Agency Collaboration for Small Business Development

By Millie Higgins, Higgins Computing and Design, and Nancy Maxson at The Rural Institute

In January 2001, I started my own small business: Higgins Computing and Design. My business takes advantage of my interests and experience, but I could not have launched this business without the cooperation of several agencies who serve people with disabilities, and the University of Montana Rural Institute’s Rural Entrepreneurship and Self-Employment Expansion Design Project (RESEED).

I began doing desktop publishing on a computer in 1990 and ran a successful small desktop publishing business. I was publishing newsletters and doing word processing for about seven years. I knew there would always be a demand and market for theses services. Then I acquired my disability and a divorce; my life changed dramatically.

I have a Masters Degree in guidance and counseling. After I acquired my disability, I relied on Social Security and Colorado Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) to help me get back on my feet financially. A steady income was essential for me, and my VR counselor encouraged me to use my education to achieve financial stability. With VR’s encouragement, I returned to college and earned my teaching certificate. I was hired, with a two year teaching contract, and tried teaching. The classroom was exhausting and stressful, which aggravated my disability. I soon realized teaching was not a good career choice for me.

I needed a job that would let me be self-sufficient. I needed enough income to pay all my bills. But I also needed work that was flexible enough to accommodate my disability. Because of my disability, I need to rest in the middle of the day, and most employers can’t offer this kind of flexibility. VR paid for some computer training and helped me look for a regular wage-paying job in that field. I live in the rural community of Delta, Colorado, and there weren’t any computer jobs near my home. The nearest jobs were in Grand Junction, 40 miles away. Although a job in Grand Junction might help me pay the bills, commuting back and forth meant each work day would be an exhausting 10 hours. With my disability, I simply didn’t have the stamina for a regular job.

Cooperation

My VR counselor, Janice Becker heard about a new project with the Easter Seals of Colorado
Agribility Project and the University of Montana Rural Institute. Carla Wilhite of Easter Seals had received a one-year grant from the Rural Institute to help people with disabilities start their own businesses. Janice set up an appointment with Carla and Cary Griffin, the Director of Special Projects at the Rural Institute. I’d been a successful desktop publisher before and thought I could succeed again, with the right supports.

After consulting with Cary and Carla, Janice and her colleague John Beckman in the Denver VR office, hammered out a business plan for me. My new business, Higgins Computing and Design, is more that just a desk top publishing business. My new business included computer repair and instruction. VR also bought me an additional computer, which allows me to teach other people how to use computers, and takes advantage of my teaching expertise.

Cooperation among agencies made my business possible and my success is the direct result of everyone working together. Certainly VR provided funding for training and equipment, but they also took advantage of the training on self-employment the Rural Institute offered through the Easter Seals program. David Hammis, an Organizational Consultant with the Rural Institute, gave me the best advice and saved me a lots of money. I’m dependent on Social Security benefits, low income housing , food stamps, and other programs to meet my basic needs each month. I report my income to Social Security and the other agencies, but business income, because it fluctuates each month, can jeopardize my financial safety net. Dave explained how I can project my business income, maintain stability, and keep my safety net. Dave has also helped me work with Social Security on a Plan for Achieving Self Support (PASS plan) to help finance my business.

In addition to help from the Rural Institute, Easter Seals, and VR, I also am receiving expert assistance from the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in my area. The SBDC has offered me classes in running my own business and a mentor, Jim Hudson. Jim has been in the computer business for twenty years. The SBDC is paying for six hours of his mentoring time. VR has agreed to pay for additional mentoring time and that has made a huge difference in the success of my business. Jim is available to answer my questions and help me sort out problems.

Launching my Business

With my business plan in hand, mentor at my side, and experts there to provide support, I opened for business in January 2001. Finding customers was my first chore. I started by sending a letter explaining my services to all the businesses in my community of Delta. Gradually, I mailed letters to every business in the yellow pages. This resulted in my first two clients. I advertised in the give-away advertiser newspapers; local newspaper ads didn’t help. I also bought an ad in the yellow pages. That was when the business really started to hum. I get about a call a week as a result of the ad. I’m doing one newsletter every month, on top of the call-in business.

I also do computer repair work. I was so proud the first time I loaded some RAM chips into a computer and solved a customer’s problem. And now I am teaching computer classes at a local vocational technical school. I’ll be doing individualized instruction in desktop publishing. This will allow me to use my teaching skills and diversify my income.

I’m always looking for new customers. I’m very skilled at desktop publishing. Fax me the text for a newsletters and I’ll send you back a copy to proof in three days. Call me with your desktop publishing needs.

Contact Information

Millie Higgins
Higgins Computing and Design
430 W. 3rd
Delta, CO 81416
(970) 874-5699 Phone/Fax
milliehig@msn.com

Carla Wilhite
Easters Seals of Colorado Agrability Project
5755 W. Almeda Ave.
Lakewood, Co 80226
(303) 937-7713

Nancy Maxson, Logistics Coordinator
(406) 243-2458
maxson@ruralinstitute.umt.edu
The Rural Institute
52 Corbin Hall
The University of Montana
Missoula, MT 59812
(406) 243-4730 Fax
(877) 243-2476 Toll Free