​Author: Jordan Chaves, BSU student

​I had the pleasure of speaking with David P. Violette, D.D.S., who runs a successful, self-titled, dental practice in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts. He has been practicing in this location for the past twenty-eight years.

Dr. Violette grew up in Rehoboth, Massachusetts. At the young age of eleven, he decided he wanted to be a dentist after being inspired by his orthodontist. After graduating from Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High School in 1981, he attended Stonehill College in South Easton, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology degree in 1985. He then moved to Richmond, Virginia and studied dentistry for four years at the Medical College of Virginia. He graduated with a Doctorate in Dental Surgery (D.D.S.) degree in 1989.

After moving back to Massachusetts right after graduation, Dr. Violette began working at the dental office of Drs. Cohen and Cavicchi in Whitman. He was employed there for two years and then worked for a short time at Dental Horizons in Swansea. He realized that he wanted to have his own dental practice, so he began his search for a local, older dentist who was nearing retirement. In 1992, he found the office of Dr. Richard Guidoboni in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Dr. Guidoboni offered to rent office space to Dr. Violette and allowed him the use of his equipment. It was two separate practices in the same building. Dr. Violette was able to start building his patient base. While it was slow going at first, through word of mouth from existing patients, Dr. Violette eventually built his practice to the point where he could buy out Dr. Guidoboni and become a sole practitioner. Dr. Guidoboni agreed to sell the dental practice to Dr. Violette in the spring of 1998.

Dr. Violette wanted to start his own business with a passion towards leadership, decision-making and a sense of ownership. Dr. Violette’s philosophy as a business owner includes having his staff be able to enjoy the financial and professional success that comes with their dedicated, and passionate, hard work. The quality of Dr. Violette’s dental practice is top of the line, between the care that is given to all his patients, and the personal relationships that he maintains with them. 

A variety of services are offered, including routine dental cleanings, dental fillings, crowns, bridges, dentures and also dental implants. As a business owner, accommodating his patients and keeping them comfortable are two of his main priorities. As a result of the excellent care his gives his patients, he has been able to build on his practice’s impressive reputation. Through those patient referrals, Dr. Violette has been able to serve a large number of patients, far and wide.
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It is fair to say that it is difficult for many different businesses to thrive in the current, post-Covid-19 environment. Being unable to see patients for three months during the shutdown has been very difficult for Dr. Violette. As a result of the pandemic, Dr. Violette has seen a reduction in the bottom line. The cost of personal, protective equipment and the new protocols of limiting the number of patients in the office at the same time has had an overall, negative impact on the dental practice. A year from now, Dr. Violette would like to see his practice at a more productive and staffed level. Although Dr. Violette is satisfied where his practice is today, he has hopes of it one day expanding into a multi-doctor practice. In doing so, it would increase the patient base even more and more advanced technology could be used as a marketing tool. Anyone who gives Dr. David Violette’s dental practice a chance would be highly satisfied.

Dr. David P. Violette, D.D.S., P.C. is located at 34 North Main Street, West Bridgewater, MA.
 
You can contact the office via:
Phone: (508) 583-5338
Email: davidviolettedds@gmail.com
Website: davidviolette.com

​Author: Ryan Bell, BSU student

​​The Cape Cod Stuffed Quahog Company was founded in 2003 by Brian Robinson. Cape Cod Stuffed Quahogs cooks, prepares, and delivers a plethora of common seafood favorites throughout the South Shore including but not limited to: Stuffed quahogs (both premium and original flavor), Stuffed scallops with shrimp, Seafood risotto, lobster bisque, and clam chowder.
 
In 2003, Mr. Robinson was working for a restaurant in Boston, when he decided to start the business. In an interview with Brian, he mentioned that he originally broke ties with his previous place of employment in order to spend more time with his children. Shortly before the companies founding, Brian was spending most of his time at work, leaving at 5AM before anyone in his house woke up and returning lat at night when everyone had gone to bed. Though he was able to provide for his family he felt as if he was losing precious family time and decided to act. Shortly after, he rented an office/ production facility close to home and patented both the company name and recipes that are used to this day.
 
