Posted by Marcel Sim under Entrepreneurship, Online Business,
May 22, 2008
Article contributed by Leah Nevada Page of MicroMentor.org, an organization that helps emerging entrepreneurs grow their businesses through mentoring and advising relationships with experienced peers and business professionals.
Sturdy McKee’s journey to small business success started with a pink slip. The hospital where he had been working as a physical therapist downsized and after a frustrating job search, Sturdy sat down with his wife and had a conversation about what it would take to open his own physical therapy practice.
Once started, Sturdy rapidly built a successful business, and was soon operating at the full capacity of his staff and building space. But when Sturdy began looking for a loan to help him open additional offices, banks were refusing to finance his planned expansion. Then Sturdy found MicroMentor. MicroMentor is a pioneering web-based community and social network that helps aspiring entrepreneurs build successful businesses by matching them with volunteer business mentors from around the country.
After signing up online at www.MicroMentor.org, where he described his business and mentoring goals, Sturdy was matched with a mentor, Jayshree Miller, who had worked as an accountant in the U.K. and was now looking for an opportunity for skills-based volunteering.
As Sturdy’s mentor, Jayshree worked with Sturdy through a series of phone calls and emails to help him make sense of his balance sheets, cash flow statements, and profit & loss statements. She also helped him identify areas in need of expansion. “She reinforced our opinions that we were a healthy company and that we were viable, even though we were unable to secure funding from a bank. [It] gave us the confidence to fund our own growth from our own profits.”
Now, just six years after opening its doors, Study’s physical therapy company has 5 branches and over 20 employees. And just two years after he first sought help on MicroMentor, Sturdy has returned to MicroMentor as a volunteer mentor. “Moving the business to profitability changed a lot of things in my business and my life and I hope to help other people to do that. I want to help people figure out how to plan and make their businesses viable.”
Add your own comments
Digg it
Save This Page
Subscribe to GetEntrepreneurial.com
Leave a comment
Next Article: Turning Your Idea Into A Home-Based Business »
Previous Article: The Customer is Always Right »
Marcel Sim is a GE Network Expert. View Marcel Sim's profile or read more articles from Marcel Sim. Learn more about the GE Experts Network.
Have an expert opinion on issues entrepreneurs and small business owners face
everyday?
Join the GetEntrepreneurial.com Experts Network and share your
expertise with the community!
The new
GE Experts Network is inviting seasoned entrepreneurs and small business
owners to come on board and contribute small business advice to our community of
aspiring entrepreneurs. If you have an effective way of generating sales or you
know how to use social networking to connect with your customers,
join us in
providing wider entrepreneurial content that would benefit small business owners
worldwide.
Five Quick Tips For Way Better Video
5 Capable Methods Of Social Media Marketing
Twitter Me This – Five New Twitter Tips and Tricks
How To Fix Low Ezine Newsletter Deliverability
Online Shopping Cart System: 6 Points You Need to Know BEFORE Choosing Your System
3 Simple and Low Cost Marketing Ideas to Create Visibility
Autoresponders - Put Your Follow-up On Autopilot!
This article was posted to the category: Entrepreneurship. Click here Online Business. Click here to read more articles in this category.
Local Paper Wrapper » Inhabitat: Here’s a source for gift wrap paper that is as beautiful as it is eco-conscious. Known as The Local Paper, these...
Wine with Burgers » Iconoculture: It’s hard to speak pretentiously about terroir with secret sauce dripping down your chin. Los Angeles-based Learn About Wine’s Blind Date...
Reknit Your Old Sweater » Springwise: Each month, Reknit will unravel old sweaters and re-knit them into a different item; this January, it's scarves. Consumers begin by...
Marbling Art on Stone » Hurriyet Daily News: Saadet Erciyas, a female entrepreneur from İzmir, and her team are creating decorative products by using the marbling art...
Need more brand new promising business ideas and innovations around the world you wish you'd thought of? Visit CoolBusinessIdeas.com now!![]()


Ever wanted to be the CEO of your very own Starbucks or Amazon.com? Fire your boss and be your own boss? Now you can, with BIZNESS! - the free biweekly business newsletter about new business ideas, opportunities and innovations from around the world. More than just new business trends, BIZNESS! helps the aspiring entrepreneur (you!) with small business advice, business tips, and entrepreneur resources and opportunities.
Subscribe for free now! 
![]()
• Top Ways to Get a Fresh Business Idea Off the Ground
• What Is A Solo Entrepreneur?
• Four Ways to Save Time When Working From Home
• Selling the Customer What the Customer Needs
• Things to Consider before Starting a Business

Get cash now with a payday advance - Cash Converters can help you get on with your life.
Business Holiday Cards
Outsourcing Services
Roberts Dab Radios from Go Electrical
Top Franchise Opportunities
Best currency exchange rates on travel money
TV Brackets, TV Wall Brackets,TV Brackets Wall
TV Bracket, TV wall Bracket, TV Bracket Wall
LCD TV Brackets, LCD Wall Brackets, TV Brackets Wall
TV Wall Mounts, LCD Wall Mount, TV Brackets Wall
Digital Scales, Digital Scale, Pocket Scales
Online payday loans from Lending Stream
Payday Loans
Custom Floor Matting
Customized Business Gifts
Franchise Opportunities Free Search
Join Bettertrades to improve your life and increase your financial freedom. Watch Bettertrades video to learn more.
Uk payday loans deposited directly into your account today. QuickQuid serves the millions who have a poor credit rating.
Small Business Insurance from Aon