Loudoun SBDC to the Rescue! by Deborah L. Parker

Another client weighs in to tell us about her businesss and how Loudoun SBDC assisted her. Thanks, Deborah, for sharing your experience! Read about how Deborah faced and overcame her small business challenges, questions like: what about my business entity? and social media? and my strategy??!! Enjoy! RS - Loudoun SBDC Team.

Loudoun SBDC to the Rescue!
by Deborah L. Parker

I’m going to say what most of us know: Starting and sustaining a business is tough work. As the entrepreneurial and corporate landscapes change around us, it’s important to be keen on exploring new ways to tap our markets as well as operate our enterprises. Social media, tax legislation or liability issues all require our energy and attention. Tweaks, upgrades and paperwork - oh no! I’m a small business, and I need to do these things BESIDES everything else!



I’ve discovered some good assistance for understanding and navigating these requirements. Recently I had to make those tweaks and changes and for a moment was unsure of what to do or where to go. Then it came to me: I could call the Loudoun SBDC. I’d already attended a couple of the business workshops offered by Loudoun SBDC a few years ago, as well as spoken with one of the counselors. Plus I’d volunteered at the Center’s annual conference a couple of times and extracted very useful information. But change loomed large in my sole proprietorship structure since those days. The social media explosion challenged my technophobe stance. I knew it was time for me to insert myself into this medium. And I was about to have my first book published so reassessing my business structure might be necessary.



I made the call to Loudoun SBDC and help was on the way! From the first conversation with a staff member to now, the support has been outstanding. The “front” person is warm, engaging and knowledgeable. Consults with their very skilled social media specialist and an excellent volunteer attorney have opened up new insights and techniques for me to use in moving forward in how I manage my consultancy and authorship. Objective and on point advice from the SBDC counselor as well as information on networking groups provided me with a critical lens into tweaking my strategy.



Now The DPJ Training Group is back on track!! I am excited to be part of the vibrant Loudoun County entrepreneurial landscape…even if it does constantly change. Actually, that’s part of the fun!
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Deborah L. Parker is the Principal Consultant and Motivational Speaker at The DPJ Training Group. She conducts seminars on issues of leadership and personal development.


Deborah L. Parker
Principal Consultant and Speaker
The DPJ Training Group
thedpjtraininggroup.com
Author, Navigating Life’s Roadways
navigatinglifesroadways.com
dlparker6@verizon.net(703)669-6513

Loudoun County Adventures in Saddle Fitting, by Callie Fulmer

Hello! Loudoun SBDC is inviting clients in Loudoun County to submit blog posts...tell us about your businesses, and about you!! I was tickled by Callie's post. Enjoy!
RS - Loudoun SBDC


My name is Callie Fulmer, and I own Understanding Equitation. I am a horse trainer, ostensibly. Actually, I'm a "people trainer" and the people just happen to own a horse. We have a lot of fun and both our horses and our people end up being on the same "mind page" when we're all done! I'm taking the NxLeveL business plan class at Loudoun SBDC. One of my assignments was to write a blog post. Yikes! Well, assignment done...here it is. Help out the business student Callie, and send me your feedback on this post! I would LOVE your help!! Email any comments to me at callie@calliefulmer.com. Okay, here's my blog post!

Part of the services of Understanding Equitation is an ongoing program called Second Sunday Seminars. We get together on...you guessed it...the Second Sunday of each month and talk about horsey stuff. We have covered topics from Conformation to “Old, weak and feeble, what your horse should know before this describes you!”

Last month's Second Sunday Seminar was about saddle fit. I was really excited because I have an engineering background and the dynamic, 3-dimensional, non-Euclidian geometry that is involved with fitting a saddle engages that mechanical side of my brain in a way that pumps me up.

After looking at the horse's back and identifying some conformation points that influence saddle fit, we began to break down the various curves that make up the shape of the saddle (and also the horse's back) and how to tell which one (or ones) is incorrect.

After about an hour and a half, a person new to the seminars asked me what I usually found when I went to work with a new client. Did I more often find that the saddles fit or not? I explained to her that though I don't know why this is, I am most often a trainer of “last resort.” By the time riders decide to work with me they have already been through several trainers, at least one saddle fitter, and usually a team of vets and equine body workers. So in light of that, I most often find that the saddle fits the horse pretty well -- though frequently the fit for the rider could be improved!

I did get a chuckle when one of my clients piped up in response to my “last resort” comment, “Some of us just get lucky!” I love my clients. And I love helping horses through sharing information and improving their owners’ understanding.

You can learn all about me and my services at www.UnderstandingEquitation.com.
Callie FulmerOwner, Running Blood Farm

(703) 508-2939 voice
callie@calliefulmer.com
callie@understandingequitation.com
http://www.secondsundayseminars.com/
http://www.understandingequitation.com/