When asked what he may have done in hindsight, Brian stated that he wished he had more contingency plans set in place in order to mitigate any losses. He admits that there were more external forces causing the company issues than he initial anticipated. At the time of the company’s creation the biggest stress was caused by the financial fallout of the September 11th attacks. Though Brian understood the risks that were associated with the loss in tourism, he admits that he was caught off guard by the lasting effects. In addition, he noted there was a red tide the following year which severely damaged his supply chain. This caused him to look elsewhere for the majority of his ingredients. He was able to keep the company afloat by procuring his ingredients from Connecticut and other local states, a practice that he has continues to this day. 

Brian attributes the company’s success during this time to his ability act quickly in procuring his resources and reducing any redundancies. When asked about his marketing strategies Brian admits that it is mostly by word of mouth. Both he and his wife keep up with local events, reach out to new restaurants, and go grocery stores in order to supply them with samples. He noted that this has been fairly successful and has found that he is able to pick up new clients easily by having a physical presence.
 
Though he relies on more conventional marketing tactics, the company has a digital presence as well. There is a Facebook page that is updated regularly with new partnerships and promotions. Brian admits he does not track any of the pages analytics, but has noticed an increase in foot traffic to their main facility since its implementation.
 
In reflection on the year so far, Brian mentioned that he actually saw an increase in business. Though it was slow when the lockdown began, demand for his products shot up around May, a demand that has continued to grow throughout the season. He has been growing the company at a steady 5% each year and expects to close out this year with a 6-7% increase in profit. In addition to the increased business, Cape Cod Stuffed Quahog Company has been nominated for an award by Yankee magazine, which was introduced to his product through a customer in Boston. Brian hopes that this nomination will only increase the value of his brand and provide the business with more marketing opportunities. 

Cape Cod Stuffed Quahog Company is located at:
18 Beach Street in Bourne (Monument Beach), MA.
 
You can contact them via:
Phone: 508-759-5820
Website: www.ccsq.com
Facebook: Cape Cod Stuffed Quahog Company

​Author: Kelsey Alarcon-Aguilar, BSU student 

​From a small town in Mexico, Maria Elena Delgadillo and her husband Miguel Ramos worked together to give Brockton a taste of Mexico. With their authentic Mexican inspired dishes like crispy chimichangas, tacos, enchiladas, and much more! They have a large variety of authentic drinks like horchata and their exhilarating margaritas.  Elena and Miguel own several other Locations of Casa Vallarta in Massachusetts, but the Brockton location stands out for their friendly staff, amazing chef with original recipes, and stunning bartender. They also offer fresh guacamole to be made at the table.
 
On December 15, 2017 the grand opening in Brockton happened a couple minutes away from the Westgate Mall. While interviewing Elena about her reasoning behind opening up her business she said “I chose to open up this location to expand my restaurant's business and the reason I opened up any restaurants to begin was because I love food. I love cooking and I like to help people by creating jobs!”.As she was able to have her good friends and family working there, it made the restaurant experience better as she had a lot of support and people to count on. Elena and her husband Miguel have two kids, Anayelli and Miguel. The Delgadillo/Ramos Family lives in Connecticut and travel a little over two hours, and three when caught in traffic, to the business in Brockton, which can sometimes be a challenge for Miguel and Elena. Elena said the restaurant business has gotten in the way of her “mom duties” as she was at times unable to attend school events as she worked long hours, was caught up with inspection, or something went wrong.
 
Luckily, the location on Oak Street was already a restaurant before so they didn’t start from the bottom. At this location, the restaurant things were in place giving Elena and her husband an advantage. They had previous experience since they already had opened a couple restaurants before, but they had to make sure they would be successful. Elena said when her kids were old enough to understand what was going on, she immediately was able to bring them to work and introduce them to the business. She said “I would never change a thing, I would do it the same way over and over again”. 

