University of Hartford's Entrepreneurial Center | Women's Business Center 7
www.prudential.com
A proud supporter
of the
Entrepreneurial Center.
Kimberly Tindall is no quitter.
Diagnosed with spinocerebellar
ataxia, a degenerative, incurable
genetic condition, she is legally
blind and uses a walker. Tindall
tried to get help in starting a
business from another resource
center in Connecticut. "They did
not take me seriously," and may
have suspected she was drunk, due
to speech issues, she said. "I never
got a call back."
Not deterred, she called the
dean of the Barney School of
Business, who referred her to the
Entrepreneurial Center, where
she has now been working on her
startup for over a year. She credits
staffers Elaine Thomas Williams,
Milena Erwin, Lacey Banks, Shelli
McMillen, Sandra Cahill, Pamela
Kellom, and Jim Lofink with her
success. They credit her tenacity
and inspirational determination
to succeed.
Her motivational speaking
business, Kimberly's Hope, is a
unique opportunity that is the
result of what she's learned living
with disabilities and from other
difficult life experiences; her
husband died 13 days after their
wedding. "There are takeaways for
anyone," she said.
"We all are going to have
troubles. Face it and go through it,"
Tindall said.
Elaine Thomas Williams,
Business Advisor, (left)
and Kimberly Tindall,
Owner, (right)
Kimberly's Hope,
Wethersfield, Conn.
"When I stumbled
across the center,
my antique-print
business had been
running for almost a
year. I found myself
overwhelmed with
the complexities involved with owning my own
business. I enrolled in SBTAP and things changed.
The Center helped me refine my brand, identify a
target market, and develop concrete action steps.
A year and a half later, I'm active on four social
media platforms and can direct potential clients
to a beautiful website. My sales have more than
doubled since my involvement with SBTAP!"
—Virginia Kemp, Owner, The Blue Twig
The Small Business Technical Assistance Program (SBTAP)
expands on the center's advising and training offerings to
provide additional assistance to motivated small business
owners in the startup and expansion phase. Qualifying
Greater Hartford area businesses benefit from one-on-one
time with business advisors and technical experts, and take
part in small group seminars. A full assessment is conducted,
goals are set, and business owners receive a customized
blueprint to move their company forward. Professional
assistance covers a broad range of topics, including marketing
strategy, business plan development, financial management,
legal issues, and more. Participants in the program increase
their knowledge and confidence level and report better
outcomes on their path to success.
SMALL BUSINESS TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
A Business Built
on and about
a Universal Message
SUCCESS STORY KIMBERLY TINDALL
