| Woman Entrepreneurs - Rising To the Top |
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| Written by Lori Anne Oliwa | |||
| Sunday, 04 May 2008 20:00 | |||
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Arctic Air Conditioning - PearlyGates Accessories - A Taste of Rubies - Sebastian’s Hair-Em and Day Spa THE TEAM APPROACH What started 31 years ago as a tiny business has evolved into a large, thriving enterprise, according to Paulette and Howard Albert, the dynamic duo behind Arctic Air Conditioning, Heating and Air Conditioning Specialists. “I started in this business in 1977 with Paulette,” Howard Albert says. “Now we are one of the largest Lennox dealers in North America, and we have definitely prospered,” he added. In 2006 and 2007, Arctic Air was recognized with a Circle of Excellence Award from Lennox, which recognizes the top 40 dealers in the country. To date in 2008, the company has a 100% customer satisfaction rating from Lennox, according to Howard. The company employs 28 people and has 16 vehicles on the road, according to Paulette, and operates 24 hours per day, seven days per week, and 365 days per year. “We started very humbly but have 16,000 clients now,” she noted proudly. “There is always a live person to talk to, and this is part of our company philosophy,” Paulette added. As of April 1, 2008, the company will be relocating to a location several times larger than its current location. “Everyone will have his or her own office, and it will be wonderful,” Howard said, adeptly maneuvering between boxes marked for the new destination. Reflecting on the success of the company, Howard emphasized personal service and honesty. “Many companies close on the weekends; we do not. In the heat of the summer and the cold of the winter, we provide service,” he stated. Paulette mentioned that regardless of who calls, someone will first try and troubleshoot with the client, or prospective client. “The office will try and walk them through the problem. They might be able to fix it themselves and save the cost of a service call,” she said. The couple is also setting a fine example for their son Ross, who works with them. “He wears many hats,” Howard joked, “and it is good for clients to know that the business will continue.” Arctic Air Conditioning 1 Pleasant Valley Road Old Bridge, New Jersey 08857 732) 251-1111 www.arcticac.com A GEM OF AN IDEA A bell rings loudly each time a customer walks into PearlyGates Accessories, a chic boutique featuring stylish, designer clothing and sleek, trendy accessories to match. With each chime, owner Rae Glaser is transported back in time. She recently found the 100-year old bell and explained that it came from her father’s family’s Army & Navy store in Raritan, N.J. Retailing is in her blood – on both sides of the family. “I guess it’s in my blood to be a merchant, and I should have started 30 years ago,” noted Rae. While vacationing in Jamaica a few years ago with her husband, Rae met a woman who owned a pearl business. “I decided then and there that I wanted a pearl store, and that’s where the name ‘PearlyGates’ came from. Everything evolved from that. I still carry pearls but expanded into accessories – belts, Judith Lieber handbags, jeans, underwear, dresses, tops, formal wear, work clothes, sweats, etc. Rae explained that client needs drove her expansion. “Women kept coming in and saying they had nowhere to shop, so I expanded into clothing,” she added. Glaser laughs to herself now and confided that everyone told her not to start the business. “But I was determined and invested all my savings,” she said. Rae’s instincts were right, and she has obviously found a niche market for her high-end designer merchandise. She has been in business only two years and recently moved to a location three times larger than the first one, claiming no ill effects from the economy. Rae credits her repeat customers. “I call them every week with updates on new clothing, handbags, or other items I think they would be interested in,” she said. “And my staff is wonderful; most of them have more retail experience than I do,” Rae joked. Always captivated by fashion, Rae Glaser said several times that she should have started the business a lot sooner. “I really love what I do, and for the first time in my life I love coming to work,” she noted. PearlyGates Accessories 61A Brighton Avenue West End, Long Branch (732) 229-0577 www.shoppearlygates.com FRIENDS AND FAMILY – THE RIGHT MIX A delicious family recipe sprinkled with the support of friends and loved ones has fueled the fast growth of A Taste of Rubies. In five months, the custom cheesecake business has secured over 200 clients. Owner Ruby Wesley is eager to share the credit. “I got the recipe from my Mom, who taught me how to make strawberry cheesecake as a child,” Wesley said. She explained that her parents are from West Africa, where the women take great pride in preparing and presenting food. “It is part of the culture for the women to take pride in both the taste and presentation of their food, hence the root of my passion,” Wesley noted. “  Wesley chose the name for the business based on the image that she believes a ruby creates. “The image is one of excellence and success, right up there with diamonds,” Wesley said. She explained that the word “taste” is an experience of something, henceforth “an experience of excellence.” The business started taking shape in 2005 when Wesley began giving samples to her friends. “I received great feedback,” she noted, “so I started selling them casually.” Word spread quickly. “I had over 80 orders on that first Thanksgiving,” she said proudly. Almost two years elapsed as Wesley continued her professional career, but she never stopped experimenting with flavors and ingredients. After completing a pastry program at The French Culinary Institute, she went on to win a National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) S.E.E.D. Grant award for her business plan. Wesley gave notice and formally launched in September 2007. “My thought was to take the risk while I was still young,” she joked. Wesley’s internet based business delivers locally in Central New Jersey and will be shipping nationally by late spring, hoping also to open a storefront. Wherever she makes her cheesecakes, Wesley acknowledges that her support network propelled her forward. “I’m fortunate; I have great parents, great mentors, great friends, and great teachers,” she said. FAMILIAL FOOTSTEPS Cheryl McClelland knows she is the heart of a family tradition – one that was passed to her and her sisters, which they in turn, are passing on the legacy. Co-owner of Sebastian’s Hair-Em and Day Spa, Cheryl said it was her mother, Anne’s dream to have her children continue to grow their business. Anne started the business in 1974 naming it after her husband, Sebastian and his “Hair-Em” of daughters. “At that time, my sister and I were in beauty school. We took the business over after graduating, and Mom took care of our kids,” she stated. McClelland’s daughter Sheri is also a hairstylist, working alongside her mother, but the story doesn’t end there. Cheryl along with her two sisters – Lynda and Donna – co-owners of Sebastian’s - also work at the salon in addition to Donna’s two daughters – Tara and Paige. “You have a knack for this, or you don’t,” McClelland noted, “and all of us certainly have it.” The salon has thrived under the steadfast leadership of family and has expanded several times. In 1995, Anne retired turning the business over to her three daughters, relocating from 1,000 to 4,700 square feet. In 2001, they expanded again with the addition of the day spa offering skin care and body treatments. “There is always loyalty where family is involved, and nobody cares more.” “Our staff is extended family with a team of employees who keep everything on track. Some of our staff has been here for over 28 years.” Always on the cutting edge of beauty, Sebastian’s most recently has expanded even further with cosmetic skin surgery and advanced liposuction at the Derma Laser Center under the expertise of Board Certified surgeon Dr. El Attar. Reflecting on the reasons for her success, McClelland cited love for the community she grew up in and continues to serve. “There are so many ways in this business to touch people. Not everyone has that privilege.” She volunteers by hosting cut-a-thons for charity and expressed a fondness for the American Cancer Society’s “Look Good, Feel Good” program. “I do make-up application for women suffering with cancer. I love it,” she added. We are confident of our family’s place in the beauty business. “Every client is different and has unique needs. It’s all about how we make them feel. Sebastian’s Hair-Em and Day Spa 872 Highway 36 Leonardo, N.J. 07737 (732) 291-0556 www.sebastiansdayspa.com
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| Last Updated on Sunday, 04 May 2008 21:25 |