​The technology aspect of things runs smoothly. Elena and her husband invest in numerous ads and nowadays everyone googles for places to eat, which gets a lot of customers in the restaurant. Elena mentioned about how GrubHub and DoorDash were a big hit for her restaurant with the constant take-outs. Being the 21st Century and everyone relying on the internet, Elena says, “it helps my business a lot and we get more customers in, since everyone is on their phones and posting pictures helping get more people in”. Elena’s kids are also always on their phones she said and that helps a lot as they attract a younger crowd.
 
Some obstacles she has been caught in were: during coronavirus when they had to shut down for a little bit, but once they were up and running for takeout she still had all her supporters which helped to maintain the restaurant open and she is grateful for that. Elena and her husband live in fear the pandemic will get worse again before it gets better and restaurant business will have to shut down. 

​Visit Casa Vallarta at 610 Oak Street in Brockton, MA.
 
You can contact them via:
Phone: 508-857-0401
Website: casavallarta.us
Facebook: @casavallartabrockton

​Author: Manie Navarro, BSU student

An interview with DeJorCo CEO Deshannah Temple on how her dream became a reality:
 
Are you from this local area?
I am originally from Boston, but I currently reside in Brockton, MA.
 
Tell me about your business. Why did you choose this line of business?
When I became a mom working the normal 9-5 was challenging with a newborn. One parent worked mornings and the other parent worked nights. I found myself missing my son terribly. There were moments I wanted to be a part of, moments I wanted to capture. Then one day, while working for a thrift store I thought about how everyone including myself throws away clothes and how those clothes could be sold. Realizing how much money we throw away constantly.
I decided to start taking donations off of Facebook from my friends and I began to receive beyond the amount of traffic I expected. At first this was amazing, the random sales, and being able to help another family who liked nice brands but could not afford to purchase at retail price. In my eyes it was definitely a win-win. Eventually, it started to slow down and I realized the market for used clothes just like anything else can come and go. So, I decided to start an online boutique for Men & Women, which is called DeJorCo. DeJorCo is the next FashionNova or BooHoo. I imagine DeJorCo being the place everyone goes to even just for socks or glasses if they need them.  I want moms to know that it’s okay to take a risk, it’s okay to step out of your comfort zone and push yourself beyond your limits.

When did it start?  What Year?
My release date was August 5th, 2020.

What was the toughest thing you went through when opening? What inspired you to keep going as you were getting the business off the ground?
The toughest thing I went through when opening was inventory. I was very hard on myself on getting more product and it was definitely hard for me to accept not making as much I as I expected I would. Every day I look at my son and I remember exactly why I started all of this to begin with. When it gets stressful and when I’m exhausted, I remember telling him I’m going to give him a big back yard to play in and ultimately my goal is to fulfill that promise.

If you had to start over from day 1 what would you have done differently? Or what was your most difficult challenge?
If I could restart and go back to day one, I would have definitely done more research. The importance of research and knowing the ins and outs of marketing is very important in the online world.

What is the toughest part about having a business in 2020?
The toughest part about having an online business in 2020 is that everyone is starting a business online. The challenge is making your product stand out. In 2020 there are a million people doing the same thing and as a result, promoting and marketing play a very huge part in it all.

If a customer was to choose between your business and 3 others just like it why would you suggest they at least give you a try first?  What makes you stand out?
In all honesty my brand stands out because I have amazing quality items at a very affordable and reasonable price. One of the challenges that comes with motherhood is looking at the price tag twice before you pick it up. When you go to DeJorCo, there is no thinking twice.

What is the number 1 way you currently bring in new customers?
The current way I bring in customers is by handing out a free item, handing out business cards, and constantly posting on different social media channels.

Has internet technology (website, online ads, social media, etc) played a big part in your growth and making your company more successful?
Personally I would say no, I can’t wait to get a physical location because promotion would not be needed as much. Sometimes all it takes is a car driving by. On social media, your image has to be very appealing before someone clicks. You also pay a lot of money in ads for that same purpose.

Do you feel that internet technology could play a bigger role in your business if you had the
right tools?
If I had the right tools and knew exactly what to do and how to do it, I would be way more successful in having an online boutique.
 
