National research shows that four out of five start-up businesses fail within the first five years of operation.
However, for businesses that start out in a business incubator, that statistic is reversed, with four out of five still in operation after five years.
Following this model, in October St. Patrick Center opened its own business incubator called the Business Employment Growth Incomes Neighborhoods (BEGIN) New Venture Center. There are now 18 small businesses, and 71 percent of these companies are minority-owned.
The center focuses on providing the resources for the start-up and early stages of local business. BEGIN also provides access to professional service providers, access to investment capital, marketing assistance, a mentor program and a professional business location in downtown St. Louis. There is a culinary suite available for companies who are starting off with products that need to be cooked in a commercial kitchen.
BEGIN Director Jan DeYoung has always had a passion for helping people from the St. Louis community.
“Failure is not an option,” DeYoung said.
The entrepreneurs that have started their businesses with BEGIN are slowly gaining success. BEGIN’s companies have earned over $275,000 in revenue since opening in October of 2008.
Married couple Craig and Toni Brown, of Craig and Toni Quality Products, created a barbeque sauce called Millie’s. It’s a family recipe that was recently picked up by Schnuck’s stores and will be available on shelves in late July.
“We’re looking forward to what’s coming,” Toni said.
Create Inc. (Community, Resources, Ensuring, and Access to Everyone) is a program that helps seniors in retirement homes concerning health and wellness, transportation, education, meals, and entertainment. Terrell Carter started the business after being inspired by his grandparents who raised him. Carter is working with retirement homes in the 5th Ward but is still seeking more retirement homes throughout St. Louis. The services are free to seniors; for more information, go to createaccess.org.
“I love it, and we want [seniors’] lives to be enjoyable,” Carter said.
WorkNet Inc. is a business owned by Sam Jones, Larry Brown and Heather Williams. The business focuses on assisting individuals, ages 18 to 64, with disabilities to find employment. WorkNet will follow participating individuals for five years to make sure they experience fairness from the employer.
“I want people to be independent,” Jones said.
Jones used to be the employee at the St. Louis Community Development Agency. WorkNet is an authorized employment network of the United States Social Security Administration.
DeYoung said the center motivates the owners to expand their business and positively impact others.
“Ordinary people doing extraordinary things,” DeYoung said.
This is reflected in St. Patrick’s guidelines for the businesses that open up shop in the incubator. A major guideline is to give employment opportunities to St. Patrick Center clients when the business expands.
St. Patrick is known for helping the less fortunate in the community, through its housing, employment and mental health programs. St. Patrick initiated the incubator in part to create opportunities for unemployed and homeless individuals.
Through helping each other and individuals from the community, the economy and St. Louis community as a whole will improve, DeYoung said.
DeYoung said the center is “a place of inspiration and the pathway to success.”
The Browns gave some advice to future entrepreneurs from a couple who has experienced some success.
“Hold on and keep pushing – don’t give up,” Toni said.
“Don’t give up on your dream. Do whatever it takes to connect with the right people and follow that dream,” Craig said.
BEGIN has space for more businesses. For more information, go to BEGINSTL.org or call 314-802-0696.
