-
Meet Vicki and Deidre, owners of The Refinery Men’s Grooming Lounge located in New Braunfels, Texas.
Vicki and Deidre, owners of The Refinery Men’s Grooming Lounge
The Refinery Men’s Grooming Lounge is the creation of two local women who aspired to create the premier men’s salon in New Braunfels. Their business is centered around the idea that a men’s salon can be a different kind of experience. Top notch attention to detail no matter how simple the service.
The Prince Solms Royal Shave with steam
Here like-minded stylists and barbers provide the highest quality services in a clean and masculine setting. Their goal is to provide the best service to every client, every time. They are extremely grateful for the support they have received from the local community and strive to reciprocate that support at every opportunity.
Cleansing Comal Facial with steam
At The Refinery Men’s Grooming Lounge they love to mix old school tradition with modern trends and cutting edge skill. They’re not a salon, but an uncomplicated place for men of all ages to get a cut, trim or a shave. If you’re feeling adventurous, try their new facials and waxing–they won’t tell!
You can find The Refinery Men’s Grooming Lounge at 2363 Gruene Lake Drive, New Braunfels, Texas 78130, United States Unit A, online at https://refinerynb.com/ or by calling 830.609.9727.
Client Assistance:
Vicki and Deidre used the assistance of the UTSA Small Business Development Center Satellite Office and met with Business Advisor Larry New to help with their business formation. Together, they worked on detailed financial projections and their business plan for a business loan. The UTSA Small Business Development Center’s Satellite Office is located at 940 W. San Antonio Street in New Braunfels and you can reach Larry at 830-214-6435.
We are proud to be a part of The Refinery Men’s Grooming Lounge’s success!
Find the UTSA Small Business Development Center at 940 W. San Antonio Street in New Braunfels and call us at 830-214-6435.
Check out more New Braunfels and Seguin success stories!
Interested in receiving New Braunfels & Seguin news on a weekly basis? Then sign up for our e-newsletter! click here to sign up.
-
Frank McKay, a UTSA alumnus and U.S. Army veteran, and L.J. Letourneau have spent the majority of their careers working for an oil services company that did inspection and testing for high-pressure fracking wells. In 2018, they decided the time was right to fulfill their shared dream of owning their own business. With 20 years of combined experience in the oil industry—and a new, innovative technology to share with customers—the pair launched their own company, 2A Energy Services, LLC.
The company provides services and products to the well stimulation and completion processes in the Eagle Ford Shale. Their products and services primarily focus on pressure containment, well control, and fluid transfer equipment. 2A Energy Services’ customers include companies who specialize in hydraulic fracturing, cement pumping, coil tubing, well drill out, well flow back, and well testing. They also have been carrying iron supplies, and well and gauge parts, in order to provide real time repairs in the area. 2A Energy Services also helped to design and build a radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology app with a prominent technology company. This innovative technology allows their customers to obtain inspection data and asset management in real time right from their phones, saving them down-time, money, and ensuring accurate field data.
Frank and L.J. approached The University of Texas at San Antonio Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and worked with Senior Business Advisor Lisha Garcia. She helped with the initial launch of their company by reviewing and refining their business plan and assisting them with developing financial projections. As the company grew, they needed to hire additional workers and were also seeking to move from their start up location in L.J.’s garage to permanent office space. Lisha worked with the owners to revise their business plan and prepare them to meet with high profile lenders, investors and CEOs, in order to help them reach their new company goals. The pair has now hired workers and has permanent office and shop space in Pleasanton, Texas. The move also allowed them to increase their capacity to store more equipment, hire additional employees, and fulfill their number one goal of providing health insurance for their employees.