If you had to look 6 months to a year into the future where would you like to see your business be?
Six months to a year from now I’d like to see my business having consistent traffic. I’d like to make a minimum of $150 per day. I want DeJorCo to become everyone’s go to clothing store.

DeJorCo is an online business based in Brockton, MA.   
 
You can contact them via:
Website: www.DeJorCo.com
Instagram: @DeJorCo

​Author: Jessica Kilduff, BSU student

​Sigma Mechanical Services, located in Marshfield Massachusetts, was founded by Dave Tucker in 1997. Tucker attended a vocational high school in Wakefield where he learned all about the trade of plumbing and HVAC. At 33 years old, Tucker decided to further his education and attended Boston College and graduated with his bachelor’s degree in business management. Tucker combined his knowledge of both plumbing and business and decided to establish Sigma. Tucker met his wife at BC and credits his success to her. Right out of college, Tucker began picking up residential jobs to get his name out and foot in the door. After gaining more information about the business world, Tucker began tackling bigger commercial projects and started to bring members to his team.
 
When asked what he would have done differently if he could go back in time, Tucker said he would not change much. Tucker felt that at 33 he was old and mature enough to tackle on the new obstacle of owning a business. He found skills in college he never knew he had including accounting, sales and management. Although it was a tough road, Tucker believes being humble, having self-drive and putting in the hard work helped him become successful. Like any other business owner, Tucker has found himself in some obstacles. Finances were the biggest struggle Tucker encountered when starting up Sigma. Tucker had just graduated from BC and found himself in years and years of debt making it hard to afford a company vehicle and getting the company afloat.  2020 has been a challenging year for many due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Sigma was lucky enough to be considered an essential company and had work that needed to get done. Tucker noted the hardest part of 2020 was the uncertainty that came from the pandemic. Tucker credits his employees for following the safety precautions at work and home. 2020 is also an election year and although that does not play a huge roll in the company, Tucker has found in the past during election years construction production can slow down due to not knowing who will win the election and how it will affect the economy.   
 
Technology is rapidly changing, and Sigma stays up to date with it. Tucker has supplied his employees with iPads and iPhones with equipped applications and programs to help the jobs run smoothly. Technology has made it easier for employees to go through programs and training. Employees have an app called Procore installed on their phones that allows them to see what jobs they are working on and all the blueprints to these jobs. The team now uses lasers instead of levels, and electronic tape measures. Technology has definitely been an efficient way to help the employees complete their jobs. Sigma no longer uses social media to boost their cliental. Sigma use to be a residential company but since transitioning to commercial they no longer seek work, work seeks them. The contractors of a project look for subcontractors which is where Sigma puts bids in to obtain the projects. Because of this Tucker no longer needs to account for advertising costs.

​In 6 months to a year, Tucker wants Sigma to remain steady. Tucker is happy with job performance and does not except the company to double its profits. Tucker wants to be able to provide what he can for the company as well as his employees. He believes if the team was successful last year, they can do it again. Tucker does not plan to step away from Sigma any time soon, he wants to always be involved in the company. Tucker would like to see himself give his employees more wiggle room to complete jobs on their own and see them succeed without his guidance all the time. Sigma is a very established company with many happy clients. What makes them stand out against competitors? Tucker believes his competitors are the company’s best assets. Sigma employees go the extra mile when working on projects and put pride into their work, whereas other companies only do the work for the money. Sigma has a variety of different workmanship who bring the whole project together. The employees strive to resemble trust and integrity to reflect only positive thoughts about Sigma.
 
The employees of Sigma make up the team. Tucker has a service department, construction department and office department. Tucker would rate his employees job performance as 95% of them are performing at high rates. When finding the right candidates to add to his team, Tucker looks at resumes, qualifications and work history. He also wants to get to know the individual on a personal level, what their family is like, interests, and hobbies. Tucker knows not everyone is perfect all the time, but his employees all bring different attributes to make his team successful.
 
