Shiketa Johnson, Shinique Designs

When Sheila Johnson outgrew her salon space in St. Mary's county, relocating to Solomons Island was a great opportunity to offer expanded services in a retro-looking space with black and white tiles and a warm, welcoming environment for customers.  An antique barber pole is seen from the street and Corey, a barber at the salon, has numerous snapshots of customers to generate an interest in new styles.

Sheila and her entourage also include five very talented stylists. Sheila's daughter Shiketa is a professional braider and Tori is tucked away in the expansive space doing nails and pedicures. What is unique about Shinique Designs is that a family can come in and each member can be getting a service at exactly the same time with little or no waiting time. With today's fast pace and limited resources, Sheila has discovered what families in the area need most . . . expert services at affordable prices - all in one place.

"The SBDC has always been there when I called for help with marketing or other business issues," says Sheila. 

You are invited to the first SBDC Women's Business Roundtable Meeting of 2011 on January 21 at the St. Mary's County Chamber of Commerce office from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

This month's program is "Do You Put Yourself on Sale?" presented by Annmarie Morgan, owner of Chesapeake Cuisine.  The program discussion will also include the results of the survey some of the participants completed in November.

We are more vigorously publicizing the round table to encourage awareness and growth of the organization as well as its individual member companies.  Feel free to invite colleagues and friends who may be interested in attending the Women's Business Roundtable this month or in the future.

Registration information is available at the SBDC http://www.sbdchelp.com/Events/  link.  If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Linda Craven at 301-866-1923 or lindacr@csmd.edu.  

On September 27, 2010, the Small Business Jobs and Credit Act of 2010 (H.R.5297) was signed into law. The legislation provides an important tax break for the over 23 million self-employed Americans that represent 78 percent of all small businesses in the U.S.  

Have you heard of the new Benefits or "B" Coporation?  Starting in October 2010, entrepreneurs in the state of Maryland whose corporate mission encompasses social benefit, were allowed to form a for-profit company that includes social benefit creation in its corporate charter.

Among the first to become B Corporations under the new legislation were two SBDC clients, Big Bad Woof, a Takoma Park-based organic pet food store, and Tebabu Assefa, an importer of Ethopian coffee. "Benefit corporations offer socially-conscious businesses a model for doing good while doing well," says Laura E. Jordan, Esq, attorney for the retailer. "Benefit corporations are uniquely suited, in our market-based economy, to focus on social benefit within the context of a profit-making."  For more information on the Benefits Corporation, click here.