C14
Oct. 6, 1999
^National M in o rity 'business ^Week
(Elje J io r tla n ò (0 b seru er
VENDOR OFTHEYEAR
SMALL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION WINNERS
G e o r g ia O ’ M a ry an d
J a n ie M i l l i c a n h a d a v i
s io n o f o w n i n g a c o m
p a n y b u i l t o n th e p r e m is e
o f d e l i v e r i n g th e h i g h e s t
l e v e l o f s e r v i c e to e a c h
a n d e v e r y c l i e n t . T h e ir
v is io n cam e tru e w hen
th e y p o o l e d t h e i r t a l e n t s
in th e c o n t r a c t f u r n i t u r e
in d u s try
and fo u n d e d
G E O & J E M , I n c . in
1994.
T hey s ta rte d th e ir
c o m p a n y in th e b a s e m e n t
o f G e o rg ia
O 'M a r y ’ s
h o u se w ith th re e e m
p l o y e e s . In th e f iv e y e a r s
th e y h a v e b e e n in b u s i
n e s s , th e y h a v e g ro w n to
a co m p an y th a t c o n s is ts
o f 11 f u l l tim e a n d tw o
p a rt tim e e m p lo y e e s .
F rom m o d e s t b e g i n n i n g s
to a 4 .5 m i l l i o n - d o l l a r
b u s in e s s , G e o rg ia and
J a n i e a i m e d to p l e a s e
c lie n ts .
T h e y l i s t e n e d to t h e i r
c u s to m e rs and a n t i c i
p a te d w h a t th e y w a n te d .
T h e y a ls o k n e w t h a t no
o n e s u c c e e d s in b u s i n e s s
c o m p l e t e l y a lo n e . C o n
s e q u e n tly , th e y d e v e l
o p e d a te a m o f s p e c i a l
i s t s w i t h e x p e r t i s e in
sp ace p la n n in g , in te r io r
d e s ig n an d p r o j e c t m a n
a g e m e n t.
T h e ir te a m s e r v i c e h as
m ade
th e ir
b u s in e s s
h ig h ly s u c c e s s f u l . A s a
r e s u l t , th e y h a v e d e v e l
o p e d a lo y a l c l i e n t f o l
lo w in g b e c a u s e th e y are
a b le to a d a p t t h e i r v is io n
to
th e ir
c u s to m e rs ’
t a s t e s . A lth o u g h b u i ld in g
t h e i r b u s in e s s w as d i f f i
c u l t , G e o r g ia a n d J a n ie
p e rse v e re d , s a c rific e d
an d d e d ic a te d th e m s e lv e s
to a c h ie v e s u c c e s s . As a
r e s u l t , th e y h a v e f o u n d
K <>\
v ic e a g a in .
fu 1 fi 11 m en t .
A <;<»<>!> F O I l ( l \ \
I \ (.
“ I f t h e r e ’ s a p r o b le m ,
w e c a n ta k e c a re o f it. A
l o t o f th e d e a l e r s w i l l
c h a r g e th e e n d - u s e r fo r
d o i n g t h a t . W e do n o t
s u p p o r t it.
A lo t o f c u s to m e r s a re
our
frie n d s .
T hese
frie n d s h ip s had d e v e l
o p e d o v e r th e l a s t tw e n ty
y e a r s . W e t r e a t th e c u s
to m e r s as we w o u ld a
f r i e n d . Y o u w a n t to do
th a t if you c a n .”
“ We h a d a la r g e o p e n
h o u s e in M a y . T h e r e
m a rk s we g o t w e re , “ I
c a n ’ t b e l i e v e how m uch
your
com pany
has
g ro w n !” O ur o p en house
w as th e h e ig h t o f o u r f iv e
y e a rs o f d o in g b u s in e s s .
We had w o rk e d to
g e th e r in a n o th e r o f f ic e
f u rn itu re d e a le rs h ip . A f
t e r m a n y y e a r s , we had
d e c id e d to go o u t on o u r
ow n t o g e t h e r . W e l e f t o u r
c u s to m e rs
fro m
th a t
s to r e a n d 80% m a n a g e d to
fin d us a n d w a n t o u r s e r-
“ W e h a v e a w e b s i te . We
r e a l l y h a v e n o t d o n e to o
m u c h w ith it. T h is y e a r
h a s b e e n a y e a r o f g r o w th
fo r u s. We h a v e r e a lly
c o n c e n tra te d
on
our
sh o w ro o m s p a c e .
We
have
changed
s o f t w a r e s w i t h in th e l a s t
y e a r w h ic h h a s m a d e a
b ig d i f f e r e n c e to u s . A nd
s o , l a s t y e a r , w e d id ta k e
o u t a w e b s ite . It w as
p ro b a b ly a l i t t l e b it p r e
m a tu r e a n d w e h a v e n o t
p a id th e a t t e n t i o n we
s h o u ld h a v e to i t. T h a t is
o n e o f th e a r e a s we a re
ta rg e tin g .
I d e a l l y , we n e e d to be
a b le to g e t in th e r e fo r
o u r c u s t o m e r s to o r d e r
r i g h t o u t o f o u r w e b s i te .
We d o n ’t h av e th a t te c h
n o l o g y . W e ’ re g o in g to
h a v e to h i r e t h a t in so
t h a t c u s to m e r s c a n o r d e r
th e ir
file
c a b in e ts ,
c h a i r s a n d o t h e r t h in g s .
