BL: My greatest accomplishment since starting the business in 2010 is that despite the odds, despite being broke, despite meager start-up finances I was able to weather the storms and keep the "doors" open.  It is true that you need money to start and run a business.  But banks don't like lending money to new unproven businesses, and what's worse in 2010 the banking industry was deep in trouble, reeling from the sub-prime lending debacle.  Banks  were closing and being taken over left, right, and center.  So, there was no love for me. (Laughs).  But despite the challenges I experienced finding start-up money, I was able to make it happen.  I cleaned out my 401K, I took out loans against my life insurance policies, I used up my severance package (which was pretty decent I might say!) To this day, I believe that I survived just on the sheer will to succeed.  My friends even started to discreetly send me job postings encouraging me to give it up and get back to work.  But I had a dream.  And the only way I could make that dream a reality was to stay the course.  And that I did!  I think to date this has been my greatest accomplishment.   

SA: What has been the biggest challenge you've faced as an entrepreneur?

BL: That's a funny question because my biggest accomplishment and my biggest challenge both came out of the same pot of stew.  The biggest challenge you can face as a start-up is a lack of funding.  And it doesn't help when you attend workshops and small business events that all you hear about is the importance of funding to sustain your business idea and convert it to a real viable business. It was a little scary at times realizing that my primary source of fuel was my own energy, will, and determination to make this business survive.  Starting a business with no capital or even limited capital is like driving blindfolded.  It's a potential disaster of magnanimous proportions!  However, I was able to do it somehow. I stayed the course, learned to live lean, brought my family along for the ride (my youngest son was in high school at the time). Think how difficult it was to pay the sports dues, or buy homecoming and prom outfits! But I'm glad to say we made it up the rough side of the mountain!  

SA: What impact is your business having on your local community?

BL: Right now, we are really impacting our local economy in two major ways.  Firstly, we are proud that we have hired local residents to work at WLS.  Since winning our very first government contract in 2013, we have employed a total of 4 employees, 3 being residents of our local county and 2 of whom are still employed with WLS.  I am proud that we have been able to employ DeKalb County Residents in our business. Our employees earn a competitive living wage for their work, and complete work that is meaningful and interesting. Secondly, we support our local workforce development agencies, such as DeKalb Workforce Development, by touching the lives of their clients through our job readiness training programs.  We have provided free resume reviews and interview coaching to several individuals we've met through our association with the workforce development agencies.  We have participated in Job and Career Fair events and continue to provide training and coaching to those in need of our services.  Additionally, we are active advocates against domestic violence and work in support of agencies such as the Georgia Coalition against Domestic Violence and the Beverly Cunningham Outreach Program.

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