While at BC, Tucker was a member of Alpha Sigma Nu the honor society. He incorporated the society as his company’s name and logo. Sigma means with integrity and trust which is what the company wants to portray. Tucker also honored BC by making the companies colors the universities colors; maroon and gold. Dave Tucker has a lot of wisdom and has flourished in the field of plumbing and business. 

Sigma Mechanical Services is located in Marshfield, MA.
 
You can contact them via:
Phone: 781-837-9994
Email: info@sigmams.com
Website: sigmams.com

​Author: Emily McNeil, BSU Student

Entitled Beer Company, located on North Street in downtown Hingham, has been making strides in quality and consistency despite losing around 50% of its business due to Covid-19 shut-downs and restrictions. Owner Brian Barry grew up in Braintree, Massachusetts and started working in restaurants as a teenager. Developing a passion for beer, Brian decided to start his Company, Entitled Brewing Company, accidentally in 2014. “I was always passionate about beer and homebrewing and made a recipe for a restaurant I work at that was only sold there. People loved the beer so much I decided to build a company around it.” Combine a love of good beer and the desire to work for himself, Entitled Brewing Company was born.
 
Starting a business from scratch was no cakewalk for Brian. “The toughest thing was probably learning to mass produce a product while keeping the beer fresh.” Beer must be kept around 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit for storage, which became difficult in the New England summer’s heat. He says, “The reaction of the customers that loved my beer inspired me to keep going.” With persistence and support from family, friends, and fans, Brian succeeded to create the beer so many local customers loved, and now has a product line of 6 different Beers; the Entitled IPA, New England IPA, Betterment, Wit and Wisdom, Artie’s Strong Arm, and Therapy Session. He says when starting a business on your own that “I would have trusted my gut more and not let others influence my decisions. The most difficult challenge was creating brand awareness and growing at a manageable pace.” 

With the development of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is not a surprise that many local companies such as Entitled faced many challenges. With the loss of jobs and closure of various restaurant, Brian lost about 50% of his customer base. Bars and restaurants closing were a huge problem for Entitled, as customers could not get drinks or draft beers. Brian decided to change his methods for sales and began offering his beer in take-out in restaurant like Caffe Tosca, in Hingham. With restrictions further lifting, when asked about the future of his business in 6 months to a year Brian says “I would like to see it back to where it was prior to Covid-19. I try to keep my goals reasonable in order to grow at a comfortable pace.” When asked further about future growth, and whether stepping-back and being more of a passive owner or further increasing his involvement in the company, he says a hybrid of the two would be best. “I would love to increase sales while also allowing other to manage the day to day for a fresh perspective. I feel that by stepping back and allowing others to manage the daily grind, it would allow me to see my business through another lens.”
 
However, the future looks bright for Entitled, which is a lot to say after so many businesses closed/failed during the Covid-19 pandemic. Entitled Brewing Company relies mainly on word-of-mouth to bring in new customers, but with the development of a new website and increased social media presence, he hopes to change that. “What makes us stand out is the consistency of the liquid, which is always fresh and always delicious, as well as the value of the beer on the retail market. I have always classified my beers as dangerously drinkable. The reason they should choose Entitled is because you will not get a better product at the value ours is sold for. I wanted to price my beers at a price point that the average income can enjoy, while still maintaining the highest quality.

You can visit Entitled Brewing at 21 North Street in Hingham, MA.
 
You can contact them via:
Phone: 781-740-1035
Facebook: @entitledbrewing
Website:  entitledbrewing.com  

