Mom’s Best Friend Lice Removal Wins the “Wackiest” Category
Congratulations to Mom’s Best Friend Lice Removal, located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for being named in the Top 10 for 2014 Home-Based 100 Business Winners. Mom’s Best Friend Lice Removal won the top spot in the “Wackiest Category”! We caught up with business owner and entrepreneur Brandy Bartholomew and asked her to answer some questions and share some words of advice and inspiration with our StartupNation audience.
Tell Us About Your Journey
StartupNation: What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
Brandy: Being able to love what I do daily.
StartupNation: To what do you attribute your success as an entrepreneur and business owner?
Brandy: Genuinely caring for your customer is the number one priority of any entrepreneur. If you have that, everything else will simply fall into place.
StartupNation: What ignited the spark in you to start/select your particular business as an entrepreneur?
Brandy: I came across so many families whose children were being kept out of school for lengthy periods of time for Pediculosis. Parents were frustrated because over the counter kits have lost their effectiveness over time and the average head lice removal company was not affordable. We created a business model that solved the problem, safely and efficiently and was affordable for everyone.
StartupNation: What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
Brandy:
- Dedication
- Strong Work Ethic and
- a Positive Attitude
Words of Wisdom – Inspiration for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
StartupNation: If you had one piece of advice for someone just starting out, what would it be?
Brandy: Don’t give up. If something isn’t working, simpy try something different until you get results.
Inspiration
StartupNation: Where do you find your greatest inspiration?
Brandy: My greatest inspiration comes from seeing working moms manage the million tasks they have daily. They never cease to amaze me. No matter the time constraints, they simply “get it done”.
StartupNation: What is your favorite motivational/business quote as an entrepreneur?
Brandy: “Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision”. Peter Drucker
StartupNation: A motto you live by?
Brandy: Treat others as you want to be treated, in life and in business.
Tell Us About Your Business, Experiences & Funding Your Startup
StartupNation: How did you get funding for your startup?
Brandy: It is a family owned and operated business and was funded by all family members involved.
StartupNation: Recommendations for others starting out?
Brandy: SBA.GOV has some great funding ideas.
Marketing and Building Their Customer Base
StartupNation: How do you market and build your customer base?
Brandy: We strive to WOW moms. They are our biggest fans and they give us repetitive business through referrals. We also market ourselves with local schools and pediatricians/dermatologists.
StartupNation: Recommendations for others starting out?
Brandy: On Line Reputation is everything. If you take care of your clients, they in return will take care of you.
Changes in the Business Market
StartupNation: What changes have you seen in your business market since starting?
Brandy: Because it is a last minute, spur of the minute, destination type business; you used to see more reliance on PPC ads. I think more mom and pop local businesses are now learning to advertise by simply being a supporter of your local community.
StartupNation: What do you see coming that will impact your business?
Brandy: You also have to be willing to change with the times. There may be better ways of dealing with Pediculosis in the near future. We will need to make sure that we stay informed of any improvements within our industry.
StartupNation: Have a funny story about a client or business transaction that you want to share along with a key lesson learned?
Brandy: We recently had a young lady (about 12 years old), who missed out on close to 6 months of school and had Pediculosis for almost 9 months. She was kept primarily to her room within this time-frame so that she would not infect her single mom who was struggling financially. Luckily, her new school this year learned about our free treatment program for truly indigent clients and we were able to go out and treat her for free. When we first met her, she was embarrassed and shy and would barely speak. We followed up with this delightful young lady a week after her treatment to make sure that she her treatment had worked and she was full of smiles. She told us about her new school and how excited she was to be back. We knew right then and there, that this was the sole reason we had all started this business and that it was making the impact we expected it to on the local communities that we service. We are all grateful every day that we get to do what we love daily and would encourage anyone thinking about starting a business, to follow their dreams and turn them into reality. You never know the difference you might be able to make in someone else’s life by doing so.
Learn more about Brandy and other businesses that entered and placed in the competition by clicking here for the top ten and a full list 2014 Home-Based 100 Business Winners and entrants.
Do you have a startup? Are you a passionate entrepreneur with an idea that has taken off and want to share your success with others? Would you like your business to receive priceless exposure in the media and be positioned to take your business to the next level? Then join us this fall for the 8th Annual StartupNation Home-Based 100 Competition which ranks outstanding home-based businesses and the amazing people behind them! Watch for your change to enter! In the meantime, be sure to visit us daily for new content to support and grow your business!
