center directed Karen in the planning process, she
found that the partnership was not going to work, and as so often
happens, she made adjustments in her plans. Karen has found that her
natural gift for design has provided the expertise necessary.
Karen then attended the Financial Management Seminar Series, and
began to gather information for her financial projections. She learned
how cash flow would impact her business and adjusted her planning
again. Karen says that although she has been in the business world
for a long time, she found that planning and owning a business of
her own was more complex than she had imagined. She indicates that
the resources offered by the SBDC
were fundamental to her success in starting her business.
The center also assisted Karen by doing a trademark search and developing
the processes she needed in place to efficiently process orders. The
center helped with web site research, how to work with web site developers,
pricing of products, logistics and more. The center also reviewed
her business plan and financial projections.
Karen
has just completed her first year in business and is pleased with
progress her business is making. She has found the beginning stages
of startup in the current economy have been slower than projected;
however, she continues to get more customers all the time. Karen says
that the mistakes she has made this year have happened when she didn't
follow advice and just did what seemed like a good idea. She says
that the one thing she would do differently is to actually work, even
part-time, in a retail business. She believes that would have given
her more confidence that she really knew what to do.
As Furniture Gourmet begins its second year in business, Karen plans
to focus on marketing the site, offering more custom products and
marketing to interior designers. With sales continuing to grow each
month, she feels assured that she will "catch up" with her
projections this year.
Visit furnituregourmet.com
to see a world of "Details to Delight You"!
Furniture Gourmet
1926 South Glenstone, #370
Springfield, MO 65804
Phone: 417-655-1206
Fax: 417-889-4771
Email kparry@furnituregourmet.com
www.furnituregourmet.com
Manufacturer
- Billy Goat Industries of Lee's
Summit - manufacturer of outdoor power equipment
- Eyes of the World of Rolla - manufacturer of high-quality intraocular lenses for humans and animals
- ISW Group, Inc., of St. Louis - manufacturer of a skin-care product for
African Americans suffering with dermatological problems
- The Newberry Group of St. Louis - developer of computer security systems
- Patric Chocolate of Columbia - gourmet chocolate maker
- Pogue Label and Screen of St. Louis - a specialist in printing labels on plastic containers
- Renewable Alternatives of Columbia - specializing in the engineering of phase change materials
to ensure consistent temperatures
- Sigma Aldrich of St. Louis -
chemical manufacturer
- TechGuard Security of Chesterfield - provider of information network security products
- X-Com, Inc. of Warrensburg, - produces digital communications hardware and software for the Navy and other commercial applications and products
Professional, Scientific and Technical Service
- Aegis Business Solutions LLC of Kansas City -
offers solutions to business problems in information technology
- Brick City Custom Works of Mexico - custom motorcycle repair and service shop
- Gaskin, Hill, Norcross of
Springfield - developer of a text messaging system
- Global Solutions Group of Fenton - network solutions, IT telephone and
systems management firm
- H2O Technical Services, Inc., of Springfield, a provider of integrated water treatment services and applications
- Hammer Collections of Springfield - employs computer software and information technology to resolve and prevent payment delinquencies
- Language Solutions, Inc. of St. Louis - specializing in translation technology and multi-lingual communications services to assist other businesses reach a global market
- Logistical Resource Solutions of St. Louis - storage and inventory control
- Lytmos Group LLC of Lee's Summit - provides peer review and grants management support to organizations that sponsor high technology R&D
- Mobile Media Technologies, LLC of Kansas Ciy - wireless communications
- Nanova, Inc. of Columbia - researching biomaterials, materials, composites and medical devices to develop more reliable medical devices
- NEMS/MEMS Works LLC of Columbia - engineering researchers developing early-stage prototypes of nanotechnology delivery devices to target drug applications in patients with life-threatening conditions
- OsteoGeneX of Kansas City - drug research and biotech commercialization
- Paternity Testing Corporation of Columbia - forensic investigations, DNA profiling
and parental identification
- P/Strada, LLC, of Kansas City - a
consultant in bio-terrorism and homeland security
- Sign Designs of Joplin - designs and manufactures custom signs for large corporations and small businesses
- Technology and Networking of Cape Girardeau - computer technology and telecommunications sales and services
- The Vacation Channel of
Branson - independent TV station providing tourism info
- Westinn Kennels of St. Charles
- canine boarding and training facility
- Wren Associates, Ltd. of Jefferson
City - provider of retail fraud detection systems
|
|
|
Visit the current Featured Entrepreneur
