Douglas Lester got his truck and trailer repair business off the ground with a mobile emergency repair service in 2018. Looking to switch to a brick-and-mortar location for his heavy-duty diesel repair shop, Douglas turned to the Virginia Highlands SBDC for advice.

Douglas knows the value of good advice; an early education in truck repair, the catalyst for starting his business career, began with his dad.

“My dad worked on trucks,” he says. “He gave me advice on how to repair and maintain them. Doing repair work has interested me ever since.”

Douglas started a 24-hour emergency roadside repair service in 2018. As that business grew, he began to look for a permanent location.

“There’s a Petro Truck Stop on this exit ramp of Interstate 81, but all they work on is trucks,” Douglas notes. “I saw a need here for both truck and trailer repair. Interstate 81 is always loaded with tractor trailers — that’s one of the reasons we looked at this area.”

Douglas began a search for property and initially found land that he thought he could build on, but later found a building that had been vacant for several years and it was already set up for truck repair. Securing funds for leasing the building became the top priority.

“I knew I couldn’t handle something of that magnitude myself,” Douglas comments. “I started an internet search on Google and found Cindy Fields’ name at the SBDC.”

Cindy, director of the Virginia Highlands SBDC, connected Douglas with the First Virginia Bank and Trust that provided a startup loan, which allowed Lester Truck & Trailer Repair to move into the new building and hire employees.

“Cindy led us through creative financing that allowed us to transition from a mobile service business into a brick-and-mortar location with 54,000 square feet on 17.4 acres,” Douglas adds. “A country boy from Russell County couldn’t have done all that.”

One thing the SBDC suggested they focus heavily on while developing their revenue projections was customer relations with local fleet companies. Now, (those) customers, like the big trucks that travel the interstate, keep rolling in and really have helped us grow sustainable revenues,

Cindy also assisted in setting up advertising with Google and developing a website, which, as Douglas says, “is how customers find us.”

Douglas also took advantage of SBDC’s training seminars. As business started to grow, Cindy assisted with QuickBooks training and a financial statement review.

“Our year-to-date revenue is $1 million,” Douglas says. “In September we hired our seventh employee and are pursuing an SBA loan through First Community Bank to purchase our building.”

Future plans already include expansion of staff and services. “The next step is an evening shift, hiring more techs, and service seven days a week.”

“Cindy worked with us on a five-year plan and a loan development package” he notes.

Douglas sees an optimistic future for Lester Truck & Trailer Repair.

“I would never have known about the SBDC if I hadn’t found Cindy’s name on the internet that day,” he concludes. “We’ve been blessed — and now we have the SBDC to advise us along the way as our business evolves and grows.” Cindy, has been great to work with us. She has guided us throughout the entire process, through the lows and the highs. We can not express our appreciation enough on her behalf!

After two decades in the military and stints as a communications officer for two separate United States presidents, taking care of people became second nature for Pamela Lucas. When retirement led her to a second career in real estate, it’s no surprise she found herself doing more for her tenants than just providing them with a place to live.

“I was always helping people, helping my tenants, helping them with rent, taking groceries over there, turning the lights on,” Pamela says. “My mom, who’s a retired school principal, told me that I should run a group home.”

Pamela took that advice, educated herself on the adult special needs care industry, and opened her first licensed group home in 2014. Within three years, PAMCO Care was operating three different group residences in Gainesville and Manassas that served adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. By 2022, just shy of PAMCO Care’s 10-year anniversary, Pamela had opened six homes, established an office space, and earned her Executive MBA (EMBA) from Georgetown University.

But even for a combat veteran, successful real estate agent, and defense contractor, the pivot to running a full-on business was challenging. Questions that had inspired Pamela to earn her EMBA in 2020 — about how to properly take care of her employees, such as providing health care and retirement benefits — led her to the Mason SBDC in the fall of 2023.

“I met [Mason SBDC Director] Timm Johnson, and he has been a great mentor and sounding board,” she says. “I went to Georgetown and got an EMBA, but that’s textbook. Timm has actually operationalized that. He’s taken the textbook and given meaning to what my spreadsheets are, what my profit and loss statements are, and general guidance on what I need to look for to run my business successfully.”

After connecting through the Prince William Chamber of Commerce, Timm initially helped Pamela modernize her bookkeeping and gain a deeper understanding of her business metrics. They continue to meet monthly, and Pamela also attended an SBDC-facilitated conference. However, for all the help she has already received, Pamela notes that she has only scratched the surface of what the SBDC offers.

In addition to providing invaluable business advice, Timm played a crucial role in supporting PAMCO Care’s growth. He introduced Pamela to M&T Bank and Navy Federal Credit Union, which will be instrumental in helping her secure the financing needed for property acquisition.

Today, PAMCO Care has six group homes in Virginia and provides adult day care services. Pamela has also opened a job training and placement program that helps individuals with disabilities find paid employment. With more than 150 clients, and over 80 employees,  she enters the second decade of her business’ existence and has a trusted advisor and the SBDC at her side.

“I’m an old army girl, so I believed that all you needed to do was get somebody who is passionate,” Pamela says. “I started out leading men and women in combat, and now I’m leading this company, helping individuals with disabilities live better lives, and it’s not about me — it’s about my team that comes alongside me.”

Consider Timm Johnson – Pamela’s “trusted advisor” – part of that team.

Pamela Lucas is the recipient of the 2024 Virginia Small Business Veteran of the Year Award!