Our
Featured WBE for the month of July is
Brenda Thornton,
President
and CEO of
SC3,
manufacturer
of Shaver’s Choice Skin Therapy Shaving System and The Skin Saver
All-Purpose Skin Therapy.
Q:
Why did you go into business? On
December 6, 2001, a “chance” meeting with John Campbell, a local
inventor from Starkville, MS, who was making a skin care product in
his garage, led me into this business. I listened to his story about
being the son of a sharecropper; the brother of “Little Milton,”
Hall of Fame blues singer; how he had obtained 2 patents on the
product he invented; and how he was putting together a package to
send to Wal-Mart. This product was developed to prevent
“Pseudofolliculitis Barbae.” I had never heard the word and couldn’t
pronounce it, much less spell it. However, when John told me
over 8,000,0000 African American men suffer from this condition
commonly called “razor bumps,” I realized what a prevalent problem
it was. I thought about how Bill Gates got his start in his garage,
about how much money I had lost that year in the stock market, and
decided to take a chance as an investor in John’s company, Shavers’
Choice Inc. However, it became apparent within the first month
that John needed help in getting the product to market. At 50 years
of age, he said that he had taken it as far as he could and asked me
to do whatever it took to get his product to the people that needed
it. On January 21, 2002, I formed SC3, LLC, to market the
Shaver’s Choice products.
Q:
What has been the worst time or biggest obstacle you
have faced and overcome? Numerous people
have told us that we picked the worst time in 20 years to introduce
a new product. Our broker told us that he was certain that he
could move 120,000 units to the 7500+ Beauty and Barber Supply
houses throughout the country. Due to the sluggish economy, the
hardest winter in decades, and war worries, these companies were not
bringing on new products. Therefore, we changed our approach and
began to market our concept to grocery chains, drug store chains and
discount store chains. To date, Kroger, Ingle’s, and Piggly Wiggly
Grocery Stores; Fred’s and Bonus Discount Stores; and Super D and
Kerr Drug Stores have requested that their distributors bring our
products in for their stores.
Q:
What has been the biggest triumph? Our packaging.
When I first invested in the product, the inventor was putting the
product in a white jar with black writing. The jar had misspelled
words and had no “shelf appeal.” When our broker told us that we had
to change the packaging, I searched for a graphic that could be used
as a background that would work for the packaging, as well as for
print and TV. I found the look I wanted and with the help of our
graphic artist, Rainey Scott, we now have a product that shows as
well as any shaving product on the market. Our packaging has been
submitted for an award by our box manufacturer, Rock-Tenn in
Waxahatchie, Texas.
Q:
What is the best advice you have ever
received? “Be prepared
to take care of yourself.” Neither of my parents graduated
from college. As long as I can remember, it was very important to
them that I obtain a degree and “get a good job.” My
Computer Science degree from Mississippi State University prepared
me to enter the job market “making good money for a woman.” I was
the only female programmer for several years, as women were still a
rarity in the workforce in anything other than clerical or nursing
professions. My background has enabled me to become the Chief
Information Office and Executive Vice President of AmFed Companies,
an insurance and financial services company. It also has saved me
thousands of dollars by being able to create and maintain my own Web
site, http://www.theskinsaver.com/.
Q:
Is there anyone who has inspired you and
why? Michael Van
Velkinburgh is the Vice President of SC3 and my
boyfriend. He has been an encourager from the start. He
closed his business in order to coordinate sales for Shaver’s
Choice. Whenever things aren’t moving fast enough and I let my
attitude slip, he reminds me of all the accomplishments we have
achieved.
Q:
What is the best book you ever read and would
recommend? Think and
Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill was recommended to me by Billy
Roberts, president of AmFed Companies when I became a partner in
2000. The main thing that I got out of this book is that you
can’t accomplish anything unless you make an effort.
Q:
What is your favorite quote? “Your talent is
God’s gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to
God.“ I don’t believe in “coincidence,” “chance” or “luck.” My
meeting John was what I call a “God-wink.” We know that God put the
two of us together and we will give God all the glory for our
success.
Q:
What are your goals now? Where do you see yourself
going? My goals are to
obtain distribution for our products with as many grocery, drugstore
and discount store chains throughout the country, then
internationally. Secondly, I am searching for a grant to fund a
study to find out why our product is eliminating the symptoms of the
conditions eczema, seborrhea, psoriasis, and stops the itch of
irritants such as poison ivy, mosquito bites, and
sunburn. Third, I plan to obtain additional patents and seek
FDA approval for our product, The Skin Saver.
Q:
How has your WBC certification helped
you?
By allowing me
to submit my proposals to the Supplier Diversity programs of the
major corporations such as Wal-Mart, Kroger, and others.
Q:
What do you want to be remembered
for?
Helping others
realize their dreams. The biggest compliment to me is when people
tell me that they saw the article in the paper about me helping John
and saved it in hopes that I could help them. In fact, one person
has already contacted me, and I am in the process of helping him get
his invention to market.
You
can learn more
about Brenda
and SC3
at
http://www.theskinsaver.com/.
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