HCC students become mentors for business owners

Howard Community College, Maryland Small Business Development CorporationSitting in a classroom at Howard Community College on a Friday afternoon, about a dozen people listened to a PowerPoint presentation stressing the importance of using the right words to get your business to pop up in web searches.When a bracelet from her store, Discoveries, popped up on the screen, Sally Tennant was quick to add the words &quot;cobalt&quot; and &quot;iridescent&quot; to the words being shared.Tennant admits she knows little about web pages, but the business owner knows her merchandise's unique properties. And while her shop of 35 years and much of her merchandise took a devastating hit during the flash flood in Ellicott City on July 30, Tennant is moving her business forward with an online presence thanks to the individuals gathered in classroom 119 in Duncan Hall.&quot;It's amazing,&quot; Tennant said, looking around the room. &quot;It's a very innovative approach to helping people. As far as doing something that is going to advance the business, this is an amazing project.&quot;For about a month now, current students and alumni from the college's Center for Entrepreneurial and Business Excellence classes have met weekly to put Tennant's business online, assisting with web content, logos, photographs of merchandise and social media. Two other businesses have also joined the project, with the possibility of more in the future, according to Roger Weber, assistant professor in the Entrepreneurial and Business Excellence Department.&quot;This is not a class,&quot; said Weber. &quot;We were approached by the Maryland Small Business Development Corporation [to help]. I asked if anyone was willing to donate time and they [students] came forward very enthusiastically.&quot;This is their program. This is their work. I just keep things loosely organized,&quot; he said.Besides creating the websites, Weber stressed that the student volunteers are also helping the business owners learn how to get traffic to their websites and how to use them and update them.&quot;We were happy to create a website and e-commerce site, but they [the business owners] needed a marketing plan and a plan to drive traffic to their sites,&quot; Weber said. &quot;The businesses that could benefit the most of having an online store and needing a website .... had very limited or almost no technology capabilities.&quot;Learning new technology has been the flood's silver lining, Brenda Franz said. The owner of Attic Antiques 'N Things, Franz knew it would be to her benefit to have a website. She doubts she ever would have made the leap had it not been for the flood.&quot;I recognized before the flood that I had great stuff and should think about putting it on the internet,&quot; Franz said. &quot;I am not too comfortable working with these programs. I was really limited in my technology.&quot;After the flood, Franz realized her losses. The basement of her shop was flooded, as was the first floor. Rescue workers went through her second-floor windows to make a rescue in the neighboring building. Merchandise was destroyed, and with her shop of 29 years closed, she couldn't sell what was left. Now, with the help of the students, Franz is creating a new logo for online and learning what she has to do to keep her business alive.&quot;Anything I can learn to move my business forward ... is what I want to do. I want to reach a mass audience, not just people walking into town,&quot; Franz said. &quot;It was the flood that really moved me forward. Some good came out of it. I am very grateful for this experience and these people.&quot;For many of the students, the decision to help was a no-brainer.&quot;Just helping Brenda is a learning experience,&quot; said Drue Nixon, an alumni of HCC who is a current student at University of Maryland Baltimore County. &quot;Her products are so beautiful and unique and they are high quality. I'm helping write descriptions for the website and helping her get it set up on social media accounts.&quot;Paige Donahue, the program manager for the project, is responsible for coordinating all the different groups and bringing them together.&quot;I am constantly amazed how much we are able to get done,&quot; said Donahue, a graduate of HCC who is now a student at the University of Baltimore. &quot;Everyone is so excited about this. For a lot of people, this is the first time they are working with an actual live client.&quot;Current HCC business student Jay Murray is the official photographer for the group. Working with Tennant, he soon discovered that taking photos of jewelry is tougher than it looks.&quot;Just the lighting alone ... is a challenge with jewelry,&quot; said Murray, who bought new equipment, including a camera, to help shoot better photos. &quot;With the camera I had before, the photos turned out OK. With the new camera, they are better than before. Lighting is important.&quot;&quot;Sally has a very discriminating eye looking at pictures,&quot; Weber said. &quot;She has really challenged Jay.&quot;While their businesses are moving forward with an online presence, both Tennant and Franz are working to open their brick-and-mortar shops, . On Nov. 4, Franz held a soft opening for her business at 8243 Main St. Tennant hopes to have her store open by Thanksgiving.&quot;The main thing is, I don't need any obstacles,&quot; Tanner said. &quot;It is unchartered waters. It has been 35 years since I renovated a building.&quot;Weber would like to see the college's project continue into the future – with students and businesses working together to benefit both.&quot;Students are getting incredible experience and at the same time they are helping businesses,&quot; Weber said. &quot;I view this as just the beginning.&quot;

HCC students become mentors for business owners

Don't miss our 4th of July sale!
Save big on local news.

SALE ENDS SOON

$1 FOR 12 WEEKS

Don't miss our 4th of July sale!Save big on local news.

SALE ENDS SOON

$1 FOR 12 WEEKS

Don't miss our 4th of July sale!
Save big on local news.