Survey: Women do well in business here

One woman started her business for fun. Another prayed about her new enterprise. Still another was interested in a family project.

Now they’re women in business in a state that, according to a recent report by Thumbtack, ranks No. 7 among the Best Places for Women to Start a Business in 2016.

According to the report, women owned more than 9 million businesses nationwide.

Recent data shows women-owned businesses are growing 1.5 times faster than the national average, and the trend benefits female business owners of color.

Sixty-four percent of women report that their businesses are their primary employment, said in the report. And 36 percent of women operate their businesses part time.

Carolyn Verdun started an insurance business, Verdun’s Agency, in 2012. It is located in Patterson.

The agency provides insurance coverage for auto, flood, home owner, business, motorcycle and commercial. This is her first business and it operated on a full-time basis.

Before setting out on her own, she managed a local insurance office. The company for which she worked for 10 ½ years decided to downsize.

Verdun exercised her faith in God to pursue the next steps.

As an insurance professional, not working at the time, former clients constantly solicited her help for their insurance needs.

It became overwhelmingly noticeable to her husband, Robert, that Verdun should give serious thought to opening her own insurance business.

Verdun prayed about it.

“If the Lord wants me to do it, he will bring it to me again,” Verdun said.

After working on some other things, the idea came up again.

“I said ‘OK Lord, if you want me to have this, you’ll make a way for me to pay for it,’” Verdun said. “Because I don’t need my house in jeopardy.”

Two days later, Verdun received a call from a financial regarding 401K that she started years ago and forgot about.

The following day, her cousin called to say there were some office spaces available and asked if she wanted to share it with her.

While contemplating her decision, Verdun told her husband “if God had made it so, ‘I’m going to call to see what I have to do with the state,’” Verdun said. “‘And if he’s really done it, I’m not going to have to do anything.’”

And that’s exactly what happened. The state licensing agency informed Verdun that her credentials were set up as a producer. She did not have to do anything extra.

Verdun had everything she needed to move forward.

“Now, this is scary, but this is how you do things,” Verdun said. “And it all started from there.”

Angelia “Angie” Haase is the owner of Bayou Vista Pet Grooming.

Haase has worked as a pet groomer for 24 years. She started the business more for fun than out of necessity.

However, after a divorce eight years ago, it became her only means of income.

Before starting her own business, Haase worked for an oil company as a base operator. After becoming pregnant and suffering from a bad accident, she was unable to pass a physical.

“So I decided to go into business,” Haase said. “And I’ve been in business ever since.”

Haase opened the business because of beloved dog Beasley. She began grooming miniature schnauzers because she was also a breeder.

Buyers would always complement Haase on how beautiful her dogs were and often inquired about where they were groomed. As a result, she started grooming other dogs.

With little experience working with poodles, Haase went to work for Morgan City Pet Grooming.

“I told her I didn’t want any money,” Haase said. “I just want to learn how to groom a poodle. Then from there I wanted to learn how to do other breeds.”

In 1994, she started taking classes in Atlanta and Dallas to further develop her skills as a professional groomer. In 1996, she started her business with only $2,000.

Authentic Ink in Morgan City is owned by Raegan Sanford and sister Keaten Bella. This business is responsible for producing silk screened custom wearable items. It’s been in operation for five years on a part-time basis.

The business started as a result of a local business owner selling some equipment. At the time, Sanford and Bella’s brother knew about screen printing.

“And so we as a family thought that it would be an inexpensive way to kind of reach out and attempt a brand new endeavor,” Sanford said.

“It really didn’t have anything to do with ‘Oh my gosh , I’ve always wanted to silk screen shirts,’” Sanford said.

“I’ve always been a creative person but it was never something we sought out for. It was very circumstantial, ‘Hey that sounds kind of cool’…It was something we could actually purchase without taking out a business loan.”

Sanford’s interest in the company was to graphically design things technology based, which is how the interest sparked for them.

She also has a background in interior design and education. She currently teaches math at South Central Louisiana Technical College, Young Memorial campus.

“We are very involved in the community, spirit attire, team sports, uniforms, anything custom for local businesses,” Sanford said.

Because the business is a part-time operation, Sanford only does work in the local area.

All three local business owners strongly suggest that women should start their own businesses as long as the business is something they want to do.

“Don’t give up on yourself ,” Verdun said. “Just know you’re walking with God. … At the end of the day, if you’re comfortable with what you’ve done, then you’ll succeed. … Just don’t give up on what you’re doing.”

“I encourage women to pursue their dream,” Haase said. “Get into it and see if you even like it. I didn’t know I would like this at first. Well, I did, but I’m talking about working with different types of dogs.

“All I ever did was groom schnauzers.”

“I definitely encourage anyone to be out for themselves and the benefit of what they can do and aspire to be,” Sanford said. “It’s difficult just to be a business owner. …But do it absolutely, if you see an opportunity.

“I’m very proud of how far we’ve come.”

For more information about the report Thumbtack's Best Places for Women to Start a Business in 2016, go to http://www.thumbtack.com/blog/women-business-2016/ .