Small Business Superwoman

Reprinted with permission from the Nov. 2007 edition of Plano Profile Magazine.

Vickie Evans and her employees don’t sport capes, but The Red Cape Company or RedCape, is ready to save the day when their superhero clients face the challenges of working in a gadget-centric, technologically-advanced world. The company works with clients to solve their technical needs, much like an IT department at a large company. But Evans’ clients don’t have internal IT departments; they have RedCape.

Evans is living her dream, working with professionals and growing her business, in part because of help she received from the Collin Small Business Development Center (SBDC). RedCape is one of the center’s many shining examples.

“I had tried other small business consultants, but they didn’t really understand what I was trying to do,” Evans said. “When I called the Collin SBDC, I could tell that they got my concept. They asked me some questions and directed me to resources right away.” Those resources put Evans on the right track, and led her to expanding this unique company from north Texas to clients nationwide.

Evans had worked as a personal assistant to a prominent attorney, a record label executive and a candidate for lieutenant governor of New York. These experiences, combined with more than 10 years as a technology trainer and database developer, inspired her to start RedCape. Yet, despite her strong background in the field, Evans knew there was one area where she would need assistance – the area of growing a small business. That is where the Collin SBDC came into play. Evans met with a consultant who led her through the process of transforming her business from a smaller technology training company into a full service support and solutions entity.

“As a small business owner, it seems like there are 1,001 things that need to be done,” Evans said. “The SBDC helps me focus on my priorities and figure out the steps to get things done. It makes me look at what is important now and what can wait until later.”

“Vickie Evans is an innovator because of the ways she helps her clients become more productive through just-in-time coaching and solutions,” Marta Frey, Director of the Collin SBDC said. “RedCape is the vehicle for creating a more proactive workforce needing to keep up with changing technologies. That type of ingenuity and her experience makes her successful in her business.”

Materials, services or products offered by providers to SBDC clients are available as a resource for you to locate professionals who can assist you with business concerns. Making these sources available to you does not imply or constitute a recommendation or endorsement by the SBDC, but is only intended to be a convenience for you. You must perform your “due diligence” by interviewing the individuals or companies to determine if they meet your needs. If you do retain their services, be sure to obtain your agreement in writing: who is responsible for what; what work is to be performed; what is not included; what is the cost.

A partnership program of the U.S. Small Business Administration and the Bill Priest Campus of El Centro College, a division of the Dallas County Community College District. Funded in part through Cooperative Agreement # 9-603001-0046-22 with the U.S. Small Business Administration. All opinions, conclusions, or recommendations expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the SBA. It is the policy of the Dallas County Community College District and Collin College that all persons have equal opportunity and access to its educational programs, services, activities, and facilities without regard to race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, or ancestry, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, disability or status as a veteran.