-
Sam Pena of SAMS (Spine and Musculo-Skeletal) Clinic
Sam had been a chiropractor working with a corporate practice for three years. He was able to save up some startup capital and planned to open his own practice. With his own practice, Sam is now able to operate and treat his loyal patients with the absolute passion and quality that he’s always wanted to provide under his own business model. Sam’s wife, Sunny, was familiar with the services of the UTSA Small Business Development Center. Once she and her husband were ready to make the leap of starting their own practice, Sunny recommended her husband visit with the UTSA SBDC in order to gain some startup assistance. During Sam’s session with his Business Advisor Hector Ramirez, they first discussed legal structure and the process of attaining an EIN in the effort of opening up a business checking account. Sam and Hector also reviewed several sample business plans. By understanding the value of business planning, Sam is well on his way to building a practice with future growth potential. Sam anticipates continuing to use the services at the UTSA SBDC by attending marketing workshops and follow up sessions with his Business Advisor.
Additional therapy room on site
Sam and Sunny Pena
Website: https://provider.kareo.com/samuel-pena
Facebook Page: SAMS Clinic SATX -
Carlos De La Cruz Jr. is a retired veteran whose dream was to open a 9Round Fitness franchise. From the military, he knew the benefits of having structure in his life, so being a 9Round trainer fits him well. He and wife Annette decided to buy a 9Round fitness franchise in San Antonio since they found the other seven 9Round fitness franchises there had been successful. The fitness center offers a full body workout with an emphasis on kickboxing and personal trainer guidance. Members get their workout at their leisure and complete the circuit in 30 minutes. They are the 8th franchise in San Antonio and are located in the northeast side of the city. Carlos and Annette shadowed an existing 9Round Fitness franchise for a few months so they would get an idea of how it runs. They needed assistance in researching and finding an ideal location for the gym. They engaged with FranNet prior to getting in contact with the SBDC, so they were aware of the franchise opportunity. They had a preliminary business plan that was provided by the franchisor, but they needed help in getting it into a format that would be acceptable to a bank. They met UTSA SBDC Senior Business Advisor Lisha Garcia at a franchising business class. At that time, they were seeking a loan through their bank, and they had also already attended several small business workshops at the UTSA SBDC. Lisha assisted with initial market and territory analysis, and developing a business plan and projections.
Also, with the assistance of SBDCNet (SBDC National Information Clearinghouse), Carlos was able to research and locate his franchise in an ideal territory. The SBDC further assisted with a business plan and projections to secure a 7a SBA loan. The SBDC helped them start the business in 2018. Carlos is at the business full time. Annette is a full time nurse and works in the operations side of the business. The business began with four employees and has now grown, in just over a year, to nine employees. Carlos has employed a successful marketing strategy to meet his area needs with targeted marketing in his territory. His sales grew significantly in 2018, and in 2019 they are projected to double his 2018 results. The SBDC continues to work with Carlos on his goals for 2020, including purchasing more equipment to continue to expand his business offerings.
-
Ever since she could remember, Dr. Melody Zamora wanted to be a dentist. She knew that smiles build confidence and change lives. She completed her dental education at Oregon Health and Science University where she earned a D.M.D. degree.
From watching her father manage his own business, she learned entrepreneurship and how to be of service to others. She found a perfect opportunity to start her own business when two dental practices came available for purchase. Dr. Zamora worked with Senior Business Advisor, Patrice McElfresh, at the UTSA SBDC, on financial projections, demographic research, business valuation and other business support. She is now the primary dentist at both locations, one located on the Southside of San Antonio and the other on the Northside. ZAM Dental offers General and Cosmetic Dentistry, Teeth Whitening, Restorative Dentistry, and Dentures and other oral care treatments. Dr. Zamora highly values the well-being of her patients. She offers oral cancer screenings to every patient. In 2015, Dr. Zamora’s practice was recognized as a top Dentistry practice with some of San Antonio’s best Dentists.
Dr. Zamora is on staff at The University of Texas Health Science Center and continues to give back to the community through sharing her knowledge and mentoring others. She hopes to continue to grow and help more patients to have the best smiles possible.