​Author: Kyle Francis, BSU student

Are you in need of a local haircut? Do you like having the feeling of being comfortable and safe with your time inside a salon? Copper Rose Studio has all that and even more to make your experience an unforgettable one. I had the pleasure of sitting down and talking with business owner and lead stylist Elaine Dalton, a local creator who shared with me her biggest challenges and inspirations while turning her dream job into reality. Elaine was born, raised, and currently resides in Dedham, she started working with her passion for hair almost seven years ago which taught her the flexibility of her skills. Not only has she built her clientele through previous salons but has also done a variety of home appointments and weddings as well! In July of this year, faced in the midst of a pandemic, Elaine decided to open the doors to Copper Rose Studio located in Canton, MA offering her clients coloring and hair styling services.
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As the owner and sole stylist, she has found herself in the unique situation she worked so hard for. Not only does she have control of how well the shop is run, she also makes sure each haircut is everything desired as her customer consultations are specific and clear. Her desire to be her own boss is everything she wanted and now she gets to accomplish that! Crafting her dream shop in a pandemic created unique challenges that she learned to solve, with the delays in shipping faced country wide, stocking her shop with products became more and more difficult. Not only was stocking her shop with products challenging but also finding cleansing items as the pandemic drove many to be scarce in inventory. When I asked what got her through such unique challenges she responded, “constant positive feedback and support from family, friends, and clients pushed me through each and every roadblock”. I believe Elaine has everything needed to run her business by combining her optimism and welcoming personality, I was eager to learn of her aspirations as the future approaches. 

Elaine is very excited with how things are turning out for Copper Rose; I was interested in any changes she’d make giving the chance to go back to day one. She was quick to announce that she wished she made the jump sooner! Giving her more time to prepare herself and the shop was on the top of her mind as opening day quickly approached. Not only has she helped myself and other South Shore resident to look their best, she also is advocate for the safety of animals. All of the products found in her shop are organic and never tested upon animals! The uniqueness of her shop doesn’t stop there as it only allows one client at a time which is perfect while social distancing is in effect. Her studio offers excellent parking and encourages hands free payment for each client to continue being safe and comfortable!

I was curious to see how social media played a role in her business’s success. Elaine uses both Instagram and Facebook to promote her services and she couldn’t be happier with how simple and accessible both platforms work for her. She is able to link her booking page in the bio which allows customers to locate her and pick which time works best for them. She has taken business seminars which further strengthened her social media presence and she is always finding new ways to draw an audience!
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Upon reaching the end of my time with Elaine, I wanted to know her vision for the future even if was only six months to a year in advance. Her main priority going ahead is getting to know more clients and sooner rather than later receiving her master colorist certification. Her passion is always going to be supporting her clients and getting them the best results imaginable. Elaine is always excited to meet her clients and craft the style of your dreams. You deserve to be relaxed and cared for, let Elaine cater your style today! 

Copper Rose Studio is located at 95 Washington Street Canton, MA 02021.

You can contact them via:
Phone: 781-864-4143
Email: Copperrosestudio20@gmail.com
Website:  www.vagaro.com/copperrosestudio20
Instagram: @copperrosestudio20
Facebook:  @Copperrosestudio20

Lawrence (Larry) Johnson has owned Patriot Security and Patrol for 17 years. His company serves the South Shore for all of their security needs. Larry Johnson was intrigued with the security field after working as a part time police officer for the Plymouth Police Department. He worked their for three years with the goal of becoming a full time police officer, but decide against the career path for various personal reasons. Johnson then began his first business, a landscaping company. Given the lack of landscaping work in the northeast during the winter, Larry began working for a security company in the offseason. Larry quickly proved to his boss that he had what it takes to manage others and take on various responsibilities. Within 90 days, he was managing one account and after one year, he was managing three. Larry Johnson managed the entire company after seven years of employment and purchased it by his tenth year. Larry has since grown the company to provide services in Plymouth, Middleboro, and West Bridgewater. Larry Johnson and his eleven employees are knowledgeable and experienced in their work and always maintain proper knowledge and skills in order to accurately do their jobs.  Johnson has continued offering services throughout the south shore since taking over the company because he was born and raised their. He thoroughly enjoys the area, especially Plymouth where he raised his children as well.
 
Larry Johnson has found that the largest difficulties come from staffing and learning the paperwork portion of the business. Finding quality employees who are responsible is challenging because employees cannot be watched all the time. This requires trusting employees to do their job accurately and throughly. Given the increase in minimum wage over the past decade, it has been increasingly difficult to retain employees. Larry Johnson tries to hire people of age 25 or older since they are most likely more mature and responsible than young adults. In terms of office difficulties, paperwork and payroll can be difficult giving the ever-changing laws surrounding the business. Other issues with staffing come from employees needing or wanting time off. The security field is an essential service and must have a set number of people at each account no matter the circumstances. Therefore, whenever a person calls in sick or has a family emergency, their position must be filled. With so few employees, it can be difficult finding coverage, often requiring the owner to cover the shift. Managing the accounts, all eleven employees, day to day operations, and working at the accounts can be overwhelming, but Johnson has been able to successfully overcome these obstacles for the past 27 years that he has been in the field.

