3/31/2010
Smokin' Vapor LLC
""No way I could of done any of this if God hadn't put this one in my hands and walked me over to SBDC. This was the beginning for me. I followed everything my counselor, Valerie Simmons, said word for word. You made my life"! "
Lori Switala walked into Gulf Coast Community College's Small Business Development Center on September 3, 2009 filled with enthusiasm about a new product she recently discovered. While Lori was waiting for a plane in Michigan she discovered an electronic cigarette her airlines allowed her to smoke while in flight. The cigarette emitted only water vapor and the filter contained a graduated amount of nicotine to satiate her cravings. Lori came home believing in this product. She went to the Bay County Chamber of Commerce who directed her to the Small Business Development Center. Lori says, "No way I could of done any of this if God hadn't put this one in my hands and walked me over to SBDC. This was the beginning for me. I followed everything my counselor, Valerie Simmons, said word for word". Lori came into the SBDC with no business experience. She had been a stay at home mother of four, took care of a grandchild, another child, foster children, volunteered in the hospital and a guardian ad litum program. Her husband had a progressively disabling illness for the last five years that had started to worsen. He was reluctant to leave his job and they were worried about their future with his upcoming forced retirement. Lori extensively researched the product for a month. She found the best product on the market was made in the United States and was the only product that carried a one year guarantee. The electronic cigarette operates on lithium batteries, it can even be made to glow different colors on the ash end. The liquid flavor cartridge tips come in multiple flavors like vanilla, strawberry, etc. The liquid cartridges also come in small medium and large doses of nicotine to help those who want to cut down or quit smoking. Lori's wholesaler guaranteed her territory, would provide her with selling tools, business cards and the lowest wholesale price she had found. He would also provide her with important medical insurance for only $304.00 a year. Lori went over the independent sales representative agreement with her CBA and then called her wholesaler back with many questions which he answered to her and her CBA's satisfaction. She also brought in a lease for a kiosk in the Panama City Mall. Her CBA went over the lease with her, gave her advice about leases in malls and technicalities involved, and told her to make sure she had an attorney review it. Lori, consequently, went back to the mall office and had the lease modified before she considered signing it. Lori still had a big obstacle to conquer before she could commit to the business plan she had researched and created with her CBA. Her husband had been the family member who made all the money decisions and handled all the money for all their years of marriage. He did not want to risk part of their savings ($6,000) on something that might not work. He viewed Lori's endeavor as completely out of character with her past. She says she'll always remember her counselor encouraging her that it was time to go home and tell her husband it was her money, too. Because of the counseling she received she said, "I have very little fear of all the steps I am taking. The questions I had about myself have disappeared. I have to do what I know is right. I have to listen to that voice inside of me". She told the counselor, "I'm glad there was somebody here who knew everything on any questions I had. I had a great checklist and paperwork figured out for me. I just had to do it". Lori went directly from the SBDC office to the mall where she signed her lease. She then went home and sent in her sales agreement and ordered starting products for $1,000. She immediately started selling them out of her car and doubled her money. She set up in the mall in October to catch the prime selling season. In October Lori sold $6,600 of product. In November sales doubled to $13,000. In December sales again doubled to $26,000. Even in January her sales topped $20,000. She also located the business in a better kiosk in the mall during this time. She made her husband in charge of finances and he now happily takes her money to the bank for her. She employs a part-time and full time manager and 2 part-time employees. She provides health insurance for herself and the manager. She has opened an additional kiosk at Tyndall Air Force Base. She gives military discounts on her products there and at the mall. One of her many rewards is having the military personnel tell her how much better they're doing with their physical training due to the use of her products. She has beaten out her copycats with a superior product. She says, "With truth and trust, customers see it and come back to my product". Lori just opened a kiosk in the Air Force's Hulbert Field in Fort Walton Beach. She is also presently looking for a store front for her products to service her ever growing customer base. During her interview she told her counselor numerous times, "You made my life"!