Our Success Stories
Success Stories
Ohio Magazine Article
Strictly Business
November 2007 Issue
Author: Steve Herrick
Related Categories: Living in Retirement ; SOUTHWEST, NORTHWEST, NORTHEAST
Taking Inventory
As executive sales director for Merck & Co., Mary Caracci spearheaded sales and marketing plans for the company’s pharmaceuticals in 15 north-central states and directed a staff of 140. But Caracci’s favorite part of the job was an extracurricular one: mentoring talent as they rose through the ranks.
“It wasn’t a requirement, but it was something I devoted a lot of time and effort to,” the Port Clinton resident says.
“Here were men and women who were young, but had the potential to lead in the future. I would meet with them periodically to make sure they had a good developmental plan in place and that they were executing it.
“When I began thinking about retiring, I realized that the thing I would miss most was not the day-to-day work. It was mentoring these young people.”
When Caracci retired in 2004 at the “ripe old age” of 56, she was ready to continue helping members of the workforce.
“It’s my personal belief that when you’re lucky enough to be able to retire at a young age, you have an obligation to give back,” she says. “You have all this experience –– whether it’s in business or other disciplines of life –– and now you have the time to give back to others. Although I had a lot of business experience, I had not developed myself as a volunteer because I was too busy working on my career. So the first thing I wanted to do in retirement was line myself up with a meaningful volunteer opportunity.”
SCORE provided the missing link, and Caracci created a new branch of the organization in Port Clinton. With its lakeside ambiance and thriving tourist seasons, the area was ripe for new business owners like Mercedes Wise, owner of Miss Mercedes, a women’s clothing and accessory store in Lakeside.
A special-education teacher in Genoa, Wise opened her store 10 years ago to fill idle time during summer vacations.
“I come from a family of workaholics, so I knew I would not be spending my summers doing nothing. I wish that were within my personality,” the 33-year-old says with a laugh. “Unfortunately, it is not.”
For seven summers, business boomed. But two years ago, sales slowed and too much inventory remained at the end of the year. Wise contacted SCORE.
“I needed someone from the outside to help me return to profit,” Wise says. “Mary was, and still is, an invaluable resource. She completely changed my whole attitude about the store, reinvigorating my energy.”
To help remedy inventory issues, Caracci recommended hiring a certified public accountant to coach her in business, and suggested restructuring the company into a limited liability corporation, separate from Wise’s personal finances. Wise is also in the process of instituting a computerized system for inventory control, which will let her see at a glance what’s selling well, what the profits are and if items need to be discounted to move off the shelves.
“Mary has been a phenomenal role model professionally, as well as personally,” Wise says. “She’s helped me take the store to a more serious level than being just a hobby. Mary broke the to-do list down into very manageable baby steps and helped me overcome my fear of numbers. She is the ultimate professional, providing an invaluable wealth of knowledge across the board.”
For Caracci, it’s a success story that’s a cornerstone of personal achievement.
“I’m so proud to see Mercedes grow and develop,” Caracci says. “I take more pride in that than anything I accomplished in my business career. I got the satisfaction of contributing to her success and putting my knowledge and experience to work helping someone else. And I had the chance to continue using my problem-solving skills and analytical ability in a real business environment."
Mozina Art Success Story
Cindy and Jim Mozina are the proud owners of “MozinArt”, a retail store featuring affordable home décor and gifts in historic downtown Port Clinton. Cindy Mozina has a degree in Interior Design from Michigan State University, and an art gallery and framing business for many years. Her husband, Jim Mozina, has taught French to Port Clinton High School students for more than 30 years. It had always been Cindy’s dream to have a retail business of her very own, where she would be free to select and display artwork, gift items, and custom designed floral arrangements.
Cindy approached S.C.O.R.E. counselor Mary Caracci for assistance, first to explore the feasibility of purchasing the art gallery she managed from its current owners. As Cindy and Jim prepared a business plan for the purchase of the existing business, Mary brought in S.C.O.R.E. counselor Ora Alleman, for his 40 years of experience in banking, in a team counseling session. As it turned out, Cindy’s bank advised her to consider opening her own business, since far less capital would be required. And the rest, as they say, is history. MozinArt opened on August 1st in 2006, at 113 Madison Street. Mary continued to work with Cindy on her marketing plan, a press release, and promotional efforts to build a loyal customer base.
Cindy’s background in interior design, and her creative flair, have resulted in a fascinating mix of merchandise, organized by category. Cindy offers affordable gift items, such as jewelry, seasonal décor, and holiday specials. She also features reasonably priced art objects, sculpture, spiritual items, and customized silk floral arrangements. Jim assists Cindy in the store when school is out for the summer, and accompanies her on buying trips.
MozinArt has had a successful first year in operation, thanks to an ever growing customer base of local residents and snowbirds. Tourists also enjoy experiencing this charming store during their visit to historic Port Clinton. Cindy has remained flexible in adjusting her hours of operation to suit peak downtown event weekends, and the slower winter season. Her creativity has allowed her to use her advertising dollars effectively, and partner with other downtown merchants to offer clever promotions.
Cindy appreciates all of the support and business coaching she has received from S.C.O.R.E. “Our counselors have been there for us with positive advice and encouragement. We appreciate their guidance.”
M.J. Siewert Success Story
Fish Tales Diner, Catawba Island, Ohio
SCORE Supports Dream of a Restaurant
M. J. Siewert is the owner of Fish Tales Diner, serving breakfast and lunch daily to fishermen and families in the “Walleye Capital of the World”, Port Clinton, Ohio. M. J. offers her patrons good food, large portions, and small prices, in a nautical themed restaurant open since June of 2006. Fish Tales is located on busy State Route 53, adjacent to many marinas and charter fishing boats. It is also the last restaurant before the ferry boat to the Lake Erie Islands that serves breakfast or lunch.
Open at 6:00 A.M. for breakfast, charter fishing captains and their fishermen customers can also order a big bag lunch to go with them out on the water. M. J. offers special banquet and fishing tournament breakfasts and lunches for groups. Even the menu offerings are designed specially for fishermen. The “ticket omelet” is a play on “getting your ticket”, or walleye catch limit. M. J.‘s banner is a smiling fish jumping over the logo, “Fish stories told here”. In addition to her fishing and ferry boat clientele, many “local” residents of Catawba are frequent diners at Fish Tales, open daily in the summer months from 6:00 A.M. until 2:00 P.M.
The breakfast menu features Grade A farm fresh eggs and “big toast”, as well as a selection of “healthy specialties”. The lunch menu offers sandwiches served with “big fries” and a fried dill pickle. The “big bag lunch to go” promises a huge sandwich with 5 oz. of premium meat on a fresh Kaiser bun, chips, two homemade cookies, and a chocolate candy bar, all for only $5.99.
M. J. Siewert is an experienced sales and marketing executive, but lacked experience operating a restaurant, so she did her homework well. Six months before her planned opening, M. J. contacted SCORE counselor Mary Caracci for help with launching her proposed breakfast/lunch diner. Together, M. J. and Mary put the finishing touches on the Fish Tales business plan, and developed an action plan for promoting the new diner.
Team counseling also played a role in M. J.’s preparations, as Mary brought in SCORE counselor Ora Alleman to review the final business plan draft. Ora’s 40 years of experience in commercial lending served M. J. well, as he suggested changes to her financial projections to reflect the seasonal