Success In Action: Marketing Gateways

"Down-sized" and living in Rockland County! Where do I go from here?

It was Friday October 13, 2006 when I got a call that nearly floored me. My employer informed me that I had been 'down-sized' because we had not made our projections. During the days and weeks that followed I went through a range of recurring emotions. As time passed, my attitude began to change and I began to enjoy not having to answer to a boss and be a slave to the almighty "Blackberry", on call 24/7. Yes, it was a great pleasure being out of the rat race! But, finally, reality set in; "I was minus a steady pay check!" A steady paycheck was something I had become accustomed to my entire working life. Now, I was suddenly without it and the thought of not having one scared the daylights out of me.

This fear began to diminish slightly, however, when I applied for New York State unemployment insurance. I received a letter from New York State Unemployment informing me that I was eligible for a state funded program called, Self Employment Assistance Program (SEAP) which would allow me to continue receiving unemployment benefits while starting my own business. I decided to take advantage of the program and attended a SEAP orientation meeting where I also learned about Rockland SCORE, a volunteer organization of experienced business people who provide education, counseling, and mentoring to new and existing small business owners. As part of the SEAP program, I attended a seminar series offered by Rockland SCORE and met the consultant who would serve as my mentor over the next twelve months.

In February 2007 I formed "Marketing Gateways", my consulting company (www.marketinggateways.com) which has given me: a source of income, an opportunity to continue to use my expertise and former business contacts, a favorable tax advantage for a home-based businesses, the opportunity be my own boss; more leisure time; and less stress. Over the course of the next few months Rockland SCORE and my consultant:

• Helped me to organize and structure my consulting business
• Understand how to establish realistic fees and develop proposals for clients
• Provided me with advice on how to find good clients, set up agreements, control costs, and make a profit
• Helped me through the bureaucratic obstacles of starting my new business such as registering a business name
• Counseled me on selecting experts to handle legal, tax, and accounting issues
• Helped me to build my self-confidence so that I could be successful

Since February 2007, Marketing Gateways has become a successful consulting practice and I have developed good clients who are using my services. My consultant and mentor, Larry Greenberg, and I still meet to review progress and he continues to ask me the tough questions as well as helping me find the answers. Rockland SCORE has provided the guidance and the foundation to enable me to, once again, establish confidence in myself and to gain the skills I needed to build a viable and profitable consulting practice.

About Rockland County SCORE

In the past three years we have worked with over 2,000 individuals in consulting meetings and seminars. Clients and their consultants meet as many times as needed and there is never a charge for a meeting.

Our mission is to help our clients:

• Understand the world of small business operations and the criteria for success.
• Develop business plans to assess the reality and risks associated with their business idea and operations.
• Serve as an on-going mentor as they move forward with their plans and activity.