Meet Our Clients

Clients come to Elmseed with a variety of entrepreneurial ideas and business backgrounds. Following are the stories of some of the entrepreneurs and small businesses in the New Haven area that Elmseed has helped support.

Jerome Binard
After being laid off from a job in the shrinking print industry, Jerome Binard created his own landscaping business “Love Thy Neighbor Lawncare and More.” Jerome does everything from mowing lawns to painting to leaf removal to small repairs. He takes pride in the quality of his work and sees this as his principal advantage over his competitors. Though he sees himself as the underdog in the business, he has attracted a loyal following of clientele and his business is growing steadily. Jerome works tirelessly to improve the services he offers through taking community college “Master Gardener” classes and free “how-to” lessons at Home Depot. He is also improving his business knowledge through taking full advantage of Elmseed’s business training and consulting, which have helped him particularly so far in the area of marketing. He hopes to eventually expand his business to hire other workers, and is planning to apply for an Elmseed loan so that he can buy a truck to facilitate leaf and snow removal.

Alex Tyson
Alex Tyson, a former drug gang leader who grew up in the Quinnipiac projects, is now the published author of two novels, Family Affair and Compton Chick, and the owner of a production company, Family Man Entertainment LLC. Alex draws upon the experiences of his past life in order to encourage families to discuss tough issues such as abuse and violence and to promote the message that, in his words, “where you come from doesn’t dictate where you’re going.” He does so through his novels, though creating short films, and through producing plays. Last year, Alex put on “Family Affair,” based on the novel, at Fair Haven’s Bregamos Theater. This February, Alex will produce the same play, this time at New Haven’s respected Long Wharf Theater, and he dreams of eventually taking his show on a world tour. His company website for his show can be found here: http://www.familyman-ent.com/. Alex hopes to gain marketing and advertisement help from Elmseed, as well as to apply for a loan to help with upfront costs for his February play. In addition to his production company, Alex also works full-time as a counselor and teacher to autistic kids and adults.

Anthony Rice
Anthony initially moved to New Haven from New York city a few years ago in order to be closer the his family. Currently working as a residential treatment counselor at a juvenile home, he hopes to reopen his clothing stand on Dixwell avenue soon, which he was forced to shut down while helping his wife recuperate from brain surgery. Having already successfully operated the stand previously, he will work towards branding his business, “Agenda Fashion,” as an integral part of the community, providing low-priced high quality clothes to mothers and their children.

D’twaine Gomes D’twaine is a single father who has worked in the auto detailing business for some time. After successfully starting Hamden Auto Spa, he chose to leave the company in order to pursue a new business model: mobile auto detailing. Recognizing the trend towards convenience in all facets of life, he seeks to capitalize on the need for flexible scheduling. Having already done ample market research, D’twaine is beginning to put together a comprehensive business plan in time for a spring launch of his new business, “No Days Off,” which will offer the same services as traditional auto detailers without the wait and at a fraction of the price. Cheryl George Cheryl George is the owner of Simplicity Treats, a dessert company she founded with the hopes of using her love of baking to support her daughter through college. Cheryl specializes in individually sized treats, but also provides birthday cakes and other baked goods. While currently most of Cheryl's customers are members of her church, she hopes to expand Simplicity Treats and see her signature dirt- and sand-cake creations carried in local grocery stores.

Sharon McCray Sharon McCray is a self-funded entrepreneur who is starting a honeymoon registry business. She has worked as a travel agent in the past and would like to help couples fundraise and plan their honeymoons. So far, she has established a registry website and is currently building a marketing base, and is hoping to use Elmseed’s training course and consulting resources to improve her marketing skills.

Carol Carter-Mims An enthusiastic professional with over 15 years of experience in accounting and auditing, Carol Carter-Mims is looking to restart her financial services business with a loan from Elmseed. She previously operated an accounting business in Georgia that served over 200 clients, and she is hoping to break into the New Haven market. She is returning to the business world after resolving family concerns, and her warmth and determination are serving her well as she works through her business plan, loan application, and participates actively in Elmseed's weekly business classes.