2020 has made it challenging for all businesses given the current political climate, cultural unrest, and COVID-19. With security being essential, the Coronavirus has played a gigantic role in how Larry runs his business. Larry Johnson has had a few employees require testing, all which came back negative, but none the less has caused challenges with staffing. Those who are worried that they may have COVID must stay home, get tested, and then wait for their results to come back, before returning to work. This can make staffing of all accounts a rollercoaster depending on which employees are available, which accounts need positions filled, and who is trained to work at which account.
 
Given the challenges or running a small security business, Larry still would not trade it for the world. He enjoys offering safety and security to all of his accounts. Given the small size of the business, when compared to the competition, Larry finds that his accounts enjoy his involvement and eagerness to satisfy all parties. If any problems arise or information needs to be relayed, Larry Johnson will get back to a customer within 24 hours no matter whether he is on vacation or working vigorously. This is not something that you would find at any of the bigger security companies and gives him a competitive advantage in the industry.

Patriot Security and Patrol is located at 48 Walnut St in Plymouth, MA.
 
Contact them via:
Phone: 508-922-8186
E-mail: patsec1@yahoo.com
Website: www.patriotsecuritypatrol.com

​Author: Brian Carreiro, BSU student

​I had the pleasure to interview the owner and sole proprietor of “Resurrected Detailing”, Douglas Mendes. He is a very passionate business owner and he loves what he does. Many people overlook the idea of detailing their cars, but what Douglas says is, “detailing and maintaining your cars paint is just as important maintenance as a regular oil change.” Resurrected Detailing is a mobile automotive detailer. He travels all around Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and has done many jobs in the South Shore area before. He caters to the customer by coming to their door to detail their cars, which makes the service more convenient for the customer. This method of “mobile detailing” also benefits his business because it helps reach a larger consumer basis, rather than just his local area. 
 
Douglas Mendes also has a large amount of experience and certifications for detailing cars. His enjoyment for detailing began when he was a kid and has been a part of his life ever since. Not only does he detail cars, but he will detail anything with paint, such as boats, motorcycles, and expensive Snap-On toolboxes. He has detailed a wide variety of cars, from cheaper cars and even up to a $150,000 BMW. He has detailed a truck a part of the Bristol 4th of July parade, and the truck ended up winning “Most Beautiful”. He has transformed so many cars from a nightmare to basically brand new again. He can restore your paintwork and interior. Most of his experience was done at a dealership that he used to work at, and he has had vast amounts of practice to get to the level of expertise he is at today. 
 
Many customers also do not realize how much time and effort Douglas puts into detailing his cars. Some cars will take him up to 10 hours to complete, and that’s because he will treat the car as his own. And just the amount of products that he brings with him for detailing his cars is extremely immense. He has thousands of dollars in equipment and most customers do not realize how much time and money is needed. He has certain products for each certain car part. He’s so precise with his work that he even cleans the door jams and your engine bay. You also need to understand the different types of cars you're working on because not all cars have the same type of paint. He said “There are different paint thicknesses and you cannot just compound every car. You need to have years of experience to detailing a car, and it is not just as simple as washing your car with soap and water.”
 
What makes Douglas stand out from the competition is his work will always be quality. Most mobile businesses will brush over your car in 3 hours, but he will do his job more effectively and take up to 10 hours. His prices are a flat rate, regardless of what it is, so customers are not charged hourly. He always guarantees his customers satisfaction. He says “if you’re not happy with his work, then you don’t have to pay the full amount.” He also gives a warranty for some of his jobs. An example is if he restores your headlights and they get faded a year later, then he will come by and redo them free of charge. 