We know o f d e a le rs
w ho s e r v ic e c u s to m e rs
th ro u g h th e ir w e b s ite
a n d th e a d v a n ta g e is t h a t
t h e y ’ re g e tt in g o r d e r s
n a t i o n w i d e . I t ’ s g o in g to
be a v e r y b ig d e a l f o r th e
n e w m ille n n iu m b e c a u s e
t h a t ’ s how p e o p le a re
g o in g to be o r d e r i n g f u r
n itu re .
I t h i n k y o u n e e d to
h a v e p r o d u c ts on th e W eb
to o r d e r b u t you a ls o n e e d
to s t i l l be o ld - f a s h io n e d
an d go o u t a n d c a ll in th e
c u s to m e rs . I h o p e th a t
n e v e r g o es a w a y .”
“ T h e f i r s t y e a r , we h ad
o n e e m p lo y e e . O u r f i r s t
y e a r we w e re a t $ 8 0 ,0 0 0
in s a l e s . W e s t a r t e d in
M ay f iv e y e a rs a g o an d
th e f i r s t o r d e r t h a t w e
h a d w as in A u g u s t f o r o n e
f ile c a b i n e t . T h e n , fro m
A u g u s t to D e c e m b e r , we
s o ld $ 8 0 0 ,0 0 0 in f u r n i
tu r e . T h e f o llo w in g y e a r ,
we h ir e d tw o m o re s u p
p o r t s t a f f a n d we r a is e d
o u r s a le s to $ 1 .5 m il li o n .
I t ’ s b e e n s te a d y g r o w th .
N ow we h a v e tw o m o re
s a le s p e o p le t h a t h e lp u s.
A lto g e th e r, th e r e ’s fo u r
o f us o u t in th e f i e l d a n d
fiv e p r o je c t m a n a g e rs
w ho a ls o w o rk w ith th e
c u s to m e rs .”
O NE STOP RECORDS
“ The
O reg o n
N a tiv e
A m e ric a n
C ham ber of
C o m m e rc e h as b ro u g h t in
so m any g o o d p e o p le . A ll
o f us a re v e ry c lo s e - k n it
a n d we try to h e lp e ach
o th e r . W hen o u r m em b e rs
a re in tr o u b le , we r a lly .
O n e o f th e m e m b e r ’ s
d a u g h te r f e ll o f f h e r h o rse
a n d le f t in c r i t ic a l c o n d i
tio n . H e ’ s f in a n c ia lly
h u r tin g so we a ll c h ip p e d
in to h e lp him o u t. T he
C h a m b e r is g o in g to d o
n a te
m o n ey to o . T he
C h a m b e r is f o r N a t i v e
A m e ric a n s as a w h o le , i t ’ s
n o t j u s t fo r u s .”
“ E x p e c t to p u t in long
h o u r s , e x p e c t to m a k e
f a m i ly s a c r i f i c e s . H a v
in g an u n d e r s t a n d i n g
f a m i l y is #1 b e c a u s e
y o u ’ re
never
hom e.
K eep
on
your
to e s .
W h e n y o u ’ re h a v i n g a
g r e a t m o n th , it n e v e r
fa ils
th a t s o m e th in g
c o m e s u p to e a t t h a t
p ro fit.
I f G e o rg ia and I h ad
k n o w n a b o u t a ll th e o r
g a n iz a tio n s b e f o r .e w ho
c o u ld h a v e h e lp e d u s,
w e w o u ld h a v e h a d a
m uch b e tte r s ta r t. We
d i d n ’ t h a v e an i d e a t h a t
t h e r e w a s an O A M E ( O r
e g o n A s s o c i a t i o n o f M i
n o rity E n tre p re n e u rs )
o r O N A B E N f o r N a t iv e
A m e ric a n B u s in e s s e s .
W e n o w h a v e a ll th e s e
c o m p a n i e s we c a n c a l l
on i f w e h a v e a p r o b le m .
T h a t’s
im p o rta n t
to
h a v e . E v e n th o u g h w e ’ re
a ll c o m p e tito r s , we s t i l l
c a l l on e a c h o t h e r . Y ou
d o n ’ t w a n t o t h e r p e o p le
to t r i p a n d f a l l . Y o u
n eed each o th e r .”
K a is e r P e r m a n e n t e
S a lu te s
Salutes Minority Business
Development Week
and supports
M in o r it y a n d w o m e n O w n e d
B u s in e s s e s !
This week only We're featuring our own Mel Brown Quintet
live at Jimmy Mak's
also for this occasion only:
Kaiser Permanentes pledge to champion and aid small, minority
and women owned businesses is more than a moral and social commit
ment. It is a valuable investment for the enrichment of the diversity they
Our Special Sale Price
on these..
contribute to our organization and the communities we serve.
N e w C D 's
We encourage and welcome any small, minority or women owned
1. Marvin is 60
2. Strong
3. Terry Dexter
4. Tracie
5. Mel Brown
business to explore the opportunities present within Kaiser Permanente.
For more information call (503) 571-5101.
Explore our website for more information on all our current job
openings. An on-line application is available. O r you may visit our
Employment Office.
AVAILABLE AT:
EMPLOYMENT OFFICE
CHECK OUT OUR:
• New Priqfcs on New
Releases
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Phone: (503) 813-4701
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Hard To Cut You
Some Slack
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