SCORE Minnesota

Call That Girl: Another SCORE Success!

May 4, 2010

As SCORE counselors, our goal is to help budding entrepreneurs launch and grow successful businesses. However, starting and building a successful business depends on so many factors, including the drive and skill of the client, that our efforts are not always apparent. All we can do is keep trying during each counseling session and hope for the best. Well, the best happened to a client of mine named Lisa Hendrickson, founder of Call that Girl.

Lisa started her computer repair and support business in August 2007 when she realized that her career in IT was not as fulfilling as she had hoped. “When I was starting up my business, I did not know anyone to help me with business coaching and then I remembered SCORE. I came to my first appointment with all of my business goals and objectives lined up for their review. They spent over an hour going through my ideas, including what I needed to focus on: business development, business set up, marketing ideas and what not to worry about quite yet.”

Lisa received assistance from me, Virgil Dissmeyer, and Bill Richardson, counselors from the Minneapolis Chapter of SCORE, on a wide range of start-up issues. In addition, she also utilized the SBA’s Business Planning Center as a resource.

Over the next year, we worked on many aspects of Lisa’s business. “Working with SCORE really helped me see what I was doing right – versus wrong. Many new businesses fail because they do the wrong things first.”

“I remember the day they told me that I was ready to form a LLC (Limited Liability Company). Just having people to help oversee my decisions really validated that I was doing ‘it right”.  As Lisa’s business grew, she didn’t require as much help as she did in the beginning.

Today, Call that Girl provides computer support and repair services to clients in their homes, offices and remotely over the phone. The following is a partial list of their services:

• Office 2007 and all versions
• Email Management for Outlook including….email, calendar, contacts
• Outlook troubleshooting
• Data backup solutions
• Treo and Blackberrys
• Email marketing
• Computer support and repair
• Purchasing the right equipment for your budget
• Refreshing (changing that home computer to a work computer)
• Wireless support
• Technical travel assistance

Call that Girl now has over 600 clients, 2 employees, 5 interns and is opening a second location in Rochester, Minnesota this summer. We congratulate Lisa for taking the time to do “it right” so she could ensure the success of her new business. We are proud to have had a small role in her success story.

Has SCORE helped you build your success story? If yes, please let us know by commenting below and possibly your success story will be featured on our blog.

If you have a dream of owning your own business like Lisa, call SCORE.  We will be happy to listen, offer assistance, and support you in any way we can.

To learn more about how to start, operate and grow a successful business contact SCORE by clicking the link on the right to the office nearest you or click here to request free face to face counseling.

Have you ever considered volunteering for SCORE? Our members help millions of new or existing small businesses succeed each year by sharing their knowledge and experience. Click here or the link on the right to the office nearest you to learn more.

Virgil Dissmeyer, Minneapolis SCORE
View more posts by Virgil Dissmeyer

Filed under: Business Planning,Entrepreneurship,SCORE Success Stories

Tags: business coaching, Business Planning Center, business set up, grow a successful business, owning your own business, score