​A way he brings in new customers is through his work itself. Doug said, “yesterday I finished doing one car, and from me doing that car, 3 other customers contacted me to do theirs too.” Doug explains that that’s the major benefit of being a mobile detailing business because you can reach a larger audience. Resurrected Detailing has been an official business for about three years now, but he has been detailing for much longer than that. And he has worked in different areas of automotive detailing, such as, boat yards and dealerships. 
 
The hardest part for Douglas starting his business was he didn’t have a trailer to carry around all of his products and supplies, but now he does have one which makes it much easier to carry his supplies around. The biggest challenge for him in 2020 was losing out on some customers because they obviously lost income, but not all of his customers lost their jobs. But the pandemic boosted his business in a way because he completely cleans your car inside and out, and that will make customers feel safer. 
 
Doug does not have any social media, but he is on “Linked In.” He uses this to promote his business, along with word-of-mouth, plus his work speaks for itself to do the promoting. 
 
For the future, Doug would like to eventually pick up a shop, but still keep the mobile aspect of his business. The shop would certainly help him in the winter because the chemicals in the products that he uses needs to be used in a certain temperature. He would also like to eventually hire employees, but Doug would like to still do most of the work because he is proud of his work and he does it a certain way. 

Resurrected Detailing is a mobile car-detailing
business. To contact the owner, Douglas Mendes:

Phone: ​774-266-7434
​
Email: ​vash7785@gmail.com

​Author: Justin Borba, BSU student

​I am thankful Dr. Gould had the time to answer a few questions during this pandemic even though he is very busy with his practice.
 
So, let’s start with are you from this area?
I have been is Brockton since 1973. I grew up in northern New York. I came to Brockton because I had professional connections through family.
 
Tell me about your business. Why did you choose this line of business?
I have a solo dental practice specializing in pediatrics. I always wanted to do something in the health profession with children, and after having seen a close friend losing a child to cancer, I did not want to do medicine and pediatric dentistry was an alternative.
 
When did it start? What year?
I studied dental school in 1967 and made my choice to pursue my specialty in 1971, the year I graduated, I did a pediatric residency at children’s hospital of Pittsburgh; and finished in 1973. I came to Brockton in July 1973.
 
What was the toughest thing you went through when opening? What inspired you to keep going as you were getting the business off the ground?
Not having had any business background, the toughest thing was how to run the business side of my office. Seeing patients calling and getting referrals from general dentists and pediatricians was what kept me going.
 
If you had to start over from day one what would you have done differently? Or what was your most difficult challenge?
I would have taken some business classes in college, and perhaps when I got started, I would have associated with an established practice to see how to run my practice.

What is the toughest part about having a business in 2020?
This is easy to answer, bills keep coming in, and with Covid-19, the ability to meet expenses is the most difficult part. When the government puts restrictions on practices, they also restrict income, but not the outgoing.
 
What is the number one way you currently bring in new customers?
Patient referrals are the greatest source of new customers, however new websites and patient comments are a significant factor.
 
Has internet technology (website, online ads, social media, etc.) played a big part in your growth and making your company more successful?
Absolutely, technology gets faster results, feedback, and referrals.
 
Increase or decrease, step away and be more of a manager, passive owner, etc.?
With today’s economy, and with advanced technology, and having done this for nearly 50 years, I would like to be a passive owner, allowing young blood to do all the hard work, and soliciting new business through marketing, knowing now how to bring in new patients.
 
We did have a nice conversation on how technology will and has helped his business. With the way other media platforms are growing, there are more ways of getting referrals from customers with other social media platforms other than Facebook. He wants to start diving into Twitter and Instagram, which are two of the biggest platforms. This will definitely help get the business more exposure and customers. One thing about the interview that sticks with me is the way he talks about his employees. Dr. Gould wants everyone to be comfortable and  feel like a family; and you can really see how close they are right as you step in.

​Dr. David S. Gould, DDS has two locations in the South Shore area. 
​

Email: frontdesk@davidsgoulddds.com
Facebook: David S. Gould, DDS