Sebiena Davis Sebiena Davis is excited to found a graphic t-shirt company based around the concept "PUSH: Pray Until Something Happens." She brings with her a background in textile retail, customer service, and inventory control, and a commitment to inspire individuals in the face of adversity. She is currently working on a graphic design for the shirt in addition to articulating her ideas in her business plan. Her fiancé, Alex Tyson, is another Elmseed client hoping to help fund his play with an Elmseed loan.

Todd, Quincy, and Sean Reaves Todd, Quincy, and Sean Reaves own a printing company in Bridgeport. They are each Elmseed members, although they meet as a group with their consultants. In addition to having contracts with larger printing presses, Ready4Print also does smaller commercial printing and design work. Ready4Print does a lot of work with other small businesses in the area, specializing in designing and printing flyers, business cards, and brochures. Read4Print is looking to use an Elmseed loan toward reaching the goal of expanding the business and potentially opening a second store in New Haven.

Darlene Rich Darlene is a make-up artist who is looking to promote her own line of make-up, Rich Cosmetix. Currently she has about 12 items in the line, and the product she is looking to promote the most is a silicone foundation for women over 40. She decided to produce her own line after frustration working with products in her own make-up studio. Her business is incorporated as an LLC, and she is looking into different promotional methods—she recently held a release party and will be appearing on QVC, a home shopping network, in November.

Isabel Senes Isabel has a background in newspaper editing and is looking to start a freelance writing and public relations company for small businesses. She is connected to the media community in New Haven through a past job at the New Haven Register, and has begun a business plan. Her costs are low—most of her work is online-based and she works from home—but she is considering an Elmseed loan to invest in a high-quality printer or to buy a website domain.

Thomas Blackwell Thomas, who will get his MBA from Albertus Magnus in 2010 and works full-time as an airline analyst, is in the beginning stages of a creating a clothing brand called “No Days Off”, which will include sweatshirts, shirts, and belts, and will speak to a lifestyle for those passionate about music, entertainment, and sports. Thomas has already registered his business as an LLC and has an office in downtown New Haven. He has a local supplier and is working on solidifying relationships he has with contacts on professional basketball and football teams. Although he has made some sales, he has also been giving away a lot of shirts promotionally as he tries to launch his brand through club events and his website. He is hoping to work on his marketing and hopefully find a storefront.

Jamie Verab, Sr. Jamie owns a landscaping business that specializes in creating high-quality “aquascapes”. He also does snow plowing work in the winter. Jamie paid back his loan in January, 2009, and since has been relatively disengaged with Elmseed, and although consultants have worked on producing brochures to help him market his services, he has not been very responsive.

Basheera Abdus-Sabur Basheera Abdus-Sabur is a New Haven resident looking to develop a consulting business for non-profit organizations. Currently in her second year of a part-time MBA program at Columbia University, Basheera has a degree in Business from Trinity College in Washington D.C. She has a great deal of experience in the non-profit sector, including a position at the World Bank, but feels her work experience with for-profit companies will be just as helpful for her clients. Basheera believes the results-driven approach she has developed working for competitive businesses will be a valuable contribution to any non-profit organization for which she consults. Basheera took time off from Elmseed in the spring of 2009 but has returned in the fall of 2009.

Robin McGuinness Robin McGuinness, a current West Haven resident, is the owner of McGuinness Enterprises, a four-year-old temporary staffing agency that provides waitresses, bartenders, and chefs to country clubs, restaurants, and private parties. Robin has had more than twenty years of experience in the hospitality industry, and prior to opening her own business she worked in the field of restaurant management. To date, most of Robin's clients have been personal contacts. In order to expand her business efforts she hopes to begin staffing events at local universities and hospitals. Elmseed is currently working with Robin to develop new marketing techniques and establish her own website.

Ric Jennings Ric Jennings owns a drug testing agency that tests public transportation employees in the tri-state area. As an owner of a private drug testing agency, Ric competes with hospitals and other private testing agencies, but his comparative advantage lies in his flexibility—Ric is often works into the evening hours. In addition to his drug testing business, Ric has a full time day job as a teenage counselor and also works a third party contractor who negotiates clients for established drug testing agencies. Ric’s goal for the coming year is to reconstruct and expend his business. He wants to provide alcohol abuse treatment, drug testing, and communication crisis counseling to clients, with a special focus on people emerging from the justice system.