Ms. Carla Daniels, a 2009 graduate of our Developing the Business Plan course is the owner of HMG (His Mercy and Grace) Consultants, LLC.  Her company assists adults with making wise parental and relationship choices.  She also works with grades K thru 12 to develop leadership abilities that last a lifetime. 

Ms. Daniels feels uniquely qualified to offer this type of assistance.  She began her early adult years on state-assistance, and during these lean years, she became actively interested in welfare-reform.  Her desire to make better choices and to offer hope to those who wished for the same opened the door for her to motivate others through speaking engagements.  The empowering presentations she gave, in turn, led her to enter the world of academia to pursue a higher level of education earning both Bachelors and Masters Degrees. 

She started HMG Consultants in 2000 and credits it as the reason she has become more involved with the central Ohio community.  Through her informational and transformational workshops, her positive message has resonated with many who have turned their lives around by making better choices and creating positive legacies for future generations. 

Her relationship with INCREASE CDC is a strong one.  She has received two micro loans from us and is currently taking advantage of our Individual Development Account (IDA) program, which matches $2,000 when the participant saves $1,000.  This past November, she was a guest presenter at our Passion to Profit Seminar.  Click here to see her video from the event.

On a personal level, I asked Ms. Daniels to recommend a good book, one she had read recently.  She quickly replied, “The Servant Leadership of Jesus Christ,” a book which has helped her in leading and serving others.  When asked for her favorite quote, Ms. Daniels wowed me with, “Sometimes, you have to close your eyes to see clearly.”  She explains that often our sight gets in the way of our vision.  “To keep this from happening,” she says, “We must turn our visions from outward to inward.”  We agree and will remember her words of wisdom (WOW). 

As a graduate in this month’s spotlight, we wish Ms. Carla Daniels much increase in 2012 and beyond.  For more information on Ms. Daniels and her company, HMG Consultants, LLC, please visit, Carla@hmgconsultants.com.

Now that we have kicked off 2012, it's vital to look back at the goals INCREASE CDC has reached in 2011 and to review our goals set for the New Year. Helping micro business owners grow their businesses by creating opportunities, finding new customers, providing new resources, and introducing new business concepts are a few of the accomplishments of which we are most proud.

Looking back, our signature event for 2011 was our first annual Entrepreneurs Conference & Expo held in October.  This event drew over 125 business owners, funders, and sponsors who rated the event 4.5 out of 5 stars.  The conference brought together business owners who were interested in growing and promoting their companies.  Along with these business owners, several funding organizations also showed their support.  In the end, all found we are interconnected to one another and to the communities we serve.  Click here to see video footage from the conference.  This year's conference is set for October.  Stay tuned for details.

Secondly, we helped our customers by hosting our monthly INCREASE Community Business Network (ICBN) luncheons.  In addition to solid networking and good food, the ICBN also provided informational presentations by motivational speakers who helped our clients adopt new growth strategies.  These highly successful events represent our high level of excellence in helping our customers sustain and grow their businesses.  We truly thank all of our supporters who helped make 2011 great.

As we gaze towards 2012, the possibility of achieving many new goals stares back at us.  Relocating from our present address to a new facility tops our “To Do” list and will allow us to deliver our educational programs on-site.  In addition to relocating, we plan to implement on-line webinars with timely information, so our customers may gain knowledge whenever and wherever they choose.  We are committed to remaining customer-focused while increasing clients served, increasing awareness of our market, and increasing our partnerships.  We believe 2012 will be a year of great increase, and we are pleased you will be sharing this journey with us.  Fasten your seatbelts.  It’s going to be an exciting ride.